ANAHEIM, CA - As advocates of our industry, it is important for trade associations to draw from the expertise of both buy-and supply-side leaders. The Fresh Produce and Floral Council (FPFC) knows this well, and recently promoted a distinguished retail veteran amongst its leadership team. The association’s Board of Directors announced that Don Gann has been named as the new President.
Gann joined FPFC after spending over 35 years with Stater Bros. Markets. He was brought on to the FPFC staff in October of 2020 as the Interim Executive Director and quickly began diving into the FPFC’s membership and events. Throughout 2020 and 2021, Gann has been working with the Board and its committees, planning for the future of FPFC and what the events will look like moving forward.
According to a press release, Gann has made it his top priority to have important conversations and engage with FPFC’s members to see how it can continue to bring additional value and inclusion to their membership.
Throughout his conversations within the industry, Gann continues to reach out to regional associations and trade partners alike to explore and synergize relationships that can incorporate additional value within FPFC’s membership. The most recent example of this was establishing the FPFC partnership with the California Grocers Association (CGA).
“I am very excited to have Don as President, his long history of leadership and involvement in our industry makes him an ideal individual for this role. We have every confidence he will continue to provide a positive impact, and I personally look forward to working closely with him driving the association’s goals on behalf of the Board for all our members,” said 2021 Chairman of the Board, Sean McClure of Professional Produce.
Congratulations to Don Gann on being named to such a prestigious role!
SANTA CRUZ, CA - Awe Sum Organics is bringing some unique berries to market this season, and it partnered with multiple small and mid-sized family farms in Oregon and Washington to do so. The company has announced the upcoming availability of its organic blueberries, anticipating that supplies will be available for loading in Portland, Oregon, starting later this month.
“In today’s world, overall health is more important than ever and organic blueberries are more popular than ever. Our organic blueberries are nutritious, juicy, and delicious,” said David Posner, President, CEO, and Founder.
Awe Sum Organics’ early varieties begin in late June, and the late varieties finish the season in early September, a press release stated. The company’s seasonal succession of varieties include Duke, Draper, Top Shelf, Cargo, Liberty, and Aurora.
The Pacific Northwest region of the United States is known for its optimal climate and fertile soil, making it perfect for organic blueberry production. Awe Sum Organics’ blueberries offer exceptional taste and quality and are high in antioxidants, phytoflavinoids, vitamin C, potassium, and are one of the few fruits considered to be a superfood.
Awe Sum’s new crop organic blueberries from the Pacific Northwest will be available for the months of July, August, and September, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
For more seasonal updates in fresh produce, keep clicking back to ANUK.
CORAL GABLES, FL - Sustainability. We hear it, we read it, and the majority of us pursue it. It is one goal that Fresh Del Monte Produce keeps top of mind, and the company recently made a move to fortify its efforts. The company has launched its new “Bunch of Good” campaign, emphasizing its corporate social responsibility and sustainability efforts while inviting consumers to learn more and participate.
“We are proud of our ongoing community and sustainability efforts, as Fresh Del Monte prides itself on its corporate social responsibility,” said Pablo Rivero, Vice President Marketing North America. “Giving back to our communities and making strides with sustainability are just two of our company’s core values. We not only strive to conduct our business in ethical, socially responsible, and transparent ways, but want our consumers to feel good about the food they are eating while enjoying Fresh Del Monte.”
The campaign first rolls out new “Bunch of Good” produce stickers and tags for its bananas and pineapples, which will display several unique facts highlighting Fresh Del Monte’s commitment to communities, education, ecosystems, healthcare, wildlife preservation, and much more. Through this new initiative, a press release stated, Fresh Del Monte strives to showcase its commitment to doing “a bunch of good” worldwide, while building a sustainable future.
The brand’s six “bunch of good” efforts featured on the banana stickers are:
- A bunch of good for food banks in the USA: Nearly 15 million pounds of fresh produce donated and distributed
- A bunch of good for education in the Philippines: Offer scholarships to ensure students get access to the education they deserve
- A bunch of good for healthcare in Kenya: Funds six medical centers for a population of roughly 28,000 people
- A bunch of good for rainforests in Central America: Designated nearly 10,000 hectares as protected areas to promote biodiversity
- A bunch of good for the wildlife in Central America: Protects more than 600 wildlife species
- A bunch of good for people, produce, and planet
Fresh Del Monte is also encouraging consumers to do their part by becoming “bananefactors,” joining the Bunch of Good Society, and attempting to spread goodness to all. One lucky “bananefactor” will be selected at random to win an all-expense-paid trip to the Feeding America Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, to represent the society with a $10,000 donation.
As part of its ongoing efforts since implementing its sustainability program, Fresh Del Monte is responsible for donating nearly 15 million pounds of fresh produce to 40 different entities in the United States over the past year; planting more than 1 million trees in three years; supporting educational opportunities in local farming communities; and exceeding its 10-year target for reduction of energy consumption by 20 percent. Fresh Del Monte’s Sustainability Report outlines considerable progress in traceability, packaging, pesticide use, infrastructure development, wellness programming, wastewater treatment, and a myriad of other topics geared toward curbing the effects of climate change.
Sustainability is one word that continues to rule our industry, and ANUK will be sure to keep you up to date on the latest and greatest.
MUNICH, GERMANY - Roughly $1.2 million worth of cocaine nearly went undetected, as staff at a logistics company in Germany at first threw away the banana crates containing the packages. After realizing what the packages were, customs officials were quickly alerted.
Almost 10 pounds of cocaine were uncovered after the fruit logistics company in Erding, Germany, reported the discovery. According to a report from ABC News, police initially determined that the drugs had been left there by subcontractors who gave no thought to the “foreign objects” wrapped in tape inside the banana crates.
Customs officials from Munich reported that the crates were shipped from Ecuador via the Netherlands. As of today, June 1, no more packages have been reported or found.
Keep reading us here at AndNowUKnow as we continue to report on the latest happenings in the produce world—hopefully with less nefarious situations than this.
CASTROVILLE, CA - As a trade news writer, it is always so exciting to see companies launch new sales-driving campaigns and observe all of the success that follows. Ocean Mist® Farms recently concluded its Peace, Love & Artichoke winter promotion, which ran from February 15 to March 15, 2021, as well as its annual Gold Standard spring promotion, which ran from April 19 to May 19, 2021. As a result, the company has realized a 5 percent increase YOY in artichoke cases sold over the duration of the two promotions.
“These annual promotions are proof that there is an audience hungry for inspiration and education, with both Ocean Mist Farms and artichokes,” said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing. “Because of the tremendous consumer following we’ve developed, we have become a reliable and trusted resource for artichoke information that encourages shoppers to purchase Ocean Mist Farms artichokes for health benefits, eating experience, and from a trusted supplier of the highest quality of fresh produce.”
Since 2019, these annual promotions have grown engagement with Ocean Mist Farms’ consumer audience, proving there is an audience ready for information about fresh artichokes, a press release stated.
Consumer response to the third annual Gold Standard promotion proved shoppers were receptive to and eager to engage with helpful and entertaining content. With the third year of the promotion complete, Ocean Mist Farms earned a total of:
- 273,832,480 total brand impressions since 2019
- 25,997 total growth in shopper database since 2019
- 337,770 total shopper participation in the sweepstakes opportunity since 2019
The response to the Coachella Peace, Love & Artichoke promotion also saw dramatic response and engagement from shoppers. With the third year of the promotion complete, Ocean Mist Farms earned a total of:
- 525,201,102 total brand impressions since 2019
- 36,502 total growth in shopper database since 2019
- 503,422 shopper participation in the sweepstakes opportunity since 2019
With these promotions and other marketing efforts to shoppers, the supplier has seen above average performance, confirming that shoppers do look to fresh produce brands for information and inspiration. Whether it be news about nutrition benefits, how to keep their produce fresh, or different ways to spice up their dinner routine, it has continued to grow this engaged shopper audience.
Congratulations to Ocean Mist Farms on these two successful campaigns! We can’t wait to see what’s next.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The past few months have been transformational for many companies as they work to fortify their operations, and SpartanNash is no different. Following the recent announcement of several executive shakeups, including the retirement of Chairman Dennis Eidson and the appointment of David Petko as Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer, the retailer has now announced it has named Douglas Hacker as Chairman of its Board of Directors.
“This is an exciting, transformational phase for SpartanNash as the company has recently welcomed several new leaders and launched key initiatives for growth and operational excellence,” said Hacker. “I am privileged to continue serving on the Board and look forward to celebrating the team’s future successes.”
Hacker was officially voted in as Chairman after the company’s 2021 annual shareholder meeting on May 26, according to a press release, following former Chairman Dennis Edison’s retirement. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Columbia Funds Board, a mutual fund complex with more than $300 billion in assets, in addition to holding the position of Director and Chairman of the audit and investment committees for Aircastle Limited.
Before being voted in as the new Chairman, Hacker served as a Director of Nash Finch since 2005, prior to its merger with SpartanNash in 2013. Since 2018, he has also acted as SpartanNash’s Lead Independent Director.
Hacker has also gained vast leadership experience through his role as Executive Vice President of Strategy for UAL Corporation from 2002 through 2006, as well as President of Loyalty Services in 2001, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1999–2001. He also served as a Director for Travelport Worldwide Limited from 2016–2019 and for SeaCube Container Leasing from 2010–2015.
“With Doug’s involvement in SpartanNash dating back 16 years, he brings an incredible depth of knowledge about our business,” President and CEO Tony Sarsam said. “He shares a People First vision for our future, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with him to advance our industry leadership.”
Congratulations to Douglas Hacker and the entire SpartanNash team for its continued growth!
ANAHEIM, CA - It is with a heavy heart that AndNowUKnow learned of the passing of Harland Heath, one of the founding members of the Fresh Produce and Floral Council. His contributions to the industry have been immeasurable, and he will be sorely missed.
A California native, Heath began his career in the industry at the age of eleven when he first accepted a position at his local grocery store. When he graduated from high school, he went on to work for Boys Markets and the Alpha Beta Markets. In 1955, he and six partners opened the first Pantry Market in Pasadena, California.
At the Pantry Market, Heath was the Director of Produce Operations and became responsible for the procurement of produce, warehousing, distribution to stores, merchandising, advertising, and the supervision of personnel.
In 1970, he joined the Ed Miller Company, a Los Angeles produce brokerage company. Five years later, a release noted, he moved to William Hooker Company as a Produce Broker, as well as a sales agent, importer, and exporter. With Patrick Lejeune, he founded the brokerage firm of Heath and Lejeune in 1981, which has since evolved into a major distributor and service provider to the organic produce industry.
Heath served as Fresh Produce and Floral Council’s third President and was a lifetime member of the Board of Directors. In 2003, he was named as honorary past Chairman of the Fresh Produce and Floral Council and had a lifetime appointment as past Chairman Representative.
The fifth of eleven children and a veteran of the Korean War, Heath was a tour de force. He could always be seen with a smile on his face and a joke at the ready. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Lois, his three children, and six grandchildren.
SALINAS, CA - As it looks to boost its operations in the region and provide more families with high-quality fresh produce, Brighter Bites has tapped a vital new supplier partner, announcing it has formed a strategic alliance with River Fresh Farms in Salinas, California.
“We are truly inspired by the dedication River Fresh Farms has brought to our Salinas location,” said Rich Dachman, Chief Executive Officer of Brighter Bites. “As a company, they have gone above and beyond to not only assist with logistics, but also help pack boxes on the weekends to support the families in this community. River Fresh truly cares and has dedicated resources to make it work. It is partners like this that allow us to make a difference in the communities we serve.”
As a result of this partnership, River Fresh Farms provides supply chain management and logistic support, including storing, loading, packing, and delivering produce boxes for the Brighter Bites program, a press release explained. Through the partnership with River Fresh Farms, 1,200 Brighter Bites families have been served, with an additional 800 expected throughout this year.
"Partnering with Brighter Bites is our way of giving back to our community,” said Vince Ballesteros, Chief Executive Officer of River Fresh Farms. “When Rich approached us about launching the Brighter Bites program in the Salinas Valley, we knew we had to be involved in some way."
The location of the program is what truly sets this partnership apart, as it has close proximity to the vast number of fresh farms located in Salinas. River Fresh Farms is headquartered in the heart of the Salinas Valley, and offers a large variety of premium quality value-added salads and specialty produce all year long. Optimizing its list of local distributors, the grower provides fresh produce donations to ensure the needs of each Brighter Bites produce box is fulfilled.
How will this newfound partnership be a catalyst for Brighter Bites’ inevitable growth? Keep reading ANUK to find out.
SUNBURY, PA - Having recently bolstered its supply chain growth with the appointment of Terry Wallace to Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics, Weis Markets is making a move to expand its grocery market reach with the opening of two new stores. The new locations will be in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, and will extend the retailer’s services to its customers in Bethlehem and Lower Macungie.
“We are proud to make a significant investment in the Lehigh Valley, a growing region where we operate 14 stores,” said Jonathan Weis, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. “Our new stores offer customers in Bethlehem and Lower Macungie more amenities, a broader range of products, and increased convenience along with the strong everyday values that customers expect from Weis Markets. We are grateful for the local support for our project and look forward to continuing to serve the growing Bethlehem and Lower Macungie communities.”
The store in Bethlehem stands at 63,000 square feet and is located in the Westgate Mall. According to a press release, the location opened to the public on May 13 and almost doubles the size of the store it replaced.
Opening one week later, on May 20, the 68,000-square-foot Lower Macungie store is located at 3440 Grandview Drive and is significantly larger than the location across Route 100 that it took place of. The store offers a seating area with beer on tap in its café and a covered pick-up area for Weis 2 Go online orders.
Both of the new locations will feature new meal solutions centers, an increased variety of natural and organic products, and environmentally friendly solutions that include a CO2 refrigeration system and LED lighting throughout. Additionally, shoppers at both stores will benefit from Weis’ Low, Low Prices Program, which launched in 2019, lowering prices on more than 7,000 grocery and produce offerings.
With these new locations added to its portfolio of almost 200 stores, what is next for Weis’ expansion strategy? Keep clicking on AndNowUKnow to find out.
UNITED STATES - As the nation moves toward post-pandemic life, several issues have risen up that could potentially affect pandemic recovery. An in-depth interview with CNN Business’ Anneken Tappe, Senior Writer, uncovers some of the reasons behind this—one major factor being labor shortage. The article itself did not expressly address ag, but the ripple effect of labor shortage is one we can all see—and the industries addressed easily parallel positions in the produce industry.
CNN noted that there are two sides to the argument. One being that companies are struggling to find workers, and the pandemic-era benefits are keeping the workers they need out of the workforce. The other argument is that, if $300 is keeping workers at home, businesses may need to raise pay to get them back.
“America’s labor market is in a weird spot,” Tappe explained immediately in the interview. “On the one hand, some employers just can’t find workers to stem rising demand for goods and services. […] As of April, America was still down 8.2 million jobs compared to February 2020. So, what gives? Millions of American workers still need the enhanced unemployment assistance, which provides an additional $300 per week.”
Throughout our discussions with companies across the industry, we personally have been hearing the challenges from restaurants in the foodservice sector who are struggling to fill everything from back-of-the-house to front-of-the-house positions. Between subsidies, unemployment advantages, and changes in child care costs—or lack thereof—we acknowledge that these operations are up against the wall in many ways. How these labor shortages extend to the farm level is also a question we are exploring.
CNN’s article continues with Tappe citing research from Bank of America, noting that pandemic-era benefits are only holding people from looking for work if those people made less than $32,000 the year before.
As the article noted, smaller businesses often aren’t as well-equipped to draw in workers with high pay—meaning that, although both small and large businesses are affected right now, smaller businesses may be taking the brunt of labor shortage woes.
As for industries that have been hit the hardest, Tappe explained that manufacturing has been particularly affected, due to the fact that many of those jobs are either outsourced or replaced by machines. The hospitality sector, on the other hand, has seen an increase in 331,000 jobs as of April, half of which were in restaurants and bars.
“Still, the sector is still [sic] down 2.8 million jobs compared to pre-pandemic times, so economists expect more jobs to be added over the coming months,” Tappe commented.
When it comes to the raising wages argument, Tappe remarked that this is happening in many cases, as Amazon, Walmart, and Costco have all announced pay raises for their workers.
To read Tappe’s analysis in full, click here.
Although ag labor was not directly addressed in the article, we’ll continue to keep this issue top-of-mind to see if the labor shortage affects the produce industry.