SEATTLE, WA - A recent release has allowed retailers to maximize ROI while simultaneously advancing their sustainability commitments. Bringing new developments to the sector, iFoodDS has launched its new Shelf Life Monitoring Solution, developed to bolster the buy-side by optimizing and monitoring fresh produce freshness for retailers and their distribution center inspectors.
"Consumers are more aware than ever of the impact food waste has on the environment, and they want to see retailers addressing the issue through sustainability efforts. We developed Shelf Life Monitoring as a way to empower retailers to identify the root causes of shrink," said Todd Berg, Vice President of Product Management and Analytics. "The core value of our offering is the insights retailers gain. We take the data they capture on produce shelf-life and show them the larger trends and issues."
iFoodDS' Shelf Life Monitoring can be utilized as a tool to help retailers proactively manage food waste and improve the freshness of their fruits and vegetables. With the help of this solution, grocers can work collaboratively to address the root causes of shrink by sharing valuable insights with their supply chain partners, a press release explained.
The key capabilities of the service include:
- Record fresh produce deterioration over time, up until the end of the anticipated shelf-life period
- Store inspection results in a cloud-based system for instant, secure access
- Compare suppliers, locations, and other factors to identify the root cause of shelf-life issues
- Share insights with suppliers to proactively manage freshness
- Make better sourcing decisions with the help of real-time reports and data benchmarking
- Configure to quality workflows and inspection requirements
- Establish standardized shelf-life audits across all facilities
Shelf Life Monitoring is available as a standalone application or as part of the company's Quality Insights Solution. The mobile applications standardize inspection procedures, while detailed reports and dashboards allow retailers to benchmark performance, improve sourcing, and reduce shrink.
As innovative new launches like this one continue to bolster the fresh produce supply chain, AndNowUKnow will be here to report.
SACRAMENTO, CA - A new state-of-the-art produce warehouse has popped up right in AndNowUKnow’s backyard. Having begun construction on its Sacramento, California, facility back in 2020, General Produce invited hundreds of guests to celebrate its official grand opening on Wednesday, March 30, and I got to see it first-hand.
“This new warehouse is going to give us ample new space,” Jeff Sacchini, Chief Executive Officer, told me. “Our former facility restricted our ability to grow and expand. We are now not only afforded more square footage, but increased frozen and dry goods capacity, state-of-the-art food safety controls, and the confidence to meet the growing needs of both foodservice and retail sectors.”
Built in partnership with Buzz Oates, the brand-new warehouse sits on a nine-acre site at Sacramento’s rapidly developing Metro Air Park and totals 106,000 square feet. As Sacramento’s second-largest food exporter, the facility was constructed to hold approximately 11,000 pallets and currently is home to over 3,000 SKUs, made up primarily of fruits and vegetables.
Taking my own private guided tour of the warehouse, I got an up-close look at General Produce’s cutting-edge banana and avocado ripening rooms featuring adjustable temperature and airflow controls for optimal conditions. To meet the needs of other perishable item storage, the facility also boasts five temperature zones.
Adding to its innovative prowess, General Produce has installed forklift charging stations throughout the warehouse to increase efficiency and safety, uses an advanced Warehouse Management System, and has implemented artificial intelligence in its accounts payable process. In the future, Jeff shared that the company will continue to invest heavily in technology to place the company ahead of the curve in the industry.
The warehouse officially became operational Sunday, March 27, 2022, and the Grand Opening allowed the community to see it in action. Sponsored by produce names including Tanimura & Antle, Classic Fruit Company, and more, the event featured a plethora of delicious food and drinks, opportunities to catch up, and the chance to hear from the company’s leadership, including several members of the Chan family, which started General Produce almost 90 years ago.
Congratulations to General Produce on this beautiful new operation!
ONTARIO, CANADA - Flavor, sustainability, and snackability are what Mucci Farms is bringing to Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Convention and Trade Show. Highlighting its Hot Shots Mixed Hot Peppers, Cherto Gourmet Cherry Tomatoes, Organic Grape Tomatoes, and new Linerless Label packaging series, the greenhouse grower, is ready to take the floor by storm, giving buyers a taste of the products that could set their produce aisles over the top.
“Our main highlight at CPMA is the latest edition to our award-winning lineup of sustainable packaging options, our Linerless Label series,” says Fernanda Albuquerque, Packaging Development Manager. “The series will house a variety of popular Mucci Farms favorites, including conventional and specialty tomatoes and peppers. It’s truly a perfect package to attract consumers at the store level and draw attention on e-commerce platforms.”
Mucci Farms’ prized Linerless Label series of trays is crafted from food-grade kraft paperboard and fastened by a one-piece linerless label lid made from food-approved paper label material.
Also featured is Mucci’s award-winning Cherto Gourmet Cherry Tomatoes, which are now offered ‘off the vine’ for snacking convenience. The tomatoes are packaged in a 1 pint, snack-sized container, making it easy for shoppers to take them adventuring or to work and school. The company additionally offers the tomatoes in its Paper Top Seal pack, which increases sustainability by replacing the plastic film with paper.
Joining Cherto Gourmet Cherry Tomatoes on the CPMA stage, Mucci’s Natural Organic Grape Tomatoes are high in flavor and come in a 2 lb environmentally friendly cardboard fiber tray that uses 80 percent less plastic. Mucci’s Hot Shots, a series of best-in-class hot pepper varieties, will be part of the new product showcase as well, offering the perfect option to meet consumer demand for tongue-tingling spice.
“The Scoville Scale chart-toppers we have are the Carolina Reapers, Scorpions, and Ghost peppers, and we have a wide range of world-class varieties to accommodate the casual spice fan and the courageous enthusiast,” explains Joe Spano, Partner and Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “What makes these peppers unique, above and beyond quality and flavor, is their availability. It’s tougher to find hot pepper growers because it’s a niche market, which means volumes aren’t as high as other core commodities. We, however, are focused on accommodating all types of customers, so we grow the very best varieties and have the supply to meet their needs.”
As buyers prepare to stop at the Mucci Farms booth, the greenhouse purveyor wants them to know that their teams have done their homework when it comes to these unique, high-quality items.
“We have an extensive research and development program that helps us assess retailer and consumer demand. We use this information to search for and introduce products and packaging to the market by partnering with retailers to achieve our collective goals,” continues Joe. “At Mucci Farms, we want retailers, which we like to refer to as our partners in produce, to know that we are focused on doing the heavy lifting, finding the gaps, and discovering solutions to solve those challenges.”
And if you need some time to kick back after taking in the company’s showcase, Mucci Farms is sponsoring the relaxation lounge which, in the spirit of the Reunite theme, will be known as the Reconnect Lounge this year. A place for attendees to reconnect, recharge, and relax, the lounge will offer charging stations, refreshments, and more.
Want to see these marvels for yourself? Check out Mucci Farms’ offerings at booth #1615 and make sure to stop by the Reconnect Lounge for some R&R.
NEWARK, DE - On March 31, the Senate came together in a unanimous vote to pass the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (S. 3580) in a voice vote. The bipartisan bill is co-sponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Thune (R-SD) and will head back to the House before going on to the President.
International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) applauded the unanimous decision.
“I am glad to see the bill pass the Senate,” said IFPA Chief Public Policy Officer, Robert Guenther, in a press release. “The Ocean Shipping Reform Act is essential to our industry and the U.S. export market. We encourage our representatives to reconcile the differences with the House and get the bill to the President.”
According to the letter that was drafted on March 15 and co-signed by more than three dozen organizations representing the produce industry, the association has helped lead the effort to reform trade practices. It was sent to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The association further noted the passage of this bill would accomplish a number of reforms vital to our industry, including:
- Shifting the burden of proof regarding the reasonableness of “detention or demurrage” charges from the invoiced party to the ocean carrier
- Prohibiting ocean carriers from unreasonably declining shipping opportunities for U.S. exports, as determined by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) in new required rulemaking
- Authorizing the FMC to self-initiate investigations of ocean common carrier’s business practices and apply enforcement measures, as appropriate
- Establishing new authority for the FMC to register shipping exchanges
To read the letter in full, click here.
Tune in for more updates and releases from our industry as we report on the latest.
EUGENE, OR - Consumers in Eugene, Oregon, have a new place to get their shopping done as WinCo Foods has officially opened the doors to its Coburg Road location. After nearly two years of construction and renovations, the grand opening of the store took place this past Monday, March 28.
As reported by KVAL, hundreds of shoppers turned up to the event, waiting in line to discover the deals put in place for the official grand opening.
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With the store now fully operational, WinCo expects to bring 200 new jobs to the Eugene area.
The store is taking over a space that was previously occupied by a Shopko store, which WinCo received permits to renovate back in July 2020. Some of the work done by the retailer to the building and site includes new building facades, a new bicycle parking shelter, and the resurfacing of the parking lot.
Where will WinCo stake its claim next? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow to find out.
MAGDALENA, COLOMBIA - In this industry, operators are building dreams every single day through the eyes of their employees. Fyffes is making an especially concentrated effort to support its communities as well, partnering with Banasan Foundation, Albert Heijn supermarkets, and local banana-producing companies in Magdalena, Colombia, to kick off the second stage of the ‘Building Dreams’ housing improvement project. The project is expected to improve the living conditions of 100 families.
“Fyffes invests in long-term partnerships with our suppliers, and we are delighted to partner with Banasan Foundation and Albert Heijn to make ‘Building Dreams’ a reality for the beneficiary families,” Julie Cournoyer, Fyffes Global Director of Sustainability, said. “Ultimately, we aim to help build resilient communities and contribute to their economic development and enrichment.”
In December 2021, the first 40 beneficiary families were selected based on their household income and living conditions, a press release began. Many of the families have an agricultural occupation and work in the farms associated with Banasan. The project is part of Fyffes’ broader sustainability target to have 100 percent of its neighboring communities engaged in resilient socio-economic community projects out of its four community investment areas by 2030.
Stage two of the project determined the type of improvements that can be done following the provisions set forth by the United Nations in The Right to Adequate Housing. A needs identification survey also determined additional insights on family relationships and coexistence with neighbors as well as other community concerns. An action plan will be implemented to promote sustainable development, including workshops and psychosocial training.
“Our new Albert Heijn mission ‘Together making better food available. For all.’ is fueled by our conviction that food plays a compelling role in dealing with many current societal challenges,” Marit van Egmond, Albert Heijn Chief Executive Officer, said.
The housing improvement project team is made up of architects, engineers, communicators, accountants, and psychologists. The housing improvements for the first 40 families were reported to be finished by the end of March, and additional families will be selected in subsequent phases of the project.
We tip our hats to these fierce community supporters!
CHICAGO, IL - In its latest venture, Hazel Technologies is narrowing in on the peach category with a new partnership. The solutions provider has teamed up with The Fredericksburg Peach Company, which has seen successful results from its trial of Hazel Tech’s flagship technology, Hazel 100™. Now, the company has committed to Hazel Tech for its 2022 season.
“Retailers are pushing for larger local displays in the fresh produce department to help drive their sales and revenue,” said Tommy Caruana, Director of Business Development-Retail at Hazel Technologies. “Hazel 100’s ability to slow down the ripening process gives retailers firmer fruit to present on their shelves while consumers can have local produce that’s the ideal eating pressure within a day or so of it hitting their kitchen counter. It’s a win-win.”
The Fredericksburg Peach Company is a Texas grower and shipper managing over 400 acres of production, sourced internally as well as from over 30 outside growers, according to a press release. The company services major retail chains in the Southern United States, including Kroger, H-E-B, and Whole Foods Market.
When it comes to peaches, growers typically achieve the best eating quality by tree ripening to achieve more flavorful, ready-to-eat fruit. These programs, however, frequently run the risk of losing firmness in route to the supermarket or on the shelf, hence why Fredericksburg turned to Hazel Tech.
“While trialing Hazel 100, we saw our percentage of rejections go down about 5 percent at retail. That’s huge for our bottom line as a provider of locally grown peaches,” said Frank Davis, President at The Fredericksburg Peach Company. “Hazel is definitely a technology that we plan and look forward to using going forward.”
Alongside a local Texas retailer, Fredericksburg and Hazel Tech completed an eight-week commercial trial. The Hazel 100-protected peaches were reportedly 23 percent more firm than control after three days in cold storage and three days at ambient temperature. The fruit also had a better internal quality during QC inspections at receiving, the press release noted.
For more updates within fresh produce, you know where to find us.
SAN JUAN, TX - Devastating news has come out of South Texas today as Rio Fresh revealed a structure fire has caused a large portion of damage to its largest fresh onion packing facility. The blaze broke out on the evening of Thursday, March 31, and in the wake of the incident, the company has issued a statement addressing the tragic event.
The statement, which was sent out by the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA), reads:
“Last night, a massive fire overtook our onion packing facility. Our family and team are devastated over our loss, but we remain thankful.
Our employees and family were able to evacuate the facility, and everyone made it out safely. We thank God for this tremendous blessing. First responders from across the valley showed up to help contain a fire that seemed to know no end. Thank you to these brave men and women who put their life on the line to do this critical work.
We are especially grateful to our employees who showed up to help and support us. They stood by our side and worked tirelessly to help us salvage anything possible to minimize the damage. We would be nowhere without these faithful teammates, and we humbly thank them.
Farming families are accustomed to storms and trials. At this time, our team is working with the community to identify continuation plans as we are still mid-season with a bountiful crop before us. We continually count our blessings and look forward to brighter days and better seasons. Trusting God, we will put one foot in front of the other to rebuild our business—always remembering how much we have to be thankful for.
Please pray for our family and employees. God is good.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8.”
Rio Fresh is a third-generation, family farming operation based out of South Texas. The company grows, packs, and ships a variety of Texas-grown items including Texas 1015 Sweet Onions, melons, greens, cabbage, and kale.
Our thoughts are with those at Rio Fresh as they deal with the aftermath of this heartbreaking incident.
SOLEDAD, CA - Braga Fresh is tapping into a key growing practice to bring advancements across its beloved Josie’s Organics line. Recently, the purveyor revealed it will harvest and market a trial crop of regeneratively grown fresh vegetables.
“The objective of our regenerative farming trials is to increase soil carbon and decrease consumption of diesel fuel that powers the tractors conducting the tillage operation,” said Chief Executive Officer Rodney Braga. “Those changes would reduce our overall CO2 emissions, aiding us in the goal of being carbon-neutral by 2025.”
Braga Fresh is currently in its second year of small-scale trialing regenerative crop practices, with a goal of reducing the soil tillage now used by the fresh vegetable farming industry and applying any successes and learnings to its other growing regions. The trials aid the company in understanding the implications and identifying the pieces of the concept that may be applied to current commercial fresh vegetable and leafy green farming.
The first regenerative trial crop was planted in early 2021 under the supervision of Eric Morgan, Vice President of Environmental Science and Resources.
Morgan will participate in a panel about regenerative agriculture at the Organic Produce Summit, on July 13 in Monterey, California.
“Tillage operations currently employed by our industry weakens soil aggregate stability that leads to reductions of soil microorganisms that populate the soil microbiome,” said Morgan. “We believe that most common tillage practices utilized by the industry inadvertently increase crop water consumption and create a need for excess fertilizer. Our overall intent with these regenerative crop trials is to confirm our hypothesis and feasibly overcome these farming challenges.”
In April 2022, the supplier plans to harvest its third regeneratively grown trial crop, featuring organic broccoli, organic red and green leaf, and organic Iceberg lettuce. All of the trial crops will be sold under the Josie’s Organics brand, and will meet Good Manufacturing Practice and Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement standards.
“Soil health has long been a part of our farming program; we have a robust soil testing program that is key to our organic farming,” added Braga. “Trialing regenerative practices will help us identify feasible low tillage practices for fresh vegetable production and still maintain the quality expectations of retailers and consumers.”
As the supplier wields even more ambitious strategies to advance its portfolio, ANUK will be here to report.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Meijer's selection of sustainable food items will soon be expanding, as the retailer has announced its first-ever Sustainability Supplier Summit. Suppliers from across the country will have the opportunity to bring their sustainable brands and products to Meijer shelves through the event.
"At Meijer, we understand that to be a good company, we must be a good neighbor, which is why we integrate environmental sustainability into our daily operations," said Peter Whitsett, Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing. "But so much of what we do in this space extends beyond what customers see on our shelves, which was why we felt it was time to seek out sustainability-focused vendors to help us expand our significant base of sustainable product offerings."
Held virtually June 20–23, the event comes on the heels of a recent survey Meijer conducted to identify environmental issues. Sourcing from companies with a strong commitment to sustainability, as well as expanding the retailer's offerings of sustainable products, were among the most notable topics, according to a press release.
In order to meet its sustainability standards, Meijer merchants are targeting 38 different certifications on vendor products or their manufacturing and procurement processes. Certified vendors with retail-ready products can apply here by Tuesday, April 26 for consideration. The event will be put on in partnership with Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing (ECRM) and its subsidiary product discovery tool, RangeMe.
Meijer teams will review and select the vendors they would like to meet at the virtual summit. Suppliers not chosen for the summit will still be accessible through the RangeMe registration tool and may be reviewed by Meijer merchants again in the future, the press release continued.
For more details on this initiative, please click here.
ANUK will continue to keep you in the know, so stick with us.