YAKIMA, WA - Superfresh Growers® and Norris Farms® are on track to kick off the Northwest berry season in one week. With harvest expected to start the week of June 9, the two multi-generational family growers are gearing up to deliver premium blueberries and kiwi berries to the world.
“Weather this crop year has been in our favor. We have been experiencing cool nights that will help increase fruit sizing, create a more uniform size, and increase the brix of the blueberries,” noted Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Communications Manager.
Located in Oregon’s Umpqua Valley, Superfresh’s blueberry fields tout an ideal climate for large, high-quality blueberries over a long season. The Umpqua Valley in particular is known for warm sunny days and evenings cooled by coastal breezes, resulting in low summer humidity that reduces the risk of condition and quality problems and extends the harvest season, according to a press release.
“We offer a whole selection of fruit for your summer promotions. With our internal logistics team, DSG Logistics®, we can easily create a mixer load of blueberries, cherries, apricots, apples, and pears. We are here for you and what you need to promote,” continued Gipe-Stewart.
The grower’s blueberry season extends into September, ending just as the kiwi berry season begins.
“Kiwi berries are bite-sized nutritional dynamos! They are rich with antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium. Kiwi berries have a sweetness and beautiful flavor that is best when slightly soft and the skin starts to shrivel,” added Gipe-Stewart. “We are expecting families to forego their traditional vacations this summer and look for fun and exciting new foods to elevate their backyard adventures. Fresh blueberries and kiwi berries will be a popular way to add excitement to backyard picnics, and gatherings with close family and friends.”
In addition to its domestic promotions, Superfresh Growers is also anticipating optimistic sales for its export program.
“We are looking to be well-positioned this season with the continued growth of Southeast Asia including the Vietnam market which recently opened last year. The Philippines and China have been added to Superfresh Growers' future market development. European and United Kingdom markets are active as well,” concluded Gipe-Stewart.
For more of the freshest crop updates around, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
MIAMI, FL - This too shall pass. Albert Perez starts our conversation with this simple but powerful statement as we catch up after what feels like months of riding a market rollercoaster. But, it has not yet slowed its roll. The CEO and Grower Relations leader for Continental Fresh is filled with more gratitude than anything else as he seeks to find a silver lining in the challenging events of the day—and new packaging is a great place to start.
"In late March, as the U.S. went on lockdown, all produce sales hit their own unique roadblocks. For Continental Fresh, our challenges felt heartbreaking at first, but then came that glimmer of opportunity and hope," Albert shares. "The interesting thing is that our brand new labels, Food For Humanity and Water for All, which were created with the purpose of giving back, really had a chance to take their missions seriously and the pandemic actually jump-started our campaigns in a big way."
The company saw its labels in food lines and news stories all across the country. Being able to support a great cause ended up being good business—this was exactly why Continental Fresh team aligned its business model with a passion to help others.
The eye-catching labels, Food For Humanity and Water for All for the company’s vegetables and fresh mangos respectively, help fund clean water projects in Latin America. Clean water is the most basic human need, and Continental Fresh is seeking to make a difference for the 780 million people that lack access to it around the world.
Each mango has a waterdrop-shaped barcode PLU sticker that guides consumers to the website www.bluemissions.org where they can get more information about Continental Fresh’s projects. Albert and the team firmly believe that today’s consumer wants to buy something that stands for something: a program that gives them a chance to connect with the global need for water and learn more about what we are doing. Sales of the company’s socially conscious labels, including Food For Humanity and Water For All, have already surpassed 1 million cases and with Continental Fresh’s .01¢ per case donation to BLUE Missions, that means over $10,000 has been raised.
“We project total donations to surpass $25,000 by year’s end,” Albert says with a hopeful smile. “Despite the terrible things this pandemic has brought, one day we will look back on the special times we spent with our families, making home-cooked meals, playing board games, watching movies, and cherishing quality time. May we all emerge a more compassionate and resilient industry that is better, stronger, and faster.”
There are gifts we can find in any crisis and people who will go to any lengths to help, even if it is just one drop of water, one vegetable, and one mango at a time.
BIRMINGHAM, AL - Target is continuing its expansion plans with the addition of a new Chief position on its C-suite team. Molly Snyder has recently been appointed as the first Chief Communications Officer of Shipt, a grocery delivery service owned by Target.
“We have a fantastic story to continue to build and tell,” Snyder said. “I’m thrilled to be on board, working side by side with the leadership team, my team, and all our Shipt colleagues during this unprecedented time and as we move into the future.”
Snyder boasts strong expertise in the communications field. Before her role at U.S. Bank, a company she worked for since September of 2017, where she served as SVP of Public Affairs and Communications, Snyder held various positions at Target for six years, most recently as Director of Communications.
According to a press statement, Snyder began her duties as the new Chief Communications Officer on Monday and reports to Shipt CEO Kelly Caruso. Snyder will now be responsible for external and internal communications for the company, including media relations, executive communications, and internal communications across the enterprise.
Congratulations to Molly Snyder on her new position!
SOUTH AFRICA & U.S. - Excellence in leadership is worth its weight in gold—or, in this case, citrus. With the Northern Hemisphere’s summer months on the horizon, Suhanra Conradie, Chief Executive Officer of Summer Citrus from South Africa (SCSA) took a beat to share her insights with the industry on a key element of the firm foundation from which the SCSA takes flight: leading women in produce.
“Each year that passes offers a reason to celebrate another year that we have been blessed with a prosperous crop. In 2019, we celebrated 20 years of success, which was a massive milestone for our group,” Conradie stated. “This year during the April planning session, I planned to celebrate women in produce because the reality is that the fresh produce industry is still a fairly male dominant industry. And within our unique collaboration, women are certainly an imperative part of our success.”
In honor of how far SCSA has come and the women helping to lead the charge along the way, Conradie shared this video below that speaks to the value, integrity, and passion that inspire us every day.
The video features Conradie herself, CEO of Seald Sweet Mayda Sotomayor, General Manager of Capespan North America Erin Meder, and Vice President of DMA Solutions, Megan Zweig.
For a quick breakdown of the vision and insight in this video, Sotomayor has been involved since the beginning of this program and she shares in the video that SCSA’s success has not come easy. Sotomayor has first-hand experience of the sustainability stories in the association’s area and knows the growers very well. She has played a major role in establishing citrus as a category, especially on the U.S. East Coast.
In this feature above, Meder opens up about the strength of the cohesive model and the stability SCSA created and the fact that it has actually helped the program to grow. She focuses on the fact that this is a quality-focused commodity in the U.S. and the fact that this will help gain market share.
Zweig speaks to the essential role DMA has played in SCSA’s re-branding, allowing SCSA to supply with confidence on the world stage! Megan pays close attention to the domestic citrus season and identifies the opportunities to drive demand for South African fruit during the summer months.
"I celebrated my tenth year with this group and we have achieved a lot. I will always focus on the amount of effort and planning that actually goes into executing this program with excellence. This group (on both the U.S. and South African side) is basically a group of competitors collaborating for the greater good of the program/industry," Conradie stated. "The famous Magic Johnson has said that competitors make you better and I see other sources of citrus as rivalries, which means we are always making each better. I thrive on that!"
A huge thank you to Summer Citrus from South Africa for all that you do for the industry and to the women that elevate the bar across fresh produce every day!
SALISBURY, NC - Ahold Delhaize banner Food Lion is buckling up for accelerated expansion plans in the Southeast. The retailer announced that it agreed to purchase 62 BI-LO/Harveys Supermarket stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia from Southeastern Grocers.
“We are so excited to add these new locations to our more than 630 stores across Georgia and the Carolinas,” said Food Lion President Meg Ham. “We’ve been serving customers in these larger regions for almost 60 years. We’re thrilled to add these locations and serve even more towns and cities across these three states with fresh, quality products at affordable prices every day with the caring, friendly service customers expect from their local Food Lion.”
Food Lion noted in a press release that it expects to hire more than 4,650 associates to serve customers at the 62 new stores. Until the transaction is complete in January–April of next year, the stores will remain open as BI-LO and Harveys Supermarket.
“Caring for families and communities is at the heart of our brand. We believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent and gas and groceries,” Ham said. “That’s why Food Lion recently announced a goal of providing 1 billion more meals through our hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds, to feed our neighbors in need. As part of that commitment to the most vulnerable in our communities, these new stores will also be paired with local food bank partners. Caring is who we are and what we do at Food Lion.”
Ahold’s banner will be served by ADUSA Distribution through the Mauldin, South Carolina, distribution center, which helps support the additional needs of 62 new operations.
Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest in acquisitions, retail updates, and more.
WASHINGTON, DC - In a move of solidarity, a letter hit industry inboxes recently with the faces of Tom Stenzel, President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Fresh Produce Association, and Cathy Burns, CEO of the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). Together, they sent a message to the industry of their takeaways from a critical meeting with the USDA regarding the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
“We had an open and candid dialogue on many topics we have each heard from our members, including challenges faced in the RFP process, and discussion about how the program is operating today. We’re pleased to report that USDA’s tracking data show that more than 3 million boxes have already been delivered,” the two associations stated.
The conversation was described as a “lengthy virtual meeting with USDA officials who have direct responsibility for the Farmers to Families Food Box program,” in response to an earlier joint letter offering input on the program, which, if successful, could serve as a game-changer for all involved.
“As this program is just two weeks into operation, USDA is evaluating everything they are learning from current contracts and developing new plans for a second round beginning July 1,” the statement continues. “We heard about extensive analysis and audits to verify what is actually taking place under current contracts, which gives us confidence in USDA’s oversight of the program.”
Stenzel and Burns observed that the USDA team was very open and receptive to suggestions both associations have heard from industry members, and said it was reaffirmed that they believe one of the goals of the program is to support companies that have suffered from the loss of foodservice business. Among the topics advised on were how to best meet the needs of those the program is intended to connect with food, as well as providing diversity of commodities and better demonstrating capabilities in the bidding process.
“We applaud those of you are working hard to deliver fresh produce through this program today, and urge any others who want to be part of the program to be on the lookout for how you might be considered in the future. As we know, there will likely be many more bidders who offer their services than dollars or contracts allow, but we believe the process will continue to improve with a mutual industry and USDA goal to achieve maximum success for the program,” the letter concludes.
Click here to read the letter in its entirety.
While it sounds like the conversation was a productive one, both associations acknowledged that a specific course ahead is not yet official. As something of a preview, the USDA shared that it is likely current contract holders who are demonstrating excellence in fulfilling their contracts will have the opportunity to be considered for an extension in the next round and new offerors will likely be considered, particularly where there are unmet needs to serve people in need.
With a promise of further communication should more details come to light, stay tuned for the latest from your friends at AndNowUKnow.
VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA - We’re sure you know by now, but summertime means cherry time! Oppy is bringing the cherry love this summer with the help of its Orchard View brand, which boasts premium quality cherries after an exceptional growing season. With Oppy’s California cherry season wrapping up at the beginning of June, the crop from the Pacific Northwest leads to a seamless transition for buyers looking for promotional volumes.
Orchard View brand cherries are offered by Oppy in bags, clamshells, and in a first-time-ever innovation: a top-seal pack this season.
“We’ve seen many excellent Orchard View cherry crops over the years, but this one is shaping up to be truly superb. Season in and season out, we’ve found that consumers truly appreciate their excellent flavor profile, and rightfully so—no other fruit can really provide this unique combination of taste and texture. This is why it retains a wide-spread national appeal, as well as high-interest from key export markets around the world,” said Oppy Senior Vice President of Categories and Marketing James Milne. “Cherries have always been so intimately tied to a celebratory summer spirit, and this year people are certainly looking forward to it.”
The brand’s “Pick Your Moments” positioning, initially launched in 2016, highlights the importance of savoring the special moments in life, a press release explained.
Due to recent tech acquired in 2016, Orchard View is utilizing an on-site Unitec optical sorting line to separate cherries by color and size while culling out quality concerns. The sorter’s 48-lane capacity efficiently delivers consistency within each pack.
“We’re incredibly happy with how the growing season turned out this year. The quality is truly spectacular and is in line with what people expect from the Orchard View brand,” said Orchard View President Brenda Thomas. “We are already seeing great consistency and uniformity in color and shape, meaning the crop is just top-notch.”
As there’s a first time for everything, perhaps this will be the first time that I buy cherries every single day of the summer! Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest in all things produce.
MASSY, FRANCE - Global challenges do not necessarily mean a halt in global growth for some—just ask Carrefour. The retail giant has entered into an agreement with Dairy Farm to acquire Wellcome Taiwan, a transaction that involves 224 proximity stores in quality locations. The transaction’s enterprise value is 97 million euros (approximately $108.5M USD).
To put this acquisition in a context of success, Wellcome Taiwan posted net sales of around 390 million euros ($435.79 million USD) in 2019, according to a press release. This footprint breakdown welcomes 199 Wellcome formats and 25 Jasons formats as well as a warehouse. This includes ownership of the warehouse’s real estate and land.
In addition, Wellcome will bring its recognized expertise in fresh produce and will contribute to the development of food e-commerce, with each store becoming a new pick-up point for e-commerce orders.
Carrefour has plans to convert the Wellcome stores to the Market banner within 12 months after the closing of the transaction. Jasons stores will be converted to a Carrefour premium banner. The converted stores will benefit from Carrefour’s commercial policy and purchasing conditions.
Carried out under attractive conditions, the acquisition allows Carrefour to accelerate its development in Taiwan in the area of fast-growing proximity formats, making Carrefour the local number 2 group in this sector. This move allows Carrefour to consolidate its position as the multi-format food retail titan in that market. In addition, by combining these businesses, customers and team members will benefit from the group’s greater presence and wide-ranging scale.
The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close by the end of 2020. A huge congrats to Carrefour on this recent growth on the international stage!
WAPATO, WA - As the weather warms, there’s nothing like some seasonal produce to get us ready for summertime. What better way to capture that excitement than with delicious stonefruit? RemBrandt Fruit has just the selection consumers are craving and retailers are buying.
“We are shaping up for a great Washington stonefruit season," shares Joe Brandt, Sales Manager. For this upcoming year, Rembrandt is expecting to have more than double the volume.
With great growing weather post-bloom and plenty of land to utilize, the grower is now primed and ready to grow optimal stonefruit sizes for retail this upcoming season.
“Right now, we are getting ready for apricots and are about six weeks away from peaches and nectarines,” Joe continues. “Things are progressing nicely.”
In addition to Mother Nature’s good will, Joe explains the company’s promising volume is thanks in part to an acquisition of a significant amount of stonefruit acreage from a neighboring company.
“The acquisition had set us up quite nicely for the future in the stonefruit category here in Washington,” Joe says.
To help ensure its retail partners have an amazing season, RemBrandt provides high-quality POS materials, such as end cap displays and pouch bags featuring the grower’s family story.
With fruit maturing just as the RemBrandt team expects, retailers can look forward to ample promotional opportunities this summer. AndNowUKnow will continue to bring the freshest news from the ag industry, so look forward to the latest.
UNITED STATES - The produce industry is in for another knowledge knock-out on tomorrow, June 3, as a few leaders take the digital stage in PMA’s latest Virtual Town Hall: Tech Innovation in the Supply Chain—which will begin promptly at 12 p.m. Eastern Time.
Jim DiMenna, President of Red Sun Farms; Kenny Lund, VP/Support Operations of Allen Lund Company; and Gary Wishnatzki, President and CEO of Wish Farms, will center the discussion on the current and future state of supply chain technologies. The three industry veterans will specifically touch on the innovations that have emerged during COVID-19, including advances and changes in shipping, blockchain, and the accelerated use of drones and other technologies for food delivery, according to a press release.
Following this week’s Virtual Town Hall, which is an opportunity for the industry to rally together in order to discuss the challenges of COVID-19 and solutions that can be enacted, four Roundtables will take place to keep the conversation going, including the following:
- Foodservice: A discussion exploring how innovation and technology have impacted the foodservice sector and the effect on the industry for the long-term
- Retail: Retail sales analysis overview and category discussions around potatoes and blueberries
- Floral: What can the supply chain do to help the retailers in recovery from COVID-19
- Grower/Shipper, Supply Chain, and Global Trade: A conversation on tech solutions, with guests from Aerobotics, Arable, and Bear Flag robotics
To register for this one-of-a-kind event and join the discussion, click here. As more events like this come to light, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow for the freshest updates.