EWING, NJ - Traceability of fresh produce is an ever-evolving innovation. Furthering this essential supply chain operation, the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI), consisting of Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), GS1 US, Produce Marketing Association (PMA), and United Fresh Produce Association, and its many volunteer industry members, announced the release of four new or improved tools to support traceability implementation.
“As the Canadian industry strives for compliance with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) and the U.S. industry prepares for the September release of draft Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) traceability-related regulations, traceability is increasingly a focus across the supply chain and with consumers,” said PTI Chair, Doug Grant of Oppy. “These new and updated resources support a renewed commitment to traceability efforts and bring clarity and harmonization to the tools that support traceability.”
PTI’s new and improved tools consist of the following:
- Canada/U.S. Harmonized Case Label
- Template for Sharing Traceback Data with regulators
- Revised Best Practices for Formatting Case Labels
- Updated ASN (Advance Ship Notice)
The Harmonized Case Label reflects an industry-wide collaboration amongst stakeholders to align on a label that would be accepted by buyers in the grocery and foodservice communities in both Canada and the U.S. According to a press release, buyers from both countries worked through the winter to design and align on one label that meets both buyer and regulatory requirements and remains founded on global GS1 standards. To bring confidence to the supplier community, part of the effort included confirmation of buyer commitment to the label via individual letters of support, which are available on the PTI website. Buyers who have not yet confirmed their support are encouraged to contact one of the four associations noted in this release.
To ensure clarity on the use of the label, the PTI Best Practices for Formatting Case Labels was updated and includes information to enable integration into operations regardless of the commodity being packed.
In addition, the new Produce Traceback Template initiated as part of the Romaine Task Force and finalized by PTI working groups is designed to transmit traceability data to regulators when a company is involved in a trace-back investigation. The template was developed with guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for produce companies to better manage responses to inquiries about potentially harmful products in the supply chain, regardless of whether or not they are PTI compliant.
The tool is designed to be used by companies of varying sizes who are at any point in their traceability journey. The Template was also integrated into the PTI Guidance for Sharing Traceback Data. Initial testing by a small group of buyers yielded favorable responses, and over the summer PTI will execute a larger pilot to determine how the Produce Traceback Template can enable the broader food industry to align on traceability best practices and prepare for interoperability and regulatory requirements of the future.
Finally, as industry transitions to use of the ASN, the ASN 856 document was updated to reflect the updated EDI standard version 007050 UCS. This technical change supports the use of this electronic means for sharing both commercial and traceability information amongst trading partners.
PTI’s four founding organizations continue to collaborate on industry challenges and solutions for produce traceability, and encourage the industry to access the new and updated resources at the PTI website.
Keep checking in on us at ANUK for more of the latest news in fresh produce.
SEATTLE, WA - Amazon came in hot on the newswire this morning as it announced a landmark acquisition. Teaming up with the innovative tech company Zoox, the e-commerce giant announced its completion of the one-billion-dollar purchase.
"Zoox is working to imagine, invent, and design a world-class autonomous ride-hailing experience," said Jeff Wilke, Amazon’s CEO, Worldwide Consumer. "Like Amazon, Zoox is passionate about innovation and about its customers, and we're excited to help the talented Zoox team to bring their vision to reality in the years ahead."
First launched in 2014, Zoox designs zero-emissions vehicles created for autonomous ride-hailing services. According to a company release, the software expert aims to provide a revolutionary customer experience while being kind to the earth.
Although extensive terms of Amazon’s plans were not disclosed, we expect that Zoox's innovative technology will further support the e-tail giant's grocery business—whether that means innovating its logistics network for grocery delivery or bolstering its cashierless grocery store network.
"This acquisition solidifies Zoox's impact on the autonomous driving industry," said Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox. "We have made great strides with our purpose-built approach to safe, autonomous mobility, and our exceptionally talented team working every day to realize that vision. We now have an even greater opportunity to realize a fully autonomous future."
Jesse Levinson, Zoox Co-Founder and CTO, added, "Since Zoox's inception six years ago, we have been singularly focused on our ground-up approach to autonomous mobility. Amazon's support will markedly accelerate our path to delivering safe, clean, and enjoyable transportation to the world."
Evans and Levinson will continue to lead Zoox as Amazon works to integrate its innovative technology.
Autonomous technology continues to be an illusive area of potential for crucial operations from the farm to the consumer. Curious as to how this will impact Amazon’s fresh-forward presence? AndNowUKnow will keep you up to date as we investigate.
PORTERVILLE, CA - Homegrown Organic Farms just ensured that this year’s blueberry lineup will be one for the books. The grower announced it is partnering with Valles del Sur to introduce a new organic blueberry import program to its product portfolio. The import program will extend from October to March and feature organic blueberries that are 100 percent Fair Trade USA Certified.
“Solidifying an import program has been part of our strategic plan for several years and we are excited to partner with Valles del Sur for the 2020/21 blueberry import season,” said Scott Mabs, Chief Executive Officer, Homegrown Organic Farms. “The team in Chile greatly aligns with the mission, vision, and values of Homegrown and operates in a very similar method of business. Together, we are excited to bring their product to the U.S. market and better serve our customers with a more robust organic blueberry program.”
According to a press release, Valles del Sur is one of the premier organic blueberry growers in Chile with over 1,000 acres in production in Chile’s most fertile growing regions, which the company has been tilling since 1991.
Homegrown Organic Farms’ new partnership will provide contra-seasonal program opportunities and complement the grower’s current California and Oregon blueberry production. As a result, the new import program will allow Homegrown to offer a year-round organic blueberry program to its customers.
“This new partnership is going to give us a single source program with unmatched consistency throughout the entire supply chain,” added Stephen Paul, Category Director, Homegrown Organic Farms, before noting that the Chilean fruit will be packed in Kingsburg, California—the company’s flagship facility. At Kingsburg, the blueberries will be inspected prior to shipment to ensure only the freshest fruit is packed. “One outstanding grower and Homegrown’s domestic packing at our Kingsburg facility is a recipe for satisfied customers and consumers.”
Homegrown Organic Farms expects to begin shipping its imported organic blueberries in October.
For more of the freshest produce industry news, keep clicking back to AndNowUKnow.
BRADFORD, ONTARIO, CANADA - A carrot is never just carrot if you are fifth-generation, family-owned Gwillimdale Farms. A carrot is the symbol of a legacy. It is a coveted fresh produce destination and a testament to excellence. As the company progresses through the heart of its Mexican carrot program, Quinton Woods, Sales and Plant Operation Manager, joins me to discuss Gwillimdale’s vision for the summer months and what we can expect from this powerhouse produce provider as the team expands their reach in Canada and beyond.
“It is an exciting time at Gwillimdale Farms, and we remain a nimble and agile company even in the most challenging of times. Our team tailors our fresh produce programs across our carrot operations—as well as our potatoes, parsnips, onions and beets—to the needs of our retail partners,” Quinton shares with me. “As our portfolio and distribution capabilities have grown, our network of resources are allowing us to grow our customer base further into the United States.”
While Gwillimdale’s premium carrot portfolio is still available from Mexico, the team is also ramping up for its local season in Ontario, Canada, which should start in about four weeks. As a one-stop-shop providing a 365-day-per-year program across root vegetables, the company has made shipping available every day of the week, every week of the year to meet the demands of the consumer’s shopping list.
“All of our produce items are packed under our Gwillimdale label and we can ship anywhere in the U.S. and Canada,” Quinton says. “One of our biggest advantages is our commodity mix. With five commodities in the root veg category, we have a great opportunity to do mixed loads, especially when it comes to low-volume items like beets and parsnips. Gwillimdale also provides packing for private label and we can do custom or special specs as well—whatever the retailer needs. We grow everything ourselves, we pack everything ourselves, and we ship it all ourselves. Our team has the opportunity to control what we're producing. If there's a specification that the retailer's looking for, or any customer's looking for, for that matter, we have the ability to make sure that we can get what they need.”
As a family-owned and operated company, Gwillimdale infuses as much love in the soil as it does in its vision to impact the retailer’s bottom line. Today, Gwillimdale is one of Ontario’s largest growers, packers, and shippers of fresh root vegetables with over 1,000 acres, primarily based in Bradford, Ontario, just north of Toronto.
In a business where success is determined by the value of your relationships, Gwillimdale Farms is investing in the long haul for its partners and bringing vision to the forefront of its company and program.
SWEDESBORO, NJ - Advancement in technology has taken the industry to new heights, and the benefits are priceless. Greenyard Logistics recently shared its Swedesboro, New Jersey, facility with us here at ANUK, and the cutting-edge technology is one you'll want to witness for yourself.
“Greenyard is unique in its warehouse operations for three major reasons,” said Steve Marinello, Vice President. “One is an appointment system; we know exactly how many people we have working in each hour of the day. Our system then takes that and opens spots for us to put orders in depending on the quantity of pallets we need to load.”
This system allows Greenyard to view a report card on each and every transaction that goes through the facility. The in-house operations management system gives a visual to staff on the work lined up for the day, appointments that have been made, the status of the orders, and live information on the loading process.
Another reason Greenyard is unique is that it’s process-driven.
“We use [standard operating procedures or] SOPs to use best practices to do the work that we need to do,” Steve continued. “We do it consistently and improve those SOPs over time if things should change.”
The last reason is Greenyard’s knowledge. Greenyard operates over 30 distribution centers around the globe and packs an average of 270,000 bags of product a day in its Swedesboro facility. This allows the logistics company to gain more experience and curate a personalized program for customers’ varying needs.
“In addition to powerful product sourcing options, we’re offering customers supply chain solutions,” Steve explained. “We interact with them, creating processes to meet their requirements, listening to their challenges to provide solutions, and using our creativity and passion to make their goals a reality.”
To find out more about the facility, check out our exclusive video above.
For more insights and updates on our wonderful industry, keep checking back to ANUK.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - It’s no secret that grocery pickup and delivery have experienced accelerated demand in recent months. From fast-growing Aldi to the ever-dominant Walmart, grocery pickup has become central to retailers’ expansion plans across the globe. The trend truly shows no sign of slowing as now Target has joined in on the expansion strategy with its latest launch.
“The speed and convenience of our fulfillment options are unmatched across the country, and they’ve become even more critical for our guests searching for easy and safe ways to shop during the pandemic. By adding fresh grocery to the pickup services our guests already love, we’re giving them even more reasons to shop at Target,” said John Mulligan, Chief Operating Officer. “During a time when even more people are looking for different ways to get the items they need, we’ll continue to invest in making Target the easiest and safest place to shop.”
As noted in a company release, Target is now enhancing its pickup services to include fresh and frozen grocery items. This expansion will begin in the grocer’s Midwest-based stores following successful pilot trials in the Twin Cities and Kansas City markets. By the end of this initial roll out, Target’s enhanced services will be available in over 400 stores.
The first phase of this launch is expected to be complete by the end of the month, but Target isn’t stopping there. According to the company’s statement, over 1,500 of the retailer’s 1,800 stores will be upgraded to this service by the year’s end.
Wherever the latest grocery trends touch down next, you can count on AndNowUKnow to bring you the latest.
SOLEDAD, CA - Though the first-ever United Fresh LIVE! virtual trade show wrapped last week, the possibilities it opened up for the industry will continue to affect produce at large for years to come. As one of the 12,000 attendees at this year’s show, Kori Tuggle and the Braga Fresh team were some of many who walked away from last week with unprecedented insights into where produce is headed.
“United Fresh LIVE! was a great experience. It was definitely a ‘learn by doing’ experience that was very eye-opening,” Kori, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, shared with me. “What the United Fresh team was able to pull off in such a short time period was really impressive. Not only was the experience a historical first for our industry, but the execution, engagement, and communication throughout was spot on and brought our industry together during this time of uncertainty.”
If you were able to swing by Braga Fresh’s virtual booth, you might have found yourself heart-eyeing a couple of the grower’s latest product line additions, including the new purple baby broccoli and 13 value-added, conventional and organic veggies under both the Josie’s Organics and Braga Fresh brands.
“In addition to unveiling new products, we also debuted a 3-D tour of the Braga Family Barn. We’ve hosted many customer tours out there on our home ranch, so to do this virtual tour was a way to bring our home ranch to the show,” Kori added.
Even if you didn’t swing by Braga Fresh’s booth, there were still plenty of opportunities to hear from the grower’s team firsthand. Taking a front seat at the Organics LIVE! General Session, company President Rod Braga joined Albertsons’ Rich Mendonsa and Jerry Callahan, Castellini Group’s Brian Kocher, and the Organic Produce Network’s (OPN) Tonya Antle in a riveting discussion on the organics sector.
“Being a part of the Organics panel with OPN on Wednesday was an honor. With over 600 attendees to the session, I believe the large audience validates the level of focus on organics and the growth opportunities that abound across fresh produce,” Kori explained. “The added value of the virtual platform was that we could invite all of our employees to watch the panel for free and share the YouTube recording afterward.”
Those looking to reminisce on all that was touched on during the Organics LIVE! General Session can click here to re-watch the discussion.
And, as we as an industry continue to pave the path for produce’s future, AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the latest industry news.
ST. LOUIS, MO - Partnerships are what make the produce industry go round, especially when it’s as monumental as the one between Schnuck Markets and Foodshed.io. The Midwest grocer announced a new partnership with the logistics and marketing platform to buy more than $5 million of local produce and local goods in 2020 from farmers who live and work within the communities.
“Like Schnucks, these local farms have been feeding families and nourishing communities for many generations,” said Schnucks Vice President of Produce Mike Tipton. “Our continued support of local farms allows us to also provide the best quality and freshest produce to our customers who have supported us for more than 80 years.”
According to a press release, the new partnership will build on existing relationships with farmers while also establishing new ones—some of which have been operating for more than 100 years.
The partnership will also help make sure products from these farms meet the strict quality standards of Schnucks and its customers that are within a 250-mile radius.
“We are proud to be working with a family-owned and operated company like Schnucks to bring one of the most innovative platforms for local sourcing to the five states they serve,” said Dan Beckmann, CEO of Foodshed.io. “Being afforded the opportunity to establish a clean, safe, reliable, fresh, and local supply chain with these amazing family farms is an honor and a privilege.”
Foodshed.io participated in the St. Louis-based Yield Lab Incubator, as part of the burgeoning Ag Tech Innovation community. After starting in New York City, the supportive nature of the local community brought them to the St. Louis area.
"With the advent of COVID-19, it's more important than ever to support the local supply chain and local farms during these uncertain times,” Beckmann added. “Schnucks and Foodshed.io are committed to bringing the freshest seasonal produce from farms located no further than a five-hour drive from any one Schnucks store, ensuring customers are receiving the freshest local product possible.”
This massive deal supplying 112 Schnucks stores across five states in the Midwest is another step toward Foodshed's goal of creating a new food distribution system—especially after the pandemic's impact exposed the fragility of the current supply chain.
For more produce news to power through the day, keep checking back to ANUK.
UNITED STATES - If you read our recent recap of United Fresh LIVE!, you know my mind was a curious buzz of questions as to what to expect once the big secret was unveiled. And the first thing I noticed when hitting the virtual show floor was that United Fresh wasn’t the only one keeping innovations under wraps.
Now, the only tragedy is that I didn’t get to taste and touch these newest additions to fresh produce myself, giving me more to look forward to when they hit the shelves. So please help a girl out and make sure they do!
Ocean Mist® Farms Purple Artichokes
If these flowery treats look half as beautiful in the department as they do on-screen, they will certainly be a shopping cart-stopper. Already artichokes bring a versatile prestige to any dish, so I can easily imagine the power of purple giving the vegetable an extra edge, whether that is to bring a special touch to a typical meal or engage children with a new fun color not usually associated with their vegetables. Add to that Ocean Mist’s marketing prowess, which promises the look and feel of a “Mediterranean old world variety,” and I have no doubt this newcomer will be a produce star.
Bay Baby Produce Direct to Consumer Boxes
New strategies connecting produce to the public are a hot topic on the newswires and were discussed more than once among United’s Coffee Talks. Bay Baby, I discovered, was ahead of the curve with its two latest packing additions: Organic Squash Mix and Ornamental direct-to-consumer boxes. Not only are they on point with the latest trend in bringing produce direct to consumers, but they are also ready to grab and go, create a closer-to-the-farm connection, and are right on time for buyers to start planning for the fall—whether consumers are baking with their gourds or decorating with them!
Windset Cameo® Cherry Tomatoes On-the-Vine
The Windset team’s popular Cameo Cherry Tomatoes just got a little more aesthetically pleasing (if that was possible) and even fresher as they come to market. After all, what declares the freshness of a tomato more than it resting on the vine alongside its siblings? Teased with the company’s promise of “a little taste of summer,” I was forced to shop with only my eyes and was still drawn into the bright colors promising the fresh-picked flavor we all seek. Since this is how we all must shop, it was a great preview of how this product can draw in anyone who sets eyes on it in the produce aisle.
Bolthouse Farms Plant-Based Immunity Products
COVID-19 certainly has consumers reading labels more for immunity benefits rather than flavors these days. Long before this, though, Bolthouse Farms had declared it’d done some soul searching in what sort of innovations it wanted to bring our industry. So, its new plant-based products designed to help support immune health seems almost prophetic. Bolthouse Farms’ BOLTS, Family-Sized C-Boost, and Green Goodness tell shoppers all they need to know as they seek to fortify the bodies of themselves and those they love. Could you be more aligned with the times and the trajectory in which they are headed?
Is your mouth watering yet? Mine certainly is, and I can’t promise I won’t be returning to the archives of United Fresh LIVE! just to make sure I didn’t miss any other possibilities to make the summer hotter than ever.
WATSONVILLE, CA - California Giant Berry Farms is ushering in a whole new meaning for the phrase “feeling blue” this summer. Having just wrapped up the spring season of blueberry harvest in Georgia and California’s Central Valley, the grower recently reported impressive volumes of organic and conventional blueberries for the summer season from the Pacific Northwest.
“Our growers in Oregon harvested their first pick just last week,” said Nick Chappell, Director of Retail Sales. “This season is unique because it will only take about two weeks to hit peak volume and those high numbers will sustain for about six weeks before it begins to slowly decrease.”
In addition to premium quality conventional blueberries, California Giant’s year-round organic blueberry program continues to grow. In partnership with key Oregon grower, AC Foods, California Giant boasts its certification as one of the first U.S. blueberry growers to be recognized as Bee Better Certified™ by the Xerces Society. Identified by the certifier’s trademark bee icon, these organic blueberries are now available in an 18 oz plastic-free container that is 100 percent recyclable and is the latest addition to the company’s strong sustainability program.
To support the expected influx of blueberries as well as strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries this summer, California Giant will employ several consumer engagement opportunities to build brand awareness and drive purchase intent for fresh berries, according to a press release.
“Organic volume is up significantly this year as a result of increased acreage,” said Tom Smith, Director of Foodservice and Organic Sales. “Additionally, weather in the Pacific Northwest was cooperative this spring. The plants are strong, and we saw that the farms experienced really good pollination. We’re seeing the berries size up this week with good color and bloom.”
The “Sip, Chill, Repeat” sweepstakes is complemented by a nationwide Ibotta coupon offering a $0.35 reward toward any California Giant strawberry purchase. In addition, the brand will launch two volume moving coupons targeting key areas of California Giant’s product distribution. The coupons will be promoted through digital and social media activations in July and August.
“We’ve worked hard to listen and react to the feedback received from both trade customers as well as consumers over the past few years,” added Chappell. “We recently invested more into our data resources, both qualitative and quantitative, to provide a more in-depth understanding of shopper behavior. The promotions and coupons are a part of that.”
The only way California Giant’s fans will be feeling blue this summer is if they don’t get ahead of the season’s premium supply. For all the latest in fresh produce, stick with us at ANUK.