MEXICO - Putting avocados front and center is Avocados From Mexico’s primary goal. The company is doing just that with its latest initiative, naming Chef Pati Jinich, star of “Pati’s Mexican Table,” as its first-ever Avocado Culinary Ambassador.

"When people ask where my love of food comes from, I always tell them: 'I was born and raised in Mexico!’ That's why I couldn't be happier to be partnering with Avocados From Mexico. Avocados are a piece of home and such an iconic Mexican product that represents the flavors I grew up with. Their unique versatility makes them the perfect ingredient to elevate any recipe," said Jinich.

Jinich will be the brand’s culinary spokesperson, sharing tips and recipes that reimagine the possibilities of the always good avocado, starting with her first curated collection of recipes in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, an announcement from the company noted.

The brand will encourage innovation with fresh avocados for shoppers and culinary professionals. Jinich is serving up creative twists on classic Mexican recipes, now available on the brand website. Jinich will also be sharing more about the partnership on her social channels throughout the year, as well as offering consumers helpful tips on making these always good dishes.

Known for drawing inspiration from her Mexican heritage, Jinich brings her passion for family, education, and community to life through food. Her dishes, found in her many top-selling cookbooks, reflect all the comforting tastes she grew up with, with avocados as an essential ingredient that’s always good—Avocados From Mexico bring good taste, good times, and are good for you.

As we learn more about this partnership, keep clicking back to ANUK.

BATAVIA, IL - With the arrival of the holiday season also comes an uptick in grocers looking to fortify their retail strategies. For ALDI, the movement is taking the form of an ambitious hiring strategy as the company prepares to welcome more than 13,000 store and warehouse associates. This comes as holiday demand continues to rise and ALDI pushes forward with its geographic expansion across the United States.

“Whether it’s our in-store team filling shelves with fresh produce, warehouse staff managing logistics, or drivers delivering our trending ALDI Finds, our employees fuel the quicker, easier, and more affordable shopping experience our shoppers know and love,” said Atty McGrath, President. “Our ability to attract and retain talent has always been key to our success, and we look forward to helping our new team members grow in their careers.”

ALDI is growing its team of more than 49,000 employees and raising its national average hourly pay at a time when unemployment has increased, a press release stated.

The retailer offers a host of benefits to its associates, including industry-leading wages, opportunities for advancement, comprehensive benefits, and more.

“Since I started working at ALDI 16 years ago as a store associate, I’ve taken on new roles, including Store Manager and Purchasing Assistant. Today, I work as a warehouse operations supervisor,” said Danielle, a Wisconsin-based ALDI employee. “What I love most about working for ALDI is that I’ve found a truly meaningful career. I’ve had opportunities to grow personally and professionally, without ever losing the part of my job I love the most, greeting my team and our shoppers with smiles in the aisles.”

To read more about ALDI’s upcoming hiring spree, click here.

As always, leave a tab open to ANUK for the latest and greatest retail updates.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA - Veg-Pak Produce has forged a strategic new alliance, revealing it will now operate as an independent business division within the Courchesne Larose Group, a key player in the Canadian fruit and veg industry. Courchesne Larose has teamed up with the Ontario-based value-added wholesaler and processor of fresh produce as it seeks to establish itself as a fixture in two key Canadian markets.

“There is a strong strategic and cultural fit between Courchesne Larose and Veg-Pak,” remarked Michael Aucoin, Chief Executive Officer of Courchesne Larose. “Both are multi-generational, family-owned businesses with rich histories, entrepreneurial cultures, and a shared commitment to customer service, produce quality, and leveraging operational excellence to drive growth. We are delighted to welcome the Veg-Pak team to the Courchesne Larose family. Both companies prioritize their employees, customers, and stakeholders, recognizing them as the cornerstone of our success.”

The partnership marks the launch of Courchesne Larose’s first physical operations in Ontario, enhancing its capacity to effectively and comprehensively serve customers in that province, as well as all major national retailers.

Retaining its corporate name, branding, and Etobicoke-based headquarters, Veg-Pak will operate as an independent business division within the Courchesne Larose Group, collaborating where beneficial to better serve its customers.

“Veg-Pak is a wonderful addition to Courchesne Larose,” added Alain Routhier, President of Courchesne Larose Ltd. “Our success is built on the strength of our team. Courchesne Larose Group is essentially an extended family where everyone contributes. This acquisition is a testament to our commitment to extending that family and continuing our legacy of excellence.”

According to a press release, leadership at Veg-Pak will remain unchanged, with Rick Carnevale and Dan Carnevale continuing in their roles and ensuring continuity and stability in Veg-Pak’s operations.

“We are excited about our new partnership that will enable both companies to enhance customer service by leveraging each other’s best practices,” said Rick Carnevale, Co-Owner. “Moreover, we will be able to sell one another’s products and services across wider geographies, thereby driving growth in both of our markets.”

This marks Courchesne Larose's first major acquisition since the substantial investment in its share capital from Sagard Private Equity Canada along with equity and debt participation from Fondaction, Roynat Equity Partners, Roynat Capital, and Fonds de solidarité FTQ, the release added.

“This is a great opportunity to develop a strong relationship with the Courchesne Larose team. We are excited about the positive impact this combination will bring to our employees, customers, and suppliers,” added Dan Carnevale, Co-Owner.

For more industry news, stick around.

WENATCHEE, WA - Stemilt will supposedly be increasing its capacity with the addition of a new pear packing line. Equipped with double the defect sorters and pear-protecting specifications, the automated machinery aims to put freshness into every box of Stemilt Rushing Rivers® pears.

“The automated pear line is expected to double our capacity,” says Facility Manager Don Reeves. “Automatic defect sorters, pear-specific belted brush beds, a bin washer, and automated baggers are all features that will help create a uniform pack. These elements help us produce high-quality pears for consumers to enjoy. The automation and increased capacity are important as we prepare for future volume growth on pears.”

On the new line, pears run through two automated defect sorting cameras with a unique ability to flip the pears over carefully in cups to see a 360 view of the pear. According to a press release, automatic belted brush beds can also be adjusted depending on the delicacy of the pears. Also, a new bin washer will clean bins after every run to save time in production.

“The most automation to be added to the new pear line is the bagging and sorting process,” says Reeves. “Automatic bin fillers are going to help us put fruit back into our controlled atmosphere rooms when packing fresh to order.”

To maximize freshness, packed boxes of pears coming from the new pear line will ride on a conveyor belt straight to cold storage at Stemilt’s Fresh Cube distribution center to ensure the fruit cools quickly.

“The first thing this line is going to prioritize is quality,” says Reeves. “We’ll have less hands on the fruit and a great cold chain going from the packing line all the way to storing which will help as it gets later in the season. The line’s automation shows potential for adding new varieties because we can increase tonnage with our new sorting technology.”

Along with automation, the new line is almost three times the size of Stemilt’s former pear packing line, the release noted. The larger space allows for a box mezzanine area and will be able to be expanded for consumer packaging in the future.

We can’t wait to see the new packing line in action!