POMPANO BEACH, FL - Southern Specialties’ blueberry season is officially open. The company announced it has begun shipping Florida blueberries of all kinds in 6 ounce Southern Selects clamshell casing.
“This year’s Florida blueberry crop has nice bloom and great flavor,” Alex Henderson, Key Account Manager for Southern Specialties, said in a press release. “They will ship well and are an excellent product for Florida companies to showcase in their 'Locally Grown' programs.”
This blueberry crop is listed to include Farthing, Flicker, Chickadee and Meadowlark berries. Along with blueberries, Southern Selects’ blackberries and Adelita “premium” variety raspberries are distributed from the Pompano Beach location.
While the company ships blueberries year around, the Florida varieties will be available through April before Southern Specialties shifts to Georgia and the Carolina states.
CARLISLE, PA – Ahold USA announced yesterday that Joe Kelley, President of the company’s Stop & Shop New England division, has resigned, effective immediately.
The company said in a press release that Kelley stepped down from his position to pursue other career opportunities, but did not give any other specifics.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Kelley filled the position for just shy of three years, having taken over the role for Mark McGowan in 2012.
Kelley’s expertise and insights will be missed as he moves on to the next phase of his career.
Don Sussman, Division President, Stop & Shop New York Metro, will oversee the Stop & Shop New England division on an interim basis to fill Kelley's position until a replacement can be found.
Sussman joined Stop & Shop in 1995 and has worked in the supermarket industry since 1979, according to The Boston Globe.
The news of Kelley's exit comes after Ahold’s recent announcement that it will be implementing the third phase of its “Project Thunder” transformations, which will be focused on a comprehensive revamping of produce departments at its U.S. stores with a goal of improving produce sales by 3% to 5% at renovated locations.
Ahold USA is part of Ahold, the Dutch-based international food retailing group, and supports four regional Divisions – Stop & Shop New England, Stop & Shop New York Metro, Giant Landover and Giant Carlisle.
Together, those four divisions operate more than 770 supermarkets with approximately 120,000 associates in 14 states and the District of Columbia.
Mondays are hard, we understand this. To help take the edge off, take some time to enjoy the video that YouTube commentators are comparing to the Hunger Games and Battle Royale.
This compilation of felines and their seemingly nature-based arch rivalry against bananas reawakens our love for the first category to ever break the internet- silly cat videos.
From the seemingly innocent bystander banana that looks to have plopped on the kitchen floor, to the evil mastermind attacking while the innocent cat sleeps, this plotting little produce obviously has it out for these poor innocent house cats.
And their owners laughingly record every moment while the felines fight for their lives, luckily for us.
For anyone on Team Banana, pay close attention to the cat at 0:25, who you can clearly see gets thrown across the room by this “innocent” piece of fruit. If anyone has cats, please feel free to test this out and provide your results at [email protected].
Enjoy!
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA - We all know her as “The Queen of Kiwi” and the first woman to own a business on the L.A. Wholesale Produce Market in the 1960s. But more than just those wonderful milestones and achievements, Frieda Caplan is also an individual full of wonder, fearless determination… and stories.
This coming March 11th in San Luis Obispo at Cal Poly, the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival will be debuting the world premiere of Fear No Fruit, a documentary that covers the more than 50 years of Frieda’s journey. From introducing more than 200 exotic fruits and vegetables to the U.S., to transforming the supermarket produce department, the film brings Frieda’s career to the forefront with industry friends that include Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken, David Karp, Michael McCarty, Tonya Antle, Dick Spezzano, Steve Jordan and Jeffrey Armstrong.
Watch the trailer below on the documentary's website here or by clicking below.
Fear No Fruit follows Frieda’s ride to the top and the challenges and hurdles she has faced along the way. Between introducing the Kiwifruit to America in 1962, to taking the business to the next level with her two daughters Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins at the helm, Frieda has over 5 decades of influence and impact on American and International cuisine.
Frieda, who received an honorary doctorate in June 2014 from Cal Poly, will be in attendance for a Q&A with the film's director, Mark Brian Smith, after the 7 pm showing.
If you are interested in attending the premiere, please click the link below for tickets! If you can't make it to the premiere, the film will also have a 2nd screening on Thursday, March 12 at 1 pm at the Downtown Cinemas in San Luis Obispo.
KINGSVILLE, ON - SUNSET® is harvesting the first Canadian greenhouse-grown peppers of 2015 to heat up winter palates.
Grown at the company’s first carbon negative greenhouse facility EnviroFresh Farms in Ontario, SUNSET® sweet bell peppers, known for their vibrant color and flavor, have already made their debut in stores. With the completion of SUNSET’s newest pepper venture, Pepperco USA, the company’s Michigan grown peppers aren’t far behind with harvest expected for early spring, according to a press release.
“We’re very excited for the first harvest of our Michigan grown peppers,” said CEO Paul Mastronardi. “Since introducing Michigan tomatoes in 2012, we’ve had an incredibly positive response, so we’re anticipating a lot of enthusiasm for our Michigan grown peppers.”
Both pepper greenhouses are located within just a few hours of distribution centers, ensuring that customers get their deliveries quick and efficient.
The pepper harvest comes just in time as consumption is on the rise. SUNSET® is offering a host of recipes on its website for consumers to take advantage of the versatility of peppers.
“We’re actively engaging with our flavor followers, and we’ve found that more and more people are looking to incorporate peppers into their meals,” said Daniela Ferro, Communications Coordinator. “Some of our most popular recipes on sunsetgrown.com, like our colorful pepper stir fry, showcase different ways to enjoy our peppers in a variety of dishes for an easy and flavorful boost of Vitamin C.”
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest on SUNSET’s upcoming harvest out of Michigan.
CINCINNATI, OH – Supermarket giant Kroger may be eyeing its first location in the state of Hawaii.
Pacific Business News has reported that The Kroger Co. registered as a new business in Hawaii last month, citing public records.
This isn’t the first time that Kroger has looked at entering the Hawaiian market. The retailer initially registered as a new business in Hawaii in 2006, but withdrew that registration soon after.
In Kroger’s recent financial report, the retailer said that it is working to grow sales from new square footage and increased productivity from existing locations.
Currently, Kroger has over 2,600 locations across the United States, with several store formats including supermarkets, department stores and convenience stores in 34 states.
So far, the retailer has not confirmed this entrance into the Hawaiian market.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest on the ever-changing retail landscape.
GERMANTOWN, MD - Intrexon, a synthetic biology company, has announced an agreement to acquire Okanagan Specialty Fruits, the agricultural company behind the world's first non-browning apple, the Arctic® apple. The $41 million acquisition will allow Intrexon to expand its food programs to include tree fruit while providing economic support throughout the tree fruit supply chain.
"We are committed to bringing better versions of consumers' favorite fruits to their grocery stores and kitchens, while addressing additional novel traits in tree fruits that reduce waste and address supply chain challenges," said Neal Carter, Founder of Okanagan Specialty Fruits. "Joining forces with Intrexon and applying our combined technical know-how is an important step to introducing beneficial products for consumers and growers."
One of the fastest-growing categories of the fruit and vegetable industry is the fresh-cut segment, according to a press release. Marrying fruit breeding with cutting-edge science results in new products that seek to benefit consumers and producers alike.
Okanagan’s recently released product, the Arctic® apple, was created to provide consumers with an answer to the common issue of browning without any flavor-altering, anti-browning additives. It is an alternative to current approaches to browning control, which are more costly and require the application of chemical solutions or antioxidants. Additionally, apples will be increasingly accessible to food service outlets, where consumers spend roughly 50% of their food dollars because Arctic® apples solve both cost per serving and quality concerns associated with pre-cut apples.
"Okanagan is a world leader in the development of fruit-bearing plants to express enhanced, advantageous traits with tremendous potential to revolutionize the tree fruit industry," said Thomas R. Kasser, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Head of Intrexon's Food Sector. "Through this acquisition, we can deliver more accessible and affordable choices of high-quality foods for an ever-growing population. We are extremely pleased that Neal Carter will remain with the company providing both the creative spirit and deep understanding of the tree fruit business that will assure continued future success in this expanding business opportunity."
In accordance with the agreement, Okanagan's stockholders will receive $31 million in Intrexon common stock and $10 million in upfront cash. The acquisition is anticipated in the first half of 2015 and will be subject to customary closing conditions.
ORLANDO, FL - Produce for Kids is teaming up with Feeding America® to fight childhood hunger and help boost produce consumption nationwide. The announcement was made during Produce for Kids’ reception at Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure, along with the latest details on its second annual Power Your Lunchbox Pledge™ and marketing tactics for reaching shoppers.
“Aligning with Feeding America and its work to feed children struggling with hunger in this country makes sense for the long-term goals of our organization,” said Produce for Kids’ President John Shuman. “We are excited to partner with an organization the produce industry knows well and a cause that resonates with all of us.”
With a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, Feeding America has led the fight against hunger with a number of initiatives that include its Summer Feeding Program, Kids Cafe, Child Hunger Corps, and BackPack Program. Through its in-store and online campaigns, Produce for Kids and participating partners will be able to raise necessary funds to help grow these targeted initiatives and make fruits and vegetables available to more children, according to a press release.
“Feeding America is thankful to Produce for Kids for its generous support of our programs that support children who struggle with hunger,” said Nancy Curby, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America. “This partnership will help us provide children with nutritious meals when other resources are not available.”
In addition to the Feeding America partnership announcement, Trish James, Produce for Kids’ Vice President, shared the newest campaigns the organization will be spearheading to further increase produce consumption.
The new Produce for Kids Club will give families access to a healthy eating welcome kit, as well as fun online activities for kids and meal planning guidance for parents.
Produce for Kids is also expanding two of its successful programs: Power Your Lunchbox Pledge and e-cookbooks. Power Your Lunchbox Pledge partners will once again have prominent presence on the program website, including branding in lunchbox-friendly recipes and the option to offer downloadable coupons to families who take the pledge.
“Initiatives such as healthy, family-oriented merchandising solutions, programs for in-store registered dietitians, and the launch of produce-centric e-cookbooks will allow us to help parents from point-of-purchase all the way to the dinner table,” said James.
Produce for Kids will continue to support specific retailer initiatives through Salad Bars To Midwest Schools and Jump for Jill in addition to its new partnership with Feeding America.
SUMMERVILLE, SC – In this AndNowUKnow exclusive interview, Katie Stagliano, Founder and Chief Executive of Katie’s Krops, talks company history, expansion, and partnerships.
The nonprofit organization starts and maintains vegetable gardens and then donates the produce grown to soup kitchens to help the needy.
Katie tells us that she started the company after she grew a 40-pound cabbage in the 3rd grade, which she donated to a soup kitchen where it fed 275 people. Currently, Katie’s Krops has 80 vegetable gardens in 29 states.
The company has been marketing with RPE and Tasteful Selections for two years now, and Katie is featured on the packaging along with the company history. A portion of all of the sales goes to help Katie’s Krops grow.
Make sure the check out Katie’s interview in the video above.
CINCINNATI, OH - With the impending retirement of Kroger Vice President of Human Resources Kathleen Barclay, the company has put into place a plan of succession.
After Kroger’s announcement that Barclay will be retiring from her position in Fall of this year, the company has elected to promote its own Timothy Massa, its current Group Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations.
"Katy has been a champion for our associates and a driving force for innovation in our human resources function," Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said, according to a Cincinnati Business Courier report. "We deeply value her leadership and advice as a key member of our leadership team. We wish Katy and her family all the best."
Barclay serves as a member on the American Family Insurance board of directors, Chair of the National Academy of Human Resources, and is a board member for the Human Resource Policy Association in addition to her position with Kroger Co. She joined the company in her current position after serving as Vice President of Global Human Resources for General Motors Corp. back in 2010, the same year as her predecessor.
"Tim is an exceptional Human Resources leader and a trusted adviser to our entire senior management team," McMullen said, according to the report. "His depth of HR experience, fluency with our business and unwavering commitment to our associates make him a perfect fit for this important role."
Massa came to Kroger with over 20 years of human resource experience before being hired as Vice President of Corporate Human Resources. He was promoted to his current position in April of 2014, and has since shown the innovation and capability that make the company confident that he will fill the position admirably.