CYBER SPACE - There is no way to fit all the aspects of United Fresh LIVE! 2020 into one story, but I will try.
Since the United Fresh Produce Association announced that it was going to put on our industry’s first virtual trade show, I have been trying to picture it. Questions burned: How would we meet new people? What’s to prompt conducive conversations? Will this really feel like connection?
More than 12,000 registered to find out, shattering typical attendance anticipations. As the week went on, users averaged 6,000 per day, with a peak of 7,500—for perspective, last year’s peak was around 5,000.
“I don’t think two months ago, when we sat together and talked about what might happen, and should we cancel this, or go virtual, or what should we do—we had no idea. In fact, Monday, when we sat here and had this conversation […] I still didn’t know what to expect,” Tom Stenzel, President and CEO of United Fresh, said at the closing General Session Friday, June 19. “I look back now on a Friday, at an extraordinary week in the life of our produce industry and certainly our association.”
Additionally, United shared that retail buyers came in force: 500 retailers from 86 companies, among them Walmart, Costco, Publix, Kroger, Whole Foods, Albertsons, H-E-B, and others that did not hang out in the virtual rafters but made themselves visible.
As Tom said at the onset of this experience, there would be no “flipping over of the badge.” True to these words, buyers explored the show, engaged in Coffee Talks, served on panels, and voiced their insights in networking receptions throughout the week.
Like any first foray, nothing is perfect. And anyone who knows Michael Muzyk, United Chair, knows he will not shy away from such matters.
“As I toured our convention virtually, I asked people what resonated with them. Words that bubbled up were: Ease of acceptance, participation, education, community, and meeting people—all positive. Sure, there were a few disappointed exhibitors who said maybe there wasn’t enough foot traffic, but I challenged them to ask, ‘What did you do to get them to your booth?’” he begged the question, further adding that connectivity and technical bumps were to be expected for a first-ever format. “From a platform standpoint, from an education standpoint, from a connectivity standpoint, and from a networking standpoint, we hit it out of the park.”
The numbers supported this as well, with over 1,000 people logging in to general sessions daily, and over 200 in many workshops and Coffee Talks.
Topics were wide-ranging, suiting anyone, with an open and comfortable forum that encouraged respect and candid discussions I’m not sure would have taken place face-to-face.
“I have been really impressed with this virtual format,” Mark Munger, VP of Sales and Marketing for 4Earth Farms, told me as the show wound down. “Although I hate to admit it, I'm still old-school, so I was really unsure about the virtual format, but hats off to United Fresh. This has worked out really well for our company. I realize there are limitations, but I would like to have seen the virtual booths be a bit more interactive and less linear. I also think we, as a company, could have done more pre-show promotions and activities during the show to drive more traffic into our booth. We had great activity, but I've learned a lot from watching other companies, thinking about our approach and what we could have done better. The lesson with the virtual show, really, is that you get out of it what you put into it!”
Mayda Sotomayor-Kirk, Managing Director, U.S. Companies at Greenyard, shared that any hesitation she might have had pre-show has since been replaced with excitement at the potential that has yet to be realized.
“It has been different, but just think of all the opportunities United gave us to learn and connect in ways that we did not know was possible until now. It takes a lot of courage to make the first step, but I believe it has paid off,” she shared.
In turn, United chose to put its faith in attendees to, as Muzyk put it, “pay for the movie after you saw it.” In doing so, United Fresh forfeited $1 million in revenue, not making a need for support known until the investment could be experienced.
“It’s just the start of an opportunity on United Fresh LIVE! The platform now serves as a robust directory of products, services, distributors, buyers, and more throughout the summer,” said Mary Coppola, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at United Fresh. “The on-demand content, not just from United Fresh education, but also across all the exhibit booths will provide the global supply chain an opportunity to further advance their personal career-developed goals in the weeks and months to come.”
If you did take something positive away from this show, consider donating to ensure that United can continue not only to bring future innovations, but can also continue to bring us the leaders from its Leadership Program, marketing ideas from its BrandStorm, and, most importantly, give our industry a voice on Capitol Hill.
And if you still haven’t had a chance to participate, or simply need a refresher on all the information available, you can still access recorded sessions and the booths of exhibitors now until September 1, 2020.
As for me, I am convinced that a door has been cracked open and I can’t wait to see how we make our way even further through.
RENO, NV - Sysco’s pop-up format has taken off as of late, bringing a new convenience for consumers looking to get restaurant-quality products. In the heart of the pandemic, Sysco introduced its pop-up grocery store, which kept both itself and others afloat. The distributor went on to extend this format in the backyard of ANUK. Now, this format shows no signs of slowing, as Sysco recently introduced a pop-up truck in Reno, Nevada.
According to Fox 11, a news outlet based in the area, Sysco delivered fruit and vegetable boxes, along with other staples, to residents within Reno.
Although Sysco has been directly helping consumers, it too has been offering its services to restaurants as reopening became a reality. By introducing its Snapback Toolkit and Restaurant Readiness Tool, the company has been at the forefront of offering successful strategies. Being of service to both consumers and customers alike has allowed distributors like Sysco to maintain momentum even in the most difficult of markets.
Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we continue to cover the latest in all things foodservice, retail, and more.
PORTLAND, OR - In the produce aisle, the arrival of June means retailers are gearing up for the start of the Northwest organic cherry and blueberry seasons. Luckily for retailers, Bridges Organic Produce has its buy-side partners’ backs—and bottom lines—with its ever-expanding, ever-evolving programs.
“We have a very strong continuous program of organic blueberries and cherries from a group of premium growers in various micro-climates throughout the Northwest,” said Ben Johnson, President. “This will provide us with top quality fruit from the very start of the season through to the very end of the season on both blueberries and cherries."
Johnson continued, "Our growers are primarily packing in their own labels to maintain their unique identity in the market and to garner recognition for their premium quality fruit. We will also have a Bridges label blueberry to give us additional flexibility for growers.”
The Bridges team is anticipating strong availability of blueberries lasting until late September, with peak availability starting late June through July.
“We are excited about the development of a Bridges label for 4.4 oz, 6 oz, pint, and 18 oz blueberry clamshells,” said Sydney Fairchild, Marketing. “This is the first time we have branded any berries under the Bridges label and by doing so we are able to continue to grow and evolve the program by partnering with farms who do not have their own label. The new packing is clean and simple, ensuring the customer is able to easily see the beautiful fruit that we pride ourselves on.”
Category Lead Michael McMillian added, “For our Northwest grower partners, it is all about the customer eating experience, and you can taste the difference. Northwest blueberries turn blue long before they are ready to eat, our partners wait to pick the fruit, continuing to test the brix to ensure the berries are fully mature and very flavorful. They also achieve this excellent eating quality by heavily pruning the bushes which yields large fruit size.”
As part of its cherry program, Bridges is working with a new grower partner to extend its Dark Sweet Cherry season an additional month. This will create a season that lasts from early June through mid-August. In addition, Bridges is also offering Rainier Cherries through mid-July. According to a press release, there will be shortages in the beginning of this year’s Northwest cherry season.
“It was a heavy frost year, so early dark sweet cherries will be in very short supply, but we expect promotional numbers on the Rainiers leading up to the Fourth of July and the later reds are looking great,” added McMillian.
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Bridges and its growers are implementing new sanitation and social distancing protocols both in the fields and in the packinghouses.
“2020 is a completely unusual year, we are looking forward to cherries and blueberries. It will feel like the first normal thing we have done all year,” shared Mark Lapierre, one of Bridges Northwest partners who packs both blueberries and cherries under a separate label.
Overall, Bridges Organic Produce is rearing and ready to transition to summer with the arrival of its Northwest organic blueberries and cherries, both of which boast superfood health benefits.
For more fresh produce news like this, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
SUMMERLAND, BC, CANADA - To honor the essential workers of our industry, Okanagan Specialty Fruits® (OSF) hosted an Arctic® Apple Mother’s Day giveaway. The winner, Barbara Ortega, a security guard in California who has been working on the frontlines to protect produce, will now be receiving a 12-month subscription to a monthly beauty box tailored to her preferences.
"We are very proud to honor Barbara with this prize," said Neal Carter, President, in a recent press release. "We are incredibly thankful for essential workers."
In order to enter, people had to submit photographs on Facebook using #arcticapplescontest and tagging the Arctic apples Facebook page. Barbara Ortega works as a security guard for a private security company. She protects critical units in the produce industry, such as safeguarding employees and food sources. For her, the work is rewarding because she knows how her essential role keeps others safe.
“I was really excited,” Barbara noted when she learned of her win. “My husband and I avoid going out as much as possible because we both work in essential roles and can’t afford to get sick. It will be such a treat to pamper myself at home with this prize.”
Congrats to Barbara on a well-deserved win!
CHICAGO, IL - While it may be possible to have too much of a good thing, this is hardly the case when it comes to the consumer insights provider, Numerator. This innovative company has only continued on its upward growth trajectory, rolling out some of the most forward-thinking services on the market. I had the chance to get the inside scoop on Numerator, and couldn’t wait to find out how the company might serve the fresh produce industry.
“Numerator gives brands the fastest insight into what consumers buy and why. By providing detailed data on marketing programs (including advertising and promotions) that influence the path to purchase, as well as deep insight into consumer purchasing across brands—regardless of the distribution channel—we provide our clients with a truly omnichannel view of the market,” said Valerie Ferguson, Consumer Insights Consultant at Numerator.
There are so many opportunities, especially in the current climate, to learn more about shoppers and how they engage with the produce category overall. Numerator is able to provide unique insights into the market including the rise of e-commerce buying, the rise of small-format stores, the rise of small and private label brands, the shift toward locally grown and sourced food, and so much more.
“Our produce clients can go beyond the fact that units or pounds may be up, and instead dig into the driving forces, like category switching, new shoppers, or leakage. They can understand who their shoppers are demographically and psychographically, and identify where else these shoppers are spending their dollars,” Valerie continued. “For clients with brands/varieties entering new markets, we help them identify trial and repeat rates, directly informing merchandising and marketing programs, retailer placements, and co-branded partnerships.”
I was first turned on to Numerator’s services by an industry friend, Richard Vann, who previously facilitated collaborations between the company and a well-known potato supplier.
“What Numerator allows you to do is get a deep insight into your consumer behavior, not only of your particular products, but of the people who are buying your products. You get an insight into the profile of who those consumers are, and you also get detailed information about why they're buying your product. You can ask them specific questions, and that's very unique and very powerful for any company, and particularly for the marketing department,” added Richard, Owner of Kymera Management Group, a management consulting firm that helps entrepreneurial organizations grow their business.
Numerator’s services facilitate a two-way communication with participants, enabling instant surveys of actual buyers. And by allowing panelists to opt-in to data sharing, the company is able to provide a seamless view of online and offline buying for a single panelist.
“We recognize that things change quickly in the produce industry. Rapid fluctuation in prices, supply, and trends can all impact what is happening at store level, and Numerator gives our produce clients the ability to follow these changes from a consumer’s perspective,” concluded Valerie. “We’ve received a very positive response from our clients in the produce industry because of the speed at which we’re providing data, the ease of access, the ability to survey verified buyers, and the sheer volume of information available.”
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with this fast-growing company as you look to build out your marketing and merchandising programs through concrete data! Keep checking in with us at AndNowUKnow for more of the most innovative news.
TOKYO, JAPAN - I’m just thinking out loud, I don’t know if I could ever go without...watermelon! Though these are the words of Harry Styles’ summer smash “Watermelon Sugar,” they are also incredibly applicable to how many of us feel about one of the largest fruits in the produce aisle.
Over in Japan, one particular fresh produce shopper really couldn’t go without a certain Densuke watermelon, which they purchased from an auction for $2,000. Although this is technically a lower price point than usual by about 70 percent—if you can believe a whopping $2K is low!—that’s still quite a stack to throw down for the beloved fruit.
According to The Wall Street Journal, this pricy melon was grown in northern Japan—and if you’ve been a staunch supporter of ANUK, then you know that this is par for the course for this country. In the past, we’ve reported on $4,488 mangos and upwards of $29,000 melons.
I think it’s safe to say what we’re all thinking, and again I borrow the words from Mr. Harold Edward Styles himself: “I just want to taste it, I just want to taste it”—it being that $2,000 watermelon, because surely that’s one watermelon sugar high!
MISSION, TX - It’s been all about papayas over at the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA), as the team has rolled out both a Mexican Papaya Food Safety Best Practices Guide as well as a webinar for best papaya practices in just the past few months. Locking in its papaya prowess, the association recently announced that a select group of papaya growers successfully completed the pilot training for the Food Safety Best Practices Guide for the Growing and Handling of Mexican Papaya on June 17.
FoodSafety CTS developed the online training material along with the support and review by TIPA and the ProExport Papaya Grower Association in Mexico. Training is now open to the public beginning June 26 through July 7, right on time to prepare for the coming papaya season.
“Just as the papayas we consume were planted, watered, and cared for over time, now, witnessing the fruition of these trainings validates the hard work and many hours poured into the development and dedication of this platform to provide a safer papaya for North American consumers,” said Dante Galeazzi, President and CEO. “We are excited to announce Virtual Training Courses are now open for registration.”
Targeted for the growers and handlers of Mexican papayas, this training aims to bring the entire industry up to a higher baseline for food safety and to minimize the potential of a future outbreak. The trainings and the training material will be in Spanish and hosted online for at least the first three months, due to the current pandemic and health and safety reasons. Current dates set for the online training are as follows: June 26, 29, and 30, and July 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7. These eight classes are just the beginning and more classes will be offered as demand merits, as noted in a press release. Registration for each class closes five days before the class.
The cost is $100 per person ($97 for course costs, $3 for payment processing). Classes have a minimum of 15 people and a maximum of 25 people. Participants will receive a training manual/workbook and a certificate upon successful completion of the course. The course takes eight hours, and is 100 percent online, but it is taught in a live-format with an instructor and two assistant instructors.
To register for an event, please click the link here.
To download the Food Safety Best Practices Guide for the Growing and Handling of Mexican Papaya, First Edition for FREE visit the following links for English or Spanish.
Keep an eye out for more fruity news coming your way!
PORTLAND, OR - Although Twin River has been known in the produce aisle as a mighty blueberry provider, the grower is shaking up its operations and expanding into the organic citrus category. The move builds off of one of Twin River’s primary partnerships with blueberry grower Cultivos Organicos, located in the Huaral region of Peru.
“The constant feedback loop that we have with the grower allows us to continually improve all aspects of production and throughout the lifecycle of the fruit," said Zane Coleman, Operations Manager and Grower Relations.
The arrival of citrus to Twin River’s lineup comes at no better time, for summer snacking is just starting to heat up. The grower is satisfying consumers’ cravings with organic Peruvian Satsumas, Murcotts, and Minneolas—the latter of which will arrive in-store in August. According to a press release, the first pack is showing a perfect brix level between 10-13 with an acid ratio between 1.1-1.2, with Satsuma supply expected to be steady through July.
In fact, one of the reasons why Twin River’s new citrus boasts such a perfect brix is because of Cultivos Organicos’ location in an ideal growing region. The Huaral region is well suited to both blueberries and citrus as it has a constant water supply that provides cool nights, warm days, and relatively low humidity, which, when paired with high levels of illumination, is the perfect concoction to producing beautiful fruit.
Mel Sharp, Sales Program Manager, highlighted the packaging that Twin River will be encasing its new citrus offerings in. Specifically, the new Peruvian citrus program ensures that kids of all ages have a sweet, portable, and vitamin-packed snack to enjoy all summer long. “The grab-and-go convenience and ease of digital merchandising on the bagged fruit is a great value-add for retailers,” Sharp explained.
The new single-source citrus program also allows Twin River to streamline its operational process to ensure minimal breaks in the cold chain while also maximizing return to the local agricultural economy.
As the Twin River team likes to say, “It’s always local season somewhere”—and the new organic citrus program is exactly that!
As produce providers continue to expand their fresh lineups, AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
ANAHEIM, CA - As of late, we’ve reported on multiple retailer/Instacart partnerships. Most recently, the grocery delivery service announced $225 million in new funding, which will aid in Instacart’s explosive growth. Teaming up with Instacart earlier this week, Northgate González Market is now one of many working to expand its same-day delivery capabilities.
“Northgate González Market is proud to partner with Instacart to provide additional shopping options to our loyal customers,” said Mike Hendry, Executive Vice President, Marketing, and Merchandising. “Given our company’s expanding and increasingly diverse customer profile, our partnership makes total sense as we continue to strive to provide our customers with excellence in customer service, various shopping options, and an enhanced shopping experience.”
According to news source The Coronado Times, the partnership will allow Northgate to deliver groceries from 36 stores across the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego, California. Additionally, Instacart customers in Southern California will now have all-new options to choose from when having groceries delivered.
Amidst COVID-19, shoppers have been increasingly reliant on delivery services such as Instacart to get their food. Working to maintain its foothold in the market, Northgate is ensuring that its customers will have delivery options available long into the future.
“We know that people and families across Southern California are looking for convenient and reliable shopping options from the grocers that have been feeding our communities throughout this crisis. We’re proud to partner with Northgate González Market, giving its customers access to the groceries they need from the retailer they know and love,” Vice President of Retail at Instacart, Andrew Nodes, said. “We recognize that delivery has become essential for many and we’re dedicated to ensuring our retail partners can connect with their customers online during this time.”
More dynamic partnerships like this are sure to come up, so stick with us here at AndNowUKnow.
FARMINGDALE, NY - As a grocery cart staple, fresh produce and its bounty of categories has been one guarantee during the tumultuous past couple of months. In fact, when I checked in on the potato market with Bushwick Potato Commission, Ken Gray confirmed that, if anything, the pandemic has highlighted the value and versatility of fresh potatoes for families in the United States.
“We believe potatoes will continue to play a vital role as more areas of our country begin to reopen,” the company’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing told me. “Though prices are currently higher than normal and supply has been tight, Bushwick Potato Commission still has plenty of excellent quality storage russets available and is packing new crop red, white, and yellow potatoes from California and Florida.”
Following California and Florida, Bushwick Potato Commission will begin its North Carolina crop in a few weeks with whites and reds followed by yellows, and Virginia will kick off in July with reds and whites first and yellows to follow around July 15.
“So far, quality is looking good on new crop colors. Warm weather has improved growing conditions. However, we have seen sporadic weather in the East, with some areas experiencing cold and wet conditions early on in the growing season. Overall, new planting and growing conditions have gotten off to a good start and the market as a whole has been steady,” Ken explained, noting that the market for specific varieties, like red, white, and yellow potatoes, remains tight.
All in all, Ken concluded, everything is looking good as potatoes continue their reign as a produce aisle mainstay.
For more crop updates like this, keep following AndNowUKnow.