ORLANDO, FL – After more than a decade, Wendy McManus has announced that she is leaving the National Mango Board (NMB) to pursue an opportunity as a business coach. NMB’s first Marketing Director and current Retail Program Manager will leave in June of 2018.
On what working with a business coach did for herself and her team, McManus said, “The process felt so natural, and I was making big leaps every time I met with my coach. I was able to identify some of my own blind spots that were holding the team back.”
McManus helped drive the board’s early efforts to engage and educate consumers, retailers and foodservice operators as its first Marketing Director, according to a press release. In 2012, she shifted into the Retail Program Manager, where she led the NMB’s team of retail account managers through a period of tremendous growth and change, including helping introduce mango ripening at retail.
“Our retail program was fairly simple when we first started, but it has become much more sophisticated, especially over the past five years,” said McManus. “Our board has challenged us to continually improve how we work with retailers to move more mangos year-round, and the retail team has been up to the challenge.”
Cece Krumrine, Retail Account Manager, said, “I have been privileged to work with Wendy at the NMB and before that at the National Watermelon Promotion Board. It’s been exciting to witness the evolution of her leadership style, especially over these recent years.”
The board did not announce who the next Retail Program Manager will be, but did state that they will work closely with McManus during the transition to learn the ins and outs of the NMB retail program.
“I’m eager to mentor the person who will take on my responsibilities,” said McManus. “I care deeply about the people in the mango industry, and I want to help prepare our new team member for success in this position.”
McManus will attend PMA Fresh Summit and speak with produce professionals to learn about their biggest leadership challenges.
Currently engaged in a yearlong coach-training program, McManus will qualify for professional certification next year. She intends to focus on energizing leaders and their teams to pursue their highest value work and reach their goals with greater ease.
“After a few months of coaching, my management style had shifted. When the team responded positively, I knew I was onto something,” said McManus, saying that she believes the NMB retail team’s outcomes over the past two years are living proof that coaching works. She also wants to continue to bring these benefits to the produce industry. “Although I’m leaving the NMB, I have no plans to leave the produce industry, which has become like a family to me. I’m excited to bring my coaching know-how, along with a deep understanding of the industry, to help produce teams build connection and generate outstanding results.”
Congratulations on your eleven years with NMB and this new opportunity Wendy!
STELLARTON, NS - Continuing on its previously announced Project Sunrise restructuring plan, Canadian grocer Sobeys has announced it will continue to streamline its executive positions in order to limit costs and grow its bottom line. According to source The Chronicle Herald, Sobeys said it would be eliminating 75 executive positions at different offices across Canada.
“The grocery business is highly competitive and our regionally-based structure slowed us down. As we move to a national, functionally-led company we have an aggressive goal to transform our organization and leverage our size and scale,” said Michael Medline, President and Chief Executive Officer, in a statement.
As we previously reported when Sobeys announced the plan in May of this year, Project Sunrise was designed to deliver $500 million in annualized savings by 2020. At the time of the announcement, the company said that cost savings will come from the following:
- Collapsing multiple, independent regions into a largely national, functionally-led structure. This will simplify the way the company conducts business and will result in a reduced workforce
- Simplifying how the company collaborates with vendors while leveraging its purchasing scale as a $24 billion national company
- Driving enterprise-wide efficiencies and productivity initiatives
According to Medline in a statement to The Telegram, after Sobeys completes Project Sunrise, the company will have a simpler, leaner structure, be more efficient, and better prepared to leverage its $24-billion national scale.
“Change of this magnitude is not easy on our employees, but we remain committed to making tough decisions, and executing the necessary changes, to ensure our future success,” he continued. “This will free us up to be extremely nimble, grow market share, and thrill our customers in the more than 1,500 communities that we will continue to operate in.”
As of 2 PM EST on Tuesday after the announcement went public, Empire Company, Sobeys’ parent company, saw its stock up 41 cents, or 1.88 per cent, to $22.25 from $21.84 as of Tuesday’s market close.
To read more about Sobey’s Project Sunrise, read our previous article about the initiative here.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – Is tech-giant Google’s most recent retail partnership with Target part of an ongoing effort to build an “anti-Amazon alliance”? A recent report by tech news source Recode makes a compelling argument that the move may be an attempt to build a moat around Amazon as the company expands into brick and mortar retail.
This Thursday, Target and Google announced an expanded partnership that will allow consumers to place orders from their local Target stores using Google Express, the company’s home delivery shopping service, and using Google Assistant, a voice-activated personal assistant program that can be used across a variety of platforms including your phone and Android TV.
“Starting today, you can shop Target from anywhere in the United States through Google Express and with the Google Assistant (except for Alaska and Hawaii),” Google noted in a press release. “You’ll be able to get and reorder your favorite Target items and brands…Target will offer 2-day delivery, as well as free shipping for any orders over $35.”
Target is just the latest retailer to pair with Google on a nationwide scale. In fact just weeks ago, rival retailer Walmart announced a partnership that would add hundreds of thousands of products to Google’s service. Other fresh focused partners include 99 Ranch Market, Costco, and Smart & Final.
Recode notes that these partnerships are likely a response to the shared threat of an Amazon-dominated retail environment. Will partnerships like these stem the tide of a surging Amazon, after entering brick and mortar retail with the acquisition of Whole Foods earlier this year? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
FOWLER, CA - With the domestic citrus season underway in California, retailers are gearing up for fall promotions and adding a fresh squeeze to produce departments. Demand has reached new heights in the citrus category, and answering that call is the Bee Sweet Citrus team, bringing fresh solutions to their customers and the consumer this holiday season.
Monique Bienvenue, Director of Communications, took a few minutes to chat with me about California citrus and what we can expect as we move through the remainder of 2017.
“We supply oranges, lemons, and mandarins year-round, but as our domestic season kicks into gear, we are eager to welcome back Cara Cara Navels, Blood Oranges, Pummelos, Melo Golds, Grapefruit, Gold Nugget Mandarins, Minneolas, and Meyer Lemons,” Monique shares. “The Bee Sweet Citrus marketing team is happy to provide P.O.S. sheets or any additional marketing material that retailers believe would help push out their product.”
As citrus becomes a household staple, Monique notes that Bee Sweet has noticed that there is a year-round demand for varieties such as navels and mandarins and as the company moves into the winter season, however, the team anticipates the demand for other varieties will gain momentum.
“For example, consumers like to incorporate pommelos and mandarins into their Chinese New Year celebrations in January, and lemons into their Superbowl snacks and into their Lenten meals as well,” Monique tells me. “Consumers are interested in knowing where their food comes from and providing consumers with resources that highlight the farm-to-fork movement can help strengthen that grower-consumer relationship.”
The story behind the amazing fresh produce displayed in the produce departments has become more important than ever, and retailers are already doing an exceptional job in highlighting the farmer’s story on marketing materials throughout their facilities.
“We’d like to encourage them to continue along that route,” Monique adds. “PMA Fresh Summit will be a great opportunity to have these conversations and further promote our citrus vision so please come by and visit us.”
With Fresh Summit just around the corner, make sure to add the Bee Sweet Citrus booth #4533 to your list of destinations.
KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO – Mucci Farms' team has taken home a truly impressive accolade this week; the Leamington Chamber of Commerce has awarded the company with the top honor in the Industrial/Manufacturing Excellence category at the 23rd Annual Business Excellence Awards held at the Leamington Portuguese Club on October 11th, 2017.
“We are really grateful to the Chamber for recognizing us for a second year in a row,” said Bert Mucci, Chief Executive Officer. “To win in two different categories is especially exciting because it tells us that we are succeeding in multiple areas. Investing in a passionate team and always having an innovative spirit are two areas we have identified as cornerstone pillars of our company.”
According to a Mucci Farms press release, the Industrial/Manufacturing Excellence award, sponsored by the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation, is given to the company who best exemplifies a commitment to product development and quality, expanding the market base, environmental commitment, progressive human resource policies, and skills development.
Mucci Farms noted that the company’s investment in their workforce and innovative spirit has shown no signs of slowing down. Mucci Farms recently completed an addition to their strawberry farm, and it continues to make substantial investments in state-of- the-art robotics and technology across the company’s footprint which totals over 200 acres.
Congratulations from the ANUK team to Mucci on this auspicious occasion!
SALINAS, CA – Taylor Farms and Sakata Seed America are coming together to give back to communities across the country. The two companies have partnered to participate in the Society of American Florist’s Petal It Forward flower giveaway event in Salinas, CA.
“We were thrilled to receive the invitation from Sakata Seed America and the Society of America Florists to partner on this initiative,” said Katrina Gargiulo of Taylor Farms. “We take great pride in giving back to our local community and appreciate the opportunity to partake in this special program.”
The initiative came to fruition with an event held on October 11th involving more than 273 cities across all 50 states. Participants surprised individuals on the street with two flower bouquets, Taylor Farms coupons in tow, and encouraged recipients to keep one bouquet and gift the other.
The two participating companies noted, in a joint media release, that the Petal It Forward program is designed to promote the understanding of the emotional value of giving and receiving flowers.
“At the core of our values, and as part of our 40th anniversary celebration, Sakata Seed America is committed to supporting activities that aim to enhance life, the environment and culture in our local communities, as well as across North America,” said Alecia Troy of Sakata. “Petal It Forward is a grass-roots, personal way to connect with others and spread the joy of flowers. Partnering with a caring company like Taylor Farms makes it even more meaningful.”
Accord to Taylor Farms and Sakata, university research has revealed that flowers have an immediate impact on happiness and a long-term positive effect on moods, and a recent survey indicates that, when it comes to flowers, it’s just as good to give as it is to receive. With this data in mind, the Petal It Forward team is not only spreading happiness to lucky Salinas residents who receive the flowers, but arming these recipients with the tools they need to Petal It Forward and spread happiness to others.
Taylor Farms and Sakata also express a special thanks to Kitayama Brothers and Green Valley Floral for donating flowers to the Petal It Forward project. Without their generous support, they noted, the event could not have happened.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report with more on the produce industry’s efforts to give back and foster ties with local communities.
MONTREAL, CANADA - Canadian grocer Metro Inc revealed it will be selling off a majority of its stake in Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ahead of it’s recently announced $3.6 billion (C$4.5 billion) acquisition of chain Jean Coutu Group. The retailer said it will be using the earnings from the sale, estimated at around $1.20 billion (C$1.5 billion), to fund the Jean Coutu purchase.
Set to be sold in three separate deals, Metro said in a release that in total, around 27,112,000 shares will be sold at approximately $45.80 (C$57.17) a share.
About 11.4 million of the Couche-Tard shares will be sold to dealers led by National Bank Financial Inc. and BMO Capital Markets, as bookrunners, and will raise $520,562,000 (C$650 million). An equal number of shares will be sold to CDP Investissements Inc. et CDPQ Marchés Boursiers Inc., two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Caisse de dépôt et placements du Québec, for the same dollar amount. The third and final deal will see about 4.4 million shares sold back to Couche-Tard for about $200,275,000 (C$250 million).
According to Reuters, Metro is currently the third-biggest food retailer in Canada, which, as we previously reported, is looking to get even larger through its $3.6 billion deal to acquire Jean Coutu. Thomson Reuters data placed this value at 24 times forward earnings when the deal was announced, compared with an industry average of 16, which some analysts believed might be an effort to protect against risks facing the retail sector.
Will this be the start of a bit of a retail revolution in Canada like we’ve been seeing stateside? As Metro’s deal continues to be pushed forward, AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the details.
SEATTLE, WA - Amazon is bulking up for the holiday rush, announcing plans to hire more than 120,000 seasonal workers, and retain thousands of those new hands in a full-time capacity. The hiring spans about 30 states nationwide, including fulfillment centers, sortation centers, and customer service sites.
“We prepare year-round for the holidays, and we’re excited to hire for over 120,000 positions this season to help delight our customers,” said Dave Clark, Senior Vice President of Global Customer Fulfillment. “We look forward to welcoming back holiday employees who return year-after-year to Amazon and welcome new faces to the team, many of whom will continue on with regular, full-time roles with the company after the holidays.”
In a press release, the retailer said that thousands of holiday positions were transitioned to regular, full-time roles after the holidays last year, with expectations to continue that trend.
In addition to highly competitive wages and health insurance, Amazon offers:
- Disability insurance
- Retirement savings plans
- Company stock
- Leave Share for employees to share paid leave with their spouse or domestic partner if necessary
- Ramp Back to give new moms additional control over the pace at which they return to work
The company also noted that it offers up to 20 weeks of paid leave in addition to benefits for new parents to have flexibility with their growing families.
The above benefits are egalitarian, or the same for fulfillment center and customer service employees as they are for Amazon’s most senior executives.
Amazon positions are available in several states, including Alabama; Arizona; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Texas; Washington; New York; North and South Carolina and more. For a full list, click here.
As retailers continue to prepare for the busiest shopping time in produce and beyond, we will continue to keep you up-to-date on new and innovative strategies.
NASHVILLE, NC - At Nash Produce, sweet potatoes are our specialty.
We’ve been working hard to grow the world’s best sweet potatoes for more than a decade. With a focus on innovation, quality, and unrivaled service, here’s What’s in Store.
Our practice is to always meet our customers’ needs by providing consistently-available, superior products, with the highest level of service possible.
In fact, Nash Produce processes, packs, and ships 365 days a year. Our grower partners’ commitment to environmental stewardship is unsurpassed, and our focus on traceability and food safety ensures customers can expect a steady supply of exceptional sweet potatoes.
Collectively, our growers devote over 10,000 acres to sweet potato production, and we consider ourselves front-runners in a constantly evolving fresh produce industry, staying ahead of the latest food trends, technological advances, and food safety initiatives.
With a full service logistics operation, ample retail support, and sweet potatoes in all quantities, shapes, and sizes, Nash Produce is primed to meet needs and exceed expectations.
From our Mr. Yam’s line of value-added conventional and organic sweet potatoes to bulk and private label options, catering to our customers’ needs is our priority.
Nash Produce’s experienced management team works hard to create and maintain long-term partnerships with both growers and customers and bring the best spuds possible to market.
Thank you for watching What’s in Store.
BERLIN, GERMANY – Meal kit provider HelloFresh is making headlines with bold plans for an initial public offering (IPO) on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The company, which calls itself “the only meal kit service of scale with an intercontinental footprint,” has targeted 250-300 million euros (approximately $290-355 million) to fund continued investment in its long term growth.
“The public listing marks the next logical step to further expand our business, to secure our position as the leading global player and to pursue our long-term growth strategy,” said Dominik Richter, Co-Founder and CEO, in a company release. “In 2011, we started with the mission to change the way people eat. Since then, we have built a dynamic, data-driven organization with scalable production processes across ten international markets. “We have established a brand loved by millions of loyal customers. We have experienced fast growth and have the strategic goal to reach breakeven across our group within 15 months. Now, the time has come to propel HelloFresh to the next level.”
HelloFresh currently operates in ten countries, including the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, and Canada. The company reportedly delivered roughly 33.7 million meals to 1.3 million customers in the second quarter of 2017 alone. According to its press release, HelloFresh employs more than 2,000 employees, offers millions of households the opportunity to enjoy well-balanced home-cooked meals without the associated hassle, and is “the largest player worldwide with #1 positions in all of its major markets outside the U.S."
The company has, it noted, established itself as a disruptive direct-to-consumer food company, based on a data-driven business model, a strong brand, and an innovative supply chain set-up.
“We have pioneered an entirely new category,” said Thomas Griesel, Co-Founder and COO. “Today, we are in an ideal position to seize the growing potential of our global market by capitalizing on our customer-centric product innovation expertise, our technology platform, our vertically integrated supply chain, and our scalable, state-of-the-art fulfilment capabilities.”
HelloFresh sources more than 50 percent of its offerings from local producers which allows for a streamlined structure and fresher food than competitors. The company has also built a significant infrastructure, with seven fulfilment centers around the globe primed to meet growing consumer demand. The company also noted, in a statement, that it is “one of the fastest growing players in the global EUR 7.5 trillion food market,” and with continued margin improvements, HelloFresh hopes to breakeven in 15 months.
“We have a very dynamic market development in our category, which we want to fully capitalize on by raising about 250 to 300 million euros of primary capital through an IPO,” added Christian Gärtner, CFO.
News source Reuters reported that, should HelloFresh’s plans succeed, the IPO flotation would value the meal kit company at up to $1.8 billion. The news source also added that the valuation would be a significant leap forward for the meal kit industry after a disappointing IPO saw Blue Apron’s valuation shrink to $980 million.
Will HelloFresh be the first unicorn in the meal kit category and crack the billion-dollar mark? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.