ATLANTA, GA - I will never turn down an opportunity to talk about potatoes—and buyers won’t either. The versatile and delicious category stays at the forefront of the retail mind as they daydream about all of the unique ways consumers can utilize it to create mouthwatering meals at home. This is exactly why I sparked a conversation with EarthFresh Foods’ Marketing Director Stephanie Cutaia, who gives me an inside look at the grower’s organic new crop program launching this spring.
“The demand for organic potatoes is up, and we see the importance of providing fresh, quality organic potatoes to our customers,” Stephanie tells me. “As leaders in the organic potato market, we are expanding our offerings and growing our year-round program.”
The new organic program was officially made available on April 23, and comes packed in the supplier’s eye-catching, light-blocking bags to protect these precious varieties from greening, providing consumers with an unmatched eating experience 52 weeks a year.
“We offer varieties that grow very well in organic conditions—looking and tasting even better than traditional varieties,” Stephanie adds. “Our farms are fully irrigated and were strategically chosen because of their sandy soil and our growers’ experience. We’ve carefully selected the best-tasting red and yellow varieties that will grow exceptionally well in these regions. The objective of our program is to provide retailers with an uninterrupted supply of excellent quality organic potatoes.”
This compelling new launch stemmed from EarthFresh Foods’ realization that there was a need in the market for consistent new crop; as the grower witnessed an increase in consumer demand, EarthFresh was at the helm of answering this call by implementing program expansions.
“In the spring and summer months, there is typically not an abundant supply of new crop organic potatoes, and we are closing the gap on this. Our goal is to have our fresh, premium quality organic potatoes available on retail shelves for consumers to enjoy all year long,” Stephanie explains.
EarthFresh Foods aligns with its retail partners to customize programs that support their business model. These delicious organic potatoes are available in all pack sizes, including mini potatoes in 1 lb and 1.5 lb bags, and A and B size potatoes available in 3 lb, 5 lb, and 10 lb bags.
AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the latest news in the fresh produce industry, so stay tuned for more new programs and innovations.
DAVIS, CA - Where there is valuable insight, there is growth. A large amount of retail success boils down to a deep understanding of the market and what the consumer truly wants. One retail chain is optimizing market insights to bolster its operations, as Casey’s General Stores has tapped solutions provider Engage3 to offer these insights and improve the company’s operational efficiency.
“We are proud to welcome Casey’s, one of the world’s fastest-growing retailers in recent years, as a customer,” said Engage3 CEO Edris Bemanian. “We look forward to partnering with the Casey’s team to enhance their market visibility as they ensure a great experience for all their guests.”
Engage3 helps retailers and brands profitably grow revenue and drive foot traffic by optimizing market information, as explained in a company release. With Engage3’s solutions, Casey’s will be able to strengthen its market visibility and improve efficiency across its operations.
“In addition to the cloud-based visualization and insights that will now be available to us at Casey’s, we are excited about Engage3’s suite of mobile applications. CIM: MissionScanner provides efficiencies to what is a very manual process today,” said Keith Day, Retail Pricing and Analytics Manager at Casey’s. “The mobile capability provides us flexibility, and the data seamlessly integrates into our system.”
Operating more than 2,200 stores in 16 different states, Casey’s convenience store chain offers a wide selection of grocery items and an array of freshly prepared food items, in addition to self-service gasoline.
CIM is currently used by various leading retailers in North America and provides them the most comprehensive view of market data. To request a 30-day trial of the CIM mobile apps, click here.
New partnerships are always popping up in this industry, so keep an eye out for ANUK to stay up to date.
HOUSTON, TX - The value of experience from across the supply chain cannot be understated. In gaining more than one perspective of an industry relationship, we are better able to understand each other. Brighter Bites has found this in its most recent hire, naming Amy Priebe as its new Sourcing Manager.
"I am looking forward to growing Brighter Bites partnerships in the produce industry so that the organization can continue to distribute the best fruits and vegetables to our families,” said Priebe. “By expanding these partnerships and reaching even more families, we can help create the next generation of fresh produce consumers.”
Priebe joins Brighter Bites with years of produce sourcing experience, most recently working at Imperfect Foods as the Produce Merchandising and Category Manager. In her new role, Priebe will work closely with produce suppliers and distributors from across the country to ensure Brighter Bites families receive the most nutritious fresh food available.
According to a press release, she earned her undergraduate degree in Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Soon after, she attended the L'Art de la Pâtisserie program at the French Pastry School in Chicago, Illinois, and spent six years baking bread, pastry, and desserts throughout the Midwest, eventually becoming head pastry chef at Sardine in Madison, Wisconsin, for two years.
"Amy's years of experience in the produce supply space will serve as a tremendous asset to Brighter Bites as we continue to make connections within the produce industry, serve families in our existing cities, and expand to additional cities throughout the country,” said Rich Dachman, CEO. “Brighter Bites is thrilled to have her expertise and enthusiasm as part of the team."
Though she no longer cooks professionally, Priebe has continued to strengthen her knowledge of food as a sale and purchasing manager for local food distributors. For the past eight years, she’s connected customers with quality produce in the Midwest. Most recently, she helped launch Imperfect Foods in the Midwest, where she was responsible for sourcing all of the perfectly imperfect fruits and vegetables from around the country.
Congratulations to Amy Priebe on this exciting appointment!
WASHINGTON, DC - The CEA Food Safety Coalition is dedicated to protecting the integrity of controlled environment agriculture. Aiming to make this goal even more attainable for its partners, the coalition recently launched a new food safety certification program specifically for CEA-grown leafy greens. Members can choose to be assessed for the CEA Leafy Greens Module, and upon successful completion will be allowed to use the CEA food safe seal on certified product packaging. The Leafy Greens Module is measured against science-based criteria and is an add-on to existing compliance with an underlying Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) recognized food safety standard.
“Current food safety standards were written for the field, and many do not address the unique attributes of controlled, indoor environments,” said Marni Karlin, Executive Director of the coalition. “This new certification process and the accompanying on-pack seal helps to unify CEA growers while also differentiating them from traditional field agriculture. It also better informs consumers and provides a quick-glance image to know when produce has been grown safely indoors, with a high standard of quality and without some of the hazards of the field, such as potential contamination from animal byproducts.”
Traditional food safety risk profiles include examining the physical hazards and microbial hazards from water use, herbicide, and pesticide use, and impact from animals and animal byproducts, many elements that do not impact CEA growers in the same way, if at all. A press release explained that the CEA Leafy Greens Module enables CEA growers to distinguish produce grown indoors while ensuring the highest standard of quality and compliance is achieved.
Controlled environment agriculture takes a technology-based approach to produce optimal growing conditions inside controlled environments such as greenhouses and indoor vertical farms. Plants are typically grown year-round using hydroponic, aeroponic, or aquaponic methods, without the need for pesticides and unaffected by climate or weather.
The certification program is available to all CEA FSC members for a nominal cost and must be completed on an annual basis. CEA growers can be assessed for multiple sites across four key areas, including:
- Hazard analysis: use of water, nutrients, growing media, seeds, inputs, site control, and other relevant factors
- Water: all contact with the plant and with food contact surfaces. The use of recirculating water will require a continuing hazard analysis. Will also require zone-based environmental monitoring based on company-specific risk assessment
- Site control / Infrastructure / System Design: all food contact surfaces and adjacent food contact surfaces, including plant containers. Will also assess associated farm physical hazards, including lighting, robotics, sensors, equipment, and utensils, etc
- Pesticide Use / Testing: the use of pesticides or herbicides during the plant life cycle
“The CEA industry is rapidly expanding and predicted to support more than 10 percent of U.S. vegetable and herb production by 2025,” said Rebecca Anderson, Technical Key Account Manager for GLOBALG.A.P. North America. “The CEA FSC Leafy Green Module will set a new industry standard for CEA-grown produce while driving consumer awareness of the innovations happening in indoor agriculture today.”
For more opportunities popping up across the industry, keep coming back to ANUK.
LAMONT, CA - When it comes to delivering value to its customers, Kirschenman Enterprises Inc. has nearly 85 years of experience at its back. Based in California's Southern San Joaquin Valley, the grower/packer/shipper earned its place as a reliable retail partner, learning and growing alongside them. I spoke with several members of the Kirschenman team to find out all I could.
"Our harvest timing is early, allowing our customers to transition from the desert regions to California's San Joaquin Valley. This is an essential supply bridge, ensuring that retail programs do not see any gaps. Kirschenman has a full line of red, green, and black grape varieties throughout the entire season and specializes on the early end," noted Jonathan Wittus, Export Manager.
I also spoke with Wayde Kirschenman, President, who imparted an important takeaway.
"Kirschenman yields an unwavering commitment to the needs of our customers. One such way the company is doing this is by increasing its organic grape production," he explained.
Raymond Garcia, Business Development Manager, also remarked on the ways in which this move is beneficial to Kirschenman's partners.
"We are committed to increasing our organic grape production to 25 percent of our total availability," Raymond noted. "We couldn't think of a better way to be an advantage for our clients who are looking for a source of early organic grapes from the San Joaquin Valley. We made the commitment to grow our program, and now after four years of developing vineyards, we have the supply to satisfy the needs of our clients."
Alistair Wittus, Export Sales, noted a key part of the program's advantage for buyers.
"We are flexible on packaging needs and also have a full lineup of conventional grapes to go with our organic availability," Wittus remarked.
In addition to its table grapes, Kirschenman also offers organic and conventional watermelons; tree fruit; and red, white, and yellow potatoes.
As we continue to plumb the depths of this company's expertise across a variety of categories, be sure to keep reading us here at AndNowUKnow.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Discussions surrounding the reduction of fresh produce shrink are key components of our industry’s growth strategy. A new solution hit the market today as AgroFresh Solutions announced the launch of VitaFresh™ Botanicals – Life Ultra, a plant-based, edible coating to keep produce fresh and reduce food loss and waste. The solution uses an innovative nano emulsion process to generate smaller particles for coating coverage and fruit protection, which was developed by Embrapa Instrumentation (part of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), UFSCar (the Federal University of São Carlos – Brazil), and QGP Química.
“We are delighted to join forces with QGP Química for the global launch of this new VitaFresh Botanicals coating,” said AgroFresh CEO Clint Lewis. “Life Ultra is an important part of the VitaFresh Botanicals portfolio and continues AgroFresh’s decades-long commitment to AgTech innovation and food loss reduction. We are excited about how this plant-based solution opens consumer marketing opportunities for the packer-retailer supply chain.”
A press release noted that Life Ultra acts as a protective membrane to reduce dehydration, providing excellent freshness preservation and food loss reduction for citrus and tropical fruits such as avocados, papayas, and mangos. Fruit coated with VitaFresh Botanicals - Life Ultra can be dried quickly, generating a sustainability benefit of decreased energy usage and lower-cost operational efficiencies.
The product is manufactured by Brazilian company QGP Química, with whom AgroFresh has signed an exclusive global commercial agreement.
“The nano emulsion and overall technology process utilized to produce VitaFresh Botanicals - Life Ultra yields an outstanding solution for produce freshness,” said Marilene Ribeiro, Ph.D., R&D Manager Chemical Specialties at QGP Química. “Our collaboration with AgroFresh will help bring this solution to operators worldwide and can have a significant impact on the produce industry’s sustainability efforts.”
Marcos David Ferreira, Ph.D., who is a Researcher at Embrapa and one of the developers of the nano emulsion technology, also commented on the new innovation.
“VitaFresh Botanicals – Life Ultra forms a barrier against moisture loss and gas exchange,” said Ferreira. “Our tests demonstrate that fruits coated with Life Ultra have less weight loss and reduced dehydration, resulting in food loss reduction, fresh quality preservation, and shelf-life extension.”
Will you be one of the first suppliers to implement this solution? Only time will tell, but we’d love to hear about it if so.
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - The past year has been an exciting one for Oppy as it has continually made crucial moves to fortify not only its team, but its growth. Further driving forward its goals for expansion, the company has announced that it will be bringing California avocados to the market. The avocados will be launched under the Eco Farms label, celebrating Oppy’s partnership with the company that was launched last year.
“It’s been a team effort leaning into the unique expertise of both companies,” said Eco Farms Sales Director Gahl Crane. “Together we offer a multi-faceted approach that can elevate our businesses to a whole new level. It’s been thrilling to bring Eco Farms’ avocado expertise and experience to Oppy’s widespread organization.”
Eco Farms brings with it almost five decades of focus on avocados, according to a press release. Combined with Oppy’s extensive expertise in growing, marketing, and distribution, the duo forms a strategic partnership with 360-degree capabilities.
Together, the pair offers both organic and conventional fruit from growing regions like Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Peru, now with California avocados making their appearance in the partners’ portfolio. This is the first time California avocados will appear under the new Eco Farms brand and is also the first domestic offering for Oppy within the category.
While the duo's Mexican crop is still shipping in significant volumes, it is expected to decrease in June and July. The team is looking toward the peak window for California avocados occurring May through August. Volume and harvesting have been steadily increasing, with great quality and steady supplies expected to continue throughout spring and into summer.
To further celebrate this new partnership and integrate the two companies, Oppy has also announced the promotion of its sales veteran Mark Smith to Director of Sales and Strategy for Eco Farms.
“We are creating a hybrid model that blends the best in each company’s sales approach,” said Smith. “I am honored to be in this new role powered by the acute expertise of Eco Farms and fueled by Oppy’s vast distribution network and extensive access to the market. We really have a winning combination.”
Smith has been an integral part of the Oppy team for 16 years and will help the duo continue to provide solutions-focused service to national and regional customers.
What categories might Oppy venture into and what other partnerships are in store for the company? Keep a tab open for AndNowUKnow for the answers.
OXNARD, CA - Are you ready to transform your produce department into a fiesta? Cinco de Mayo celebrations are quickly approaching, and shoppers will be bringing the party to their homes via tasty traditional Mexican menus. As this festive holiday nears, avocados are making their way onto nearly every shopper’s guest list, and Mission Produce’s avocado varieties are armed and ready to take their place as the life of the party.
“There remains a strong harvest, and demand is steady, keeping the market stable,” says Patrick Cortes, Senior Director of Business Development. “Retail pricing has increased over the past few weeks, and we anticipate that to continue. The industry has a steady supply from Mexico and California, with sizing trending toward larger fruit. The quality remains good, and the sizes should work well for promotions and strong advertisements.”
Avocado sales for Cinco de Mayo are historically strong, as nearly 15 percent of households purchased avocados during the week of May 5, 2020, and there was a 20 percent uplift in volume over the prior four-week average, according to IRI data. As the Cinco celebration approaches this year, retail opportunities remain abundant, with many shoppers looking to add Mission Produce’s high-quality avocado varieties to their baskets in preparation for the festivities.
“In order to pique consumer interest and offer added convenience, retailers can use the traditional practices of displaying avocados adjacent to any variation of tortillas, chips, cheese dips, or pre-chopped guacamole ingredients to promote a Cinco de Mayo celebratory cuisine,” Patrick mentions.
Many of the supplier’s packaging options offer recipe ideas all year long, and to ramp up avocado sales leading up to Cinco de Mayo, Avocados From Mexico has announced a 360 marketing campaign, Thank Guac It’s Cinco (#TGICinco), to inspire even more avocado purchases through advertising and retailer partnerships. Mission Produce has also recently launched its Opt For Avo campaign, which offers new merchandising options and encourages consumers to opt for avocado over other foods that are higher in saturated fats.
There’s no better time than now to stock up on this amazing and versatile category. After all, what is Cinco de Mayo without avocados?
As always, keep AndNowUKnow in mind as we continue to report on all things related to fresh produce.
WASHINGTON, DC - Foodservice and restaurant operators are among those hit hard by the pandemic, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel growing brighter by the day. Increasing the luminosity of glow is the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which announced that it will begin registrations starting Friday, April 30, and open application on Monday, May 3, for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. The online applications will remain open to any eligible establishments until all funds are exhausted.
“Restaurants are the core of our neighborhoods and propel economic activity on main streets across the nation. They are among the businesses that have been hardest hit and need support to survive this pandemic. We want restaurants to know that help is here,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “The SBA has focused on the marketplace realities of our food and beverage businesses in designing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund to meet businesses where they are. And we are committed to equity to ensure our smaller and underserved businesses, which have suffered the most, can access this critical relief, recover, and grow more resilient.”
The Restaurant Revitalization Fund was established under the American Rescue Plan and signed into law by President Biden on March 11, according to a press release. In total, the fund provides $28.6 billion in direct relief to restaurants and other food establishments being hit hard by the economic distress of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through this program, restaurants will be provided with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. The funds must be used for allowable expenses by the businesses by March 11, 2023, as part of the stipulations.
“Recognizing the great urgency to help restaurants keep their doors open, and with a clear mandate from Congress, the SBA worked at a breakneck speed and is excited to launch this program,” said Patrick Kelley, SBA Associate Administrator, Office of Capital Access. “From day one, we engaged with diverse stakeholders in the food industry community to make sure we built and delivered the program equitably, quickly, and efficiently.”
For the first 21 days that the program is open, the SBA will prioritize funding applications from businesses owned and run by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. All eligible applicants are encouraged to submit applications as soon as the portal is opened. After the first 21 days, all eligible applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis.
For those looking to apply and meeting the qualifications, the SBA recommends that they familiarize themselves with the application process in advance to ensure an efficient experience. For further information on this, click here.
As foodservice operators continue to need relief, SBA is taking steps to ensure equitable distribution by creating a $9.5 billion set-aside, with $5 billion for applicants with 2019 gross receipts of not more than $500,000; $4 billion set aside for applicants with 2019 gross receipts from $500,001 to $1,500,000; and $500 million for applicants with 2019 gross receipts not more than $50,000.
For more information on the program in its entirety, click here.
How will this new funding help the foodservice industry continue to bounce back from the pandemic? Keep reading AndNowUKnow for more updates.
SEATTLE, WA - Amazon and innovation go hand in hand. It comes as no surprise that the retailer is fortifying its convenience factor yet again, as it announced another expansion of its Key In-Garage Delivery to everywhere that grocery delivery from Amazon is available. This expansion will allow millions of Prime members across 5,000 U.S. cities and towns to have their Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market groceries delivered safely inside their garage.
“Customers who tried Key In-Garage Grocery Delivery have loved the service, which is why we’re expanding it to everywhere Amazon offers grocery delivery,” said Pete Gerstberger, Head of Key by Amazon. “As customers look for more convenience in their daily lives, we’re excited to deliver another service that not only helps them save time, but provides peace of mind knowing that tonight’s dinner is safe in their garage and out of the weather.”
Eligible Prime members can shop online at Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods and build a cart just like they would for any delivery order. Customers with a compatible garage door opener or myQ Smart Garage Hub can connect the myQ app with Key, then simply select “Key Delivery” at checkout, according to a press release. Once the order is placed, a trained shopper will fulfill the order, and it is then delivered by a service professional. Customers can easily use the Key by Amazon app or the Amazon mobile shopping app to be notified when their groceries arrive.
Key In-Garage Grocery Delivery is available at no additional cost to eligible Prime members. A myQ connected smart garage door opener is required to enable garage access for secure delivery. To view videos of their delivery, customers can use a compatible Ring smart home camera with their Ring Protect Plan, or LiftMaster Smart Garage Camera powered by myQ with a myQ Video Storage Subscription.
“We’ve worked hard to bring the convenience of grocery delivery from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market to even more Prime members, now reaching customers in more than 5,000 cities and towns,” said Stephenie Landry, Vice President of Grocery. “I’m thrilled to offer customers Key In-Garage Grocery Delivery, and believe this expansion illustrates our commitment to continually innovate to make the experience of ordering groceries online even better for customers.”
What other exciting new innovations will make their debut as retailers look to drive convenience across the sector? Keep clicking on ANUK to find out.