ARVIN, CA - With sustainability becoming an increasing concern for many shoppers, an innovative, eco-friendly packaging option goes a long way. Tasteful Selections® has something in store for those Earth-conscious consumers, as it has recently announced the limited launch of its new, 100 percent plastic-free, recyclable, and compostable packaging in partnership with RPE.
“This new paper packaging with PaperLock™ technology is a major step forward in sustainable packaging. It offers superior light protection and natural absorption characteristics that protect our potatoes and help keep plastic out of the waste stream,” said Tim Huffcutt, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Operations at RPE. “This means our customers and consumers can be confident that, when they buy our potatoes, not only will the product last longer but they will also be helping to give back to the environment.”
Tasteful Selections is a leader in the bite-sized potato category and puts an emphasis on category innovation and sustainability. According to a press release, the launch of the new packaging was a long time coming for the Tasteful Selections line, as it has been exploring packaging innovations to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
“We were waiting to release the new line of packaging until we had the best product for our customers,” Huffcutt explained. “When all is said and done, this new packaging technology gives more power to consumers to take sustainability into their own hands.”
The new innovation in paper packaging has improved package integrity and made the item more competitive with plastics, due to the fiber strength and “stretchable” advancements, the release noted.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the latest packaging innovations in the fresh produce industry, so stay tuned for more updates.
SALINAS, CA - There is nothing quite like standing at the peak of a mountain and looking down to see the land you’ve traversed. Naturipe Farms is standing on its own metaphorical mountain, enjoying the late-summer peak of its raspberry and blackberry programs and taking in the fresh air of success. As it does so, the company is also continuing its inaugural “Summer of Snacking” campaign, aiming to help customers sell more berries by highlighting the benefits of healthy snacking.
“We’re excited to share with our customers that we have strong promotable volumes of raspberries and blackberries this late in the summer, and as we transition into fall,” says Vice President of Marketing CarrieAnn Arias. “As our customers help their shoppers with school lunches, after-school snacks, and weekday dinners, we are here for them, providing the delicious, fresh, and nutritious berries their shoppers demand.”
According to a press release from Naturipe, Americans are still snacking in record numbers, and the peak of its season serves as the perfect time to push fresh berries on the shelf. Berries pack a powerful punch of nutrition and are an easy, anytime snack, creating ample opportunities for retailers to educate shoppers through cross-merchandising.
Naturipe’s raspberries will remain at their peak through the month of September for conventional and organic varieties. The supplier offers a tailored, year-round, and 100 percent proprietary raspberry program from multiple growing regions, including Jalisco, Guanajuato, and Michoacán, Mexico; and Baja, California, with its Centennial variety serving as a produce aisle showstopper. Naturipe expects to continue seeing significant growth in its raspberry program over the next two years in Mexico, as its proprietary variety has performed well for the consumer, the customer, and the grower. Additionally, the company already has next-generation raspberries in the pipeline that will further enhance the consumer experience.
The fresh blackberry program is hitting strong volumes this month, and supplies are also in peak freshness. Current production areas include California, with Mexico starting in September with earlier-than-normal production in Michoacán and Guanajuato. Naturipe is seeking out new growing areas in the south of the country, while simultaneously accelerating its growth in Central Mexico and Baja California, and it will continue to see yearly growth as it expands its production. Naturipe’s breeding program is also making substantial advancements in its next generation of proprietary varieties to evolve its portfolio.
Naturipe’s variety improvement programs for raspberries and blackberries are focused on its commitment to developing new varieties that will continue to deliver on consumer demand for the overall eating experience. The supplier offers customers a wide array of pack sizes, including conventional 6 oz, 12 oz, and 18 oz, and organic 6 oz and 12 oz packs, which are available from multiple cooler locations.
Promotional volumes are available on all packs, and Naturipe offers a variety of marketing tools and programs to help its customers maximize sales. Naturipe Snacks™, Bliss and Boost Bentos, and the newly released Berry Parfaits featuring Chobani® Greek Yogurt are also perfect options for taking advantage of the current snacking trend.
We will continue to keep an eye on these exciting developments across Naturipe’s operations, so stay tuned.
MEXICO CITY - A powerful earthquake recently struck the southwest of Mexico, impacting four states. The 7.0-magnitude quake occurred on Tuesday and caused widespread shaking as far away as Mexico City.
According to CNN, alarms could be heard in Mexico City shortly before the ground started shaking, as The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration initially issued a tsunami warning that was later called off.
The United States Geological Survey stated the earthquake struck 2.5 miles east-northeast of Los Órganos de San Agustín, about eight miles from the Pacific Coast city of Acapulco, with a magnitude of 7.0. The quake was measured at an initial depth of 7.8 miles (12.6 kilometers), and at least 92 aftershocks were recorded, including one with a magnitude of 5.2.
Around 1.6 million people were estimated to be without electricity in Mexico City and throughout four states. The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) stated it is working to restore power to the impacted regions.
Serious damage has yet to be reported from the epicenter, however authorities did receive reports of falling rocks during the earthquake.
AndNowUKnow will keep a tab on the newswire as we await this earthquake’s potential impact on Mexico’s growing regions, so keep an eye out for us.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - If you need to know anything about the team at AndNowUKnow, we’re stoked to hear news of executive moves. Naturally, we were thrilled when we heard Grimmway Farms’ latest announcement. The grower recently named Sara Oliver as Chief People Officer (CPO), a new position within the company’s executive leadership team. She will be responsible for leading all aspects of human resources strategy and operations, and will oversee development of the company’s annual Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report.
“I’m excited and gratified for the opportunity to work strategically with senior leadership and the Board of Directors on human capital initiatives, including our ESG performance reporting,” Oliver remarked in a press release. “Our employees are the heart and soul of Grimmway Farms. I’m dedicated to developing talent to enhance our organizational performance while driving an inclusive and diverse culture that celebrates our history as a company.”
Having worked for the company for over 25 years, Oliver is an essential part of the team’s success. Since 2017, she has served as Vice President of Human Resources, and in this new role, Oliver will continue to direct all areas of human resources for the company.
She will focus on expanding opportunities for employees within the organization, recruiting and retaining exceptional talent, enabling a flexible and diverse workforce, and empowering a culture of growth. Oliver will also oversee government and public affairs, steering the direction for Grimmway’s diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives.
“Sara is a respected and empathetic leader, committed to fostering positive and supportive employee experiences,” said Jeff Huckaby, President and Chief Executive Officer. “She has led our team through times of expansion and growth and times of swift organizational change. This promotion recognizes her successful career at Grimmway as well as our commitment to our most critical resource—our employees.”
Oliver is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics. She also holds an SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) HR credential, and has served on the Board of Directors for several non-profit organizations.
With over 7,000 employees operating across seven states, Grimmway Farms has found a vital Chief to keep its team in tip-top shape.
Congratulations to Sara on this new role!
CHICAGO, IL - Hazel Technologies is not one to slow down when it comes to forming key partnerships in the industry. That is why it came as no surprise when the company announced it would be expanding its partnership with Grower Alliance, an exclusively owned produce distributor of wholesale fruits and vegetables, to ensure optimal shelf-life for the company’s honeydew.
“Fruits and vegetables make up over 40 percent of global food waste, and melons are a major contributor to that number,” Aidan Mouat, Hazel Technologies Chief Executive Officer, commented. “Working with companies like Grower Alliance allows Hazel to curb that statistic. In 2020 alone, we were able to prevent 240 million pounds of produce from going to waste.”
In addition to honeydew, Grower Alliance also specializes in table grapes, cantaloupe, mini and regular watermelon, multiple varieties of peppers and cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, and squash. According to a press release, Jorge Quintero Jr. and Louis Caballero founded the company with the goal of growing and offering the best produce on the West Coast. Jorge’s father, Jorge Quintero Sr., joined as a partner in 2008, bringing more than two decades of field experience with him. Since then, the multigenerational company has expanded across North America and distributes to over 100 companies in the U.S. and Canada, including Walmart and Kroger. The company also exports its melons to Japan, New Zealand, and Europe, making longevity even more vital.
Grower Alliance began testing Hazel 100™, a small sachet that releases a shelf-life extending vapor that combats the spoiling of fruits and vegetables when placed in a box of produce.
Throughout the past three years, millions of pounds of honeydews grown by Grower Alliance have been quality-protected by Hazel 100 and shipped worldwide, helping maintain firmness and protecting against cold-chain breakage and quality challenges.
“Our relationship with Hazel® has been a gamechanger for our honeydews,” Jorge Quintero Jr., Founder of Grower Alliance, said. “Hazel has helped us protect millions of pounds of melons moving through the global supply chain. We adopted their technology years ago and today trust the technology as an integral step in our quality assurance commitment to our customers.”
In 2019 trials, Hazel found that honeydew melons packed with Hazel 100 were 41 precent firmer compared to control 14-day supply chain scenarios. These results reflect the same Grower Alliance experience, with significantly firmer fruit up to three weeks after harvest using Hazel’s technology.
According to data from Hazel Tech’s release, the average American consumer eats approximately 28 lbs of melon each year, and, over the last decade, there has been a larger push within the melon market to improve shipping standards of the fruit. With COVID-19 further driving the need to optimize shipping, Hazel Tech’s Hazel 100 solution comes at the perfect time for Grower Alliance, giving the company a leg up amid transportation challenges.
How will Hazel Tech continue to fight food waste and improve quality across the industry? Keep reading AndNowUKnow for updates.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - Innovation paves the way for new success in the industry, with each advancement bolstering the fresh produce sector as a whole. Harnessing the might of leading solutions providers, Oppy is taking the necessary steps to fortify the grape category as it optimizes several key partnerships to drive category innovation.
“We are precise and strategic in the opportunities we take on,” said Garland Perkins, Senior Manager of Insights and Innovation. “They won’t all be successes, that’s just the nature of innovation. [This] is why we are intentional in what we pursue, only investing in solutions that have a likelihood of high ROI with a keen focus on improving products, creating efficiencies, and mitigating issues.”
Oppy has made significant headway in its California grape vineyards with the help of three industry innovators. According to a press release, ongoing trials with Bloomfield Robotics forecast and manage yield through its deep learning AI and ground-based image capture that detects and measures phenotypes automatically, and previous trials with Vinergy showed signs of decreased labor costs by utilizing its harvest cart, which enables a higher capacity and more secure trek. In fall 2021, a new trial will test Vinergy’s latest technology, an autonomous version of the original harvest cart.
“Those advances in yield forecasting, labor efficiency, and shelf-life extension only add to the consistency of supply in the Ocean Spray® label, Oppy’s primary grape brand,” said Marc Serpa, Sales Manager and Director of Domestic Grapes. “Having shipped our first pack of grapes in the iconic Ocean Spray brand just last year to announcing our 12-month program at the beginning of 2021 really shows how Oppy is adding value to the category.”
In addition to these tech savants, Oppy is also teaming up with Hazel Technologies to enable greener and more turgid stems with less presence of shriveled grapes and maintain enhanced storage life during transit and warehouse conditions with its Hazel 100™ grape sachets.
“It is a very progressive category,” Serpa added. “We’re always looking for opportunities to ensure that our grapes have distinct characteristics like enhanced flavor, consistency, ease of production, and shelf life for our retailers. That’s why pursuing these innovative solutions, working with all major varietal development pioneers, and having year-round availability is essential to growing into the next stage of our business and why Oppy is the ideal grape shipper for retail partners looking for a one-stop shop.”
Oppy provides grapes year-round from its Peru, Chile, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, and California growing regions.
How will the category continue to grow as Oppy explores more game-changing fresh produce innovations? Keep reading AndNowUKnow to find out.
SAVANNAH, GA - We are just days away from the 2021 Southern Innovations in the heart of southern hospitality. As the countdown clock winds down, we checked in with a few more voices from the industry on why this is an event to get geared up for. To read even more, see our previous coverage here.
David Sherrod, President, Southeast Produce Council
“We are really excited to bring Southern Innovations to Savannah, the Hostess City of the South. This year’s conference has been reinvigorated to bring an emphasis to new innovations and technologies at the farm, in the store, on the menu, and for the planet. We are asking all exhibitors to bring their new products to the show to springboard them into the marketplace and to the consumer level. We feel the small show format will also be a positive as we navigate these challenging times. We look forward to seeing our old and new friends.”
Nichole Towell, Senior Director of Marketing and Packaging Procurement, Duda Farm Fresh Foods
“Southern Innovations is a premier Southeast show that offers great exposure and interaction with top-tier retailers and foodservice providers. Duda Farm Fresh Foods has been involved with the Southern Innovations show since the beginning, and we’ve greatly enjoyed the quality facetime with specific product highlights that are not necessarily found at other shows.”
Greg Sagan, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Giorgio Fresh
“Giorgio is looking forward to Southern Innovations as we have a strong presence in the Southeast. This will be a great opportunity to showcase our new innovative items, launching under the new Giorgio’s Kitchen Brand. Our two new items that we will be showcasing include a BBQ and Sriracha flavored shredded portabella mushroom. This product is plant-based and comes ready to cook, perfect for bringing ease and variety to the kitchen. Stop by the booth to see our new packaging and get a firsthand look at the product.”
Paul Newstead, Director of Business Development, Superfresh Growers®
“As a singular event, the Southeast Produce Council’s (SEPC) Southern Innovations is worthwhile. When you consider it’s part of a larger format designed to put retailers and growers together in meaningful ways, it makes all the more sense. For Superfresh Growers, the SEPC’s events remain as one of the best values in our industry. We consider it mandatory attendance.”
As I get ready to jet, I cannot wait to see what these next few days have in store. Stay tuned for more coverage from this year’s Southern Innovations!
FRESNO, CA - We all know this business is a relationship-centric one, but I continue to be delightfully surprised by the way our industry’s leaders come together for the greater good of fresh produce. Celebrity Chef Roger Mooking is one industry ally working to elevate fruit and vegetables in the kitchen, most recently highlighting the California table grape category on a national scale.
A press release from the California Table Grape Commission (CTGC) stated that the Canadian chef demonstrated the versatility of California grapes during live segments on Breakfast Television and CHCH Morning Live. Mooking created three recipes featuring California grapes, as well as conducted radio interviews, launched a podcast, and taped a television segment for the show Where Parents Talk.
Additionally, Chef Mooking was featured in the food section of the Sun Media Newspaper Group, highlighting California grape images, fun facts, tips, and his new California grape recipes. The article will appear in approximately 40 print newspapers and several online sites during September.
Also in September, Chef Mooking will appear in the online edition of Canadian Living and discuss his California grape recipes to show why grapes are a key ingredient in kitchens. As one of the number one export markets for California grapes, and with Roger Mooking as one of the country's top chefs, Canadian consumers have plenty of opportunities to bring these one-of-a-kind fresh globes to their kitchens.
For more fruitful partnerships like this, keep a tab open for ANUK.
ORLANDO, FL - Through the view of a trade writer, the fresh produce industry is one that not only rallies behind each other, but behind the communities that it represents. The Healthy Family Project’s Produce for Kids is strengthening this idea, as it has partnered with Stop & Shop to provide resources to families as they continue to navigate the back-to-school season. Additionally, the month-long cause-marketing campaign will culminate in a donation of 100,000 meals to the Downtown Evening Soup Pantry in New Haven, Connecticut.
“We are excited to team up with Stop & Shop this year to make an impact in the community during the back-to-school season when families need extra support making healthy choices,” said Trish James, Healthy Family Project Vice President. “The 100,000-meal donation will go a long way in the fight against hunger.”
The cause-marketing campaign will work to spotlight fresh produce partners such as Bolthouse, Envy™ Apples, RealSweet® Onions, and Wonderful Pistachios through in-store signage positioned near each participating brand. According to a press release, the signs that will be placed in more than 400 Stop & Shop locations will feature QR codes that lead shoppers to the retailer’s website, where they can find a free downloadable eCookbook, tips, and other information and resources from the partners supporting the campaign.
“We’re proud to partner with Produce for Kids and wonderful brands such as Bolthouse, Envy Apples, RealSweet Onions, and Wonderful Pistachios, who understand the importance of nutrition and its impact on children,” said Jennifer Brogan, Director of Community Relations for Stop & Shop. “Thanks to these partners, Stop & Shop will be able to provide 100,000 meals to those in need.”
Stop & Shop will also collaborate with area bloggers to support the campaign. Additionally, the grocer participated in a Facebook Live cooking class that was hosted by Healthy Family Project on September 1. The class showcased an easy, make-ahead breakfast recipe for busy school mornings.
In addition to in-store signage, produce partners will be highlighted in targeted social media content, including photographs and videos throughout August and September.
Cheers to the Healthy Family Project and Stop & Shop for coming together to continue to help communities embrace fresh produce.
ISSAQUAH, WA - For employees across all industries, there is one lingering question on the brain: When, if ever, will we return to the office? As Vanguard International evaluates its options going forward, Chief Executive Officer Craig Stauffer recently penned an article outlining some of the company’s findings and how it is working in tandem with its employees to make decisions.
“At the Vanguard head office, we elected to poll our team using an anonymous survey. We have always said we are people first, and this would not be true if we simply made this a top-down decision,” he wrote. “As nice as it would be, we know there will not be complete consensus, but it is critically important to involve all the stakeholders in this important conversation, listen critically to each other’s thoughts, and ‘hear’ what our people and teams are needing in a workspace was an important first step to help guide our planning to develop a rationale and motivating hybrid return-to-the-office plan.”
As stated in Stauffer’s article, the team at Vanguard’s head office in Issaquah, Washington, has been working from home for 17 months. While the company successfully utilized tools such as Zoom and WhatsApp to communicate, a return-to-work plan of attack is at the forefront of its current strategy. As the Delta variant poses new challenges to those plans, Vanguard is evaluating all options in collaboration with its employees.
The company has evaluated how leading tech firms such as Lyft have made the decision to delay the return to the office following the CDC’s guidance on wearing masks indoors. Additionally, Vanguard is acutely aware of the fact that some employees may not ever be willing to return to the office, although that is not an option for all roles in the produce industry.
“Our internal polling turned out to be a very helpful exercise as we listened first-hand what was working across functional teams, what parts of working from home were presenting the most challenges, and where everyone’s pain points were and are,” Stauffer continued. “From optimal work scheduling, to what was working well, to what improvements needed to be made, our staff shared openly and honestly and we are deeply appreciative for their active involvement and feedback.”
Stauffer went on to write that the poll showed a three-way split between the responses from its Issaquah-based team members. Reportedly, 31 percent of employees stated they would like to return to the office, while 30 percent stated they feel it is not necessary to have all team members physically together. Finally, 46 percent expressed concern in regards to returning to the office without a vaccine mandate policy.
Vanguard has offices in California, Chile, China, Indonesia, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, and Washington and is working to address the rules, cultures, and protocols present in different countries. As of now, the company has decided to push back its official return date to October 2021. Stauffer stated that Vanguard will continue to review its plan as fall approaches, with continual input from all sectors and people in its business, and with the safety of its team members and community top of mind.
To read Stauffer’s report in full, please click here.
We at ANUK will be sure to keep you informed as questions surrounding the return to in-office working continue.