SALINAS, CA - From seed to snack, celery is one category that continues to lead the fresh vegetable sector. The team at Duda Farm Fresh Foods knows a thing or two about this stalky veg, and recently took a beat with me to pull back the curtain on its impressive program.
“We are currently in the middle of the Oxnard, California, celery harvesting season, which generally runs from early November through early July,” said Dean Diefethaler, Vice President of National Operations. “Additionally, the Yuma, Arizona, season for celery harvesting is just getting started and will continue through mid-March. Belle Glade, Florida, is also in mid-season production of celery and will run through the end of April.”
Aside from these regions, Duda also grows in Salinas, California, and Byron Center, Michigan.
Rick Alcocer, Senior Vice President of Fresh Sales, explained that current FOB markets are in the $30 range across growing regions in Florida, California, and Arizona. Compared to the typical expectations for January, markets are currently two and a half to three times higher.
The quality on Duda’s celery is good from all areas in production, while the consistency of supply has presented challenges this season.
“The weather this past fall has generated concerns for all current production areas. Starting on the East Coast (Belle Glade), heavy early rains throughout the fall combined with extreme high temperatures caused a disruption to the planned startup, which was set for early December. On the West Coast, we’ve come through one of the warmest fall seasons on record,” Rick told me. “We are now experiencing more normal weather consisting of cooler temperatures and shorter day lengths as we move into and through the winter months.
This fluctuation in weather has led to a maturity gap between celery supplies, and volumes are anticipated to remain below planned levels until this gap is closed. With all of that in mind, Duda reports that the celery market is currently tight with less overall available supplies than normal. However, the markets are exaggerated primarily because of a much higher demand than normal for the month of January.
“We typically experience the added demand of New Year’s diets and the promise of eating healthier, the ongoing sports venues of college football playoffs, NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl, and the beginning of the national hockey season,” Rick continued. “COVID regulations and restrictions placed on workout/exercise facilities have contributed significantly to an increase in healthy eating. We are also seeing celery juicing becoming more popular again. We expect to see lighter demand in February, which is normal.”
As the market continues to shift across all fresh produce categories, you can count on ANUK to bring you the latest.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Attention readers far and wide—it’s that time again! Pull out your magnifying glasses and get ready to go in search of the coveted AndNowUKnow logo on The Snack cover for your chance to score a $100 cash prize.
Our exciting December issue features behind-the-scenes industry magic and great tips to drive sales this winter. Not to mention, it could make you $100 richer if you have a sharp eye and quick hand!
Do not fret if you haven’t received the hardcopy of the December issue yet, you can still find the hidden logo by clicking here to view the digital cover. Whatever means you use to uncover the logo, make sure to take a victory picture of yourself with your finger pointing at the concealed logo.
The criteria for winning is as follows:
- Your FOUND the Apple Logo photo must include your face
- And your finger must be pointing to the AndNowUKnow apple logo
Once your proof of discovery is complete, send your beautiful selfie over to us at [email protected] to join the running for the $100 cash prize! If your photo lands in our inbox ahead of everyone else’s, you could join the winners’ circle with some of the quickest produce people, like:
- Dustin Meloche of Nature Fresh Farms (reigning supply-side champion)
- Danny Ortiz of Sysco (reigning buy-side champ)
- Doug Groendyke Harvest Hope Food Bank’s
- Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos of D’Arrigo California
- Osmerlin Garcia of Nature Fresh Farms
- Betty Tomao of The Save Mart Companies
- Monina Knox of Sobeys
- Chris Olsen of Gold Coast Packing
- Kimberly Chan of 99 Cents Only
If you want a leg up for future challenges, click here to subscribe to The Snack (valued at $129 per year).
Will you be the next detective to discover the hidden logo? Keep reading to find out!
UNITED STATES - Retailers have been standing at the ready since COVID-19 vaccines began rolling out in December. As many faced challenges in the distribution of the vaccine, industry stalwarts like Walmart, Costco, and Amazon have since enacted their own logistical strategies.
“Walmart and Sam’s Club operate more than 5,000 pharmacies in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, many of which serve underserved communities and the heart of rural America,” said Dr. Cheryl Pegus, Executive Vice President of Health & Wellness at Walmart. “With 150 million people passing through our doors each week, we’re in a unique position to reach people where they already shop. We’re also a federal pharmacy partner and can accept federal allocation of doses in all our Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies.”
In its company statement, Walmart said that it expects to deliver 10–13 million doses of the vaccine per month. The company will be offering vaccinations every day of the week, made possible by training thousands of pharmacy employees, building a new digital scheduling system, and partnering directly with state and federal agencies. Furthermore, Walmart will be providing vaccination services at third-party locations like churches, stadiums, and youth centers.
In addition to Walmart, big-box names like Costco are also rolling out vaccine distribution strategies. According to The Washington Post, Costco is one of many who will be partnering with labor and health officials at the Washington State Vaccine Command and Coordination Center, working to surpass the state’s goal of 45,000 vaccinations a day. Costco specifically will be leveraging its pharmacies to assist with delivery.
E-commerce giant Amazon is also rolling out a plan of its own.
“We are prepared to leverage our operations, information technology, and communications capabilities and expertise to assist your administration’s vaccination efforts,” said the CEO of Amazon’s Worldwide Consumer division, Dave Clark, in a letter to President Biden. “Our scale allows us to make a meaningful impact immediately in the fight against COVID-19, and we stand ready to assist you in this effort.”
Amazon’s letter went on to note that the company has an agreement in place with a licensed third-party occupational health care provider to administer vaccines on-site at its facilities.
As the industry continues to get essential workers vaccinated, ANUK will be sure to keep you up to date on the latest.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - As the retail world continues to shift and change, Southeastern Grocers is evolving along with it. After earlier announcements that the company was considering going public, the grocer has officially unveiled the launch of its initial public offering (IPO). Southeastern will be offering up 8,900,000 shares of its common stock to be sold by certain stockholders, and will appear on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “SEGR.”
It is anticipated that the company will be offering stocks at a price between $14 and $16 per share, according to a press release. Those stockholders who are selling their shares intend to grant underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,335,000 shares of the company’s common stock.
Southeastern will not be selling any of its shares in the offering, and will not receive any net proceeds from the sale of its common stock being sold by stockholders. This includes from the underwriters with their option to purchase additional shares.
BofA Securities and Goldman Sachs & Co. are the acting joint lead book running managers, as well as the representatives of the underwriters for the offering. Deutsche Bank Securities, BMO Capital Markets, and Wells Fargo Securities will be acting as book-running Managers for the offering, and Truist Securities is acting as Co-Manager for the offering.
The grocer has already filed a registration statement relating to the securities with the SEC, but it has yet to become effective. Until that time, securities are not allowed to be sold, and offers to buy cannot be accepted.
How will Southeastern’s IPO announcement affect its growth strategy? Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we explore the expanding retail market.
WASHINGTON, DC - Let 2021 be the year of transformation. For John Toner, Vice President of Convention and Industry Collaboration, United Fresh Produce Association, transformation has long been an ideal he has strived for and executed. And when the Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge came into his sights, his drive and ambition were ignited.
With transformation as the name of the game in the lead up to Viva Fresh, March 26–27, at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine (Dallas), Texas, John took a beat with me to talk about his Clean Eating Challenge journey, produce’s changing role, and what stepping outside of your comfort zone can achieve.
“What really inspired me with this challenge was seeing Tommy Wilkins and Craig Slate, among others, clean up their diets and readjust their lives to focus on their health,” John shares with me, adding a little context for the timing. “Given the current travel climate of 2020, I figured this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really focus on improving my quality of life and establishing a routine of making healthier decisions.”
When I ask him what his original goals were, he gives me that honest type of answer that I love to hear from John: To see what would happen.
“I have never been on a diet. I have been to weight loss programs, talked to nutritionists, but I’ve never actually taken the plunge of focusing on doing the right thing, and the healthy thing, which is living with a clean mindset. My priorities and definition surrounding the ‘good life’ were misaligned,” he reflects.
Drumroll, please! Currently, John is down six inches in belt size, two inches around the neck, and close to 70 pounds lost since October 1, 2020. Over the entire past year, John is down 100 pounds and is 40 pounds away from his 18-year-old self.
“I now understand why Lorelei Disogra was the Energizer Bunny of the fresh produce industry for so many years. Clean energy is the best energy!” John says of the Vice President of Nutrition and Health at United Fresh Produce Association.
So, what did it take John to achieve a current weight loss stat of 100 lbs? As the industry vet tells me, it all came down to routine, routine, routine.
“And making the healthy decision,” John smiles before he says, “and when you want to reward yourself, eat the good stuff—like, splurge on that steak you are craving, but only once a week! I have been committed since June to actively trying to exercise 30 minutes a day and to try for 60 minutes, which was the length of my traditional commute. I exercise first thing in the morning at 6 a.m. and have had a great role model in my wife, Amy Toner, who has been on the 5 a.m. bandwagon of exercise for quite some time.”
Not only has John’s routine evolved, but so has his love for fresh produce. The Clean Eating Challenge not only demanded more of it on a regular basis, but reinvigorated an already strong love for fruits and vegetables.
“My eyes have been opened to new combinations and varieties of fresh produce as well as the U.S. supply chain commitment to distribute some of the best fruits and vegetables to the world,” John expresses. “The commitments farmers enter into with their land and their customers should never be under-valued.”
For John, the takeaways have not just been scale-changing, but life-changing—reinforcing that the work he has done has been more than worth it. Completely overhauling your life to create a healthier environment to thrive in is not easy, but it is folks like John that learn by doing—and in return, show us how action can be the first step toward unexpected results and even greater change.
Congrats, John, on a journey that is just beginning! We are with you all the way!
NOGALES, AZ - Although the Trump administration has made way for Biden’s, the industry is still concerned with the former’s Section 201 investigation on imported blueberries, as well Section 332 investigations of imported strawberries, bell peppers, squash, and cucumbers. The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas has applauded the work of Senators Sinema (D-AZ) and Moran (R-KS), as well as Representatives Schweikert (R-AZ) and Cuellar (D-TX) for leading a bipartisan, bicameral letter raising their concerns in regards to these investigations.
“The support of this Congressional letter is hugely important for American companies involved in trade, especially with the knowledge that the trade investigations being launched undermine the new USMCA,” said President Lance Jungmeyer.
Lungmeyer noted in a press release that the trade agreement was signed last year without a so-called seasonality clause, as he deems it. This was due to the will of the agriculture community at large. In fact, the aforementioned Congressional letter follows an industry letter signed by nearly three dozen food and agriculture organizations challenging USTR’s actions.
“This letter from Congress is so important,” Jungmeyer added. “In 2021, if we create trade friction with Mexico, our neighbor and largest trading partner, it will devastate the many businesses that rely on the robust two-way agriculture trade with Mexico.”
FPAA commends this bipartisan group of policy makers who are actively supporting cross border trade with some of our top trading partners, as they also fight to avoid restrictions and tariffs that U.S. consumers end up paying on products they demand year round. This is especially important now that the International Trade Commission is broadening its investigations into bell peppers, cucumbers, and squash, items which have significant economic importance to Arizona distributors.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report on all policy, legislation, and more as they pertain to fresh.
FOWLER, CA - Life just got a whole lot better for us citrus lovers, as Bee Sweet has announced that its Heirloom Navels are officially in season and will be available through the end of California’s citrus domestic season.
“For decades, our growers have worked diligently to exceed our consumer’s standards in taste and quality,” said Keith Watkins, Vice President of Farming. “Heirloom Navels continue to set the bar for excellence due to their high brix levels and exceptional flavor.”
One of California’s oldest varieties, Heirloom Navels are typically grown under close watch on blocks of trees ranging anywhere from 40–60 years old, according to a press release. This special variety is expected to be available through May and can be found in vibrant packaging and 3 and 4 lb bags that shoppers won’t be able to take their eyes off of. And while the packaging may be what draws them in, it’s the quality of these delicious Navels that keeps them coming back.
“When it comes to citrus, customers can rely on Heirloom Navels because they’re never compromised by acidity,” said Sales Representative, Joe Berberian. “The work of our farm and production teams, coupled with the technology of our Brix machines, guarantees consumers an exceptional piece of fruit every time they turn to our brand.”
Bee Sweet Citrus has also reported a strong supply of its Cara Cara Navels, Navel Oranges, Blood Oranges, Lemons, Grapefruit, and Minneola Tangelos.
What better way to drive category sales than by offering juicy, quality citrus that no one can refuse? Keep an eye out for AndNowUKnow as we bring you all you need to know about the fresh produce industry.
ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Business strategies shift over time, and Costco is experiencing this in its latest program. After many years of holding off on grocery curbside pickup, the wholesaler is finally testing out a program for the service.
Richard Galanti, Chief Financial Officer, explained to CNN Business that Costco hoped to test the service in the small market of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“We’re always trying different things. We still scratch our head a little bit on it. We figured we’d try it in a discrete market where there’s just a limited number of locations. And it’s really nothing more than a test at this point,” Galanti noted.
On its website, Costco is offering members at three stores same-day pickup on grocery and general items. According to the site, Costco outlines that there is a $100 order minimum to choose pickup, and a $10 fee on each order, due to the fact that the model “adds an additional expense to our low-cost business model and limited markup structure.”
Previously, the company only offered pickup on expensive items that were not grocery related.
The pandemic has shifted how many grocers do business, so it comes as no surprise that Costco would test out a service that many consumers are clamoring for. Will we soon see an expansion of this pilot program? AndNowUKnow will keep its eyes on the wire.
JACKSON, WY - Where one natural grocer once stood, a new one will soon take over as Whole Foods Market completes its acquisition of a Jackson Whole Grocer location. The two companies recently entered a definitive agreement to pursue the deal, with plans expected to be finalized early this year.
“Like Jackson Whole Grocer, Whole Foods Market is committed to offering high-quality products, supporting our team members, developing successful relationships with our suppliers, and caring for our local communities and the environment,” said Bill Jordan, Regional President of the Rocky Mountain region at Whole Foods Market. “We look forward to getting to know the Jackson community, including residents and visitors, and providing them with products that must meet Whole Foods Market’s strict quality standards, as well as a destination to discover new flavors and local items unique to this area.”
According to local news source Buckrail, Whole Foods will be offering opportunities for employment to as many qualified former Whole Grocer workers as possible. Regardless of the terms of the deal, this location is expected to remain open as the transition takes place.
Jeff Rice, Owner of Jackson Whole Grocer, also commented on what this transaction means for the company.
“For more than ten years, it has been an honor to steward Jackson Whole Grocer. During that time, our team has proudly served our customers and community,” said Rice. “After much mindful consideration, we have decided to sell our business. We are fortunate to have this opportunity with Whole Foods Market, an organization that is aligned with our mission of creating and sharing exceptional experiences in food and shopping. Whole Foods Market is best-in-class at providing such extraordinary experiences and they are often recognized as one of the best companies to work for in America. We are confident that our customers and employees will greatly benefit from the working and shopping experience that Whole Foods Market offers, and we are excited to welcome Whole Foods Market to the Jackson community.”
Further details of the deal have not yet been disclosed to the public. As Whole Foods continues to bolster its presence across the country, be sure to check out the latest reports from AndNowUKnow.
NEW YORK, NY - As winter continues to leave a chill in the air, Bowery Farming is looking to add a little bit of spice to the produce aisles. The vertical farming company has recently unveiled its new Farmer’s Selection product category, which includes a line of rotating, small-batch, flavorful greens curated by Bowery’s R&D team, and the first product to be released under the new category is Bowery’s tastebud-tingling Mustard Frills.
“Deeply committed to innovation and bringing new and exciting culinary experiences to consumers, our world-class R&D team has been hard at work developing this new line of wildly flavorful greens grown locally with unparalleled freshness,” said Katie Seawell, Chief Marketing Officer. “We’re thrilled to unveil our new Farmer’s Selection category, which showcases the nimbleness of our farms and beauty in this emerging category of Protected Produce through these rotating, first-of-its-kind greens, developed with flavor in mind first and foremost, with seeds selected for their unique properties. For this first release, we set out to develop a recipe with a kick, and Mustard Frills surpassed even our wildest expectations.”
The first product that launched this new line, Bowery’s Mustard Frills are a hearty mustard green with some kick that will leave a lasting impression. According to a press release, the Mustard Frills start off with a tingle and end with a fiery, wasabi-like finish that will heat up any dish.
The Farmer’s Selection category was created through Bowery’s desire to bring the thrill of discovering new ingredients at local farm stands to the grocery retail space. With agricultural scientists working year-round to uncover flavor-packed varieties, consumers will be able to get their hands on new small-batch greens every few months.
Mustard Frills will be available now through spring 2021, after which Green Sorrel will take the spotlight as the next product in the category. Bowery’s Mustard Frills are now available in select New York City independent grocery retailers, with Green Sorell slated for availability in a broader range of locations.
What new products will Bowery continue to roll out under its Farmer’s Selection category? Time and ANUK will tell, so keep a tab opened as we bring you the latest.