CITY OF COMMERCE, CA - Felicia Thornton, most recently Co-Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chief Operating Officer of the supermarket chain DSM, Inc., is now the new CFO and Treasurer of 99 Cents Only.
"I have been impressed by 99 Cents Only's commitment to delivering value to their customers and appreciate the opportunity to join this organization and find new ways to enhance value for all stakeholders," Thornton said, according to a press release. "I am committed to supporting the team in driving stronger financial performance as we continue to build 99 Cents Only into a leader in the extreme value sector."
Thornton brings a wealth of grocery and retail executive experience to her newest role. Before her time leading DSM, Thornton served as Chief Financial Officer for Albertsons, having overseen the company’s strategies for about five years, according to the release, and prior to that, she was responsible for Kroger’s retail operations as Group Vice President, among a variety of other positions.
"We are thrilled to welcome Felicia to our team at 99 Cents Only Stores, where we believe her strategic financial experience and proven track record of leading finance functions during transformational change at large, multi-site retail organizations will be valuable to us as we work to continue to grow the company," Geoff Covert, President and Chief Executive Officer of 99 Cents Only Stores, stated.
With this new appointment, which 99 Cents Only said was part of a broader Operating Advisor agreement with majority shareholder Ares Management, L.P., Thornton will be relieving Interim CFO Michael Fung. Fung will now return to his prior position as head of the Board’s Audit Committee while retaining his seat at the Board of Directors.
In her new role with 99 Cents Only, Thornton will oversee accounting, finance, and treasury, as well as risk management and IT functions for the company.
WOODBRIDGE, ON - Burnac Produce has formed a strategic alliance with the Culiacan-based Leyson family, combining forces to become a premier source of Mexican produce for the North American market.
Burnac’s portfolio will now include Leyson’s sustainably- and responsibly-grown eggplants and colored bell peppers which will augment and enhance its very large network of offshore growers.
“We at Burnac are honored and privileged to collaborate with the Leyson family,” a Burnac Produce press release states. “Simply put, we view this as a marriage of equals who share similar philosophies in pursuit of excellence.”
All Leyson eggplants are grown in protected environments, triple washed, and packed in innovative shelf-life extension packaging.
The joint venture is expected to further increase shelf-life for retailers. According to a press release, Burnac says a minimum of 2 to 4 days of additional shelf-life will be achieved thanks to the company’s innovative business model which combines shortening travel distances and reducing on-hand inventories.
Eggplants and bell peppers aren’t the only new Mexican offerings. Burnac has developed unique Mexican sources of green and French beans, figs and cactus pears to further enhance its program.
Look forward to seeing more from Burnac and the Leyson family as they kick off the upcoming 2016 season.
COLOGNE, GERMANY – Whole Foods Market has joined GLOBALG.A.P. as a retail member to develop a streamlined audit process for growers seeking IFA certification and a “Responsibly Grown” rating.
GLOBALG.A.P. and Whole Foods will be working together to benchmark the retailer’s IFA standard to its Responsibly Grown program, which was introduced last year. The program assesses growing practices based on human health, environmental sustainability, water conservation, and worker welfare, and then grades fresh produce and floral items as “good,” “better,” or “best” to help shoppers make informed choices.
Robin Foster, Whole Foods’ Team Leader of Responsibly Grown, was proud to be working with GLOBALG.A.P. to address these important issues, benchmark achievements, and raise the bar across the industry.
“Whole Foods Market launched Responsibly Grown with the goal of addressing some of the most critical agricultural issues we’re facing today, and to reward growers who are taking major steps to protect human health and the environment,” said Foster.
Whole Foods requires that all produce vendors and their suppliers operate using risk-based food safety plans created after performing a risk assessment to identify potential food safety hazards, according to a press release. Vendors of “high-risk produce,” such as salads, melons, and green onions, are required to have a 3rd party food safety audit, preferably to GFSI-recognized schemes, including GLOBALG.A.P.’s Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA-Crops-Fruit & Veg) and Produce Safety Standard (PSS).
Roberta Anderson, GLOBALG.A.P. Sustainability Consultant, said in a press release that this partnership with Whole Foods is a great example of the company’s commitment to developing efficient, pragmatic approaches to food safety and sustainability assurance.
“The more we can do to acknowledge similarities in standards, the better we can eliminate unnecessary duplication of efforts, saving both time and money for growers,” she said.
Whole Foods currently operates over 420 locations throughout the USA and Canada. It now operates nine stores in England and Scotland as well, after having expanded into the United Kingdom in 2004.
OXNARD, CA - Oxnard-based Mission Produce today announced that it has launched a new website, including a new URL: www.worldsfinestavocados.com. The website ties in with the company’s new trade show booth, which debuted at the recent PMA Fresh Summit in Atlanta, and is a symbol of the company’s global approach to leading the avocado market.
According the LeighAnne Thomsen, Marketing Manager, the website fulfills several items on the company’s wish list.
“We really wanted to give our presence a facelift, offer more consumer information, and have a site that we can update on a consistent basis,” said Thomsen.
Added Robb Bertels, Vice President of Marketing, “Mission operates in a global avocado marketplace, and we feel that we need to tell the whole Mission story on a global stage. We have used ‘World’s Finest Avocados’ on our packaging throughout the company’s history, so it seemed like a natural fit to make that our web address. It calls out the global nature of our business, and our emphasis on delivering the finest avocados to our worldwide customer base.”
“The website’s look and feel tied in with our tradeshow booth at Fresh Summit,” according to Thomsen. ”Our goal is to be open and inviting, with colorful graphics, and easy navigation. We will continue to build our web presence, social media outreach and other digital components as we grow. It’s an exciting time for Mission.”
Added Bertels, “We really tried to highlight Mission’s heritage in the avocado business while looking forward to growth globally. We will continue adding components and updating the site, and use it as our primary digital communications platform.”
PEORIA, AZ - One city got a Halloween scare a little early this year, when a 350-pound inflatable pumpkin fought loose from its wires and bounced through a busy, Arizona intersection yesterday.
As this is something I think you may need to see to believe, you can watch the full video of the jack-o’-lantern's festive journey below:
In the video you can see the 25-foot tall, 350-pound pumpkin roll across multiple lanes of traffic. After some fighting through the street’s obstacles, the pumpkin broke free and rolled off into the distance.
Big AZ Promotions, the owners of the pumpkin, were understandably surprised when they got the call that their pumpkin was rolling around aimlessly across Peoria, and spoke with USA Today about the ordeal.
"I was so shocked to see that it was like bouncing like a basketball all the way down the road," said Patrick Sparkes with Big AZ Promotions. "We showed up and it wasn't there and we spent the last 40 minutes driving around looking for it.”
City officials said the pumpkin broke free from a Halloween display promoting the Peoria Monster Bash at the Peoria Sports Complex, adding that the city’s strong winds were to blame for the pumpkin getting loose.
Luckily, no injuries were sustained from the massive pumpkin fiasco, but now passersby have an excellent Halloween story to tell.
ATLANTA, GA - With the recent announcement of Duda Farm Fresh Foods adding a complete celery snacking line, I had to check out some of these products first hand. I caught up with Sammy Duda, V.P. Western Operations for the company, and he gave me all the details on what makes Duda’s line so unique in the growing trend of snacking.
“The new items we’re launching fit into that convenience category and snacking category, but we’ve added additions to it,” Sammy tells me. “It’s one thing to have snacking, but what addition to that do you have? What appeals to millennials, consumers, and so forth?”
Including six ready-to-snack items, the Dandy® Celery Snack Line encompasses Celery Sticks in a 1.6-ounce single serve package; Dandy® celery and peanut butter packs in two sizes—2.3 ounce and 4.15 ounces with Naturally Sweeter and Crispier™ celery and a squeezable peanut butter pouch from Peanut Butter & Co®; and Crunchables™ a grab and go cup that contains celery sticks with three variety of Ranch-flavored dips from Marzetti’s® - Ranch, Light Ranch, and Southwest Ranch.
“We’ve done a lot of research about the flavors and the different dips—even southwest ranch—different flavors like that to enhance that snacking experience,” Sammy explains. “We’ve think we’ve accomplished that and we’re happy with what we have.”
For more on what Sammy had to say and for my first-hand look at the line, watch the full video at the top of the page.
ATLANTA GA - No matter how many members of the industry told me “just wait until you see the Fresh Summit,” I was still shocked by the sheer size of the show when I first saw the floor. While there were so many products being prepared, showcased, and offered, a few stood out in this memorable marker of my first experience at the PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo.
SunFed - Melonheads
When we first got wind of Melon Heads being introduced at Fresh Summit, I had to visit SunFed’s booth to check them out. After all, one thing that catches the eye on a produce package is a fun mascott and a catchy name. Plus, not only are these seedless watermelons available both in conventional and organic, but packaged in a pair that are easy for consumers to pick out when shopping.
Lipman - Zucchini Packs
Something about Lipman’s zucchini packaging, and its Grown True line in general, is that it is both eye-catching and still conveys a message of sustainability, and fresh zucchinis being cleanly packaged is a refreshing site. Overall, this is something that stood out to me among over a thousand booths in tens of rows, so why wouldn’t it stand out in the aisle of a grocery store?
Classic Salads - Kalettes
As I said before, there is nothing like a catchy name or mascot to spice up a produce package, and Classic Salads’ Kalettes and Supermix feature of a leafy runner that definitely catches attention while getting the “super food” message across.
A blend of the produce underdog-turned-champion kale and the continually up-trending Brussels sprouts for an extra kick in nutrients, these products are organically grown, making it a well-rounded composition of everything consumers are looking for these days.
Pero Family Farms - Sweet Pepper Rings
Sweet peppers are fascinating by flavor alone, and are a snacking item that is catching on quickly. This item, to me, offers the next step in convenience. Already chopped into rings, this can easily be poured onto a salad without my having to grab a knife, or just brought along in the car to munch on!
Little Potato Company - Grill and Microwave Ready Potato Packs
I think we can agree that if there is anything that catches a consumer wave, it’s convenient preparation. The Little Potato Company’s latest offerings have the magic word “ready,” meaning less work in the kitchen with both the same flavor, and same benefits of a home-cooked meal.
This is the third installment from our reporters on the floor. To see Jessica's Picks click here, and to see Jordan's Picks click here.
EL SEGUNDO, CA – It appears that even supermarket mogul and billionaire Ron Burkle wasn’t enough to save Fresh & Easy.
The retailer has filed for bankruptcy today, just a little over a week after it began an “organized wind-down” of its business. As we previously reported, Fresh & Easy spokesperson Brendan Wonnacott confirmed that the company was unable to obtain financing and the liquidity necessary to continue to fund the business going forward.
Fresh & Easy's website now states, "All stores closing!" and "Everything Must Go!" with price cuts up to 40 percent off on every item in stores, including fresh produce.
According to Reuters, the company listed debt between $100 million and $500 million in its chapter 11 petition filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware.
Two years ago, Fresh & Easy sold virtually all of its assets to Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Companies, citing “poorly located stores and intense competition” in its Southern California home market. The firm went on to later acquire approximately 150 Fresh & Easy stores, as well as its Riverside food production and distribution center. Tesco, Fresh & Easy’s parent company, loaned the new business £80 million (approximately $120 million U.S.) as part of the deal, but the additional finances weren’t enough to turn the company around.
Yucaipa owns a stake in a number of retail companies, including Food4Less, Fred Meyer, and A&P, which also filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow this developing story.
ATLANTA, GA - Attention Walmart shoppers, you may soon notice a homier atmosphere when you visit the produce aisle.
As we previously reported, IFCO and Walmart, two companies that have partnered in produce since 2000, are teaming up to refurbish the retail giant’s produce aisle with IFCO’s new woodgrain patterned Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs). This past weekend at PMA Fresh Summit in Atlanta, GA, Vice President of Produce for Walmart U.S., Dorn Wenninger, and Daniel Walsh, President of IFCO North America, sat down with us to tell us more about this next big step.
To see all that Daniel and Dorn had to say, watch the full video above.
“I’m excited to have this wood look RPC in all of my stores,” Dorn tells us, adding that Walmart has been trialling the new design for last several month. “With the entrance of IFCO, I look forward to fast tracking that rollout so that it can be across the stores everywhere in North America.”
Daniel conveyed his appreciation on behalf of IFCO to Walmart’s role, both as a partner and as a key driver of RPCs in the initial stages in North America.
“It looks like we’re headed into another phase of growth in partnership and I’m delighted to have the opportunity,” he added.
Keep an eye out for these new wood look RPC to decorate a Walmart produce aisle near you, and continue to check in with AndNowUKnow for all the latest produce and retail innovations.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - Delhaize has announced its Q3 2015 financial report, and with it, its current progress on the company’s merger with Ahold.
“We continue to make progress with the proposed merger with Ahold and we are on track to complete the transaction by mid-2016,” Frans Muller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Delhaize Group, commented. Mueller also touched on the merger during a call with investors in which he discussed the Q3 financial results.
“Different work streams are working on topics like finance, legal, and operating models in order to pave the way to a smooth transition,” Muller told investors. “We have a number of key milestones ahead of us in the coming months, on which we plan to update you in due time. We also planned a number of road shows later this quarter during with [Ahold CEO] Dick Boer and myself will meet with investors together.”
In these shows taking place at the end of November and December, Mueller says he and Dick Boer will be sharing with the market how they will prepare for day 1 of the merger. In addition to the added progress of the company’s merger with Ahold, Mueller commented on Delhaize’s success in its U.S. stores.
“We continue to report robust sales in this third quarter,” said Mueller of the company’s U.S. performance. “We made significant progress with our key strategic initiative ‘Easy, Fresh & Affordable´ at Food Lion by further fine-tuning Wilmington and Greenville, relaunching 162 stores in the Raleigh market two weeks ago and preparing for our next market in 2016.”
In Delhaize’s Q2 2015, revenues for its U.S. operations increased by 3.2 percent to $4.5 billion. Comparable store sales increased by 2.5 percent, and both Food Lion and Hannaford experienced positive comparable store sales following their announcement they would lower prices for several categories, including fresh produce.
As of October 29 at 5:16pm EDT, Delhaize's stock was up 2.34% to $23.15.
Other highlights from the company’s Q3 2015 financial report include:
- Delhaize Group’s revenues increased by 14.5% and 2.3% at actual and identical exchange rates, respectively
- Comparable store sales growth of 1.7% in the U.S., 1.7% in Belgium and 5.1% in Southeastern Europe
- Group underlying operating profit of €218 million, underlying operating margin of 3.5%
- Gross margin was 24.3% of revenues, down 3 basis points at identical exchange rates.
Stay tuned as we continue to follow the Delhaize and Ahold merger, and follow AndNowUKnow for more industry financial news.