NEW YORK, NY - There is one thing that I have never heard someone object to: convenience. As the packaged salad and greens category hits $8.1 billion, Square Roots, an urban indoor farming company, has entered the sector with a lineup of salad mixes that combine healthy microgreens and baby leaves to provide shoppers with an easy value-added option to boost their eating habits.
“The greatest way that Square Roots can make a difference is to make locally grown, nutritious food available to millions of people in cities across America,” said Tobias Peggs, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re using technology and data to connect food, farmers, and consumers in new ways, propelling Square Roots to ultimately create an ecosystem where local food can be accessibly grown at a global scale, all year round.”
According to data tracker SPINS, the packaged salad and greens market has grown 10 percent over the past 52-week period, making Square Roots’ recent launch all the more pivotal to its expansion as a company.
The 3.75 oz salad mixes will make their debut on shelves this month, a press release noted, and are grown at the supplier’s new farm in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Square Roots’ Michigan-based farm design is easily configured for both vertical- and horizontal-stacked growing formats, creating a unique capability that allows the company to grow a wide range of crops to meet local market needs.
New Square Roots Salad Mixes include:
- Spring Mix – a nutrient-packed, bright salad. Made with a refreshing blend of kale, mizuna, and tatsoi microgreens with crisp baby lettuce leaves, it is delicious on its own or as an extra crunch on a sandwich or salad
- Super Mix – a nutrient-packed, robust salad. Made with a hearty blend of broccoli, kale, and cabbage microgreens with crunchy tatsoi leaves it is perfect on its own or as an extra burst of flavor on a sandwich or salad
“Our new salad mixes disrupt a category that has seen little innovation, while consumers are seeking simple ideas to make eating healthy easier and more convenient,” said Raji Margolin, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Square Roots is accelerating our retail presence to meet the increased demand we are seeing for our produce from both consumers and customers. We’ve been able to differentiate ourselves in the market by responsibly growing our local produce without pesticides or GMOs, providing long-lasting freshness, and giving consumers 100 percent traceability to learn about the journey of their food.”
This new launch comes following the debut of the company’s expanded herbs range earlier this year, which includes cilantro, dill, and parsley that are also grown Square Roots’ climate controlled local farms in New York and Michigan.
Currently, Square Roots products are available in over 200 stores nationwide including Whole Foods Market, Fresh Thyme Market, FreshDirect, Meijer’s market format stores, Morton Williams, and D&W Fresh Market. All of the company’s produce comes in 100 percent-recycled and 100 percent-recyclable packaging.
What will be Square Roots’ next move as it looks to expand its reach in the indoor growing sector? AndNowUKnow will bring you the latest.
SALINAS, CA - In a move that could benefit farmers, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that it will be accepting either pre-harvest or finished product testing as part of its requirement for importing Romaine lettuce into the country between September 30 and December 31, 2021. In support of this decision, the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) has commented, as the requirements apply to products grown in four counties in California: Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito, and Monterey.
"We are pleased with CFIA's announcement because we strongly believe the preharvest testing option provides several benefits over finished product testing," said Tim York, Chief Executive Officer. "Although any kind of testing comes at a cost for lettuce farmers, preharvest testing is more efficient and less costly than finished product testing. It saves harvest, packaging, and storage costs in the event the product tests positive for a pathogen. Importantly, testing lettuce prior to harvest before it's packaged for sale to consumers also provides further assurances that potentially contaminated Romaine will not find its way into marketing channels."
Products coming from the four California counties mentioned above must now provide an attestation form and certificate of analysis for each shipment to demonstrate that the Romaine lettuce does not contain detectable levels of E. coli O157:H7, a press release explained.
Recently, LGMA developed and approved specific protocols for preharvest testing of leafy greens that its members are required to follow. The protocols have already been reviewed by CFIA and they played a role in the organization’s decision to allow the preharvest testing option. Last year, CFIA accepted only Romaine lettuce that had undergone finished product testing.
"We want to emphasize the Canadian government has long recognized the efforts of lettuce farmers under the LGMA to ensure safety," continued York. "On a year-round basis, importation of leafy greens from California is limited to products supplied by certified members of the LGMA. Certified members of the LGMA must adhere to food safety requirements and are subject to regular audits by the California Department of Food and Agriculture."
Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D- Carmel Valley, CA) who represents the farmers in the impacted area, also commented on the recent CFIA decision. 
"Last year, Canada's food safety testing procedures were announced and implemented tumultuously, resulting in the loss of safe, healthy product from the Salinas Valley. Since then, we have worked closely with US Trade Representative, Food and Drug Administration, and US Department of Agriculture leadership, along with the California Leafy Green Marketing Agreement, to ensure we put forward a stronger, more efficient system," he said. "I am glad that, after months of collaboration, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has worked with LGMA and our California growers to improve the testing process and ensure Salinas Valley leafy greens can travel across our borders to feed communities around the world."
For more updates on product testing and food safety, stick with AndNowUKnow.
KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA - As it continues to bolster its Stateside presence, Mucci Farms has entered into an exclusive marketing agreement with Casey Houweling to market all produce grown in the Camarillo, California, facility under the Mucci Farms brand and trademarks. Per the agreement, Mucci Farms will also be opening two new distribution centers in Camarillo, California, and Delta, British Columbia, Canada.
“It’s an exciting day for us, as this establishes a presence for us out West. Partnering with the well-respected Houweling’s team gives us a strong starting point in the region as we look to expand our reach across the continent,” remarked Bert Mucci, Chief Executive Officer of Mucci Farms, on the deal. “Houweling’s growing team lives up to their slogan of Mastery Under Glass, and we’re looking forward to bringing their premium product into the Mucci Group.”
According to a press release, this new partnership will benefit from the lifelong growing expertise of Bert Mucci and Casey Houweling, both of whom are second-generation growers with an immense passion and drive for furthering the industry through advanced growing practices and world class innovation.
“We were looking for an exceptional marketing company that would meet the needs of what we grow and that can maximize the returns for quality produce. It was important to us that we chose a marketer who understands not only what it takes to market, but also understands what it takes to grow great quality produce,” said Casey Houweling, Proprietor, who will oversee the growing operation alongside his daughter, Monica Paulson. “We also focus heavily on growing in a sustainable manner by using waste energy, closed-loop recycling systems, and biological pest controls to minimize the impact on the planet.”
In mid-October, year-round production on a variety of tomatoes and cucumbers will begin.
Mucci Farms has steadily been growing out its North American footprint, and this latest move will allow the company to even better service national retailers coast-to-coast. The grower commented that this move will allow for exciting opportunities to onboard a number of new West Coast customers, as well.
With the third and final phase of Mucci Farms’ first 75-acre U.S. expansion in Huron, Ohio, complete, the partnership with Casey Houweling reinforces the company’s commitment to strategically grow within the United States and establish a critical presence on the West Coast.
This effort is further supported by its two new distribution centers in Michigan and Texas.
We here at AndNowUKnow cannot wait to see what’s next for the greenhouse producer, and we eagerly await the next phase.
SANTA PAULA, CA - Calavo Growers is tapping into a wealth of industry experience with the appointment of a new leader. Fortifying a critical division, the avocado maven recently appointed previous Amazon executive Mariela Matute as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective October 11.
“I am thrilled to step into the CFO role at Calavo and to help the company execute its strategic plan, accelerate its profitable growth, and deliver shareholder value,” Matute said. “I look forward to partnering with the entire Calavo team to build on the company’s strong foundation.”
Before joining Calavo’s executive ring, Matute held the position of Director and Chief Financial Officer for Amazon Business, the business-to-business (B2B) online procurement division of Amazon. During her time with the retail giant, she managed a team of 70 professionals across controllership, financial planning, pricing analytics, sales and operations planning, tech roadmap, and payments, according to a press release. Matute also served as Director of Finance and Operations for the company’s Amazon Fresh division.
Prior to her tenure with Amazon, Matute spearheaded growth for several other companies, including Driscoll’s, where she served as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, overseeing treasury, finance, IT, real estate, and procurement. Before working with Driscoll’s, Matute also held financial leadership positions at The Chia Company, Henkel Corp., Alcoa Corporation, Pitney Bowes, and Procter & Gamble, where she began her career in Latin America. Matute has a BSc in industrial engineering from Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (Venezuela) and an MBA from the University of Michigan.
“We are excited to welcome Mariela Matute as an integral member of our management team,” Steven Hollister, interim Chief Executive Officer of Calavo Growers, added. “Mariela has an impressive combination of financial expertise and relevant industry background, including food production and agriculture, which make her highly qualified to assume the role of CFO. She is a proven senior financial leader, joining us most recently from her role as CFO of the B2B division of Amazon. In addition, she also has deep experience and exposure to Mexico and Latin America, having served as CFO of Driscoll’s Americas region, which spanned from Canada to Chile. Her broad skill set will benefit the company and all its many stakeholders.”
Matute will be stepping in for Farha Aslam, who has been serving as interim CFO.
“I want to thank Farha Aslam for having served as interim CFO and for making this transition such a smooth one,” J. Link Leavens said on behalf of the Board of Directors. “We look forward to her many contributions now that she has returned to her role as Independent Director.”
Congratulations to Mariela Matute on an already successful career and this pivotal next step!
COLOGNE, GERMANY - Harnessing open lines of communication while generating valuable and relevant messaging are both essential advantages for a company maneuvering in today’s economy, which, at times, seems to change and move at lightspeed. And when that strategy and vision are driven by sustainability, you want an elite partner to help guide the way from milestone to milestone.
Enter GLOBALG.A.P.
“Sustainability is increasingly important to both consumers and retailers when choosing to work with or buy into a brand. Credible and authentic communication is key to building trust on the subject of sustainability,” Roberta Anderson, Executive Vice President of GLOBALG.A.P. North America shares with me. “The GLOBALG.A.P. system supports such communication. Adoption of our standards and certification programs allow partners to successfully mitigate risk around sustainability and social responsibility, meet corporate sustainability goals, and provide increased transparency about where their food comes from and how it was produced.”
This line of sight demanded by today’s consumers and buy-side members is influencing the way that many companies are going to market and setting goals for the near future and the distant horizon. As GLOBALG.A.P. shares, the team is continuing to see a shift in purchase decisions that are coming from the next generation, Gen Z, and these decisions demand a pivot.
“Studies and market research are showing us that Gen Z is more concerned than ever about where their food is coming from,” Roberta says. “Brands and retailers are increasingly being held accountable for the choices they make within their supply chains, not just within the facilities they own and operate. Reputable organizations like GLOBALG.A.P. are here to help navigate the challenges of managing sustainability within agricultural supply chains.”
Coming off such a statement, I was curious about how the GLOBALG.A.P. program executes such a vision. With so much nuance, information, and shifting policies out there, the company is distilling its advantages and benefits to address companies where they are.
“Certification programs are valuable tools for companies wishing to demonstrate their sustainability efforts with the backing of a third party designed for that purpose. GLOBALG.A.P.’s flagship standard, Integrated Farm Assurance, is built on a comprehensive definition of good Agricultural Practices that goes beyond food safety to also include environmental sustainability, worker health and safety, and traceability—all in one standard!” Roberta expresses.
Connecting the dots, GLOBALG.A.P. has a goal to make it easy for businesses to gain additional recognition for other key sustainability topics by using its add-on modules like SPRING for water stewardship or GRASP for worker well-being.
“We offer custom modules for companies wishing to go deeper or broader on a sustainability topic than our off-the-shelf offerings,” Roberta concludes. “All our standards are developed in consultation with farmer and retailer members to ensure optimal compliance flexibility for farmers of all sizes while securing the highest level of food safety, sustainability, and social responsibility assurance retailers can trust.”
With excellence and stewardship as guiding principles, GLOBALG.A.P. is primed to help lift the standard around sustainability for companies far and wide.
TEHACHAPI, CA - Make some room in the produce department, because Revol Greens is staking its claim to a new category in the greenhouse sector with the release of its innovative new line of value-added salad kits. Tapping into the growing demand for fresh and convenient meal options, Revol Green’s new, premium salad kits contain a mix of high-quality ingredients and dressings to achieve on-trend flavors and please the taste buds of every consumer.
“Whether at home or heading back into the office, busy consumers have recently driven a double-digit increase in demand for bold, fresh flavors and convenient, healthy solutions to keep things interesting while making meal preparation easier,” explained Brendon Krieg, Vice President. “Starting with our unique whole baby leaf lettuce with no filler, we then sourced the best-of-the-best ingredients—from Dairyland cheese to plant-based toppings from sweet to savory, which we complemented with our premium dressing recipes. Everything about these salads was thoughtfully selected for maximum taste, quality, and satisfaction.”
The new line also represents the grower’s heightened focus on food safety, as all of Revol Greens’ lettuce varieties follow the company’s proprietary Grown Clean and Green™ process in an environment that is free of any pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals, as noted in a press release. The line will hit store shelves along the West Coast in early October, and will be offered in two styles, including organic for the West Coast and conventional in the Midwest.
The new Greenhouse Grown Salad Kit flavors include:
- Southwest Baja – Features crisp baby green leaf and romaine lettuce, shredded Monterey jack cheese, tri-color tortilla strips, and sweet dried corn with a spicy Southwest dressing
- (Green) House Caesar – A blend of crunchy green leaf, romaine lettuce, and arugula, shredded sharp parmesan cheese, and crispy garlic parmesan croutons with robust and creamy Caesar dressing
- Sesame Ginger Fusion – Includes crisp spring mix and green cabbage, shredded carrots, honey sesame sticks, and crunchy sliced almonds with a tangy ginger carrot vinaigrette
- Sweet Poppy Kale Blend – A delicious mix of sweet and tender baby kale and butter lettuce, sliced radicchio, crunchy sliced almonds, and sweet dried cranberries with a creamy lemon poppyseed dressing
Revol Green’s new salad kits contain two servings each and range between 160 to 200 calories per serving and have an SRP of $4.99.
I, for one, can’t wait to get my hands on these tasty new salad kits, and I bet your shoppers will be feeling the same way.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Buyers, get ready, because the holidays are approaching, and for consumers that means one thing: cooking. As shoppers begin planning out their recipes and meal plans, Progressive Produce is harvesting its California Brussels sprouts and is launching its Mim’s Specialty Sweet Potatoes, two prime ingredients during the holiday season.
"We're really excited about the growth opportunities for Brussels sprouts," said Drew Engles, Sales Manager. "Although recent data suggests that Brussels sprouts remain popular with older consumers and families without kids, we are exploring different ways to appeal to younger consumers and their desire for convenient and nutritious snacks."
Progressive Produce recently began its California Brussels sprouts season, which will run through the end of January, with peak volumes expected in October, just in time for the holidays to kick off. According to a press release, category purchases have continued to increase year-over-year, and the grower is ready to meet rising demand with quality products.
"Although elevated temperatures in Mexico weren't ideal for Brussels sprouts this summer, we are expecting high quality and promotable volume out of Santa Cruz County this fall,” continued Engles.
The company also offers various pack styles, flexible cost structuring, year-round availability, and a strong logistics team to help buyers and retailers succeed.
"Together, we can plan supply and promotional times that work well for consumers and support growers' seasonal harvesting needs,” Engles explained.
In addition to its high-caliber Brussels sprouts, Progressive is adding baby sweet potatoes to its year-round organic offerings under its new specialty yam brand, Mim’s Famous Sweet Potatoes. The brand is inspired by Mim, the beloved grandmother of one of the company’s team members, and the supplier has taken her tradition of serving a sweet potato dish as every meal and packaged it for shopper to enjoy, bringing some heart and fresh produce to the table this fall and winter season.
"Sweet potatoes are rapidly gaining market share, and like potatoes before it, growth will come from smaller and specialty varieties," commented Jordan Barta, a Sales Manager for Progressive Produce, on the portfolio expansion.
The new organic mini medley pack comes in 1.5 lb bags and has up to four different varieties of sweet potatoes, including Beauregard Orange, Garnet Red, Bonita White, and Murasaki. With Mim's petite sizes, consumers can quickly and conveniently prepare a wide range of healthy sweet potato snacks and dishes this season.
As consumers get to cooking, Progressive’s lineup of Brussels sprouts and Mim’s sweet potatoes could be the ideal recipe ingredient for your shoppers. So, break out the displays and rack up those register rings.
CINCINNATI, OH & SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Instacart is quite the partner to have in your network. With the company seeing explosive growth, it has entered a plethora of grocery partnerships in the last few years, and Kroger has been at the forefront of several of them. The two are doubling down on their alliance by launching Kroger Delivery Now, which is powered by a virtual convenience store to provide consumers with fresh groceries in as fast as 30 minutes.
"Kroger Delivery Now is a differentiated solution in the e-commerce industry, not just the grocery sector," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Our new service provides customers with one more way to shop with us and addresses the importance of convenience and immediacy. Operationally, this service reaches up to 50 million households and it's an expansion of our thriving e-commerce model that demonstrates strategic interplay among our assets, expansive store network, supply chain, and dedicated fulfillment centers and fleet, joined by Instacart's unrivaled fulfillment model and last-mile technology to provide our customers with anything, anytime, anywhere without compromise."
Kroger Delivery Now does not require customers to make a trade-off on selection, quality, price, or speed, a press release explained. Its comprehensive offering of 25,000 items combines customer favorites with quick and easy doorstep delivery and is available to customers from early in the morning to late at night.
"Last year, Kroger achieved more than $10 billion in e-commerce sales, and we're committed to doubling both our digital sales and profitability rate by the end of 2023 and expect Kroger Delivery Now will help us reach that target," continued McMullen.
Convenience is reportedly one of Instacart’s top categories, with orders up more than 150 percent since May 2021. Demand for rapid delivery also continues to grow, with nearly 20 percent of customers selecting Priority Delivery at checkout today (an experience I am quite familiar with). Kroger's network of more than 2,700 stores helps create a first-of-its-kind virtual experience that makes faster delivery possible from all banners including Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Fry's, Mariano's, and Smith's.
With the launch of Kroger Delivery Now, Instacart is also unveiling the Convenience Hub on the Instacart Marketplace, a new product experience that streamlines shopping for customers in nearly every major U.S. city.
"We're proud to expand our long-time, strategic partnership with Kroger and together unveil Kroger Delivery Now, an entirely new way for customers to access convenience delivery nationwide. Kroger Delivery Now, available only on Kroger.com and the Instacart Marketplace, reimagines the modern convenience store by leveraging the entire network of iconic Kroger Family of Stores brands to offer 30-minute delivery to customers for the first time nationwide," said Fidji Simo, Instacart's Chief Executive Officer. "Instacart has become a powerful retail enablement platform, and today's expansion of our Kroger partnership is another example of our commitment to develop new solutions that help retailers grow and meet the evolving needs of their businesses and customers."
Kroger and Instacart first partnered in 2017 and today offer two-hour grocery delivery and now 30-minute delivery nationwide. The companies expect to continue to partner and invest in new customer experiences to further enhance Kroger's e-commerce offering.
"Instacart is one of our strategic partners, and its industry-leading scale and ingenuity complements Kroger's best-in-class assets, digital strategy, and expanding seamless ecosystem, helping enable us to continue growing our business," continued McMullen. "Kroger Delivery Now reinforces our commitment to leading with fresh and accelerating with digital in an environment of increased and sustained customer expectations for fresh food on demand. This service is truly a gamechanger, and we're eager to continue leading the way by expanding our ecosystem and leveraging our complementary assets to deliver a seamless experience with our total network of assets, including enterprising and innovative last-mile solutions—today's true competitive horsepower—in the most scalable, sustainable, and profitable way to advance our business and create a consistent and rewarding customer experience whether they want groceries now or tomorrow."
I have a feeling these two are nowhere near done in their plans to tackle the e-commerce space, so stick with us.
SOLEDAD, CA - The organic sector is abuzz as we are quickly closing in on this year’s Organic Produce Summit (OPS) hosted by Organic Produce Network (OPN). As the industry gathers again to celebrate its recent growth, Braga Fresh will be in attendance and will be meeting attendees with the debut of a new product.
“With a strong list of retailers committed to attending, our entire sales team will be engaged with all activities leading up to the show and in the booth,” said Kori Tuggle, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development. “Iceberg can be underrated, but true foodies know it has a special flavor, texture, and versatility. Americans have loved iceberg lettuce for generations; our new organic baby iceberg delivers everything salad lovers expect from iceberg lettuce, in a versatile new size.”
The new Josie’s Organics baby iceberg lettuce is packaged in a 2 count retail bag, according to a press release, and is about the size of a large hamburger bun when halved, easily fitting in an adult’s hand. This specialty size is harvested weeks earlier than traditional iceberg heads to create softer textured leaves and a sweeter flavor. Tuggle noted that the new two-count baby iceberg pack allows shoppers to rediscover organic iceberg lettuce, as its ideal size makes it perfect for wedge salads, lettuce wraps, tossed salads, or halved for a protein-style hamburger bun.
In addition to this new product, Braga Fresh will also be highlighting three organic premium salad kits—Lemon Herb, Rustic Tomato, and Spring Blush—which rolled out in May.
As a sponsor of the OPS show, Braga Fresh will be hosting retailer and buyer field tours at its home ranch, followed by an invitation-only reception later that evening. On Thursday, Vice President of Sales Heather Fuller will participate in the educational session “Obstacles and Opportunities for Organic Produce Post-Covid” during the show.
Booth #204 will be packed with all kinds of produce goodies, so don’t forget to stop by and check out Braga Fresh’s newest offering.
SALINAS, CA - Organic evolution is a steam locomotive moving straight ahead, and Pacific International Marketing bought its ticket a long time ago. The company is ramping up for this year’s Organic Produce Summit (OPS), and I got the inside scoop from Marketing Manager Kim Fellom ahead of Pacific’s organic exhibition.
“Pacific will be featuring most of our Pure Pacific Organic line of products, as well as highlighting all our staple organic items, such as Romaine Hearts, Iceberg, cauliflower, and broccoli,” she began. “Our organic program runs year-round. Because of the locations of our growing regions, we have set our programs up for our customers’ success to have what they need when they need it.”
The organic focus of OPS is a quick sell for many who will be in attendance, allowing Pacific to highlight its program as a whole, its sustainability efforts, and some of the grower’s key organic items. At other shows, Pacific is focused on its company programs overall. As Kim explained, OPS puts the team in a position to step back from that approach and hone in on a huge part of what makes Pacific, Pacific: organic farming.
“We love OPS and the niche attendees it brings. Our goal for this show is to highlight our organic program, as well as our deep roots in farming sustainably. While it is something we have always done, sustainable farming is not something that most people associate with Pacific, and we are using this show to make that connection,” Kim continued. “We are, and have always been, committed to the wholesome, sustainable agriculture system that preserves our natural resources.”
Kim relayed that OPS’ tight focus on organics, panel selections, and workshops are exactly what makes it a key event in the produce industry. As the prevalence of organics continues to grow across farming operations and product lines, the summit allows professionals in our industry to ask pressing questions, make strong connections, and develop relationships with those who care about where the produce industry is headed organically and sustainably.
“We are excited to be attending in-person shows again!” Kim exclaimed, emphasizing the particular importance of this year’s summit. “Trade shows are a huge piece of our relationships with customers. The nature of our industry is filled with daily phone calls, trips visiting customers, or them visiting us, and trade shows allow us all to be in one place at one time. We have missed the face-to-face connection and are looking forward to that.”
Hoping to meet face to face with the Pacific team? Head to booth #226 at OPS 2021.