IDAHO FALLS, ID – Potandon Produce is issuing a challenge to the produce and floral industries: Raise $50,000 by Arbor Day 2016 to support the planting of trees affected by the wildfires that have burned millions of acres across Idaho, Montana, Washington, California, and Oregon.
As one of the worst years on record for wildfire destruction, Potandon’s goal is to restore the barren land back into its natural state as quickly as possible. They need your help to make it happen.
Why, do you ask? Planting these trees will go a long way in helping the wildlife populations, limiting soil erosion, and generating oxygen.
Each dollar pledged will go towards the planting of one tree. Click on the button below to find a page where you can contribute to this worthwhile cause.
“Being an Idaho-based company, the staff at Potandon Produce LLC see the impact of these fires firsthand, with smoke filling our air and local news reports of properties being burned, businesses destroyed, and people displaced,” the company said in an email to industry members. “Everyone working in the Produce and Floral Industries understands the importance of a healthy eco-system and how critical it is to quickly recover from this type of devastation.”
Industry members, like Rex Lawrence, President of Joe Produce, have already taken the plunge in helping replace trees in burned out areas.
“What a great cause! It’s good for a planet and applicable local communities,” said Lawrence. “Joe Produce was happy to be a part of this goal of 50,000 trees.”
Click the Arbor Day Challenge link below to learn more about the program and how you can donate.
WILMINGTON, DE - The DuPont Board of Directors have announced Edward D. Breen as the company’s newest Chair and Chief Executive Officer, and with it the potential for possible mergers and acquisitions with rivals like Syngenta and more.
"Ed Breen brings to DuPont an exceptional track record of business leadership and value creation,” said Alexander M. Cutler, DuPont's Lead Independent Director. “As a Chief Executive, he has consistently delivered superior returns through robust growth and portfolio strategies, across a range of industries. As a DuPont board member and interim chair and CEO, Ed has rapidly and actively engaged in advancing the transformation of DuPont."
Breen has served as interim chair and CEO of DuPont since October of this year, and joined the company's board in February 2015.
Last month while still in his interim position however, Breen said he was discussing possible deals with executives at rival agriculture companies, many of which are considering mergers amid what the Wall Street Journal is calling, “a three-year decline in crop prices that has pushed seed and pesticide prices down.” DuPont reportedly has been holding early-stage discussions with both Dow Chemical Co. and Syngenta AG, but these discussions may still not result in any definitive deals, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.
As we’ve previously reported, in August, Monsanto pulled out of its offer to acquire Syngenta for $47 billion after the Swiss company said the offer “fundamentally undervalued” the costs it would take to implement a merger. While this deal would have created the world’s largest supplier of seeds and pesticides, analysts suggest that now Monsanto could be facing the threat of even bigger competitors if its rivals end up going through with a merger.
A merged Syngenta and DuPont would control about 27% of global pesticide sales, according to data from Morgan Stanley. However, analysts suggest that the combination would likely require a divestment of Syngenta’s U.S. seed business to avoid antitrust concerns, according to the Wall Street Journal.
DuPont and Dow’s agricultural operations combined would total about 17% control of the global market in pesticides, putting them solidly in third place behind Syngenta and Bayer, according to Morgan Stanley. Dow’s seed business could possibly also be divested if a deal were to go through.
For more on this story as it develops, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
EL SEGUNDO, CA – Though Fresh & Easy has struggled since coming out of its first Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the chain’s owner Yucaipa Companies, LLC, founded by renowned investor Ronald W. Burkle, decided to take on the challenge.
"[Tesco] decided to literally give us and the team half the company to see if we could save the jobs and their investment," Burkle wrote to the Los Angeles Times.
Burkle, who became a billion dollar investor due to sharp skills in the supermarket circuit, and his company acquired Fresh & Easy in 2013 with the idea of bringing more affluent shoppers to the chain and changes that would make it “more relevant to today’s consumer.”
Now, two years later, the chain is back in bakruptcy.
While analysts told the L.A. Times that Burkle’s Yucaipa Cos. underestimated the amount of investment and the level of competition in the market, Burkle told the publication that it was something he considered significantly before investing both his company’s time and reputation into trying to turn the stores around.
“Yucaipa did not commit sufficient capital on Fresh & Easy,” Burt Flickinger III, Managing Director of consulting firm Strategic Resource Group, told the Times. “Yucaipa bought the stores at a favorable price and thought they could operate them profitably, but it takes significant investment.”
Burkle countered in his writing, however, that the investment was simply too great. "The business was in a free fall. Turnarounds are tough, and falling knives are tougher yet."
Now the retail chain is closing its doors by the end of the month, a sharp turn after having only filed for its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the end of October.
While the situation is not the happy ending the company might have first envisioned, Burkle wrote that it wasn’t without effort and is a disappointing outcome.
"The chance would never come again to build something from an infrastructure like they had created," Burkle wrote. "In many ways, Fresh & Easy was a great opportunity to bring a new format to the market."
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow the story as it unfolds further.
CALIFORNIA & WEST COAST - Moisture in all three stages of precipitation has fallen from the sky in parts of northern and central California, at least three ski resorts have announced they will open this week, and a cold front has hit the West. Has winter actually arrived in the Golden State?
As we previously reported, rain dancers have seen a glimmer of hope on the West Coast in its need to build the snowpack up from historically low levels. While we are a far cry from seeing what we need to change the status of our four-year-long drought, NBC Bay Area reports that the past few days have seen the following weather patterns to get the ball rolling:
- About one to two feet of snowfall in the high elevations.
- Hail fall in parts of Napa and Sonoma Counties.
- Nearly and inch of rain in some cities located in the San Francisco Bay area.
And it’s hardly over, according to weather professionals.
"There is more good news on the way for part of the drought-stricken West starting this weekend and continuing into next week,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Ken Clark said in a report.
While most of the drenching rain in the San Francisco - Sacramento, California, areas was yesterday, AccuWeather reports that yesterday and today will most likely bring the heaviest snowfall onto central and northern Sierra Nevada. Areas at about 7,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada can anticipate up to eight inches of snow, with a possibility of up to 12 more inches of snow along the highest mountain peaks.
The storm will reportedly turn inland into Wednesday, but not before treating other areas to some water as well.
"Some snow could again dip as far south as Flagstaff, Arizona, and portions of I-40 eastward to northwestern New Mexico," Clark added. "However, the snow in this area may not be as heavy as the last storm."
Even Colorado could see some love by Veteran’s Day, with chances of a “major snowstorm” in the Colorado Rockies, along the state’s I-25 and the Denver metro area.
More moisture is anticipated along the West in the days to come, so keep checking in with AndNowUKnow as we monitor how the weather will affect the industry this winter.
SANTA PAULA, CA - In another collaboration with Healthy Grocery Girl® and Registered Dietician Megan Roosevelt, Limoneira is announcing its Holiday and 2016 Promotional Calendar.
“Limoneira is continually looking for ways to add value for our Retail Grocery and Food Service customers,” explains John Chamberlain, Director of Marketing for Limoneira. “This calendar of promotions and linkage with Megan Roosevelt of Healthy Grocery Girl® for the holidays and throughout 2016, shares the many ways that Limoneira Lemons can be used by consumers.”
Megan Roosevelt, Healthy Grocery Girl ®, is a Registered Dietician and has a significant social media presence, especially on YouTube. Megan is passionate about getting people healthy, but according to Limoneira, she balances health with delivering great taste. Watch Limoneira and Megan’s video below to see what the two have in store for promotions through 2016.
These promotions are designed to let customers know about the many benefits of lemons and to promote them in a retail setting. Of course, lemons can be used to develop great tasting recipes, but there are less obvious things that consumers can do with lemons, too. People love the green cleaning abilities of lemons, lemons’ beauty applications, and a number of lifestyle tips that Limoneira is happy to discuss with consumers.
“People are embracing the Zero Waste movement and we’re showing how lemons can help and pointing out that they can get them at their favorite grocers,” Chamberlain adds. “We also share Limoneira’s 122 years of sustainability - farm worker housing, integrated pest management, water management, green waste recycling and solar - and link with our Food Service and Grocery Retailer sustainability practices.”
Limoneira also offers in-store point-of-purchase displays with retail branding, according to a press release. For more information, watch Megan and Limoneira’s video above or visit limoneira.com.
WENATCHEE, WA – Stemilt is putting the pedal to the medal with an innovative retail demonstration that seeks to capture millennial attention.
Stemilt’s Blender Bike, a stationary bicycle that can power a blender, ventured across various Schnucks Markets stores on a four-day tour to promote the company’s Fresh Blenders and offer freshly-made smoothies to shoppers.
“I was really amazed how many customers told me they are currently juicing or making smoothies at home,” said Jocelyn Gerard, Stemilt’s Merchandise Manager. “In particular, the kids really seemed to be on board with drinking smoothies.”
Schnucks customers had the opportunity to hop on the bike and run the blender using bicycle power. The Simple ABC Smoothie recipe, which can be found on Stemilt’s website, was tasted by over 1,000 customers during the tour, according to a press release.
All in all, the Blender Bike traveled from Stemilt's Chicago headquarters to Schnucks stores in Champaign, Urbana, Montvale, and Edwardsville, finishing in St. Louis with stops at Schnucks’ downtown Culinara store and ending on Halloween at Des Peres.
“For Halloween, Schnucks Des Peres had a costume contest for Store Associates and this only added to the fun,” Gerard continued. “Witches, fairies, and even a Stemilt ‘apple’ took the Blender Bike for a spin.”
Stemilt’s Fresh Blenders are available year-round and are packaged in convenient grab-and-go re-sealable pouches. Each bag contains five pounds of apples in two flavor profile offerings, sweet and tart, and features a recipe and QR code linking to Stemilt’s website for more juicing and smoothie recipes. The company says that Fresh Blenders make a great tie-in with much of the produce department to create additional sales in kale, spinach, berries, bananas, and more.
Keep an eye out for Stemilt’s Blender Bike making its way to more retail stores near you.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that George Finch and John D. Honeycutt were both responsibly connected with Third Coast Produce Company Ltd., a Houston, Texas-based company that had been previously cited for failure to pay for produce.
Finch and Honeycutt had appealed their responsibly connected status to the USDA Judicial Officer and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, both of which upheld USDA’s determination, according to a press release.
Consequently, Finch and Honeycutt may not be employed or affiliated with any PACA licensee until October 2, 2016, and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. Both men also cannot be licensed in the produce industry until October 2, 2017, and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
In late February 2012, the USDA filed action against Third Coast Produce Company Ltd. for failure to make full payment promptly to 21 sellers for 207 lots of produce in the total amount of $514,943.40 under the PACA. The produce was purchased during February 2010 through July 2010. The company was allowed to reapply for a PACA license on June 5, 2014.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,700 PACA claims involving more than $66 million. USDA experts have also assisted more than 7,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $110 million. The Agricultural Marketing Service, PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses operating subject to PACA.
YAKIMA, WA - It takes a lot to truly make a difference in one’s community—now trying doing it for 46 years in a row. That’s exactly what FirstFruits Marketing of Washington was being recognized for at the 17th annual “Make A Difference” banquet on Thursday, October 29, 2015, hosted by the Southeast Yakima Community Center and the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Washington.
Highlighting 46 years of serving the Yakima community and honoring companies and individuals’ commitment to making a difference in the lives of others, this year’s banquet is a result of an ongoing partnership between FirstFruits and the Southeast Yakima Community Center.
“We’re extremely honored and humbled to be recognized by the Southeast Yakima Community Center and the Opportunities Industrialization of Washington,” said Naomi Lule, CFO of FirstFruits Marketing of Washington and Chair of FirstFruits Marketing of Washington Missions Commissions. “We are fortunate to be able to be a major partner of this crucial work both in human input and in financial contribution.”
FirstFruits has donated $5,000 to create a computer lab for the grade school children of an impoverished neighborhood who spend after school hours at the center. According to a press release, several FirstFruits employees are also active volunteers with the organization teaching self-image through dance classes and participating in various events throughout the year such as the annual holiday meal at Christmas and the national night out event.
FirstFruits says its business is about coming together for a greater purpose and giving back under the servant leadership business model. Additional recent philanthropic endeavors include sponsoring Yakima’s Northwest Harvest’s “Carve Out Hunger” event where it raised over 69,000 meals and donated $5,000 to Convoy of Hope for South Carolina relief, FirstFruits adds. Even further, a percentage of FirstFruits profits are allocated by its employees to non-profit organizations annually.
WATSONVILLE, CA - To kick off the holiday season, California Giant Berry Farms is launching a Just Drizzle It holiday promotion and sweepstakes, teaming up with a number of other category companies to showcase a wide variety of freshly-made sauces, spreads, and dressings.
Partners in the promo include Cabot Creamery, Blendtec, and Scharffen Berger.
“We are excited about this partnership of berries, chocolate, and creamy cheeses to inspire our consumer followers during the holidays as they look to dress up their parties,” Cindy Jewell, Vice President of Marketing at California Giant Berry Farms, said in a press release. "We can’t go wrong teaming up with cheese and chocolate!”
According to California Giant, the team up creates a flavorful, eye-catching seven course menu that looks to inspire consumers to ‘dress up their plates’ with ‘just a drizzle.’
Beginning just in time for your customers to start planning what they are going to serve for Thanksgiving, the promotion starts mid-November and runs through New Year’s Eve.
And to sweeten the offer, the Just Drizzle It campaign comes with an opportunity to enter a YouTube sweepstakes by downloading a free ebook with recipes to see drizzle ideas, as well as access to watching a step-by-step video on how to ‘decorate your plate.’
Each week from mid-November to New Year’s Eve, a new recipe will be featured as a teaser to over 600,000 consumer followers through social media channels.
Participation will allow consumers to be eligible to win a grand prize Blendtec Designer 625 Blender ($480 value) with a special delivery of assorted berries, chocolates, and cheeses from California Giant, Scharffen Berger Chocolate, and the Cabot Creamery.
With the opportunity for brand recognition this represent, all involved partners are reportedly very excited about the significant attention to increase consumption of all featured products.
For more marketing and campaign concepts to increase consumptions during the holiday season, keep checking in with AndNowUKnow.
LOS ANGELES, CA - New court documents from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court now reveal that over 130 Haggen stores are going up for grabs, with many of them going in an auction today out of Los Angeles, CA. Albertsons is eyeing as many as 36 of these locations.
Today marks the auction date for stores in the Arizona, Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield/Riverside markets, while the remaining stores on the list will be auctioned off as follows:
November 10, 2015 - 27 Stores
- Oxnard-Ventura, CA Market
- Santa Barbara, CA Market
- San Luis Obispo, CA Market
- San Diego, CA Market
- Las Vegas, NV Market
November 11, 2015 - 33 Stores
- Portland/Salem, OR Market
- Baker City/Eugene/Grants Pass/Klamath Falls/Medford, OR Stores
- Seattle, WA Market
- Aberdeen/Bremerton/Spokane, WA Stores
- Tacoma, WA Market
On Monday, Albertsons will bid for 10 locations throughout Arizona, the Bakersfield/Riversfield, CA market, the Los Angeles, CA market, and the Anaheim, CA market. Then on Tuesday, Albertsons will be bidding for 10 locations throughout Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Las Vegas, and Wednesday the company will be bidding on 4 stores in Oregon and 12 stores in Washington, according to the filing.
As we’ve covered previously, Haggen had expanded from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies to 164 stores in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona after last year's acquisition from Albertsons. Since Haggen’s bankruptcy filing in September, this is the first rumblings of Albertsons being interested in acquiring any of the company’s locations back.
Other companies who have submitted baseline bids for the Haggen stores include Sprouts Farmers Market, Smart & Final, Stater Bros., and Tawa, the operator of the 99 Ranch Market chain.