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CHICAGO, IL - Hazel Technologies is continuing to expand both its leadership ring and its operational footprint. Bolstering its sales team with ten years of supply-side expertise, Hazel Tech® recently announced it has appointed Matt Duerr as Director of AgTech Sales.
“I am extremely delighted to join the Hazel team to deliver cutting-edge products that extend shelf life,” Duerr said. “My passion for produce started many years ago, and I look forward to seeing old friends while also making new ones along the way.”
As the new Director of AgTech Sales, Duerr will lead the Hazel AgTech Sales Team across several key growing areas in the U.S., a press release explained, strengthening the company’s presence in several regions. To date, Hazel has aligned with over 160 grower-packer-shippers across 12 countries as a pre- and post-harvest technology provider.
“As Hazel’s team continues to grow, we are thrilled to have Matt join the team to help us meet the diverse shelf life extension needs of grower-packer-shippers across the industry,” said Kelly Hale, Vice President of Sales. “Matt’s sales management experience, along with his customer-centric approach to sustainable supply chain solutions, will help us expand our reach while fighting food waste on a global scale.”
Prior to joining the team at Hazel Tech, Duerr held multiple sales roles during his 14-year tenure with CHEP. During his time with CHEP, Duerr spent five years working with grower-packer-shippers in the Southeast to fulfill their supply chain needs.
Most recently, the industry trailblazer helped lead CHEP’s Inside Sales team in Orlando, Florida, where he worked with over 3,000 customers in the U.S.
Congratulations to Matt Duerr on this thrilling appointment! As the industry ally continues to grow and expand, ANUK will keep our eyes on the newswire.
SEATTLE, WA - Charlie’s Produce is returning to the proprietary melon scene bigger and better than ever as its trademarked YUMI Organic Black Seedless Watermelon embarks on its second season. Riding the success of last summer’s debut, the new organic label is seeing expanded volume, wider distribution, and even a new pack offering.
“We were pleasantly surprised by the strong reception last year. YUMI reached the entire continental U.S. and beyond, even to the Carribean islands,” P.J. Cawley, Global Purchasing Manager/Organics, tells me. “This year, we are growing approximately 50 percent more YUMI melons, expanding our reach to better meet demand.”
YUMI’s second season is not only seeing an increase in acreage, but seasonality as harvest kicks off about two weeks earlier than last year.
“The season is just ahead of schedule, coupled with aggressive planting on our part to help meet demand, and to help create even more,” P.J. shares. “We are currently aiming to begin harvesting on June 10 in California and expect to go through July, in time for the Washington season to pick up and carry us through Labor Day.”
Next year, the team is aiming for even longer and larger availability as consumers become more and more fond of the YUMI label, among the first in black seedless watermelon. A label some will begin to see in the value-added sector as well.
“We are excited to introduce a new fresh-cut program in addition to the 75 lb cartons and bins that were offered last year,” Laura Severance, Marketing Manager, comments. “Initially, it was all about YUMI’s dark appearance. Now, the intriguing flavor and distinctive label will have an opportunity to spread the demand it proved to inspire across different sectors in the department.”
The coming fresh-cut will initially launch exclusively in the Pacific Northwest for now, but it sounds like plans are already in motion to expand as the program continues to grow as a whole.
This unique proprietary item has turned heads since Charlie’s Produce launched the label, inspired by the Japanese history of the black seedless watermelon, last year. Still considered a very special commodity in the country from which its origin story hails, YUMI is proving to resonate with consumers on both sides of the Pacific.
“We continue to anticipate that demand will exceed supply, but are working to further answer consumers’ desire for this unique item as quickly as Mother Nature will allow,” P.J. confirms.
As of now, it is looking to be a sweet summer.
PASADENA, CA - Recenlty, we reported that Whole Foods Market had announced the winners of its ninth-annual Supplier Awards, spotlighting several leading suppliers across the country. Among the list of deserving winners is Sun Pacific, which has been recognized for Raising the Bar for Quality and Innovation.
“Sun Pacific would like to thank the Whole Foods team for recognizing our goal of getting better each and every year,” said President Barney Evans. “We are committed to producing the highest quality organic fruit in each of the categories we farm, which include Organic Cuties and Organic Mighties. We are looking forward to the 2021 California Grape season, which begins in July, to provide Whole Foods with the quality of grapes that will grow both of our businesses.”
The Whole Foods Market Supplier Awards distinguishes 42 companies—including local, regional, and national brands—that raised the bar in 2020, according to a press release.
The Quality and Innovation award is presented to suppliers that help advance Whole Foods Market standards and work to move the industry forward through innovative manufacturing or agricultural techniques, the release noted.
Congratulations to Sun Pacific on this momentous achievement! To see a list of all the suppliers that were honored this year, click here.
To read about more industry achievements and milestones, keep looking for that little apple logo in your inbox!
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - At the end of the day, product selections are ultimately what drive shoppers to grocery stores. The same goes for food and grocery delivery services, and Instacart knows this well. Bolstering its product development team, the company recently named several new executives: Nikila Srinivasan as the Vice President of Product, International; David McIntosh as the Vice President of Product, Retailer; Max Eulenstein as the Vice President of Product, Instacart App; and Daniel Danker as the Vice President of Product, Shopper and Fulfillment. All of the new execs are reporting to Asha Sharma, Chief Operating Officer.
According to a press release, Srinivasan will lead the development of Instacart’s long-term global strategy as it explores potential future market expansions. She comes to the company from Facebook, where she spent her tenure focused on small and medium businesses, advertiser growth, and creating exceptional product experiences for businesses in emerging markets.
During her time at Facebook, she was responsible for growing the platform to 180 million small businesses and 10 million advertisers. As part of her work to increase Facebook’s presence in emerging and international markets, Srinivasan was also part of the team responsible for building and scaling two international locations in London and Asia-Pacific.
Most recently at Facebook, she was the Senior Director and Head of Consumer Product for Communities, where she led key product lines such as Facebook Groups, Events, Dating, and new bets to connect communities. Prior to Facebook, she spent time at startups, including in India.
McIntosh will lead Instacart’s retailer product group, focused on developing its marketplace and enterprise services, as well as new verticals that further support the e-commerce needs of retailers. Prior to Instacart, he was the Founder and CEO of Tenor, a Google-acquired expression (GIF) search engine and global content marketplace with hundreds of millions of users and integrations with apps such as Apple iMessage, Google’s Gboard, Messenger, Twitter, and thousands more.
Before Tenor, McIntosh founded Redux while attending UC Berkeley, which was acquired by CrunchyRoll.
In his role, Eulenstein is focused on developing Instacart’s consumer-facing marketplace app and services to ensure the company is delivering a great experience to the millions of people who rely on Instacart to access fresh groceries. Prior to Instacart, he spent nearly 10 years at Facebook, where he focused on product management, working across a number of areas of the business including Stories, News Feed, and Mobile App Ads.
Most recently, Eulenstein was the Senior Director of Product for Instagram Community, which focuses on growth, well-being, and the product experiences that build meaningful communities.
Danker joined Instacart from Uber, where he most recently served as the Head of Product for Uber Eats. He also previously led the driver team at Uber, which built one of the world’s largest workforces. Prior to Uber, he led product for Facebook Video. He also served as the Chief Product Officer for Shazam, General Manager at the BBC, and led engineering and operations teams at Microsoft.
Congratulations to all of these new executives!
SACRAMENTO, CA - Just minutes after announcing The Snack cover contest last week in our newsletter, we quickly received a rapid-fire volley of found logo submissions. The competition was tight this round, but two fast-fingered industry reps came out on top to claim the $100 cash prize. If you still haven’t found the hidden logo, take a closer look at Irene Wong’s stylish outfit and you may have some luck.
Our supply-side champion for the May issue is Wylie Bird, Marketing Coordinator of Jacobs Farm del Cabo.
“I'll be spending this pocketful of sunshine on bills,” Wylie told us. So relatable! “Not exactly glamorous, but hey—life, right?”
Life indeed, Wylie. Thank you for participating, and we’ll see you next round!
Our buy-side winner was none other than Betty Tomao, Fresh Buyer in the Produce Department, Supply Chain, at The Save Mart Companies.
“I always enjoy reading The Snack and keeping up with the latest in produce,” she said in an email to ANUK. “We will be going camping this weekend, and we’re taking two of our granddaughters, so I will put my winnings to good use.”
Can I come too, Betty?
All jokes aside, we are so thankful for the opportunity to interact with you all and generate some good old fashioned produce competition.
If you didn’t take home the prize this month, don’t fret! Request a subscription to The Snack Magazine here (valued at $129 per year) and keep an eye out for future contest announcements on ANUK for another chance at winning our cash prize.
May 2021 Snack Magazine - Issue 58
Remember that contest rules require submissions that include a person pointing out the ANUK logo on the cover of The Snack Magazine, and the countdown only begins once we announce the contest in our newsletter.
There’s always another Snack issue in the pipeline with our little green logo hidden somewhere on the cover, and we hope to see you next time!
RANCHO CORDOVA, CA - As it looks to expand and foster valuable new partnerships, Renaissance Food Group (RFG) has bolstered its leadership ring with the addition of an industry pro with a vast range of expertise. The supplier recently announced it has appointed Nick Georgantas as Director of Sales.
In this new role, Georgantas will focus on driving sales and business development efforts for the company, according to a press release, focusing primarily in the Northeast region of the country. Georgantas will also work toward fostering existing customer relationships while developing new partnerships in the region.
Georgantas brings over 15 years of sales experience into his new role, as he previously held various positions in the food industry with companies such as Taylor Farms, F&S Produce, and Harbar.
Furthering his expertise in sales and business relations, Georgantas also obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business and Corporate Communications from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
“Renaissance Food Group is thrilled to be adding a team member of Nick’s caliber to our already robust sales force,” stated Kate Brooks, Vice President of Retail Sales. “We are excited to tap into Nick’s expertise while continuing to build out our retail strategies and product offerings, and know he will add tremendous value to our organization.”
Congratulations to this talented leader on this exciting next step in his career!
CHICAGO, IL - Two industry names are joining forces to continue driving forward quality in fresh produce. Recently announcing their partnership, Symms Fruit Ranch has teamed up with Hazel Technologies, the USDA-funded technology company known for its solutions to extend shelf-life, increase sales, and fight food waste. Together, the pair will focus on the use of Hazel Tech® products for apples to ensure premium post-harvest quality.
“Hazel Tech is committed to expanding our current industry-leading technology portfolio,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO, Hazel Technologies Inc. “Partnering with global leaders like Symms Fruit allows us to positively impact quality across the supply chain, provide effective solutions, and reduce waste from field to fork.”
Symms Fruit’s diverse farming operation spans over 5,000 acres, creating a unique opportunity to integrate Hazel Tech’s fruit quality protection solutions. According to a press release, to protect quality of fruit in bins followinig harvest, Symms utilized Hazel 100™ bin sachets.
Additionally, during the storage process, the grower used Hazel Datica™ hardware provided 1-MCP, ethylene production levels, temperature, and humidity monitoring of the cold storage rooms.
“Grower-Packers from Washington State to California have used Hazel 100™ successfully with their summer seasonal programs,” commented Deidre Baumgarten, PNW Account Executive, Hazel Technologies, Inc. “Some of the benefits of using Hazel Tech products specifically with apples and stonefruits include maintaining color and firmness and ensuring optimum quality during storage and long-distance transit."
Through using Hazel 100 bin sachets, Symms Fruit’s 2020 apple quality improved notably.
“The ease of use of adding Hazel’s sachets to the apple bins before storage created real value. With the bin sachets we could protect the fruit faster,” commented Dar Symms, President of Symms Fruit.
As Symms Fruit and other industry partners continue to utilize Hazel Tech’s innovative solutions products, AndNowUKnow will report on the latest.
RIO RICO, AZ - Last week, I spoke with Miguel “Mikee” Suarez, Jr. about the state of MAS Melons & Grapes’ melon program. The conversation sparked another with Miguel “Miky” Suarez, President, who had multiple insights regarding the table grape market, pricing, and more.
“The inventories of Chilean grapes are ending in North America, and while it was considered a potential issue—both Chilean and Sonoran grapes being present in the market—is now behind us. The feeling in the market is starting to look like a demand exceeds supply situation that is typical of the beginning of any season,” Miky explains. “The quality of the fruit is generally good, and the volumes are starting to increase, but at a little bit of a slower pace than normal. This seems to be due to the difference in the maturity of the bunches within the vines that we are experimenting with this season. The weather, other than being a little windy, has been good for the most part.”
As can be expected with high demand, Miky notes that—against his expectations—the market is tighter on red grapes than green.
“This kind of makes sense because the green grapes from Sonora are naturally earlier than the red grapes,” Miky remarks, “but this year, since there were bigger inventories of red Chilean grapes in North America, there should have been some carryover of reds into this spring. But then again, in the grape industry, many times what seems to be true is often not. At this time, I think there are all the necessary promotions in place to move the incoming volumes of grapes projected.”
With prices of fruit currently higher compared to last year, Miky comments that, in the grape industry, changes come at the drop of a hat.
“Time is measured in days, sometimes in hours, and you need to be prepared to adapt at a moment's notice. I have always thought that time during the grape season is measured like dog years, seven to one. We need to take things one day at a time but be ready to make the necessary changes ASAP because if you don't, you might not lose one day, you can potentially lose seven,” he says.
And MAS Melons & Grapes is the partner you want in your corner when these changes occur.
“Our main focus is on getting all our customer's trucks loaded and ready to go in the least amount of time possible. Efficiency is important to MAS and we know how to efficiently fill our customers' needs. Expect more? Expect MAS!” Miky concludes.
As table grapes continue to be a vital part of retail programs, partnering with MAS means partnering with surety of supply.
SALINAS, CA - Lettuce is one category that remains a staple on at-home and restaurant menus, no matter what the market looks like. As Church Brothers Farms continues to bring its high-quality supplies to market, I recently had the opportunity to discuss yield, demand, and pricing with Jason Lathos, Manager of Commodities.
“The weather has been very cool and mild. This has not hurt lettuce, if anything it has helped,” he told me. “With no heat spikes or super cold temperatures/ice since we started the Salinas growing season, we have seen great quality and yields 10 percent above normal.”
Jason went on to explain that fields that have not been harvested were pushed into the next week, which has kept supplies at normal-to-above averages. He mentioned that it is usually not as easy to push these fields when the growing region experiences normal summertime heat.
Having seen such a successful season so far, it is no wonder that Church Brothers’ buy-side partners continue to utilize the supplier’s lettuce in their lineups despite challenges in the market.
“Usually May is known as lettuce month, but demand has not been as high this year due to the pandemic. With the foodservice industry still stalled by regulations and capacity caps/restrictions, the volume of POs is below usual,” Jason continued. “Limited restaurant menus that have been shrunk due to the lack of servers and cooks has also contributed to this.”
With rising freight rates, truck shortages, and higher prices on gas, water, lumber, and plastics, the costs across the supply chain have also continued to increase.
“Growing lettuce is a formula and the costs impact us as well as the market,” Jason said. “We’ve experienced fluctuating prices on rent, seeds, labor, chemical inputs/fertilizers, packaging, pallets, fuel, new California labor laws, and more, but the pressure to get product to market remains. That being said, buyers will likely see higher fixed costs on lettuce and many other crops this summer that we will need to pass on to the consumer.”
As the market continues to shift, we at ANUK will be sure to keep you in the know.