NYSSA, OR - A brand is only as strong as the people behind it, and don’t we know it here in the produce industry! To bring the hard-working individuals to the forefront of its brand, Eagle Eye Produce has rolled out a Grower Spotlight video segment. Most recently, the company highlighted Oregon-based onion grower Dan Corn and his strategically located operation.
“Growers like Dan are our brand. He is knowledgeable, passionate, and dedicated to his work, and we are committed to supporting him, and all of our growers succeed,” said Dallin Klinger of Marketing and Communications. “Everyone at Eagle Eye Produce shares a passion for putting healthy food on the table.”
Dallin explained that the company started working with Dan about 15 years ago. Like many growers in the Eagle Eye fold, Dan is a multi-generational farmer, so the company has worked with his family for years. By highlighting the hard work of farmers like Dan, Eagle Eye has innovated the relationship between a consumer and a supplier.
“We continue to invest in projects like this to try to form a personal relationship between the grower and the end consumer. Food is a deeply personal thing, and personal connection is something that we seem to have less of these days,” Dallin continued. “It is easy to get wrapped up in the market and the end product, but we need to continue to shine a spotlight on the people behind the food and the brand.”
Dan and his wife Melissa are staples and stewards of their community, earning them the well-deserved title of Nyssa Chamber of Commerce's Agriculturist of the Year Award in March. It’s their hard work and dedication that truly sets the Eagle Eye brand apart.
The video above outlines an incredibly successful onion season as the company ramps up to ship its new crop of yellow, red, and white onions coming in just a few weeks. Eagle Eye is expecting fantastic yield, quality, and size from this year's crops in Eastern Oregon, so retailers had better clear some space in their onion displays!
For more on Dan Corn and Eagle Eye Produce’s industry-leading operations, be sure to check out the video above. And, as always, stick with us at AndNowUKnow for more reports.
HAYWARD, CA - One of the biggest questions rippling through both foodservice and retail in the months since COVID-19 has spiked has been about self-serve and salad bar options. Now, a startup company looks to be quickly shaking hands—so to speak—with grocers as it offers a robotic solution with a catchy name: Sally.
Sally, according to creator Chowbotics’ website, uses groundbreaking robotics to provide the most hygienic custom salad bar experience available on the market.
“We happened to have the right product at the right time when the pandemic hit, and it increased demand significantly for what we do,” Rick Wilmer, CEO of Chowbotics, shared in an interview with Cheddar.
That demand looks to have been throughout the grocery sector. Several news sources have reported both Wakefern-owned ShopRite and Ohio-based Heinan’s have inked deals for Sally to take up residence in stores, and while Wilmer was not at liberty to say who else might be interested, he did assure that there are more banners to come.
“We have a number of other grocery stores where we’ll be deploying here soon. I’m not in a position to disclose them by name, but I can tell you demand is very high. We’ve sold now well over 200 robots throughout the country and in Eastern Europe,” Wilmer continued.
While salads are getting the spotlight, and thankfully so, Wilmer added that Sally’s capabilities are endless. Customers can build meals at the tap of a button, resulting in customized dishes protected in an airtight, refrigerated container. The innovative technology is specifically geared to safely serve custom meals in grocery stores, hospitals, and college campuses.
Is this the future we have been headed toward? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
NEW YORK - Organic retailer and trendsetter Whole Foods is expanding its reach in the Empire State. The grocer is continuing its Long Island expansion plan with a new flagship location in Garden City, New York, and will soon follow-up with the opening of another site in Massapequa, New York.
Newsday reported the new Garden City site will be a Whole Foods flagship location, spanning 53,000 square feet. The other four existing Whole Foods on Long Island range from 20,000 square feet to 47,500 square feet. According to the news source, the Garden City store, at 867 E. Gate Blvd., is being built on the site of a former Pepsi bottling plant.
Over in Massapequa, the planned Whole Foods will be in a former Babies R Us space, at 5214 Sunrise Hwy., in the Sunrise Promenade shopping center. It’s set to open in the fall of 2021 and will take up approximately 38,500 square feet.
Where will Whole Foods break ground next? AndNowUKnow will continue to follow the retail newswire and bring you the latest.
IDAHO FALLS, ID - Organic fruits and vegetables remain among the fastest-growing product categories in the produce department. With above-average retail prices, organics usually drive a disproportionate share of total dollars while attracting large-basket produce consumers. To address these trends, Category Partners released a study showing how organic seasonal summer fruits can be an opportunity for supermarkets to drive increased sales and volume.
“What we know is that interest in organic produce continues to be very high among consumers,” Steve Lutz, Senior Vice President of Insights and Innovation, shared with ANUK. “We also know there is a multi-year trendline of organic produce showing stronger growth rates than conventional. Therefore, we know there is a solid opportunity for retailers to drive sales with organics fruits and vegetables. That’s the baseline trend.”
Some things that stood out in this study include:
- The data in this study shows many conventional retailers are selling (quite successfully) seasonal organic summer fruits at levels far above the national average while supermarket competitors in their own market often fail to offer the same organic products to shoppers
- Among the top five seasonal summer fruit categories, organic grapes and organic nectarines have the strongest volume share of category
- Organic performance in summer fruit varies significantly by category and by retailer, indicating many supermarkets appear to be missing sales that are captured by their competitors
“I think the range of outcomes indicates that there is an opportunity for many retailer organizations to re-think their organic summer fruit program,” Lutz continued. “The sales success being generated by top-performing chains dwarfs that of their in-market retail competitors."
Across the produce department, organic fruits and vegetables continue to grow in sales and volume at rates that exceed conventional categories. Organic sales have steadily improved as retailers have expanded assortment and increased shelf presence.
“A combination of securing the right summer fruit organic product mix, understanding organic price gaps versus conventional alternatives, visible shelf position, and merchandising execution is important,” explained Lutz. “That said, for many retailers, success appears to start with selecting summer fruit suppliers who can provide continuity of supply throughout the full season. Getting the right supply partner easily eliminates that potential issue.”
For more on this study, click here.
With the rise in organics in consumer shopping trends, maximizing this opportunity is key. Continue following ANUK as we bring industry insights, retail news, and more in fresh produce.
CORAL GABLES, FL - Fresh Del Monte Produce continues to fulfill its commitment to create a positive impact on the environment with the addition of six new energy-efficient reefer container vessels to its fleet.
“Today, shipping accounts for the largest portion of our global energy use,” said Hans Sauter, Chief Sustainability Officer. “In 2018, we committed to lead by example and reduce our vessel emission by 10 percent. With the addition of these six new container vessels we are well on our way, estimating a savings of nearly 19 thousand metric tons of fuel each year.”
The addition of the new vessels—named Del Monte Gold, Del Monte Rose, Del Monte Harvester, Del Monte Spirit, Del Monte Valiant, and Del Monte Pride—marks a new chapter in environmental sustainability for the company.
According to the press release, the first of the six vessels, the Del Monte Gold, embarked on the high seas earlier this month, traveling from Hong Kong, China, toward the Panama Canal. Like its siblings, the Del Monte Gold has a full cargo capacity of 1,276 TEU with 634 plugs for forty-foot high cube reefer containers.
“We have been working toward this goal since 2017 and could not be more excited to see it come to fruition,” said Helmuth Lutty, Senior Vice President of Shipping Operations. “As one of the world’s leading producers, marketers, and distributors of fresh fruits and vegetables, we have set a very high bar for all the reefer containers and ships in our fleet. These six new vessels set the bar even higher, and allow us to deliver the high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables we are known for while meeting our sustainability goals.”
Given the perishable nature of fresh fruits and vegetables, the air-cooled containers will maintain the cargo at specified temperatures, traveling in reefer mode with multiple temperature variants from -25C to 40C.
Each vessel meets the most stringent emission control regulations and includes:
- Latest hull design and vertical bow to achieve a service speed of up to 22 knots with a very efficient fuel consumption
- Fitted with Hybrid Scrubber system, meeting all international requirements to reduce pollution and control emissions of noxious substances
- Fitted with shore power connection to use Alternate Marine Power (AMP) at ports allowing ships to work with shore power (Cold ironing) without having to use IFO or MGO while in port where facilities are available and/or required
- Fitted with the latest Preventive Maintenance System technology on all machineries on board with the purpose to have efficient combustion on main and auxiliary engines and control of main components replacement efficiently according to manufacturer’s parameters
All aboard the sustainability ship! As industry leaders like Fresh Del Monte continue to innovate, ANUK will continue to report.
DAVIS, CA - Let’s talk about two very important “P” words: price and perception.
The first, for obvious reasons, is a big player for both the buy- and supply-sides in ensuring that everyone sees a return on their investment (ROI). Perception, numbers argue, is at least as important, but maybe more so coming from the side of the consumer, whose decision is made more by the image of what they are spending than the actual number. That is what Engage3 and Nielsen have teamed up to prove.
“Understanding your price index is as important as it has ever been, but it doesn’t actually help you understand how your consumers perceive your pricing,” said Edris Bemanian, Engage3’s CEO. “Our strategic relationship with Nielsen unlocks an analytically-driven measurement that gives retailers a clear view of their positioning relative to both their specific competitors as well as the total market. This lets them identify top investment opportunities that will have the greatest impact on their Price Image.”
Price Image, according to Engage3, is the consumer’s perception of a retailer’s overall price relative to its competition. This has to do with the actual price, but it’s a factor not so hard and fast as math would have us believe.
“Price Image Analysis adds an additional layer of insight for our retail customers. Working with Engage3, we’re able to combine our data and analytic capabilities to bring something truly unique and powerful to the market, giving retailers the ability to measure and improve their Price Image,” Morgan Seybert, Managing Director, U.S. Analysis at Nielsen, said.
In short, Price Image Analysis helps retailers define the image they want to establish in the market without going straight to price cuts—a move that can sometimes negatively impact the health of the market. Instead, they can avoid bias, time delays, and other perceptive influences, understanding how to align their financial objectives with achieving the price image they desire.
Reaching across categories, markets, and time, this is certainly an intriguing tool as retailers look to take on both pricing and perception among the increasingly competitive marketplace.
WASHINGTON, DC - As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint against First Fruits Holdings LLC, doing business as Four Rivers Onion Packing.
First Fruits Holdings LLC, operating from Idaho, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to five produce sellers in the amount of $1,172,846 from November 2016 through July 2018.
Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
First Fruits Holdings LLC, doing business as Four Rivers Onion Packing, will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry as a licensee for three years, or two years with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for two years, or one year with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
The PACA Division, which is 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.
For more information and to read the press release in its entirety, please visit the link here.
UNITED KINGDOM - London, England, has become the epicenter of Amazon’s latest market strategies as the e-tailer continues its global expansion. Amazon will begin free and same-day deliveries of groceries in London for its Prime members as it looks to cash in on fast-growing demand for buying essentials online, a trend that has been boosted by the coronavirus lockdown.
Customers with a Prime subscription can order meat, produce, snacks, and other household essentials from Amazon UK’s Fresh service in two-hour windows for orders above £40 ($52) or as fast as same day for orders placed before 9 p.m. in most areas, the e-commerce giant stated in its press release. The service is available today in parts of the South East, including Woking and Guildford, and will be rolling out across the U.K. by the end of the year. According to the release, this is the first time Amazon has released this service in the U.K.
Fast and free grocery delivery from Amazon Fresh will expand to millions of Prime members across the U.K. before the end of the year. This will include great selection, fast delivery, and all of the best of Amazon Fresh.
While Amazon expands its presence and grocery offerings in the United Kingdom, how will the e-tailer continue its market expansion in the United States? ANUK will continue to report on the latest.
IRVINE, CA - Summer retail promotions are synonymous with avocados. To keep this momentum going, California Avocado Commission (CAC) has announced that customized programs are underway with retailers and foodservice operators, and more promotions are planned throughout the summer.
“Demand for California avocados has stayed strong throughout spring and into summer,” said Vice President of Marketing Jan DeLyser. “Understandably, promotions needed to take a back seat to basic supply logistics during the early months of the pandemic, but leading into summer, customer readiness and enthusiasm for program participation has been very encouraging.”
This summer, according to a press release, promotions include: digital advertising, feature ads and ad circulars, e-flyers, banner ads, savings rewards and booklets, in-store demos, social media programs, incentives for online shopping, videos including custom-produced recipe videos, retail dietitian programs, recipe promotions, inclusion in produce cross-marketing programs, and participation in a retailer TV segment.
Unbelievably though, CAC has even more tactics up its sleeve. Sales contests and display contests will soon resume, supported by display bins, in-store signage, stanchions, and chalkboard signs. For some, including a profile of a California avocado grower in an ad or in-store material helps communicate locally grown produce—which often wins over consumers.
For foodservice, CAC's promotions focus on operators with take-out and delivery service. Del Taco recently highlighted California avocado season and fresh California avocados by showcasing guacamole and fresh slices of the fruit with many of the dishes on its menu. In addition, the chain placed added emphasis on its Epic Grilled Chicken Fresh Avocado Burrito. (Who doesn't want a bite of that?)
To keep up to speed on what CAC and other California avocado growers are up to, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
KEENES, IL - As a writer, we tend to feel a sort of kinship when we meet other writers, especially within produce. From a struggling farm in southern Illinois to a billion-dollar business, Sarah Frey has gone through several hoops of her own, and boy does she have a story to tell. Set to drop on August 25, Frey’s intimate and inspiring memoir THE GROWING SEASON: How I Built a New Life—and Saved an American Farm tells the tale of her fight to save her family’s farm and her journey as “America’s Pumpkin Queen.”
According to the statement, Frey’s incredible rags-to-riches tale about her journey to escape rural poverty and create a billion-dollar farming business—without ever leaving the land she loves—is emotional, incredible, and full of moxie. In the book, Frey describes what it was like being raised alongside her brothers in near poverty as the youngest of 21 children. At 15, she started her own fresh produce delivery business, and at 17, she saved the family farm from foreclosure.
Today, the family-operated company, Frey Farms, has sold more than a billion dollars’ worth of fresh produce and beverages and has become one of America’s largest fresh produce growers and suppliers. Thanks to the millions of melons and pumpkins she sells annually, Frey has been dubbed “America’s Pumpkin Queen.”
Frey found adventure and opportunity in one of the most forgotten parts of our country. With fearlessness and creativity, she literally dug her destiny out of the dirt. That destiny has been written for all, and we certainly cannot wait to find out more.