WATSONVILLE, CA - Steven Halliday, 2023 Chef Invitational champion and Culinary Specialist at Gordon Food Service, recently showcased his innovative use of berries at the California Giant Chef Invitational Academy. His cutting-edge techniques illustrate how berries can elevate menu offerings, turning standard dishes into unique culinary experiences.

“The Academy inspired me to re-focus on the quality of my social media content and to position myself as an educator, rather than simply a spokesperson for products,” shared Halliday. “I’ve since created a personal brand logo and started posting more regularly to share my culinary expertise and connect with a wider audience.”

At the Chef Invitational Academy, Halliday leveraged advanced techniques and gained deep insights into blueberries, which enabled him to craft versatile, berry-centric dishes. His featured dish, Seven Spice Blueberry Coq au Vin, combined French culinary elements with a modern twist, integrating tender braised chicken in a rich red wine sauce with bacon, mushrooms, onions, and blueberries. The dish was complemented by forked Pommery potatoes and lemon blueberry beans, exemplifying Halliday's commitment to innovatively blending flavors and textures.

According to a press release, the Academy provided Halliday with valuable opportunities to connect with industry peers and enhance his understanding of blueberry cultivation and processing. The experience also included workshops on personal branding and food photography, which significantly influenced his approach to social media and branding.

Halliday’s future aspirations involve becoming a master chef and continuing to explore avant-garde ways to elevate berries in culinary applications. As he pushes the boundaries of culinary innovation, it is clear that berries are evolving from simple garnishes to key ingredients capable of transforming dining experiences.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for more updates on the dynamic berry industry.

LAKELAND, FL - Some more positive news for a retailer that’s been on a roll as of late, with expansion in its store counts and locations. Publix has been named on the 2024 Best Workplaces in Retail list by Fortune, ranking No. 5 of the 20 best large retail workplaces. Some of the reasons associates attribute to the company’s success are its dedication to service, welcoming culture, support of its workers, and community outreach.

“Being named one of the best workplaces in the retail industry for the 11^th year in a row is an honor,” said Maria Brous, Director of Communications. “At Publix, we make an effort to stay true to the philosophies our company was founded on 94 years ago—taking care of our associates and communities.”

As Publix believes in making responsible choices when it comes to minimizing its impact on the environment, sustainability is ingrained in the company’s culture through its mission to be involved as responsible citizens in the communities it serves. Twice a year, the company partners with its customers and associates during its Good Together hunger register campaign, which gives fresh produce and nonperishable food items to Feeding America partner food banks and other food bank organizations.

Publix is also very committed to its associates’ well-being and continues to invest in their financial, physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as their social connectedness and career engagement. As the largest employee-owned company in the United States, Publix offers its associates the opportunity to become company owners through its PROFIT Plan, 401(k) SMART Plan, and Employee Stock Purchase Plan, a release explained.

Great Place to Work analyzed survey feedback representing more than 1 million employees working in the retail industry in the United States, asking questions focused on an employee's experiences with their company, including innovation, company values, and the effectiveness of leaders.

To read the full press release, click here.

A big congrats to Publix and its associates from ANUK!

NOGALES, AZ - With Southeast Produce Council's (SEPC) Southern Innovations in the works, you need to know which booths to add to your must-see list. Let me add Divine Flavor to the ranks, especially as the company brings a spectacular showcase across multiple lines.

“We’ll be showcasing a variety of our specialty grapes such as Gummyberries™, Jellyberries™, the fan-favorite Cotton Candy™, and AUTUMNCRISP® from Sun World, which is one of the hottest/newer green seedless varieties on the market,” Alán Aguirre Camou, Chief Marketing Officer, shared with me. “In addition to our specialty grapes, we will have a variety of veg items such as hothouse-colored bell peppers, squash/zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Our snacking tomato, MAGNIFICO—which is the SWEETTELLE variety—is one of the sweetest and most delicious tomatoes we grow at Divine Flavor.”

Due to advanced growing practices and greenhouse innovation techniques, the company’s farms are able to produce this tomato to the highest quality standards. Although SWEETTELLE is a common tomato variety in the industry, the MAGNIFICO is unique to Divine Flavor as its full potential is unlocked as its farms put in the extra effort to produce the perfect snacking tomato.

“It’s important for the buyers to be aware of our six-pillar company philosophy, which focuses on outstanding quality/flavor, top-notch food safety, ethical and social responsibility programs, transparency through cutting-edge traceability systems, and a true commitment to organic and sustainable growing practices,” Alán added. “A few years back, our company created a Better Grower Program (BGP), an initiative dedicated to assisting our grower community to improve and be evaluated to become 'better growers.' We understand that many produce companies in today’s industry use terms such as 'food safety,' 'organics,' and 'sustainability.' Our approach is to take these terms and put them into action.”

Ultimately, this effort gives retailers and their customers a more consistent, year-round supply.

In addition to high-quality programs and surety of supply, Divine Flavor is always on the lookout for additional opportunities to support its partners.

“Our programs across all our product offerings are constantly growing. We are establishing more growing territory in various parts of Mexico to expand our product range of veg items on a year-round basis,” Alán explained. “On table grapes, we have branched out further into South America and newer parts of Mexico beyond the traditional Sonora table grape season. As our brand becomes more global, this has given Divine Flavor the opportunity to make relationships outside our typical growing windows, allowing us to service our customers for longer periods of the year. Our goal is to seriously lead on the categories that we commit to moving forward.”

From its founding, the company has worked strategically to make sure it is doing right by its growing partners and its customers.

“Since the late ‘80s, Divine Flavor has been dedicated to producing fruits and vegetables the most natural way, becoming one of the first organic producers from Mexico at that time. Our motto, 'Growing Better Food for a Better World' stems from our devotion to producing in a manner that treats the land and people with respect,” Alán noted. “As we turned into a global brand, it’s important for our company to be present at shows like Southern Innovations to have transparency with our customers and showcase our true values. Thanks to our founders before Divine Flavor, Grupo Alta, they have paved the way for other growers within the group which has elevated the Divine Flavor brand into the company it is today.”

Be sure to stop booth #103 to learn more from the team in person!