TEMECULA, CA - A new solution will soon be making waves in the blueberry sector. Pearl Sort has introduced its latest innovation—The Blue Pearl—which combines the highest AI technology, time-tested knowledge, solution-seeking designs, accurate manufacturing, and a service team that can help on-site and remotely.

“I believe that the company's innovative solutions will revolutionize the industry and provide tangible benefits for customers,” Sales Director of Pearl Sort, Jonathan Reed, expressed. “Additionally, the AI software A.D.A.M. has shown an impressive 95 percent accuracy rate in sorting cherries, and we are eager to integrate it into the blueberry market.”

According to a press release, the Blue Pearl has undergone five years of development and two years of testing. The team behind it has a combined experience of 40 years in the agricultural industry, with numerous patented designs and groundbreaking achievements that are bringing agriculture into the 21^st century.

Sakuma Brothers and Washington State University collaborated with Pearl Sort to test and prove the Blue Pearl in the summer of 2023. The Blue Pearl achieved outstanding results in size, speed, and accuracy.

"We are immensely grateful to the team at Sakuma Brothers for embarking on this journey with us,” Reed stated. “Their invaluable time and expertise have significantly contributed to the development of the Blue Pearl, enabling us to enter the market confidently."

Sakuma Brothers Chief Executive Officer Danny Weeden also commented.

"Pearl Sort's expertise and profound understanding of blueberries, coupled with the sorter's unique design encompassing a compact footprint, impressive speed, innovative detection, handling, and sorting capabilities, perfectly align with our requirements for an ideal fresh market blueberry sorter,” said Weeden. “The trial at Sakuma showcased the sorter's tremendous potential."

We look forward to seeing this solution in action!

OXNARD, CA - For Mission Produce™, sustainability is a key pillar on which it leans when making growth decisions. As the supplier continues to expand, it has released its fiscal 2023 sustainability report, Finest for the Future, detailing its operating procedures, projects, achievements, and use of resources.

“Every year, we strive to build on the progress we’ve made to promote a more sustainable future for generations to come,” said Steve Barnard, Chief Executive Officer of Mission Produce. “We’ve implemented initiatives throughout our global supply chain to help us be more environmentally and socially impactful. I’m proud of the positive contributions we’ve made on our surrounding communities and the intentionality we bring to using our resources efficiently and mindfully.”

This is the company’s fourth annual sustainability report, a release relayed. Overall, Mission’s sustainability strategy continues to center on three pillars: people, product, and planet.

Some achievements from fiscal 2023 include:

• Newly added to Mission's sustainability reporting was the company’s ripening and forward distribution center in the United Kingdom. In that facility alone, Mission was able to reuse 7,700 liters (over 2,000 gallons) of water through the facility’s rainwater harvesting system
• In both Mission Produce’s UK and California packing and distribution centers, the company utilizes solar power to reduce reliance on grid electricity. In 2023, Mission Produce generated 1.9 million kWh for the use of clean energy in its operations, the equivalent of powering 177 homes for one year
• In 2023, Mission Produce planted more than 180,000 trees across its farms in Peru, Guatemala, and Colombia. In Mexico, Mission concluded a reforestation campaign to plant 3,000 native plants in Michoacán. Lastly, Mission Produce Guatemala partnered with the San Nicholas Village School to plant 350 native trees in areas historically used as refuge heaps
• Mission Produce set a goal in 2020 to implement a reduced plastic bag in 50 percent of the bags the company packs and ships globally

To read more about Mission’s 2023 accomplishments, click here.

What does the supplier have in store for 2024? Keep reading ANUK to find out.

ATLANTA, GA - Vallarta Supermarkets has tapped the might of RELEX Solutions, optimizing the innovator’s supply chain and retail planning solutions to boost its efficiency. Through this partnership, Vallarta Supermarkets will use space and assortment planning capabilities from RELEX to better utilize space and increase product availability.

“We are confident that RELEX will help us to achieve our goals by enhancing our assortment planning and space utilization,” said John Sellers, Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Vallarta Supermarkets. “RELEX's focus on delivering measurable value aligns with our principle of providing the best for our customers, ensuring we continue to celebrate and serve our communities effectively.”

RELEX partner Logic will provide guidance and implementation services for this deployment, a press release explained. By utilizing RELEX, the retail chain will have access to data-driven insights to better understand the performance of individual categories and assign the right amount of space to each category and product in store. This will allow the grocer to enhance its store layouts and category/product flows in each department by optimally placing best-selling items to maximize sales.

Shopper-focused, store-specific assortments and planograms will also lead to optimized inventory and space utilization, improved margins, and reduced supply chain costs, the release noted.

“We are thrilled to work with Vallarta Supermarkets for their long-term success and growth plans,” said Keith Adams, Senior Vice President, North America, RELEX. “This collaboration is built on a shared dedication to delivering measurable, swift results, leveraging our extensive experience in the grocery sector to meet Vallarta's unique needs.”

Read more about this innovative alliance here.

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