SACRAMENTO, CA - As a staple in fridges across the country, leafy greens deserve the utmost care along the supply chain. With this in mind, the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) has worked tirelessly to bring the safety of leafy greens to the forefront. Now furthering this mission, LGMA is launching an action list of 10 things being done to keep leafy greens safe.
“As we approach the fall transition when patterns have emerged in recent years, we’re all taking additional precautions to prevent potential problems,” Dan Sutton, General Manager at Pismo-Oceano Vegetable Exchange and Chairman of the LGMA, said in a blog post. “As farmers, we do everything possible to make sure our crops are farmed safely, and we’re working together with government, food safety experts, and the produce industry to keep people safe.”
The 10 implementations LGMA will focus on are as follows:
- LGMA food safety audits are ongoing during COVID-19
- The California LGMA is “heavying up” audits during the season transition
- LGMA requires 100 percent compliance
- 2019 irrigation water standards are being implemented and enforced
- New food safety updates approved by LGMA Board in August 2020
- State agencies are monitoring compost used on leafy greens farms
- Government inspectors are working to ensure farms are in compliance with the Produce Safety Rule
- New research projects are underway to learn more about potential risks involved in farming leafy greens
- The LGMA verifies with every audit that a traceability system is in place at all member companies
- The LGMA supports a Leafy Greens Traceability Pilot to improve traceback through the supply chain
“More improvements are coming in the near future,” Sutton continued. “Most importantly, we’re looking closely at the LGMA’s required food safety practices for the proximity of animals to leafy greens farms in light of findings from FDA investigations into past outbreaks. We have already increased buffer zones required between animal operations and our farms. Additional changes are being considered now by a special Adjacent Lands subcommittee of the LGMA.”
For more details pertaining to these 10 implementations, check out LGMA’s official blog post here.
Fresh produce protection is always at the forefront of our minds, so keep a tab open for ANUK to read up on the latest.
LEAMINGTON, ON - With sustainability top of mind for consumers, retailers, and growers alike, Nature Fresh Farms has announced that it will continue its sustainability initiatives with the release of its new 100 percent home-compostable cucumber wraps. The packaging will be featured on Nature Fresh’s Long English cucumbers and is one of the first sustainable wraps to hit the North American produce market.
“The launch of the compostable wrap is a demonstration of our commitment to our consumers’ wants of reducing plastic usage. We are excited to be first to market with this initiative in North America and are hopeful this will start a trend with the industry while we continue to lead in sustainable packaging solutions,” said Matt Quiring, Director of Sales.
While traditional packaging is generally made from polyethylene plastic, Nature Fresh’s new wrap features starch-based PLA that is derived from non-GMO cornstarch, according to a press release.
The composition of the new wrap allows for it to help maintain shelf life, but it can be composted by consumers, breaking down with water and CO2, meaning no long-term stay in the landfill.
“After two years of research and development and a lot of trial and error, it’s so exciting to see this film launch in the market. We are confident in this product’s ability to make a true difference (in reducing harmful plastic waste),” explained Luci Faas, Product Development Specialist.
In addition to the wrap itself being compostable, the pre-printed PLU on the packaging is also printed using compostable ink. This feature is what makes the wrap 100 percent compostable, as the ink will also break down, not harming the environment. Many PLU stickers are made of vinyl and plastic, which means along with plastic wrapping, they too remain in the landfill for years to come.
In a world where each average cucumber wrap contains 0.00436 lbs of plastic, Nature Fresh’s new innovation will save the equivalent of 23-million straws worth of plastic from entering the landfill for every five million cucumbers wrapped in its new compostable packaging.
As sustainability initiatives continue to take companies down innovative new paths, what does the future have in store? ANUK will keep our ears to the newswire to find out.
FLORIDA & NEW YORK - Where there is competition, there are leaders, and the retail world is no different. There are many qualifications that make a leader, with some of the biggest names in retail topping several prestigious lists. The PEOPLE Companies that Care® 2020 list was recently released, with Publix, Wegmans, and Target ranking in the top 12. The fourth annual list will be featured in the September 14, 2020, issue of PEOPLE magazine, which hit newsstands nationwide on September 4.
According to Great Place to Work, Publix ranked first on the list, Wegmans ranked fifth, and Target ranked twelfth.
“Being recognized as the top company on the PEOPLE’s 50 Companies that Care list is an honor,” said Publix CEO Todd Jones. “When the first Publix store opened 90 years ago, our Founder, George Jenkins, instilled a set of values that still guide us today. Our philosophy has always been to respect the dignity of our associates, treat our customers like royalty, and give back to our communities.”
According to a press release from Publix, the list highlights the top 50 U.S. companies that have succeeded in business while demonstrating outstanding respect, care, and concern for their employees, their communities, and the environment, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In compiling the list, PEOPLE magazine partnered with Great Place to Work to analyze surveys of over 4.8 million employees on their experiences of how their workplaces have made a difference in their lives and their communities. Rankings also reflect Great Place to Work’s assessment of the generosity of each organization’s benefits and their philanthropic and community support.
Congratulations to Publix, Wegmans, and Target for ranking so highly on this distinguished list!
PROVIDENCE, RI - United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is expanding its leadership team with the announcement of a new executive. Guillaume Bagal was recently appointed as the newest Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, effective September 14, 2020.
In this newly created role, UNFI explained that Bagal will continue advancing the company's commitment to promote equality, celebrate diversity, dismantle systemic racism in its workplace, and support justice in the communities it serves.
According to a press release, Bagal most recently served as Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI), which serves over 400,000 members. In his new role, Bagal will report directly to Danielle Benedict, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).
“Guillaume has a tremendous background, including a strong track record for bringing about change, generating associate engagement, and creating programs that help diversity initiatives and organizations prosper,” said Benedict. “His immediate focus will be on team building, reviewing and revising our current D&I efforts, and bringing together a more holistic strategy to advance our position as North America’s premiere grocery wholesaler and a top workplace for associates of all backgrounds. He’s experienced and motivated and will no doubt hit the ground running.”
Through an ability to create internal partnerships, Bagal helped refine BCBSRI’s internal and external DEI efforts and, in just over two years, helped grow their associates of color population and foster a sense of belonging, elevating the supplier diversity program with a stronger focus on Tier 2 spend.
Among many accolades, Bagal was appointed this year to Rhode Island Governor’s Equity Council to help address inequities witnessed through the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to inform Rhode Island’s reopening plan.
Bagal has served in policy roles at Whitman-Walker Health and as a Director of Policy at the Center for Global Health and Diplomacy. He also has extensive community leadership experience and currently serves on several boards of health and inclusion, including the Rhode Island Public Health Institute, where he chairs Rhode Island’s first LGBTQ health center and, previously, the Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance, the nation’s oldest continuously active gay and lesbian civil rights organization.
Bagal is fluent in French, English, and two African dialects. He holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from George Mason University and Master of Sociology from East Carolina University and earned his undergraduate degree in French and Biology from East Carolina University. Bagal resides in Providence, Rhode Island, with his husband, Bobby Gondola, Jr.
Congratulations to Guillaume Bagal on the next step of his journey!
MONTE VISTA, CO - Organic potato provider Farm Fresh Direct is on the up and up as it recently announced a strategic addition to is C-suite. President and CEO Jamey Higham has released the news that Lonnie Gillespie will be the company’s first Chief Organic Officer.
“I’m thrilled and humbled to take on this important leadership role for organics here at Farm Fresh Direct,” said Gillespie. “We’ve proven to our customers that organic potatoes can deliver strong sales. We see organics as being a driver of potato category volume gains in the coming years.”
Gillespie went on to note that national retail scan data shows that growth rates for total organic potatoes have lagged recently due to supply shortages.
“One of the challenges for the potato industry has been consistency in the supply of organic potatoes. Developing reliable, top quality supplies of organic potatoes has been critical in building trust with our customers to expand retail distribution and leverage consumer demand,” she said.
Hingham speaks highly of Farm Fresh Direct’s latest leadership addition, noting that Gillespie has industry experience essential to her new role.
“It’s so appropriate to elevate Lonnie to this new C-suite leadership role in our organization,” he explained. “It’s a reflection of the critical work she has done in developing our organic program. Her leadership has been key at every step, from working with growers in the fields, to inspiring our sales team, to consulting with our customers”.
Additionally, Higham noted that organic potato performance has been an area of strong growth for Farm Fresh Direct.
“Over the last several years Lonnie has been a leader and advocate for our organic potato program, working with our team to generate record sales for our customers and increase returns for growers,” he continued. “In both our private label and branded products, Lonnie has the knowledge and vision to continue to develop organic leadership in the potato category.”
In a press release, Gillespie said that organic potatoes generate less than 2 percent of total category volume, less than half the volume level generated by organics in total produce.
“One of the strengths of our organic growth at Farm Fresh Direct has been our successful private label program,” she said. “According to the Nielsen data over the past year, 55 percent of all organic potatoes sold at retail in the U.S. were sold in private label packages. What’s even more impressive is that total organic potato volume has been flat while private label volume jumped by 8.1 percent. The Farm Fresh Direct private label organic program has been leading growth for our retail customers.”
Gillespie continued, saying, “When you look at potato volume nationally, it’s obvious that organic potatoes are a high volume category poised for rapid growth at retail. A big part of the industry challenge has been just growing enough product. With expanding availability of organic potatoes here at Farm Fresh Direct, we think it’s very reasonable to expect significant volume growth over the next few years. We look forward to putting together plans with our retail partners to make that happen.”
Hingham concluded by reinforcing why this new appointment is such a strategic move.
“Organics have been among our highest priority segments for Farm Fresh Direct,” he said. “That’s due in large part to the retail growth generated by Lonnie in working closely with the Farm Fresh Direct sales team as well as our retail and wholesale partners around the United States. Our organic production continues to climb and we believe having Lonnie in this key leadership role positions Farm Fresh Direct to better help our customers accelerate organic sales growth.”
Congratulations to Lonnie Gillespie on this exciting appointment!
KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA - Red Sun Farms is responding to customer demands for locally grown produce with unprecedented levels of investment across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.
This spring, Red Sun Farms began construction on its first phase (27 acres) of a three-phase project totaling 63.8 acres in Kingsville, Ontario. A second investment for Red Sun Farms in Ontario is underway with an additional 18 acres of high-tech greenhouse farming, which will drastically expand Red Sun Farms' overall portfolio and bring the total acreage for this location to 42 acres.
“This investment into the Ontario area will allow Red Sun Farms to better serve our consumers in both Canada and the USA,” Jim DiMenna, President of Red Sun Farms, stated.
According to the press release, great things are also happening in Mexico for Red Sun Farms as the company expects construction on a 25-acre expansion to complete this winter and 50 acres next spring to the existing high-tech greenhouse that will cultivate tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.
“The team is very excited to have these initial 25 acres ready for winter 2020, followed by an additional 50 acres in spring 2021,” commented Carlos Visconti, CEO Red Sun Farms Canada and USA. “This additional acreage will reaffirm Red Sun Farms as the largest vertically integrated high-tech greenhouse in North America.”
The greenhouse provider continues to grow year over year, but the investments made in 2020 are outpacing the growth of previous years.
It is no secret that Red Sun Farms continues to consistently break new barriers with its initiatives in sustainable growth. By expanding its distribution center in Dublin, Virginia, the greenhouse grower looks to further reduce its carbon footprint and better serve its customers.
Exciting things are ahead for the greenhouse company! Don’t miss an update as ANUK brings the latest.
MIAMI, FL - Back in June we got in touch with Albert Perez, CEO and Grower Relations leader at Continental Fresh, about the company’s new labels, Food For Humanity and Water for All, which were created with the purpose of giving back. The eye-catching labels for Continental’s vegetables and fresh mangos respectively helped fund clean water projects in Latin America, which is a cause especially close to Albert’s heart. Now, as the Mexican mango season comes to a close, I sat down with him to discuss the results of the fundraisers.
“We concluded the vegetable season from Honduras earlier in the year, and our Mexican mango program began in late February and will conclude in about a week. We had projected to do one-and-a-half million boxes of mangos, and we exceeded two million. With this label making its debut in the market, we became one of the top importers of Mexican mangos,” Albert told me.
On September 2, Continental Fresh made a donation of $26,467 to BLUE Missions, which is the organization that builds these influential water projects. Albert expressed that the team’s expectations were exceeded as one penny a box seemed small at first, but quickly evolved into a massive donation.
“It was remarkable to see how much of an impact the label had on some of our customers and in the market as a whole. We received a lot of feedback about people who really liked the concept of our label giving back,” Albert explained. “Customers engaged with the water drop PLU sticker we put on our mangos and wrote to us about how they love our brand proposition.”
Not only did these fundraises strike a chord with consumers, but the projects also hit close to home for Albert, who has spent a large portion of his life fighting for water equality in the Dominican Republic.
“I personally have been working on water projects in Latin America for the last 36 years. It's something that I began back in high school, and I started my own organization called LIFO Missions, which eventually led to one of my young participants starting BLUE Missions,” Albert said. “Whereas LIFO was doing one project per year, BLUE Missions is now doing as much as 30 projects per year of water and sanitation. These fundraisers are one way we’ve been able to take our passion for produce and make it generate some donations for the work that we love to do in BLUE.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the Food For Humanity and Water for All projects or BLUE Mission’s other initiatives can visit www.bluemissions.org/c-f. For more of the latest news in fresh produce, keep checking in with us at AndNowUKnow.
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on Hunter Bros. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for failing to meet its contractual obligations to the sellers of produce it purchased under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
These sanctions include barring the business and the principal operators of the business from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from USDA. By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.
Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
Hunter Bros. failed to pay $1,260,161 to 26 sellers for produce that was purchased, received, and accepted in interstate and foreign commerce from May 2017 to September 2019. This is in violation of the PACA. Hunter Bros. cannot operate in the produce industry until August 28, 2022, and then only after it applies apply for and is issued a new PACA license by USDA.
The company’s principal, Frank Wiechec III, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until August 28, 2021, and then only with the posting of a USDA approved surety bond.
USDA is required to publish the finding that a business has committed willful, repeated, and flagrant violations of PACA as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business during the violation period. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.
The PACA Division, a part of AMS’ Fair Trade Practices Program, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 7,800 callers with issues valued at approximately $148 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
To see the full press release directly from the USDA, click here.
DENVER, CO - In times of trial, we look to trusted leaders for guidance. Julie Krivanek, Founder and President of Krivanek Consulting, is one such leader, recently celebrating her 30 years of service to the industry. Reflecting on the hundreds of individuals, organizations, and businesses that have engaged her as an advisor, chief strategist, strategic planner, Board member, and executive coach, Krivanek pivoted her energy to best serve the industry throughout the pandemic: providing leadership and guidance.
“We stand at the threshold of a golden age for fresh produce—imagine the possibilities when our ambition and imagination meet the health-conscious consumer—technology that enables better business, and the emergence of entirely new channels for our product,” says Krivanek.
Launching in September, Krivanek is offering a newly created program designed to meet the needs of the industry—Better, Stronger: Strategic Thinking and Planning in a New Normal World. The unique service will specifically focus on how to achieve long term profitable growth in a short-term world riddled with change and challenge. Krivanek will help businesses get unstuck from “2020 thinking” to take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime market dynamics and opportunity accelerated by the pandemic.
Krivanek connected with many produce industry leaders she has worked with over her 30 years in business, by creating a project called “100 Hours of Leadership.” According to a press release, the 100 Hours project consisted of donating time and expertise to many businesses and individual industry professionals searching for solutions during the uncertain time.
The key takeaway for Krivanek after spending time with industry professionals navigating their way through the pandemic was the need to take her knowledge and expertise to the next level. Clearly, the overarching theme of the project was uncertainty: What’s next? Where are we headed? How can we grow the business?
Many companies were looking at strategic plans no longer steering them in the right direction due to the impact of COVID-19. People were thinking about ways to create lasting change from sudden disruption. CEO’s and Boards were challenging business models and wondering whether today’s strategies will succeed in tomorrow’s marketplace. This situation is not unique, as Krivanek noted this same uncertainty in a published study by Predictive Index showing 75 percent of people surveyed feel less confident in their company’s strategy now versus pre-COVID-19.
Krivanek combines unmatched strategic thinking know-how, practical planning skills, and ability to energize a select number of companies, Boards, and leadership teams that are ready to take the lead and make an investment in their future. She is inspired about the destiny that lies ahead for the industry and is excited to be part of it as the produce industry grows beyond the short-term challenges faced in 2020. The names of companies she has touched with her dynamic leadership style is too long to list but known for the results she has helped them achieve.
Keep an eye out for the industry’s most innovative leaders as we continue to report.
MCLEAN, VA - It was just last week when Gladstone Land Corporation scooped up its latest strategic property, acquiring $7.4 million of farmland in Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Delaware. The company is at it again this week as it announced it has acquired 2,515 gross acres of farmland in Fresno County, California, for approximately $31.8 million.
“The acquisition of this pistachio orchard and open farmland adds to our existing permanent crop farmland and organic ground growing vegetables and should result in another good, long-term investment for us,” said David Gladstone, President and CEO. “In addition, we are forming a new relationship with a very seasoned grower who has been in the pistachio and vegetable business for many years. We are continuing to evaluate a good list of potential farms to buy as we work toward a strong end to 2020 after a record year of acquisitions in 2019.”
The farm consists of 619 planted acres of mature pistachio trees and 1,896 acres of open farmland, 1,273 acres of which is organic. This acquisition values the land on average at around $12,644 per acre.
In connection with the acquisition, Gladstone Land also entered into an eight-year, triple-net leaseback agreement with the seller, as noted in a press release.
“We are very pleased to add more quality farmland and mature pistachio trees near Coalinga, California, to our portfolio,” said Tony Marci, Managing Director. “This acquisition allows us to develop a new relationship with a long-time farmer in the business and also helps the seller with its goals with this sale-leaseback transaction. We are particularly excited about this farm because of its historically high production and the high percentage of organic land.”
It seems Gladstone acquisitions are in season, so keep a tab open for AndNowUKnow.