DELANO, CA - Keeping a close eye on the table grape market is par for the course for us writers here at AndNowUKnow, and I was fortunate enough to bend the ear of AC Brands’ Rick Johnston, to learn a bit more. A part of the AC Foods family of companies, AC Brands packs, sells, and markets fruit for Columbine® Vineyards.
“We are about a month into the season so far,” the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing began. “Some of the varieties we are currently harvesting are our Krissy red seedless and one of our proprietary varieties, Milano®. We are very excited about the quality this season. Our growing conditions have been fantastic and the fruit quality is looking really great.”
Ideal weather has ramped up the quality that Columbine Vineyards is known for and a predominantly steady market has created a nice flow of product early on in the season. Rick noted that we’ll soon be seeing promotional periods, though, for which the company offers posters, displays, and bins to help its retail partners capitalize on the table grape hype.
“We are always eager and excited to work with our retailers on shopper marketing programs specific to their stores,” he remarked.
Rick went on to explain that the team is “especially excited about our proprietary Holiday® red seedless grapes which will be available from mid-September and continue to early December. We’re seeing exceptional quality in the field at this time and expect to have a nice product to bring to the market.”
Multiple premium varieties? We here at AndNowUKnow can only imagine how that spells dollars for the buy-side.
UNITED STATES - If your delivery service doesn’t offer groceries these days, it’s likely you will miss out on sales from a massive shopper demographic. Some of the biggest names in the game have pressed the gas on this effort as of late, with DoorDash being one of the most recent to toss its hat in the ring. As the company partners with several big-name grocers, DoorDash customers will soon gain access to a wide-ranging portfolio of offerings.
“We know that grocery shopping can feel like a chore, which is why grocery stores on DoorDash will be available on an on-demand basis—that means no scheduling required, no queues, no waiting,” the company wrote in a blog post. “More than 10,000 grocery items, from dairy and eggs to local produce to fresh meat and fish, will be available for delivery from participating grocery stores in less than one hour.”
Some of the most prominent names on the list of grocers DoorDash will partner with include Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Wegmans, Meijer, Hy-Vee, Smart & Final, and many more. The news source noted that delivery through these partnerships will primarily be rolled out in California until the program begins to take off across the entire country.
“DoorDash provides another convenient way for customers to get the value, selection, and quality that Smart & Final offers, especially at a time when some are looking to limit trips outside their homes,” said Navin Cotton, Smart & Final’s Director of Digital Commerce, in a statement. “DoorDash’s on-demand grocery service is a nice addition to our online shopping options and with delivery in under an hour, we know Smart & Final customers are going to appreciate it.”
Additional markets in Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee will also gain access to DoorDash’s on-demand grocery delivery, sparking high levels of interest on both coasts.
As this burgeoning program begins to take shape, stick with us at AndNowUKnow for the latest reports.
DAYTON, OH - Making inroads in perhaps one of the toughest sectors to consistently lock down—consumer behavior—H-E-B and STRATACACHE have expanded their partnership. This multi-year innovation deal will focus on delivering new actionable data and insights to create an even greater customer shopping experience for H-E-B’s consumers.
"STRATACACHE has proved to be a valued innovation partner with a clear history of delivering customer-focused solutions," said Paul Tepfenhart, Senior Vice President of Omnichannel Commerce and Emerging Technology at H-E-B. "At H-E-B, we never stop looking for ways to improve our experience by providing the best customer and partner solutions. Our relationship with STRATACACHE moves us forward on this mission."
According to a press release, H-E-B is constantly looking for ways to improve how shoppers interact with its stores.
Using sensor-based insights gathered from STRATACACHE's Walkbase solution, H-E-B is able to gain a richer understanding of the service level across its operations and use the data to improve.
"H-E-B is a great retail partner to bring STRATACACHE's customer insights solutions to stores. Well known for a laser focus on delivering the best customer experiences, H-E-B has made continuous investments in technology that directly optimize its customers' journey, making it more relevant and more efficient," said Chris Riegel, CEO of STRATACACHE. "We have built a strong partnership over several years, and now H-E-B has new customer insights to better serve its customers."
What insights will H-E-B glean from this partnership? AndNowUKnow will continue to keep an eye on the wire.
SALINAS, CA - Here in Sacramento, California, ash covers our streets and homes as we keep operators across the Salinas Valley in our thoughts. As fires across California leave an air of uncertainty and necessitate continued evacuations, industry-leading company PRO*ACT recently addressed its customers, distributors, and partners as tension mounts surrounding these devastating events.
“A confluence of factors is affecting the Salinas Valley growing season as we are dealing with sustained record temperature highs, and now multiple outbreaks of fires in the Monterey County over the past few days that have led to supply shortages,” said Director of Marketing and Brand Development Brian Denton in an email. “With the production season squarely in California, it is causing issues for row crops industry-wide due to harvesting crews and hours with all shippers minimized because of dangerous air quality.”
According to PRO*ACT’s statement, growers are now experiencing the effects of ash residue falling from the sky, with expectations for these conditions to continue through the end of August. Despite these challenging circumstances, shippers are working day and night to ensure their products maintain the highest quality possible.
“With that, expect quality issues on all items coming out of Salinas Valley. On the value-added items, shelf life will be shorter than usual as commodities do not have the strength we would see during ideal conditions. Ordering close to the numbers would be very prudent throughout the next few weeks. We will continue to give updates as this situation continues to be fluid,” Denton continued.
PRO*ACT also commented that its shippers have faced challenges in regards to employees being evacuated, and well wishes from across the industry are extremely appreciated. Despite all of this, the company remains dedicated to providing the unrivaled customer service it has long been known for.
As we prepare and continue to hope for the best possible outcome of these terrible displays of Mother Nature's power, ANUK will continue to serve the produce industry with the latest insights and updates.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - Bolthouse Farms continues to invest in both its people and its communities, donating more than $4 million worth of fresh carrots, beverages, dressings, and money in the last year. Driven by its mission of Plants Powering People, the company's efforts started with taking care of its employees in the early days of COVID-19, and has now expanded to partnerships with local community non-profits as well as national organizations like Feeding America and other food banks nationwide.
"We believe that charitable giving begins at home. Through the last several months in particular, taking care of our employees' health and well-being has been our highest priority and being able to provide fresh food to our employees who work so hard to keep Americans fed and nourished was just the beginning," said Bill Levisay, President, Bolthouse Farms. "Our long-term commitment to food banks became even more important during the pandemic and guided our giving efforts toward these organizations in our local communities and across North America to deliver healthy, fresh food to those in need during these challenging times."
At the beginning of the pandemic, Bolthouse moved quickly to help its employees, purchasing food and other essentials for them to ease stress. The company also gave employees its own carrots, dressings, and beverages. Bolthouse then extended its efforts to those in the communities in which it operates and around the country, asking employees to join its efforts, resulting in total donations of more than $4 million, a press release noted.
Product donations consisted of nearly 200,000 cases of juices, smoothies, protein shakes, and dressings, as well as more than two-and-a-half million pounds of fresh carrots and other produce. Additionally, employee programs generated more than $60,000 in monetary donations for Feeding America, which included a company dollar-for-dollar match and an additional personal dollar-for-dollar match from Bolthouse Farms CEO Jeff Dunn.
As part of the donations, Bolthouse Farms donated a full truckload of carrots to each of the food banks in the communities of Bakersfield, California; Los Angeles, California; and Hodgkins, Illinois.
The donation in Bakersfield was made to CAPK Food Bank, an organization that has more than 200 distribution sites and serves approximately 150,000 clients per month in Kern County.
"We're thankful to have a mission-driven company like Bolthouse Farms located in our area," said Maureen Andrew, spokesperson, CAPK Food Bank Food Solicitor. "They are an extremely important donor in our community and their support and generous donations have made a meaningful impact on our community – our clients having access to healthy foods is critical in times of need."
Other local organizations supported with product donations include the following:
- Bakersfield Homeless Center
- Cuyama Valley Family Resource Center
- Feeding America (National, Eastern Wisconsin, West Michigan)
- Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
- Gleaners Community Food Bank (Bakersfield, Indiana, Golden Empire)
- Greater Chicago Food Depository
- Los Angeles Unified School District
- Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
- Mercy Hospital, Bakersfield
- Northern Illinois Food Bank
- Second Harvest Central Florida
- Shriners Hospital for Children
- The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri
- The Salvation Army
- Mission of Kern County
- Ronald McDonald House (National & Bakersfield)
- CityServe Bakersfield
Thank you to Bolthouse for being a premier example of what the produce industry is all about!
SACRAMENTO, CA - There are people in the agricultural industry who were born for the jobs that they now hold with pride. One such person is the newest Executive Director for the Buy California Marketing Agreement (BCMA), Cheríe Watte Angulo. With over 30 years of industry experience, and a childhood engrained within the world of farming, Angulo will head the powerhouse marketing team that is behind the CA GROWN brand.
“As the Executive Director, I am looking forward to growing our program, working with industry partners and government organizations to expand funding and markets. In California, we grow such an abundance and diversity of delicious fruits, vegetables, nuts, wine, and floral and nursery products that are not only loved by Californians, but are also enjoyed across the country and around the world,” said Watte Angulo.
Raised as the daughter of a California farmer from the Imperial Valley, Watte Angulo has in some ways been practicing for her new role since she was young, but that’s not the only thing that qualifies her for this impressive title. With over 30 years in the agricultural industry, Watte Angulo has served as President and Director of the California Asparagus Commission, Director of International Trade Policy and Manager of Agricultural Export Programs for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and Director of the National Affairs and Research for the California Farm Bureau Federation, according to a press release.
In addition to her former positions within the world of agriculture, Watte Angulo currently serves on the University of California’s President’s Advisory Commission on Agricultural and Natural Resources. To add to her ever-growing list of merits, she was appointed by Governor Brown as a Director of the Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta in 2018 and served as an industry member of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Trade Advisory Committee on Fruits and Vegetables and the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching.
“To say Cheríe Watte Angulo is qualified for this unique position is an understatement,” said Donn Zea, Chairman of the Board for the BCMA. “She is strategic, enthusiastic, and absolutely passionate about California agriculture and its place as a vital part of the fabric of our state.”
As the new Executive Director of BCMA, Watte Angulo will oversee and manage retail and marketing campaigns that utilize social media, digital marketing, and in-store promotions to draw attention to specialty crops in California. Before becoming Executive Director, she served on the same board as a Chairwoman between 2014-2018, helping establish the programs she is now spearheading.
“I am proud to congratulate Cheríe Watte Angulo, our very own homegrown agricultural champion, as she embarks on this new endeavor. The California Grown marketing initiative has become increasingly important now when our local farmers and ranchers need our support more than ever,” explained Assembly member Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), who has authored California Grown legislation. “My district is heavily reliant on agriculture, and Watte Angulo, part of a multi-generation farming family with deep roots in our Imperial Valley community, is an excellent choice to lead this charge. I look forward to collaborating alongside her to promote and protect our state’s agricultural economy.”
With her new title, Cheríe will continue the family legacy that helped initiate her into the world of California Agriculture so many year ago. We wish her the best of luck in her endeavors, and at ANUK we look forward to seeing what CA GROWN and this industry maven have in store for the future.
CALIFORNIA - Evacuations across the surrounding areas of California’s Salinas Valley are spreading as the state looks to tame the River Fire, which has reached 10,672 acres as of this morning, August 19. While this is the fire nearest to ag-centric lands, it is one of at least 27 the state is currently experiencing, leading to a State of Emergency being declared, as reported by NBC News.
The Monterey County Sheriff shared that more than 5,000 have been evacuated, according to news source KSBW. For a list of areas affected by evacuations, click here.
While we hope for the best, with the River Fire burning so close to one of fresh produce's most prominent areas in conjunction with a heat wave, it is impossible to expect that no ripple effects would be felt from the fire itself or the high temps the state is experiencing.
“Excessive heat is causing increased brown bead in broccoli along with hollow core in both broccoli and cauliflower,” Art Barrientos, Vice President of Harvesting for Ocean Mist® Farms, shared with ANUK. “Most lettuces in Salinas south are cutting with sun burn/scalding. With slightly cooler temps in the Castroville area, these condition issues are not as prevalent.”
These quality conditions will remain evident through at least next week, if not longer, he shared, adding that although growers are starting the harvest crews earlier in the morning, between 4 and 5 a.m., they still have to stop harvesting around mid-day due to extreme temperatures—further impacted by the heat wave that has blanketed the state.
Additional produce members shared similar outlooks, which are to be expected in the extreme conditions. And it cannot be forgotten, with so close-knit an industry as ours, that the terrible flames hit close to home for more than just product.
Many are in offices or live close to the fire. While no one we spoke with had been evacuated, everyone is keeping a close eye on the event as it develops.
The River Fire, burning south of Salinas, was 7 percent contained amid the most recent reports at the time of publishing, since starting at 3 a.m. the morning of August 16 due to lightning in the area.
Our team continues to keep those living and working in impacted areas in our hearts and thoughts as we hope for a quick resolution and recovery from these events.
BANCROFT, WI - A lot of time, research, and effort goes into bringing a new variety to market, and RPE has hit the spud jackpot. After 12 years in the making, the full-service grower, shipper, and marketer of fresh potatoes is bringing a new, premium red potato variety this fall.
“RPE Golden Red™ premium potatoes are the new gold standard in red potatoes,” said Tim Huffcutt, Vice President Sales and Marketing Operations for RPE. “Compared to common red potatoes, these superior stunners have a vibrant red skin with a rich, yellow interior and a sweet, creamy taste.”
This potato variety started out in the Netherlands where it showed early promise based on yield, internal and external quality, as well as disease and insect resistance. Likewise, the variety performed well in growing regions of the U.S. and Canada.
Sensory testing showed that not only does the Golden Red taste better than standard, mainstream red potatoes, its internal and external appearance outshines its commodity counterpart. Beyond the appearance of the Golden Red is its performance in the kitchen and flavor.
“I truly believe this potato was built for potato salad, it’s phenomenal in that application,” Research Chef Chris McAdams said of Golden Red. “Once it’s cooked, it holds its shape and texture much better than comparable potatoes. When you cut it after boiling, it doesn’t break apart or get grainy, which is what makes it ideal for a potato salad.”
Chef Chris also recommends consumers prepare this potato either boiled, roasted, or fried. “These methods,” he said, “highlight the creamy texture and sweet, mildly-earthy flavor.”
Potato innovation doesn’t happen overnight or even in one growing season. According to the press release, trials could take years, and the number of test candidates at the onset of testing might start out at 200 different varieties with eventually one or two reaching commercial production.
This variety is a fighter! The Golden Red premium potato is an RPE exclusive varietal and will be available this fall in a three-pound, poly light-blocker, bilingual bag.
To stay up-to-date on the most current innovations and products coming out of our fresh produce industry, keep checking back to AndNowUKnow.
ROSEMONT, IL - When we first reported on ghost kitchens, it was a relatively new concept, with Zuul Kitchens setting the scene in New York City. Now, with the rise in delivery and eating from home, that concept has gained some traction, specifically with US Foods. The foodservice distributor recently announced the launch of US Foods Ghost Kitchens, a program designed to guide restaurant operators every step of the way when opening their own operation, helping them easily add a new revenue stream.
“The Ghost Kitchens program was developed in response to growing interest among our customers, but we’ve also been tracking the trend, and ghost kitchens are projected to reach a $1 trillion global market by 2030, making them an attractive concept for operators even after dine-in restrictions are lifted,” said Jim Osborne, Senior Vice President of Customer Strategy and Innovation.
Ghost kitchens, also referred to as dark or virtual kitchens, are professional kitchen facilities set up to support delivery or carryout meals only, offering restaurant operators an opportunity to start an additional revenue stream.
Currently, with dine-in restrictions due to COVID-19, most restaurants are experiencing challenges with the minimum dining room capacity which operators say is needed to make reopening work financially. As a result, 75 percent of restaurant operators now consider off-premise dining to be their best growth opportunity.
“We also know ghost kitchens are a departure from the traditional brick and mortar format, so some independent operators need help to jumpstart a new venture, which is why our program takes out all the guesswork,” Osborne continued. “We help the operator through every major decision. And since operators using the program often set up within their existing facilities, we’re able to help them open a ghost kitchen with minimal start-up costs in a matter of weeks, with the goal of higher profit margins and expanded customer reach.”
With the addition of this program, US Foods customers now have access to exclusive resources developed to streamline the process of starting a ghost kitchen, including proprietary technology to help identify menu opportunities, a detailed playbook to guide decision making, dedicated marketing support, webinars, and one-on-one consultations with US Foods specialists.
US Foods is leading the industry with its first-to-market, easy-to-activate program for operators exploring a ghost kitchen service model, noted the press release. The program will help restaurant operators drive profits by:
- Accessing US Foods’ proprietary technology to identify the right concept based on their unique, local market conditions
- Leveraging US Foods’ knowledge and support in building and creating strong brands and digital marketing
- Creating and optimizing the menu based on US Foods’ exclusive food-costing tools, industry analysis and recipes designed by in-house chefs that focus on both profitability and diner trends
- Providing guidance on how to quickly get started so that operators are up and running in a matter of weeks
More information about the US Foods Ghost Kitchens program can be found at the company's website.
Which market will we see this concept spread to next? Keep reading ANUK as we follow updates in retail, foodservice, and fresh produce.
MORRO BAY, CA - Getting insight into the mind of the consumer is a major key to staying on top of your game in this industry. As COVID-19 has thrown all of us for a loop, wants and needs have evolved, and with that has come a change in consumer patterns. A recent study showed that a high percentage of shoppers are now searching for healthy ingredients, above all else, when they go to the grocery store. When Shanley Farms heard this news, Megan Shanley Warren, Sales, and Marketing, and her team jumped at the opportunity to tout its range of nutrient-rich products, and give consumers exactly what they were looking for.
“Here at Shanley Farms, we are big believers in communicating directly with our consumer fans. We reach out and communicate on a regular basis with all the consumers that have been buying our Citriburst Finger Limes,” said Shanley Warren. “We call them our Citriburst Champions.”
Shanley Farms’ Citriburst Finger Limes are not only unique in appearance, but also offer a high dose of vitamin C, which is known to boost the immune system, according to a press release. As the pandemic continues to affect the daily lives of consumers, products that offer health benefits—especially an immunity boost—are grabbing the attention across the produce aisles.
To play off of the draw to healthy, fresh ingredients, Shanely Farms has begun implementing further retail strategies to catch the eye of shoppers everywhere.
“Our Morro Bay Avocado season is approaching, we have alerted our Citriburst fans asking them to share with family and friends the unique quality of our Morro Bay Avocados. We have also shared with our fans and asked them to share with their friends and family the retail banners that are planning to carry our Morro Bay Avocado program,” explained Shanley Warren. “In these days of electronic connection versus personal interaction, we are finding people actively looking for new experiences to share. With this in mind, we are also working with HarvestMark’s QR code program to convey a greater depth of product information directly to consumers in order to enrich their experience with Shanley Farms product.”
In addition to its in-store marketing strategies, Shanley has introduced new product lines into the mix, especially as more people are also looking for ease in their hectic daily lives.
To provide consumers with new offerings, the company has established subscription boxes that are shipped from Shanley Farms. The boxes include not only the popular finger limes, but also the Morro Bay Avocados, as well as a host of other family-branded produce. The boxes are accompanied by recipes that show customers how to use Shanley’s produce to create delicious meals.
“By combining our farm’s production, including both Citriburst and our Morro Bay Avocados in recipes, it provides both fun and versatile ways to use our products from smoothies and snacks to main courses and desserts.”
As the industry continues to overcome the wild changes of the day, Shanley Farms has shown that it will continue to serve its consumers in the best way possible. All of us in the produce industry know that to adapt is to succeed, and we will continue to do just that.