DELANO, CA - With the debut of Sunview Vineyards’ proprietary Gem seedless grapes, the AndNowUKnow team had to come to the Delano, CA ranch and ask Marko Zaninovich just what makes them so unique, and learn a little bit more about the season at hand.
“Gem is a unique proprietary variety of Sunview Vineyards,” Zaninovich tells us. “This red seedless has a very large berry, is elongated, and most of all, it’s a brilliant red color. It’s a very crunchy berry. It's sugar is 19 to 21 right now.”
With picking for this variety lasting through September, Gem seedless grapes are expected to compliment an already great San Joaquin Valley table grape season.
“The grapes are full of flavor because the sugar is getting higher as we move along the season. We’ve been shipping grapes from the San Joaquin Valley since July, and will continue to do so into January,” Zaninovich shared.
To learn more about Gem seedless grapes and to see AndNowUKnow’s exclusive interview with Marko Zaninovich, watch the full video above.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Tis' the season where everyone has pumpkins on their minds—even drug smugglers.
Federal law enforcement authorities in Philadelphia seized 363 pounds of cocaine concealed in cases of Costa Rican pumpkins and squash last week.
The eighth largest cocaine seizure in the Port of Philadelphia’s history, the 363 pounds of cocaine has a street value of more than $6 million, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“This significant cocaine seizure illustrates how corroboration between partner law enforcement agencies keeps our communities safe,” said Susan Stranieri, CBP Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. “Narcotics interdiction remains a Customs and Border Protection enforcement priority. We’re pleased to have stopped this deadly shipment from entering the U.S.”
Shaped in 384 long, thin packages and laminated into the Halloween crop's boxes, the cocaine arrived aboard the M/V Santa Maria on its way to a distributor in the Bronx, NY.
CBP officers worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which are continuing a joint investigation.
Gary Tuggle, Special Agent in Charge for DEA Philadelphia Division commented that by law enforcement agencies working together and using all the available resources, a major blow to the drug-trafficking organizations was dealt.
“This is an immense amount of cocaine found cleverly stashed in the shipment of produce,” added John Kelleghan, HSI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge. “It’s a testament to our combined local and federal law enforcement efforts that we were able to find this shipment. With HSI’s transnational investigative network working with the DEA, we will continue to track down those who tried to smuggle these narcotics into the country.”
Authorities have yet to make any arrests, and an investigation into the pumpkin smuggling continues.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - Aldi, the European-originated discount retailer, has begun the first steps in its previously announced store expansion in Southern California.
The chain is looking for about 50 managers to fill the positions for 11 locations that have been released, with positions starting at $18 per hour and going up to $23 per hour with tenure, according to The Press Enterprise.
The company said that employees will average 33 to 40 hours a week, as well as being eligible for benefits, including health and dental insurance.
The company previously announced its intentions to expand, with these 25 new Southern California locations between March and July of 2016.
The first 11 of this expansion into the Southern California markets can be found below:
- 1638 East Second St., Beaumont
- 15080 Summit Ave., Fontana
- 4020 Highland Ave., San Bernardino
- 78-601 Highway 111, La Quinta
- 18289 Collier Ave., Lake Elsinore
- 30163 Haun Road, Menifee
- 12630 Day Street, Moreno Valley
- 72543 Highway 111, Suites A & B, Palm Desert
- 5200 Ramon Road, Suite B5, Palm Springs
- 625 E. Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino
- 34000 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa
According to the report, Aldi is hosting hiring events next week for the open managerial positions. These meeting are slated to take place at the following times and places:
- 8 a.m.- 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 at the Riverside Convention Center, 3637 Fifth St., Riverside
- 9 a.m.- 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 at Pins N Pockets, 32250 Mission Trail, Lake Elsinore
- 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 at Hilton Garden Inn, 1755 S. Waterman Ave., San Bernardino
- 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 at the Yucaipa Community Center, 34900 Oak Glen Road, Yucaipa
Applicants are required to have a high school diploma or GED, the ability to lift 45 pounds, and must be able to work anytime between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. any day of the week. For more information those interested can go to www.aldiuscareers.com.
The retailer recently said in a release that it intends to continue its accelerated growth, anticipating to serve more than 45 million customers per month by 2018.
LOS ALAMITOS, CA - It's time to start planning on how you’ll be celebrating “Frieda Rapoport Caplan Day” this year.
Los Alamitos, California, has proclaimed October 15, 2015, as “Frieda Rapoport Caplan Day,” to celebrate the accomplishment of its longtime resident, the founder of Frieda’s Specialty Produce.
Los Alamitos Mayor, Richard Murphy, presented Caplan with the proclamation at the September 21 city council meeting, making sure to highlight Frieda’s “hard work and dedication to the produce industry and the city of Los Alamitos.”
“One of the nice things is that three of our clients have their stores in Los Alamitos – Ralphs, Sprouts, and Vons-Safeway,” shared the always congenial Frieda. “Do not forget to look for your exotic fruits and vegetables!”
To commemorate the occasion, a press release states that the Los Alamitos City Council will host a free public screening of Fear No Fruit, Frieda Caplan’s documentary, on Frieda Rapoport Caplan Day, at the Los Alamitos Community Center. Frieda, along with daughters Karen Caplan, President and CEO of Frieda’s Specialty Produce, and Jackie Caplan Wiggins, Vice-President and COO, will be present for a post-screening meet and greet with the local community, the company shared.
“[Caplan] is such a champion in her industry, you would not know the things she had done until you come and see the movie,” says Council Member Warren Kusumoto.
A resident of the small northern Orange County city since 1958, Caplan still lives in the same home she shared with her daughters and late husband, Al Caplan. In 1994, daughters Karen and Jackie relocated Frieda’s Specialty Produce from Los Angeles to Los Alamitos.
ATLANTIC COAST - A storm over the Atlantic Ocean will bring heavy rains and gusty winds to part of the eastern coast of the United States this week, and last all the way through the weekend.
The storm will cause problems at the coast and could lead to shipping delays to parts of the Interstate 85 and 95 corridors, AccuWeather is reporting.
Rain is expected to affect areas from Florida to southern Virginia through Friday, where most cities will get rainfall in the amount of 1-3 inches. During Friday into Saturday, the storm will likely expand northward through Virginia and into New Jersey, AccuWeather says.
Even Pope Francis may get rained on come Sunday during a speech in Philadelphia, The Washington Post warns.
According to The Weather Channel, the current rainfall forecast through Sunday is:
- Philadelphia, PE: <1’’
- Washington, DC: <1’’
- Norfolk, VA: <1’’
- Raleigh, NC: 2-3’’
- Charlotte, NC: 1-2’’
- Wilmington, NC: 5-8’’
- Charleston, SC: <1’’
- Savannah, GA: <1’’
For more on how this may affect the industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
EMERYVILLE, CA - Grocery Outlet has stated that it is on a mission to spread its nearly 70-year-old brand across several western states, as well as Pennsylvania, and in the latest move to do so has launched a new independent owner recruitment website.
Called ownagroceryoutlet.com, this next step is a portal in enlisting independent owners to operate its stores and share in profits, according to a press release.
"We are the largest extreme-value grocery retailer in the nation, with up to 60 percent off conventional, name-brand retail products," MacGregor Read, Co-CEO and grandson of Founder Jim Read, said in the release. "Our buyers travel thousands of miles to find the best bargains from manufacturers and producers. Our independent owner-operators sell products that are outside the retail channel, including packaging changes, product overruns, and surplus inventories. These operators sell, and not buy, our products so that they can focus on retail while we search far and wide for the best deals."
The new website features:
- Q&As with several owner-operators.
- Video interviews with the Grocery Outlet leadership team.
- Startup cost information.
- Details about the industry and what separates the Grocery Outlet store from its competitors.
The company added that candidates often come from other grocery or retail chains, as well as having some management experience, and often make substantially more in income than they would in a store manager position.
Grocery Outlet holds a unique partnership with its owner-operators. Benefits listed for Owner-operators include:
- Not paying for consigned merchandise until products are sold.
- The land is bought and the store constructed by Grocery Outlet.
- Only being responsible for opening costs -- such as hiring and training staff, as well as equipment.
Grocery Outlet acquired Amelia's Grocery Outlet in Pennsylvania, effectively giving the chain a foothold on the East Coast. Now, backed by private equity firm Hellman & Friedman, the chain has more than 210 stores throughout five western states and Pennsylvania combined.
According to the release, Grocery Outlet captured a $1.4 billion share of the $131 billion in annual sales grossed by the independent grocery market, though it competes with larger corporate grocers due to the independent structure of its owner-operators.
For in-depth details about the Grocery Outlet independent ownership opportunity, go to ownagroceryoutlet.com.
PLEASANTON, CA - For all the reasons companies would put off updating the core technology upon which your business runs, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), there are more reasons not to delay than you might think.
Joan Bell, Director of Program and Product Management for Junction Solutions, took the time to share with me how the company has catered specifically to the technology needs of the produce, food and beverage, and retail industries, delivering Microsoft solutions and industry-specific services for more than ten years.
“ERP, or Enterprise Resource Planning, softwares are the backbone solution sets that run today’s businesses - from field, to manufacturing and pack operations, to distribution channels as well as internal department functions such as finance and HR,” Joan explains. "We see lots of companies running outdated ERP systems that no longer fit their needs, and that in turn can inhibit their growth as a company. They may be hesitant to update that technology because an ERP implementation sounds daunting and risky.”
She explained that Junction looks to take the fear out of ERP implementation with its industry expertise, setting it apart from other solutions available.
“We truly understand what it takes to deliver solutions that optimize processes for the produce industry. We do this in part through what we call ‘Rapid Optimize Implementation’ (ROI).”
Just like it sounds, ROI is an implementation methodology built on Junction Solutions’ knowledge of the produce industry’s specific processes. Using the Microsoft Dynamics AX platform, the methodology and pre-configuration allows Junction Solutions to focus on their customers’ differentiators instead of simple, common software configurations. Because of this, the company is able to add value above and beyond core requirements.
“Each company is unique. We help our customers embrace the differences that set them apart from the competition and contribute significantly to the success of their business.” Joan tells me.
Junction Solutions works exclusively as a Microsoft partner, touting several award recognitions and solutions as flexible and ever-changing as the produce industry itself.
“We are in Microsoft’s top tier for their food and beverage industry partner program,” Joan said. “We have a focus, a specialization and a proven track record of delivering Microsoft Dynamics AX. That makes us a go-to partner for Microsoft when it comes to produce companies looking to update technology.”
While there are several solution options for produce industry-focused software, Joan says that it is the years of experience as a leading Microsoft Partner, deep produce industry experience and expertise, and the capability to structure its solutions around its clients that sets Junction Solutions apart.
As for what it means to be a Microsoft partner, Joan said that this offers a solidarity, consistency, and dependability that you can’t often get with other ERP systems.
“Junction Solutions’ goal is to deliver solutions and services that help companies stay as flexible and connected as possible, so they can continue to innovate and grow,” she said.
And because many companies are already Microsoft-integrated with solutions such as Outlook, Windows, and Office, deploying an ERP solution such as Dynamics AX provides a single, connected enterprise platform for growth.
Junction Solutions services most of the segmentations for the produce industry. Whether it be working with growers, shippers, or produce processors, the company says it can provide solutions that are customizable for each sub-segments, and each business within that segment.
To find out more, go to the company’s website here.
FOWLER, CA - Bee Sweet is making efforts to save precious resources by recycling water amidst one of the strongest droughts to hit California.
“The California drought has significantly impacted the agriculture industry in many ways,” Jim Marderosian, President of Bee Sweet Citrus, said in a press release. “We need to make sure we are doing our part in conserving water and being a leader in California’s water wise movement.”
For landscaping purposes, the company is looking to recycled water via a newly-installed pump designed to collect water in a facility cold storage defroster.
“Water and agriculture go hand-in-hand,” Thomas Marderosian, Bee Sweet Citrus Industrial Technology Manager, stated in the release. “Our new pump will help us conserve water and will help shed light on California’s drought.”
The company’s Industrial Technology team installed the system, which it stated has been fully operational since July, reusing water that was once discarded for landscaping activities.
To keep up on steps the industry is taking for water conservation and other sustainable measures, keep checking in with AndNowUKnow.
UNITED KINGDOM - With only one bidder remaining for its data branch Dunnhumby, Tesco may be scrapping the idea of a sale all together in a matter of days, sources say.
Tesco CEO Dave Lewis is expected to hold talks with colleagues and advisers later this week, Sky News reports, and will discuss the decision to proceed with a sale of Dunnhumby, which utilizes data gathered from the supermarket giant's Clubcard loyalty scheme.
Company insiders told the publication while no decision has yet been made the Dunnhumby's sale, Lewis has expressed he was more than ready to reach an ultimate verdict on the matter so he can refocus on how else to transform the company.
Price expectations for Dunnhumby have dropped from $3 billion to $1 billion since the sale was announced, and the number of potential bidders has dropped by a substantial number. Currently, the Financial Times names the one remaining bidder as British advertising and PR firm WPP, but it doesn't seem like Tesco execs are yet sold on forking over the business.
Sky News reports that it may be possible that WPP would opt for a partnership agreement with Tesco rather than a complete acquisition.
Earlier this month, Tesco announced the sale of Homeplus, its business in South Korea, for over $6 billion to MBK Partners-led consortium, with the retailer netting over $5 billion after taxes and transaction costs.
Currently, Tesco’s debt has reached over $33 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal, but this latest deal, as well as a potential deal for Dunnhumby could be vital for Tesco’s revitalization plans.
Stay tuned as AndNowUKnow continues to update you on this developing story.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Procacci Brothers is continuing to enhance its sales team with the promotion of Carlos Rodriguez.
Rodriguez will now be taking up the mantle as Procacci’s new Director of Sales in its tropical produce department. Prior to this latest role, he was employed as a manager at Procacci Brothers’ store in the Philadelphia Wholesale Market (PWPM), where he had the opportunity to strengthen his skills in sales, customer service, procurement, receiving, and transportation, according to a press release.
Mike Maxwell, President, said he was thrilled to bring Carlos on board as a member of the sales team.
“It’s going to be very exciting to watch him flourish in this new role,” said Maxwell. “Our customers will soon come to know that they can trust and depend on Carlos. He’s a very sharp guy with a great work ethic.”
Rodriguez first joined Procacci in 2012 as a cooperative education student through Saint Joseph’s University’s Food Marketing program. Receiving much praise from George Binck, Executive Vice President at Procacci, he was later hired full-time in September 2014. It was during this time Rodriguez worked under the guidance of Mike Barber, Procacci’s Director of Banana Sales, to oversee quality control and inventory management for bananas and yellow plantains.
Having already displayed exemplary performance in various production, customer service, sales, and management roles, Procacci is confident that Rodriguez will be able to prove his worth as Director of Sales.