SALINAS, CA - Each move we make in this industry is critical, as it may very well pave the road for our next journey in fresh produce. One expert, Joe Pezzini, knows this well, as the industry vet has just landed a new role with Taylor Farms. The supplier recently revealed it has appointed Pezzini as Senior Director of Agricultural Operations, effective on October 11.
“I’m excited to join the Taylor Farms team,” said Pezzini. “I look forward to contributing my expertise to the leadership of this innovative organization and working alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry.”
As Senior Director of Agricultural Operations, Pezzini will oversee Taylor Farms’ 42,000-crop-acre internal growing and harvesting operations, including Mission Ranches, Seco Packing, and Big Valley Labor, according to a press release.
Pezzini is a Salinas, California, native who began his career with the Ocean Mist® Farms group of companies in 1983—where he worked as a Farm Manager for Boutonnet Farms—and in 1987, he and his two partners started Valley Pride Custom Harvesting. Pezzini later went on to become Vice President of Operations at Ocean Mist Farms in 2001, where he was responsible for overseeing cooling operations, food safety, quality assurance, and human resources. In 2009, Pezzini became Ocean Mist Farms’ Chief Operating Officer and was then appointed to the Chief Executive Officer role in 2015.
Most recently, Pezzini served as a general partner with Valley Pride. As a distinguished member of the produce industry, Pezzini has served on many Boards and embraced volunteer opportunities, including his involvement with the Central California Grower-Shipper Association and Foundation, California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (CA LGMA), Center for Produce Safety, Produce Marketing Association, and Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Pezzini is also a Hartnell College alum and UC Davis graduate who obtained an MBA from the University of Santa Clara, the release noted.
“I have had the privilege of getting to know Joe while working together on many industry issues over the past 15 years,” said Bruce Taylor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Joe brings extensive farming and harvesting experience, and we are delighted to have him join our Taylor Farms leadership team.”
A huge congratulations goes out to Joe Pezzini on his new leadership role and the impending growth of Taylor Farms!
GERMANY - As sustainability takes the forefront of many retail and supply-side strategies, Aldi North and Aldi SÜD, which are both part of a circular economy, have announced a new partnership with Interseroh + GmbH beginning January 2022. With this new alliance formed, the retailer will be more actively participating in the recycling of materials and in the dual systems business in Germany.
“This is a strategically important step for us,” explained Kashif Ansari, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at ALDI North. “With Interseroh + we have found a strong partner in the licensing business and material flow management. Access to secondary raw materials opens up new business areas for us and gives us independence.”
Through this new partnership, the relationship between retailers, recyclers, and manufacturers of packaging and products will be intensified. According to a release from Aldi, at the start of 2022, the packaging of Aldi Nord and Aldi SÜD brands will be incorporated into the Interseroh + dual system as the first step.
“With this strategic partnership, we want to meet our product responsibility and ensure a real circular economy in the future. Interseroh + can fall back on a lot of experience in the licensing business and offers a new concept for securing secondary raw material requirements and for closing cycles. This combination of experience and innovation convinced us,” said Alexander Markov, Managing Director, Logistics and Services at ALDI SÜD.
As this partnership continues, Aldi and Interseroh+ plan to address other topics, such as packaging innovations. Aldi has also expressed interest in further cooperation in this area, especially as packaging is an important part of sustainability.
Aldi North and Aldi SÜD began their joint packaging mission in the summer of 2018. As part of their strategy, both entities want to make all private label packaging recyclable by the end of 2022. In addition, the companies want to reduce the packaging weight of their own brands by 30 percent by the end of 2025, as well as have 30 percent recycled materials go into their plastic packaging within the same timeframe.
With its sights set on these ambitious sustainability goals, what will be Aldi’s next move? Stick with AndNowUKnow to find out.
KEASBEY, NJ - If you can’t tell by some of the stories gracing the AndNowUKnow homepage today, ’tis the season of giving back. One of the companies joining in on the festivities is ShopRite, which donated more than $1.5 million in grants and donations during the annual ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer on Friday. Since 1992, the company has invested over $37 million into area hospitals, food banks, and education and youth programs.
“The ShopRite LPGA Classic brings everyone together to support incredible organizations that battle hunger, help children and families, and invest in new research for the treatment of life-altering diseases,” said Wakefern’s Chief Communications Officer, Karen Meleta. “The entire ShopRite and Wakefern team could not be more proud of our long-standing partnership with the LPGA tour that has raised $37 million for charitable causes that are improving lives as a result of the championship.”
The annual ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer brings the most talented women in professional golf to the classic Bay Course at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel in Galloway, New Jersey, while also bringing together organizations that serve people in need, a press release explained. For almost three decades, golf fans have gathered at the Atlantic County and the Jersey Shore to watch the top female golfers in the world compete on the famed course. The tournament, while hosting some of the strongest golfers, creates more than $19 million in new economic activity in the region.
"ShopRite’s commitment is critical to the ongoing success of the tournament,” said Tim Erensen, Managing Partner at Outlyr, which owns and operates the event. “Their support and charitable contributions are unmatched on Tour, and we could not be prouder to have them as our partner and title sponsor in one of the strongest events on the LPGA Tour."
Some of the charitable and nonprofit organizations that were granted funds include:
- Alzheimer's New Jersey
- Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
- AtlantiCare Foundation
- Goodwill Delaware & Delaware County
- Embrace Kids Foundation
- Special Olympics New Jersey
- Ronald Mcdonald of Southern NJ
- Val Skinner Foundation
- Community FoodBank of New Jersey
Stay tuned as more companies across the industry make valiant efforts to support their communities and those in need. AndNowUKnow will surely report as they do.
WASHINGTON, DC - Education is the key to a better future, and we know this well in the fresh produce industry. United Fresh Produce Association is aiming to improve food safety in the sector as it opens the application period for its Class Three of the Produce Safety Immersion Program. The program is sponsored by Calavo Growers and Renaissance Food Group at the gold level, and Ecolab at the silver level, and will allow the next generation to build their technical capacity, critical thinking skills, and leadership attributes.
“Through the first two years of this unique program, we have successfully supported the career development of dozens of produce safety professionals throughout the industry, and it’s been a joy to watch them grow,” said Dr. Jennifer McEntire, Senior Vice President, Food Safety and Technology, United Fresh. “Class Three Fellows will engage in a variety of in-person and virtual networking and education opportunities to build their professional network, interpret and apply technical information, and ultimately better serve the industry and consumers.”
According to a press release, the program offers a balance of face-to-face meetings, trainings, tailored webinars, networking, and professional development sessions with industry leaders, as well as an ongoing mentorship program. Four talented produce safety professionals will serve as mentors to the program fellows and will support the professional growth and development of the cohort.
“As a mentor for the Program’s Class Two, I have seen firsthand the immense impact United Fresh’s engaging program has on up-and-coming produce safety professionals,” said Natalie Dyenson, Vice President, Food Safety and Quality, Dole Food Company. “As produce safety continues to evolve, professional development opportunities like this will be crucial to prepare for the scientific, technological, regulatory, and market changes of the future.
Class Three will be faced with produce safety topics such as outbreak investigations, traceability, environmental monitoring, statistics of sampling, food law, and more. Early-to-mid career professionals with less than five years of experience in produce safety are encouraged to apply for Class Three, which will launch in January 2022. Applications will be evaluated by past mentors and program alumni, based on their backgrounds, roles in the industry, career aspirations, and recommendations.
United Fresh is also hosting an informational webinar about the Produce Safety Immersion Program on October 19 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. Dr. McEntire will discuss the impact of the program, the tentative 2022 schedule, and application instructions. Alumni and current program members will be sharing their experiences as well. Registration for the webinar is available here, and the application deadline is October 31.
So, who’s ready to talk produce safety?
GLENVILLE, GA - The fall months are officially here, and there is a good spirit in the air as we slowly approach the holidays. Kicking off the gifting season a bit early, G&R Farms has announced the return of its “Season of Giving” retail promotion for the second year in a row. For the months of November and December, participating retailers can choose a charity or foodbank partner of their choice, to which proceeds from the company’s Peruvian onions will be donated.
“Our retail partners are in the best position to identify those community needs and facilitate bringing attention to them and making a difference,” said Walt Dasher, Vice President. “It is then our responsibility to help consumers who want to give back into one effort and bring the most good.”
During the campaign, retailers can choose new or existing partners in the community, and G&R Farms will donate a portion of the proceeds from all Peruvian onions sold during the promotion period to help the selected partners. In-store associates will work to help shoppers understand how their purchase supports their own community.
In the lead-up to the promotion, G&R Farms will provide its partners with secondary display bins for in-store displays, as well as POS materials and specially marked packaging. The supplier will also handle all coordination and promotion with the charity partners in order to streamline the process and make it easier for all its allies in the retail space. Retailers will also receive consumer PR, including in-market media and social media promotion, to boost the campaign and the onion category.
In 2020, this innovative campaign contributed to a donation of over $22,000 during the holiday season, a press release noted.
As a family-owned and value-driven company, G&R Farms is dedicated to giving back and helping meet the needs of many across the country.
Ready to be a part of the change? With G&R Farms’ high-quality Peruvian onions in your produce department, it's inevitable.
MISSION, TX - It is with a heavy heart that we report the passing of a distinguished industry member this past weekend. Former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) John McClung passed away on Saturday, October 2, 2021. Even a decade after his retirement, McClung is still regarded for his many achievements during the course of his indelible career.
McClung retired from TIPA in 2011, after 12 years spent as President and CEO. He not only began the transition of TPA to TIPA, but he also oversaw the Texas Produce Marketing Cooperative, the Texas Produce Export Association, and managed the Federal Marketing Orders for Texas citrus and onions. Prior to his move to South Texas, he also served as Vice President for Industry Relations/Government Relations for the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association (now the United Fresh Produce Association), for 13 years in Washington, DC.
From 1977 until he joined USDA, he was the Washington Bureau Chief for Miller Publishing Company, a division of the American Broadcasting Company. He previously worked as a reporter for United Press International in San Francisco and Fresno, California, a press release noted.
Before joining United in 1987, McClung spent seven years as an appointee at USDA during the Reagan Administration, first as Director of Information and Legislative Affairs for the Food Safety and Inspection Service and then as Director of Information for all of USDA.
McClung graduated from the University of Arizona in Tucson, which was his hometown, with a B.A. in Journalism. He did his graduate work at the University of Minnesota in Mass Communications. He is survived by his wife, Judy McClung; his son, John; and his daughter, Janna.
In lieu of flowers, Judy McClung has asked for those who knew John McClung to share a story or memory of him for which their family can look back on in fondness as they remember his legacy. If you are interested in providing a story to the family, please click here. TIPA will collect these submissions and assemble them for presentation to the McClung family.
The ANUK team sends our deepest condolences to the friends and family members enduring this great loss.
CHICAGO, IL - The saying “good news comes in threes” has been proven true today as Amazon has recently revealed plans to open three new Amazon Fresh grocery stores in the Chicago area.
“Our Amazon Fresh store team is strong and growing,” said Stephenie Landry, Vice President of Amazon Grocery, in a statement to Chicago Business Journal. “I've enjoyed getting to know employees and seeing first-hand how they support each other and our customers while visiting our stores. Because of this amazing team, we're able to bring customers a new, innovative shopping experience that they love right in their own communities.”
These new stores will be found in Morton Grove, Westmont, and Naperville, according to the news source. The three new stores will bring the number of Amazon Fresh stores in the Chicago area to seven, joining the other locations in Oak Lawn, Schaumburg, Bloomingdale, and Naperville. Each of the locations will be about 35,000 square feet and will employ more than 1,500 people by the end of the year.
Amazon’s new stores will also feature Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” cashierless technology, and will be the first in the state to implement the innovative system. Through this technology, shoppers will be able to enter the store, scan their credit card or an Amazon app, finish their shopping, and leave, all without having to stand in a checkout line. For those who don’t use the new technology, self-service checkout lines will also be available.
We here at ANUK are always waiting to see where Amazon will pop up next as it continues to build out its expansion strategies, and we’ll be here to report when it does.
WASHINGTON, DC - In its pursuit to uphold the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on Florida Cool Cargo, in Miami, Florida. Florida Cool Cargo has allegedly failed to pay $115,806 to five sellers of produce. Under the rules of the PACA, Florida Cool Cargo will be sanctioned, barring the company and the principal operators from conducting PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from the USDA.
Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
Florida Cool failed to pay $115,806 to five sellers for produce that was purchased, received, and accepted in interstate and foreign commerce from May 2019 to July 2019. This is in violation of the PACA. Florida Cool cannot operate in the produce industry until July 23, 2023, and then only after they apply for and are issued a new PACA license by USDA.
The company’s principals, Yosuan Fernandez and Jesse Fernandez, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until July 23, 2022, and then only with the posting of a USDA approved surety bond.
USDA is required to publish the finding that a business has committed willful, repeated, and flagrant violations of PACA as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business during the violation period. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.
By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.
For more information, and to read the press release in its entirety, click here.
NEW ZEALAND - The produce department will soon become a full-on spookfest, as Halloween month is officially HERE! (Can you tell I’m excited?) T&G Global is stirring up some excitement of its own, as the marketer is strategizing to give JAZZ™ apples a boost during this highly anticipated promotional period.
“We’re sharing some fun, spooky recipes on our social media channels that are healthier than your typical Halloween candy. These are simple recipes that families can make and enjoy together, with JAZZ apples of course,” said Head of Marketing Rebecca Chapman. “As well as sharing recipes, we’re also celebrating with new point of sale displays, a dedicated Halloween website, and a fun Instagram filter.”
In a press release, Chapman noted that Halloween is a popular time of the year in key international markets, making it the perfect occasion to encourage consumers to make healthier choices. For the campaign, JAZZ apples’ signature motto, “Is it JAZZ™ time yet?” has been morphed into a seasonal motto: “Is it BOO time yet?”
New point-of-sale artwork embraces JAZZ’s refreshed look and integrates Halloween elements with carved apples that would give anyone the chills.
This fully integrated seasonal campaign will be rolled out across key markets in Asia, Europe, and the United States.
Are you ready for spooky season? Your retail shelves will say it all.
TAMPA, FL - The ANUK team recently found a new furry friend to obsess over, although they may be lacking actual fur. Aiming to highlight its Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs), IFCO Systems has launched a new campaign playing on the legendary nine lives of a cat. Longevity, though, is not all this offering boasts of.
“IFCO takes a stand on sustainability and transparency in the food supply chain. We are the right partner to empower those operators who value sustainable solutions,” said Michael Pooley, Chief Executive Officer of IFCO, in a company announcement.
The announcement noted that RPCs are used several times before being granulated to become new crates. This circular life cycle is reportedly the key to IFCO’s journey toward a more sustainable supply chain.
Sustainability features were top of mind when creating this offering, providing an efficient, reusable, and shareable solution. These crates feature a sturdy design that reduces product damage and, therefore, food waste, making it environmentally friendly in more ways than one.
Plus, you can’t help but smile at a crate that looks like a cat.
For more impactful industry campaigns like this one, keep coming back to ANUK.