MEXICO - Mexico's growing regions are ripe with fresh produce as Bridges Organic Produce has announced an impressive outlook on its fall 2020 season. The company has begun with new crop organic items shipping out of Nogales, Arizona, with strong volumes of its robust lineup expected and start dates on schedule.
Slicer cucumbers are going strong, shipping from two grower partners with English cucumbers now available as well. Rico Farms label zucchini and yellow squash will start the week of September 21 with increasing volumes and multiple plantings throughout the fall and winter. Eggplants, hard squash, hot peppers, bell peppers, and melons will also be available during the season.
“One thing that feels different this season is increased customer demand for locked-in program volumes and pricing,” said Oscar Trujillo, Category Manager for Bridges Mexican program. “With the challenges of COVID-19 both on the demand and supply side, people are feeling a little bit more fragile and are looking for ways to secure supplies. These commitments feel like a good thing, providing stability for both ends of the supply chain. Due to this shift, open market buys might not be as prevalent or frequent as other seasons. We are looking forward to providing even better quality and stronger volumes overall, with fair pricing from reputable growers, as we have been doing for many years.”
To ensure the continuity necessary to satisfy customers, Bridges grower partner Rico Farms has further developed its already diligent safety plans to mitigate the COVID-19 risks as much as possible. With up to 600 individuals living and working onsite during peak season, keeping its staff healthy is paramount to keeping the farm and packing shed running smoothly.
The company’s top priority with these new protocols is to keep its staff safe. Rico Farms has onsite COVID-19 testing and workers are tested both before leaving their home communities to head to the farm as well as after arrival. While on location, workers are grouped into pods who work, live, and eat together to limit exposure. According to a press release, it has even adjusted the cafeteria and work schedules to allow this safe distancing. Other precautionary measures include vehicle sanitizers, COVID-19 and health education, and a 24-hour mobile health clinic. This is all part of the labor management strategy designed to keep workers safe and healthy.
Rico Farms is Fair Trade Certified, which has helped provide additional resources to the workers during this challenging time. Preventative care kits which included vitamins and thermometers were provided for the workers and their families to keep them healthy while they were away from the farm and all employees from last season were given food vouchers to be used for groceries in their home communities. During the summer months, as they prepared for the upcoming season, Rico Farms continued to make advancements at its new onsite bioFactory.
“We are continuously improving our Biofertilizer, by reinforcing our microbiology and adding more variety, so we can have stronger organisms in the soil,” said Francisco Tapia, Owner of Rico Farms. “Traditional organic and conventional practices use separated microorganisms when the reality in nature is that they all live together. We are imitating the way they live in nature to create our CONSORCIO (MICROORGANISMS CONSORTIUM). We are very excited about the new bioFactory projects in 2021 which include expansion to produce more microorganisms and biofertilizer, creating our own worm compost, producing a second biofertilizer that is high in nitrogen, and we will be running extensive on farm trials.”
Even with so much uncertainty in the world Rico Farms and Bridges Produce continue to be leaders in the organic sector.
“During these unprecedented times, when we are all struggling with the effects of a global pandemic plus massive wildfires and hurricanes, Bridges Produce has gone to great lengths to maintain a solid, stable, and reliable supply of high quality, nutritious fresh produce,” said Bridges Produce President, Ben Johnson. “When so much else is unpredictable and chaotic right now, our team is working tirelessly to maintain ample supply of great organic produce.”
Bridges Produce has an impressive supply of fresh produce in the pipeline, so get in touch with the grower as soon as possible!
VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA - Oppy’s exponential growth can only be supported by team members that have the expertise and industry know-how to keep the company’s expansion on track. Both Ray Reed and Andres Ribalta have been promoted to new positions in line with Oppy’s strategic growth journey.
Reed, who has been Oppy’s General Manager for Chile for over 15 years, will step into his new role as Director of Global Procurement as of October 1. In this position, he will focus on expanding and strengthening sources of supply and will work out of Oppy’s California offices.
According to a press release, Reed will be spearheading Oppy’s search for new partners alongside the task of nurturing relationships with its already extensive supply base.
Another key factor of his role is driving category growth, which will allow Reed to put to use his many years of expertise in grower relations. He will working closely with Oppy’s grower relations teams in the U.S., Mexico, Chile, Peru, and other partners in global markets.
Ribalta, who was previously Head of Oppy Categories in Chile, will step into Reed’s position as General Manager. He will report to Vice President of South American Operations Eric Coty. In this role, Ribalta will be responsible for procuring fresh produce for sale in North America, as well as overseeing Oppy’s Chilean export business, which currently supplies markets around the world such as Asia, Europe, and North and South America.
“With extensive knowledge of Oppy’s Chilean-based business and of our grower relations team, Andres, who joined Oppy in 2011, is the ideal candidate to succeed Ray,” Coty remarked. “We look forward to the enthusiasm that Andres will bring to this role, and the added momentum he will bring to the team as a whole.”
Oppy’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Doug Grant had the following to say of the new promotions.
“Oppy’s plans for the coming years target growth in local and international markets, and the latest promotions of Ray Reed and Andres Ribalta, proven company veterans who bring unrivaled experience, expertise, and vision, will enable us to accomplish just that,” Grant stated. “As Oppy continues to grow and strengthen its fundamental focus, it becomes imperative to ensure that the right people are in the right places within the organization.”
Congratulations to both Ray and Andres on these new roles!
UNITED STATES - Investing in your workforce is one of the most lucrative money moves in retail, and Walmart has this strategy down pat. The mega-grocer has made some decisive moves to bolster its workforce this week, announcing significant wage increases for a network of 165,000 employees.
“This new structure is built around higher-skilled jobs of the future, and the compensation for those roles reflects that,” said Chief Operating Officer Dacona Smith in a statement, explaining that these wage hikes come in tandem with a total restructure of its workforce.
The new wage ranges for hourly team lead roles start between $18 and $21 an hour and can go up to $30 an hour in Supercenters. Through this new, tiered structure for team leads, Walmart is creating room for pay and career growth while investing in areas like pickup and delivery as customers increasingly turn to those options. Those parts of the business will only continue to grow, as reiterated in the statement. In addition, the company is investing in specific, skilled frontline hourly positions in Supercenters.
Smith concluded the statement by noting that these wage increases will be implemented as early as October.
For more of the latest updates in retail, keep clicking back to ANUK.
NEWARK, DE - Providing the world with fresh produce gives us unique opportunities to make an impact. Industry champions like the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) are constantly seeking out those opportunities, and work to ensure leadership efforts do not go unrecognized. At PMA’s most recent Fresh Summit event, Joe Don Zetzsche, Director of BLOOMS® Flowers by H-E-B, introduced the PMA Impact Award during his comments as the incoming Chair of the Board of Directors. On stage, he explained the award’s purpose is “to honor excellence and inspirational actions of people and organizations helping to grow a healthier world.”
This week, PMA has announced the first three Impact Award laureates to be recognized for their transformative work. Each of the winners are featured in a mini-documentary that will be shared on PMA’s recently launched Impact Award webpage. The first winner named is Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham, Alabama.
“We know that one of the most powerful things a person can do to live a healthier life is to eat more fruits and vegetables, and establishing habits at a young age is key to lifetime produce consumption,” said Chief Strategy and Membership Officer, Lauren M. Scott. “Jones Valley Teaching Farm has created a community movement that helps children access and learn about farming through a meaningful hands-on experience that is shaping their relationship with food, providing a deep learning experience, and shaping their communities in a very important way. We are thrilled to recognize them with one of the first PMA Impact Awards.”
The Jones Valley Teaching Farm uses food and growing food as a platform for learning. Since establishing its first farm in 2007, Jones Valley Teaching Farm has grown over time to incorporate more farms, more school partners, and ultimately a broader impact. The organization boasts seven teaching farms, six of which are located on site at local schools in partnership with the Birmingham Public School System.
Five of these farms are currently in the Woodlawn neighborhood, meaning students can engage with the Teaching Farm’s education model for every year of their education from preschool to high school. Each of these farms, or learning laboratories, is also staffed with full-time instructors who work with the teachers within the schools to create customized curriculum to apply in-classroom learnings in a hands-on farm experience.
According to a press release, the program reaches over 3500 kids each year, who then go on to bring those learnings to their own communities. At this point, 25 percent of the organization’s staff is made up of graduates, a number that Executive Director, Amanda Storey, hopes to grow over time.
“That is intentional and is shifting the paradigm of non-profit and that’s important,” said Storey. “When it’s students who have been through the program and can then be able to direct it, that is community change. That is opportunity.”
The program has provided measurable change for the Birmingham community, with over 18,500 pounds of food harvested. The students select the produce to plant based on taste, curiosity, and consumer demand, as they even have a free after-school program called the Market Club where teams of students at each of the elementary school sites sell produce to teachers, parents, and community members. They apply math and communication skills as they get first-hand experience in marketing produce.
Perhaps the most powerful measure of all is how the students have demonstrated their commitment to learning and growing produce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have seen kids dig up their backyard from March until June and plant food in their backyards because they couldn’t get to our farms,” said Storey. “That is a whole different level of impact on a community, on a neighborhood, on a family. Those are the skills that come with growing this food. Those are long-term solutions.”
PMA has launched a website to recognize the Impact Award winners and share their stories globally. Those interested in learning more, nominating someone for the Impact Award, or viewing the mini-documentary about Jones Valley Teaching Farm can find more information here.
Here’s to making a positive impact by advocating for fresh produce consumption!
TRAVERSE CITY, MI - Although consumers may assume that fall and winter production means a slower season for growers, they couldn’t be further from the truth. For year-round suppliers like North Bay Produce, these months are as busy as ever as transition plans take root. In order to better understand a multitude of category statuses, I turned to several members within the team.
“We’re in the middle of a heavy berry transition, particularly for our blues and blacks,” explained Ryan Lockman, Vice President of Sales and Procurement. “We’re moving out of our domestic growing regions of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Michigan, to growing regions such as Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina, and Chile. September is the month for full-time blueberry transition for both organic and conventional. So far, the transition has been smooth with no gaps in production.”
As value builds at market, more consumers are chasing after the blueberry category.
“Big packs of berries continue to remain on trend,” Ryan remarked. “Since shoppers are making less frequent trips to the store, they want to offer larger pack sizes to help shoppers fill the gaps between shopping trips. With our steady supplies out of Peru, we’re able to accommodate their needs.”
Additional packaging changes, such as North Bay’s TopSeal offering on its blackberries and raspberries—a first for the company—make its berry program a must-have for the buy-side.
Similarly, the grower’s apple program is consistently delivering value for its customers. Just as consumers are shopping in bulk when it comes to berries, this trend also carries over to apples.
“It’s a pretty exciting start so far,” began Ken Korson, Apple Category Manager. “A lot of early varietal movement has been very good and now we’re adjusting to what people are buying. Retailers are incredibly active this year, with an overall increased interest in regional for apples.”
Offering 15 varieties, such as Evercrisp, which has consistently grown in popularity, North Bay offers retailers an abundance of program options.
“Our marketing campaigns are ramping up,” Brian Klumpp, Director of Marketing and Strategic Development, shared. “Working alongside our customers and buyers, we develop custom plans for each of our retail partners. This is how we drive sales and value for the apple category.”
North Bay is also looking at supply from Guatemala on veg items such as snap peas, French beans, organic French beans, and Brussels sprouts.
“We’re a one-stop shop, one-call solution for retailers looking to stock up on popular items within the produce department,” concluded Nick Osmulski, President. “With a wonderful transition on berries and apples beginning to take over other retail programs as we head into fall, we’re proud to work with our partners to deliver high quality produce.”
Centrally located and with top-notch supply chain capabilities to boot, North Bay should absolutely be on your list of supply-side partners.
SPRINGFIELD, MA - As companies continue to grow their business and footprint, new facilities are necessary to continue providing the quality service customers and shoppers expect. For Big Y Foods, that new facility is taking shape through its newest Fresh & Local Distribution Center. The new $40 million facility is slated to fully open in early 2021.
“It gives us great pride and honor to be able to help these young businesses, these young farmers, these young producers to grow their business and become successful,” said Charlie D’Amour, President and CEO of Big Y. “That’s part of the role we can play in the community. I would encourage folks out there who want to explore an opportunity to work with us to contact us through bigy.com.”
Big Y’s Fresh & Local Distribution Center provides local farmers and food producers with an efficient, one-stop location that saves them time and money related to delivering to individual stores. According to the press release, it also has state-of-the-art technology and temperature controls to help Big Y maintain and deliver at the peak of freshness to its customers.
Through Big Y’s Fresh & Local Distribution Center, 70 farmers supply Big Y’s stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut with 1,200 types of native fruits and vegetables each year, which accounts for more than 9,000 acres of farmland in the region. For many farmers, this partnership helps them grow their business and preserve farmland and open space in area communities.
“Big Y has been so instrumental in the local community,” said John Burney of Meadowbrook Farm in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. “They have enabled me to continue to grow my business and put 99 percent of my profits back into the farm to keep providing customers with locally grown produce.”
More than 3,000 different products from local food producers can be found at a typical Big Y supermarket. Big Y actively searches for new craft food artisans to bring into its stores and can provide them with support for marketing and packaging, help with barcodes, or even advice on business matters like insurance.
“One of my earliest memories was going around with my uncle to the farms in the summer months and buying peppers and tomatoes and corn,” said D’Amour. “You could just feel the camaraderie and the connection. I’m proud to say that that connection is still with us today.”
The new Fresh & Local Distribution center has close to 425,000-square-feet of space and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is located adjacent to Big Y headquarters at 2145 Roosevelt Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Keep checking back to ANUK as we bring the latest innovations and additions from the retail space.
WENATCHEE, WA - Many consumers with children are still adjusting to a new schedule during this time, whether students are learning remotely or back in the classroom. Starr Ranch Growers is seeking to make the transition a little easier and more fun this year for families by launching its Back to School Sweepstakes to spur creative apple usage.
“Back to School is here, and despite the changing landscape of what this looks like for families everywhere, one thing we do know is that back to school is still happening—just differently,” said Dan Davis, Director of Business Development. “Starr Ranch Growers knows and understands our consumers’ values and needs during times of transition and change. We want to support them with helpful tools and creative apple content to keep the entire family connected, refreshed, and ready to conquer the school year ahead.”
As part of the sweepstakes, Starr Ranch Growers is partnering with companies such as Litehouse Foods and CamelBak to give away themed gifts. The CamelBak Eddy water bottle, for example, pairs well with Starr Ranch Growers’ apple and pear snacks for outdoor activities.
Retailers can get in on the action by showcasing Starr Ranch apples front and center to attract shoppers’ eyes during the sweepstakes run. The Back to School Sweepstakes (#B2SS) showcases weekly school subjects on the company’s social media channels and blog that features life hacks, quick time-saving apple recipes, and DIY projects that busy parents and their kids will enjoy—whether they’re back in a classroom or virtual at home—with fun prizes that coincide with each weekly theme.
“We hope the sweepstakes will build upon the subscriber list we generated when we launched our Harvest Home blog and help further our brand recognition,” Davis said. “We also want to generate buzz for apples overall and increase our social media following and engagement levels.”
According to the press release, the sweepstakes will run through September 21 and will be featured on the newly updated main page on the company’s website, which also highlights other current activities at Starr Ranch Growers and a new video featuring CEO Brett Reasor and Owner/President Jim Thomas telling the company story.
With more consumers seeking easy and fun ways to engage while staying at home, events like these are great opportunities to spur more fresh produce consumption. To stay up to date with more ways to connect, keep checking back to AndNowUKnow.
PHARR, TX - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agents at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility have announced that they recently uncovered a load of drugs concealed within a shipment of avocados arriving from Mexico. The estimated street value of the drugs is around $6,622,000.
“Significant narcotics interdiction enforcement actions like these have direct and immediate impact on the smuggling organizations who operate in our area,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/ Anzalduas. “CBP Field Operations maintains a robust enforcement posture while continuing to facilitate and process legitimate trade and travel, which is a delicate balance.”
According to a press release, within the tractor/trailer hauling the avocados, agents discovered 48 packages of alleged methamphetamine weighing 326 pounds (148 kg) as well as one package of what is believed to be heroin weighing 2.41 pounds (1.09 kg).
The agents utilized non-intrusive imaging to inspect the truck and its contents before unveiling the suspected drugs. Since then, both the narcotics and the driver of the truck have been detained by Agents with Homeland Security Investigations for further inquiries.
We thank agents who work to keep our produce safe from these illicit substances and activities. As more information becomes available, AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
MASON, OH - Online grocery services are continuing to climb in both popularity and utilization as consumers are shopping more from home. H-E-B is staying ahead of the curve with a new partnership, tapping Swisslog to support the company’s growing demand for online fulfillment. Swisslog is working with H-E-B to deploy a number of automated micro-fulfillment centers to support the chain’s curbside pick-up and delivery business in its Texas home state.
“Swisslog is pleased H-E-B put its trust in us to automate and support its facilities with state-of-the-art automation and software,” said Mitch Hayes, Vice President of E-Commerce and Retail, Swisslog Logistics Automation, Americas. “COVID-19 and anticipated behavioral changes have created increased urgency around the need for automation within many grocery operations. E-grocery automation is no longer an option—it’s a requirement for survival and continued growth.”
The automated micro-fulfillment centers will enhance H-E-B’s leadership in the industry by streamlining online fulfillment and moving it closer to the customer. According to the press release, it will allow the retail chain to efficiently meet the growing demand for curbside pick-up without negatively impacting customer experience in the store.
H-E-B’s new micro-fulfillment centers feature AutoStore empowered by Swisslog’s SynQ software and pick stations. This goods-to-person solution is one of the most flexible automation solutions available for order fulfillment in e-grocery where density, operator productivity, and lead time are important factors. With more than 170 installations worldwide, Swisslog is one of the largest and most experienced integrators of the AutoStore system, as stated in the press release.
With more than 2,000 installations around the globe, Swisslog has invaluable experience in multiple flexible, scalable, and modular automation technologies. The company offers a range of automation solutions and software to fit grocers’ online fulfillment strategies, whether it’s a hub-and-spoke arrangement, a bolt-on store automation approach, micro-fulfillment centers, or a fully automated grocery store.
To learn more about this innovative partnership, click here for the full press release.
How will the retail landscape continue to evolve? Keep checking back to ANUK as we report more on the latest in the industry.
CORAL GABLES, FL - Both sustainability and social awareness have been ever-increasing subjects on the minds of consumers as they reach for products on the shelves. They can now rest assured that Fresh Del Monte Produce is doing its part as it has been awarded first place in the Green and Environmental Stewardship category at PR Daily’s 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards. The honor has been bestowed upon Fresh Del Monte following the brand's recent commitment to sustainability across all of its operations.
“Now, more than ever, it is important for companies to become a force of good in the world,” said Hans Sauter, Chief Sustainability Officer. “Sustainability is one of our key pillars and is deeply embedded in our company DNA. We are thrilled to have our efforts recognized by PR Daily and will continue to work arduously in achieving our sustainability objectives and communicate them accordingly.”
The award from PR Daily is highly respected and recognizes global companies that have been the most successful with their impacts regarding CSR campaigns. According to a press release, Fresh Del Monte has been presented with the award due to its achievements with carbon neutrality within its tropical farms.
Fresh Del Monte currently owns and conserves 9,400 hectares of forest in Costa Rica where it houses its pineapple and banana operations. The land where the crops are grown is home to a diverse variety of animals and plants, some of which are endangered and under the protection of the company. Due to the sensitivity of the life that inhabits the land, Fresh Del Monte has worked hard to achieve carbon neutrality, and in 2019 was formally recognized by SCS Global Services for achieving that goal.
Since its recognition in 2019, Fresh Del Monte has continued to work toward creating a more sustainable future for the company. It has announced that it plans to achieve carbon neutral farms across all of its global operations as well as continue reforestation of the areas in which it operates.
Fresh Del Monte currently works with local communities to host tree-planting programs that educate those who attend about the importance of achieving a carbon neutral world and how they can work together to achieve that goal. To date, the company has planted over 700,000 native trees in local communities in the course of three years and is looking to reach 2.5 million by 2025.
Congratulations are in order for Fresh Del Monte as it has achieved such an outstanding goal. We look forward to seeing the future success of these important programs as the company continues to set the bar higher.