PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WI - Football season is upon us, and retailers, you know what that means—ample opportunity for snacking displays in the fresh produce aisles! Luckily, Good Foods is making that task a little bit easier with the launch of its new plant-based Spicy Queso Blanco, which is currently rolling out at Target and Sprouts locations across the country, and your stores could be next.
“Through sales analysis, consumer inquires and market research, we found the addition of a Spicy Queso Blanco flavor to our plant-based dip line would resonate with both shoppers and their tastebuds,” said Mandy Bottomlee, Director of Content Marketing. “After a year in our rigorous research and development process, we’re excited to finally have this new dip hitting store shelves to meet consumer demand.”
With the addition of Spicy Queso Blanco, Good Foods now offers six plant-based dip flavors including Queso, Buffalo, Tzatziki, Avocado Pesto, and Cilantro, giving consumer tastebuds all the flavors they could desire. According to a press release, the Spicy Queso Blanco dip is made with a blend of cauliflower and almonds to create a cheesy flavor profile, and a spicy kick is added into the mix through green chilies and jalapeño peppers.
Good Foods’ Spicy Queso Blanco will be available in the regular 8 oz size and a larger 12 oz size for entertaining, tailgating, or holiday parties.
Will your stores be the next to offer this tantalizing new offering? If so, I will be the first in line to load up my basket.
NORTH AMERICA - We are bidding goodbye to another month, which means another chance at some extra cash for fans of our sister publication The Snack Magazine! Whether you are taking out an actual magnifying glass, or hitting the magnification on your screen to seek it digitally, it’s time to find the ANUK apple on the cover of Issue 61, Pattern of Progress.
If you do not have the physical magazine, click here to view a digital copy of our latest issue.
Once you’ve discovered that extra apple shape (which is among the beautiful fruit decorating the cover but not one of them, so don't be fooled!) send your selfie over to us at [email protected] with the subject line “FOUND the Apple Logo” to join the running for the $100 cash prize.
As a reminder, the criteria for winning is as follows:
- Your FOUND the Apple Logo photo must include your face
- And your finger must be pointing to the AndNowUKnow apple logo
If your photo lands in our inbox ahead of everyone else’s, you could join the winners’ circle, along with some other quick produce pros, including:
- Joseph Parziale of Bozzuto's (reigning buy-side champion)
- Rachelle Schulken of Renaissance Food Group (reigning supply-side champion)
- Betty Tomao of The Save Mart Companies
- Dustin Meloche of Nature Fresh Farms
- Danny Ortiz of Sysco
- Doug Groendyke of Harvest Hope Food Banks
Once that is checked off for your Thursday, take some time to flip through the colorful fall pages, including our deep dives into the minds behind companies like Pacific International Marketing, Bobalu, Giorgio Fresh, as well as a plethora of recipe and merchandising inspiration for your autumn offerings, bite-sized fun with industry innovators, and more.
Be sure to get ready for the competition next round, coming with the fast-approaching October issue. Click here to subscribe to The Snack, valued at $129 per year.
CALIFORNIA - Life happens while we are busy making plans, leaving us with few areas we can control. Fresh Avenue highlighted one of these areas in a recent dive on consolidation facilities, specifically the impact location can have.
While I can say convenient locations have always been a factor in new facility announcements, it seems that the weight this carries has gotten heavier in light of the challenges the supply chain has increasingly faced.
The company highlights in its recent post, Location, Location, Location, the ways in which business operations hold a valuable place in the supply chain.
Key factors listed are:
- The right place
- Access to everything
- Smooth transition
- Taking advantage of the location
“In the world of real estate, the address of a property can add tens of thousands to the value or take it away. The different sections of town define the culture, architecture, amenities, goods, and services that are available,” the company observes, likening it to families shopping for homes and how comparable factors make for a prime facility.
Immediately discussing consolidation facilities, Fresh Avenue points out significant time savings having product directly taken to one when a typical pickup can consist of a four-hour wait at one stop, five at another, and so-on.
Additional factors the company points to are access to more product for buyers, access to competitive prices, and remaining open in both growing regions during industry transitions.
“Many times, product picked up at growers during this time will experience some disruption during the shutdown of grower facilities and people and equipment traveling hundreds of miles to the next location. One way to lessen that impact is by using consolidation, a facility that does not undertake a complete move. Usually these facilities are open year-round in each growing region,” Fresh Avenue states.
To read the post in its entirety, click here, and for the latest in our industry, continue to keep an eye on AndNowUKnow.
ISSAQUAH, WA - At this point in time, the fresh produce and retail industries know all too well about the ongoing supply chain challenges being faced on a global scale. As buyers and suppliers watch as container ships have become congested in ports, slowing the distribution of products, Costco Wholesale has announced a unique new strategy to overcome these persisting hurdles. Recently, the retailer revealed that it will be chartering three ships and renting thousands of containers to help mitigate rising shipping costs.
“Containers, trucks and drivers all are impacting the timing of deliveries and higher freight costs. Despite all these issues, we continue to work to mitigate cost increases in a variety of different ways and hold down and/or mitigate our price increases passed on to the member,” said Richard Galanti, Chief Financial Officer in a call with analysts. “We've also chartered three ocean vessels for the next year to transport containers between Asia and the U.S. and Canada.”
Costco will be joining the ranks of Home Depot in making this play, as both companies attempt to prevent delays and keep costs at a minimum. According to an article from Business Insider, in renting these ships, the retailer will be able to avoid spending six times the amount that would be charged using a third party.
“…We've leased several thousand containers for use on these ships,” continued Galanti. “Every ship can carry 800 to 1,000 containers at a time, and we'll make approximately 10 deliveries during the course of the next year. Moving to inflation. Again, there have been many—there have been a variety of inflationary pressures that we and others are seeing, and more of it.”
As Galanti went on to describe in the call, Costco’s standard rollout time for new products in store has doubled in some cases, which was one of the major factors in this new strategy.
Costco is but one of many retailers and suppliers dealing with the ongoing supply chain crisis that is causing delays, shortages, and skyrocketing costs. Due to port traffic jams, blockages, and a lack of dock workers, the situation has only worsened, leading to key moves from authorities to solve these persisting problems.
To read a transcript of Galanti's call, click here.
How will the retailers recent shipping strategy position Costco to hurdle these supply chain challenges? Stick with AndNowUKnow for updates.
ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - One thing I never tire of is hearing the words “new Chief.” It’s always great to see people in our industry advancing, especially in the buy-side community. For Ahold Delhaize, this new Chief comes in the form of Natalia Wallenberg, who was recently named Chief Human Resources Officer.
“I am thrilled to join Ahold Delhaize, with its focus on health and sustainability, inclusivity, and value for customers. It is energizing to be part of a company with a growth-oriented culture and local brands that positively impact more than 50 million shoppers every week,” noted Wallenberg. “Additionally, the values of the organization, especially care, courage, and teamwork, are ones that I share and am proud to promote. I look forward to helping Frans and the company continue its transformation while cultivating its great diverse talent and purpose-driven culture."
According to a press release, Wallenberg brings with her a host of experience, most recently working as Sygenta’s Global Head of Human Resources for the Crop Protection division. During her time with the company, which garnered nearly nine years of experience, Wallenberg served for three years as Global Head of HR for the Syngenta Seed Division.
Prior to Syngenta, she served in HR leadership roles at Renaissance Capital and IKEA Real Estate.
“I am excited to have Natalia join my Executive Committee as Global CHRO. She brings a broad international perspective, having lived and worked in both Europe and the United States, and a wealth of experience shaping and implementing effective business and HR strategies, leadership and culture development, organization transformation, and talent management,” added Frans Muller, the retailer’s Chief Executive Officer.
Wallenberg holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the International Academy of Information Technologies in Belarus, and an MA in Counseling jointly granted from the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences in Russia and the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.
Congratulations to Natalia on this new role!
ISSAQUAH, WA - Further showcasing its retail prowess, Costco revealed its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2021 financial results, detailing a net sales increase of 17.5 percent for the quarter and 17.7 percent increase for the fiscal year. This comes following a year of growth from the company, including new warehouses as well as the expansion of its self-service stations nationwide.
The results announced by Costco were for the 16-week fourth quarter and 52-week fiscal year, both ending August 29, 2021, according to the release. In addition to net sales for the quarter increasing from $52.38 billion at the same time last year to $61.44 billion, net sales for the fiscal year also showed a $28.83 billion boost from $163.22 billion to $192.05 billion.
Other highlights from the report include:
- Net income for the fourth quarter was $1.670 billion, or $3.76 per diluted share, compared to $1.389 billion, or $3.13 last year.
- Net income for the fiscal year was $5.01 billion, or $11.27 per diluted share, compared to $4.00 billion, or $9.02 per diluted share in the prior year
- Comparable e-commerce sales were 11.2 percent for the 16-week fourth quarter and 44.4 percent for the fiscal year
Costco currently operates 817 warehouses, including 565 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 105 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 30 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 16 in Korea, 14 in Taiwan, 13 in Australia, three in Spain, and one each in Iceland, France, and China. The retailer also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia.
To read the report in its entirety, click here.
As Costco continues to evolve its retail market strategy, how will it further increase profitability? Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest updates.
PHARR, TX - The journey that fresh produce makes from the farm to the dinner table is a sacred one. This is exactly what the Pharr International Bridge is honoring as it gears up to celebrate the produce industry with its annual Start of the Produce Season event on October 7.
“This is the region’s premier produce season kickoff event,” Bridge Director Luis Bazán explains to me. “As the number one produce bridge in the nation for over four years now, we continue to break import records of fresh produce grown in Mexico. Last year alone, we crossed nearly 200,000 shipments of fresh produce, which equals over 30 percent of produce imports on a monthly basis. We’re very proud of this event and we plan to grow it by adding more special events throughout the week.”
The Pharr International Bridge has become critical to the fresh produce industry nationwide, with its ideal location allowing trucks leaving Pharr to deliver to any point in the United States within four days, and any point in Canada within five. These fewer miles lead to fresher produce, better truck rates, and the ability to streamline operations, especially for fresh produce buyers.
The Start of the Produce Season event takes place at the bridge and attracts special guests such as Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller and other elected officials. Leaders across the fresh produce industry who optimize Pharr Bridge donate pallets of fresh produce to be professionally displayed at the event, and all of the produce is given away to those in attendance, including the local food bank.
“The Pharr Bridge has crossed more fresh produce than any other international bridge in the U.S., and this event is a great opportunity to highlight that growth and what it's meant for the bridge, the community, and the industry,” says Dante Galeazzi, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas International Produce Association. “The variety of fresh produce at the event is really impactful in highlighting just how vast the array of items crossing the Pharr International Bridge has become. It's a visual that demonstrates the diversity of produce items available from Mexico.”
Not only is the event a chance for industry members to highlight fresh produce and its path to consumers’ tables, but it also invites the public to share in the celebration, amplifying the value of the products that adorn the produce department.
“I am looking forward to all of the enthusiasm about fresh produce that happens at the event,” Dante adds. “It's not often that people outside of our industry get excited about fresh fruits and vegetables, and even fewer times do people choose to celebrate fresh produce enough to hold an event to talk about it to the rest of the world. That's why I really love this occasion. It brings the message of health, nutrition, and access to fresh produce to the public in an exciting way.”
Those in attendance will also have the chance to reflect on the Pharr International Bridge’s tireless efforts to bolster the fresh produce supply chain.
“I’m looking forward to helping attendees understand the significance of this event and what Pharr is doing to make the produce industry prosper,” Luis says. “We’re making million-dollar investments to keep facilitating fresh produce trade by building a cold inspection facility, an expansion of the dock, and a regional ag lab and training center.”
The Start of the Produce Season Celebration has grown to be a well-known event for the trade community, outlining the crucial role of Pharr International Bridge and turning the spotlight to the fresh produce industry as a whole.
Don’t miss out on a free chance to celebrate fresh on October 7!
Pharr International Bridge Texas International Produce Association
REIDSVILLE, GA - With October just around the corner, many companies are exploring new ways to Think Pink and support breast cancer awareness. Shuman Farms has done this for over a decade now, and this year it is evolving its efforts to honor breast cancer survivors and their loved ones.
“Every year when we present our pink ribbon RealSweet bags, we listen to friends and colleagues tell stories of how their lives have been touched by breast cancer,” said John Shuman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “This year, we have added meaningful new components to our campaign with them in mind.”
For the past 13 years, Shuman Farms has turned the produce aisles pink with its limited-time RealSweet® onion bags, display bins, and POS materials during the month of October, donating over $110,000 to organizations working to find a cure. This year, the company is adding new elements to the program and will be honoring friends and colleagues in the produce industry who have been impacted by breast cancer by making its annual donation in their names, as explained in a press release.
While premium RealSweet onions in the special pink bags will be hitting store shelves the entire month of October, the onion supplier will also be donating comforting blankets to patients currently undergoing chemotherapy, in addition to participating in the virtual 2021 Komen Lowcountry MORE THAN PINK Walk on October 2.
Shuman Farms is also working to continue the “food is medicine” conversation by partnering with nine established influencers who have been impacted by breast cancer. Participating influencers—such as Food Wine Sunshine, The Three Keeper, My Sweet Savings, The Purposeful Nest, The Fun Foodie Mama, Meghan on the Move, The Farm Babe, Run DMT, and Create Kids Club—will reach a combined 2.6 million consumers and tell their stories while sharing healthy recipes to promote the benefits of a nutrient-rich diet.
“We know that eating a diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, like sweet onions, can have a positive effect on health,” Shuman continued. “We’re excited to work with this group of influencers, hear their stories, and continue to encourage healthy eating.”
We here at ANUK applaud Shuman Farms’ admirable efforts to increase breast cancer awareness and support the communities it has affected. Keep reading to find out the latest news in the produce industry.
FOWLER, CA - The citrus set remains a hot spot in the produce department due to the vibrant colors, tangy flavors, and nutritional value of the fruit found within it. Bee Sweet Citrus is bringing on an ample supply of extremely versatile citrus varieties as demand continues to ramp up throughout the back-to-school season and beyond.
“Right now, our customers can rely on the Bee Sweet Citrus team for off-shore Oranges, Mandarins, and Cara Cara Navels,” said Director of Communications Monique Bienvenue. “All of these varieties are extremely nutritious, making them a healthy snack option for the new school season.”
Bee Sweet Citrus's summer import program is currently available to consumers. According to a press release, all of the company’s offshore product undergoes a thorough quality control procedure before it is shipped to customers. The top-tier varieties are adorned in new, high-graphic packaging in various bag or bulk options.
Perfect for school lunches and on-the-go snacking, Bee Sweet Citrus offers Navel oranges, Mandarins, and Cara Cara Navels, which each feature versatile characteristics and easy-to-peel capabilities. These distinctive characteristics make these delicious varietes an easy, healthy addition to any consumer’s lunch, regardless of their age.
Each of the varieties also offer superb health benefits, something many shoppers are in search of amidst the ongoing pandemic.
“In addition to their versatile characteristics and unique flavor profiles, all of our available varieties are excellent sources of vitamin C and fiber,” Bienvenue continued. “With immunity-boosting foods at the top of mind for many families, we want consumers to know that they don’t have to sacrifice flavor for nutrition.”
Bee Sweet also offers domestic lemons, Valencia oranges, and Meyer lemons as part of its robust lineup.
Higher citrus sales await with this diverse collection of versatile citrus varieties, so don’t miss out on a chance to rack up the shopper dollars this season.
BATAVIA, OH - GoldenSun Insights Co-Owners Randy Riley and Jason Fuller are speaking at the Purdue Food and Agribusiness Executive Summit this week, taking place September 28-30, to discuss “Gaining Alignment in the Produce Value Chain” post-pandemic. Additional players from across the supply chain will also join them for the discussion to highlight our industry’s rising opportunities.
“Misalignment in the produce value chain is an important topic that affects our industry,” Randy told me in a recent interview. “Predicting consumer needs, getting production closer to the consumer, and managing production curves are all facets in bridging the gap.”
Jason also weighed in as the event gets underway.
“We look forward to three days of engaging dialogue between academic thought leaders and leaders in the food and agribusiness industry,” he explained.
As explained by Betty Jones-Bliss, Associate Director, Center for Food and Agricultural Business at Purdue University, the summit brings together senior industry professionals to explore the challenges facing the food and agribusiness industry.
Summit participants will explore the top challenges faced today and examine options for a strategic response. Engagement with industry and academic thought leaders will allow attendees to brainstorm new strategies and leave invigorated to take action, Betty added.
“In the lineup of speakers, Fuller and Riley will address challenges, opportunities, consumer trends, and new technologies in the fresh produce market,” said Betty. “As this marketplace tackles pressure on several fronts, they will engage participants in a discussion around gaining alignment in the produce value chain. They will bring their deep understanding of what drives retail produce operations, which leads to crafting solutions that elevate products and services beyond commodities to value-added positioning for retailers. Attendees will experience the cross-pollination of ideas across industry segments, as well as an unprecedented opportunity to build personal and professional relationships.”
For more of the latest happenings in fresh produce, keep clicking back to ANUK.