UNITED STATES - It is down to mere hours—less than two in fact—until the inaugural Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge reaches the end of its countdown. The big reveal takes place today at 12:00 p.m. PST/2:00 p.m. CST. So, if your calendar reminder is not set, please do so as we tune in to produce veterans marking a milestone on the path they have paved for us all.
REGISTER TO WATCH THE CHALLENGE REVEAL
I will not call this a finish line. As Craig Slate, President and CEO of SunFed, pointed out it is far from that.
“This is not a finish line, but the end of the first leg in a journey for each of these amazing produce members to a new healthy lifestyle, packed with fresh produce!” Craig shared.
For months, we have been privy to the journey of fellow produce members Tommy Wilkins, Grow Farms Texas; Ed Bertaud, IFCO; Jed Murray, Tenaza Organics; and Michelle Cortez, Empacadora GAB – Mr. Lucky, as they have strived to set an example for walking the walk of our industry’s purpose. While it is certainly a goal each of them can be proud to have attained, they carry, too, an achievement in leaping a bar set before we first reported the event in November of last year.
“This competition was a tough decision for the Viva Fresh committee because, frankly, we didn’t know if others in the industry would support the effort,” Dante Galeazzi, President and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA), remarked when I asked him about marking the end of the event. “But then our participants rocked this competition, and the support from the industry has been overwhelming. I cannot tell you the number of people that have reached out about wanting to do something similar on their own. This is so exciting because it goes beyond the ‘message’ that fruits and vegetables are healthy. Instead, it shows people’s actual results—not from celebrities, but from industry peers—in seven short months of eating the things we sell. It shows that nearly anybody can be a healthier version of themselves, to see and feel that dramatic difference. That difference, as a result of eating better, was what we set out to highlight as part of our mission with Viva Fresh.”
As Dante further discussed the important precedent this challenge set, he pointed out that, while we have heard since childhood that fruits and vegetables are good for us, this country is plagued by health issues as a result of poor diets.
Melinda Goodman of FullTilt Marketing complemented this, sharing what it has meant to see some of our own share their journey in rectifying that issue.
“It’s been inspiring to work with the Clean Eating Challenge participants over the last few weeks and document all of their final statistics. It’s exciting to see their progress not just in weight loss, but in health outcomes and goals for the future. These individuals are examples of what’s possible when we commit to healthier living. Everyone should tune in to hear their individual stories, and I think you will be motivated to make moves of your own to follow in their footsteps on a better path to health and well-being,” Melinda commented.
The culmination happens today at 2:00 p.m. CST, 12:00 p.m. PST. Click here to register so you can watch and support these trailblazers take what we do to the next level from your very own desk.
OXNARD, CA - Mission Produce avocados are officially en route to South Korea! This week, the ‘cado purveyor announced its first-ever South Korea-bound shipment of Peruvian Hass avocados has set sail and is expected to make landfall at the Port of Busan in mid-June.
“This was a collective effort that was in process for many years and we are excited to provide South Koreans a consistent supply of healthy and delicious Peruvian Hass avocados for years to come,” said Thomas Padilla, Senior Director of Export Sales.
After a phytosanitary protocol was established on the shipment, the Peruvian Hass container was packed by Mission’s South and Central America team operating out of the company’s Peruvian packing house, which is one of the largest avocado packing houses in the world.
With an advanced avocado network with hotspots around the world at its back, Mission Produce’s global sources of supply allow for additional shipments throughout the year from core growing markets such as Mexico and California, according to a press release.
“Mission’s Peruvian fruit is of the highest quality as a result of our intensive pre- and post-harvest practices,” added Keith Barnard, Vice President of Global Sourcing. “We are proud to deliver our premium fruit and look forward to its arrival in Busan in the coming weeks.”
In addition to its own team, Mission Produce would like to thank Peru’s Ministry for Agriculture and Irrigation (Minagri) for helping to making this foray into a new market a reality.
For more of the freshest produce industry news around, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
BENTONVILLE, AR - In November, Walmart announced it would double its footprint in China by opening about 500 new stores and delivery depots in five to seven years. Shortly after, news followed that the retail giant partnered with JD.com to debut a new lifestyle format. Now, recent reports surfaced that Walmart plans to expand its members-only warehouse banner, Sam’s Club, in the huge market. Currently, the retail giant operates 26 locations; however, an ambitious growth plan revealed plans to operate 100 stores by 2028.
According to Bloomberg, people familiar with the matter stated that the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company told its employees about the goal in a townhall meeting on Wednesday. Unlike its no-frills, bulk-buying approach in the U.S., the Chinese version of the chain sells higher-end, imported groceries to middle-class consumers. Revenue at Sam’s Clubs has grown at a faster pace than the company’s separate network of over 400 Walmart stores selling basic groceries locally.
The news source further noted that, with Chinese consumers buying more staple products to cook at home and avoid restaurants following the recent pandemic, Walmart saw a comparable-store sales increase of 11.7 percent in the Asian nation. Likewise, e-commerce sales rose by 160 percent for the quarter ended April 30 compared to the same period a year ago. Finally, Sam’s Club saw double-digit sales growth in China in the same quarter, according to a company presentation.
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow the retailer’s path as we watch to see how this plan for growth might affect Walmart’s Stateside strategy and market reach.
SONORA, MEXICO - Awe Sum Organics is gearing up for a new crop from the Southern Hemisphere. With harvest beginning in the spring, the grower is already ramping up for a fresher-than-ever season chock full of fresh, crisp, and flavorful organic apples, just the way nature intended.
“We ship all of our Southern Hemisphere organic apples to the U.S. in ocean containers and are bringing most of them into the Port of Philadelphia because of the reduced carbon footprint,” said David Posner, President and CEO. “Our studies have found that the amount of carbon or fuel required to ship an ocean container with 1,176 cartons of apples to Philadelphia from the Southern Hemisphere uses 1/12th the amount of carbon or fuel required to ship a truckload of 980 cartons of apples from the West Coast of the U.S. to the East Coast.”
For retailers, Awe Sum Organics’ new season means a host of benefits, including increased sales and shopper satisfaction. Awe Sum Organics’ latest crop provides a delicious solution for the buy-side before the next domestic harvest arrives after August.
“Because our apples are half a year fresher than domestically grown apples at the same time of year, there is an additional carbon savings from the electricity saved from the fact that our apples are stored for six months less time,” continued Posner.
This season’s organic apple crop is arriving from Chile, New Zealand, and Argentina. For the last 30 years, Awe Sum Organics has partnered with some of the best organic growers around the world in order to provide fresh fruit to its buy-side customers. This year, the organic purveyor is offering customer programs through the months of June, July, and August on varieties like Royal Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Cripps Pink—which are available in bulk sizes, bagged cello bags, or pouch bags.
According to a press release, Awe Sum Organics is committed to growing, packing, and shipping the highest quality, best tasting organic apples available during the summer months—with this season already shaping up to be another winner.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the latest fresh produce news like this.
BRONX, NY - Direct-to-consumer models are becoming the norm for both suppliers and unexpected companies on the buy-side. The list of our industry’s best adopting this model includes Baldor Specialty Foods, which launched a home delivery service in New York City earlier this year that has already been expanded to a host of new markets.
“More than 30,000 consumers in other major cities have already signed up for the service in the last week alone,” said Baldor’s CEO, TJ Murphy, in a statement at the time, according to news source DCist. “That tells us one thing: We must continue to expand this service to other locations where we operate to help the people there as well.”
And expand the wholesaler did. In addition to New York City, Baldor’s home delivery program—which provides consumers with fresh produce and other grocery staples directly to their homes—now reaches markets Washington, DC; Jessup, Maryland; New York’s Hudson Valley; Catskills, Connecticut; New Jersey; Massachusetts; and Pennsylvania, according to a press release.
“This is great news for many of those who have left major cities for more rural areas,” said Benjamin Walker, Baldor’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Our home delivery program brings restaurant-quality foods to your door and we are thrilled to now make our service available to thousands of more families.”
Baldor first kicked off its shift in strategy after its restaurant and foodservice customers across the Northeast were forced to close down because of the pandemic. The wholesaler then shifted to include this direct-to-consumer model, expanding its facilities in Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, to support the move and the program’s burgeoning success.
“Providing high quality products with exceptional service is how Baldor has earned its reputation in the food business,” continued Murphy. “We are enjoying being able to take that same service to home consumers during this challenging time. With this expansion, we can continue to support our farms and partners and deliver the Baldor experience to even more consumers.”
For more ways companies in the fresh produce industry are shifting their strategy to meet the market's needs, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
MISSION, TX - It was only a short while ago when we reported on the release of a new Best Practices Guide for the Growing and Handling of Mexican Papaya, which alerted Mexican papaya growers, packers, and importers to important information regarding food safety. Within days, multiple companies were requesting and downloading the document from the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) and the United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA) website. Building off of this success, TIPA has announced a webinar to discuss how to begin implementation.
“We’ve received incredible feedback from retail and foodservice companies, particularly during the development of the best practices document,” said Dante Galeazzi, TIPA President and CEO, in a press release. “During this webinar, we expect more questions from all the various buyer entities in North America. As an industry, we want those further up the supply chain to not only embrace but to promote this effort and encourage their suppliers of Mexican papayas to participate in this guidance. After all, it’s a free document!”
TIPA and UFPA will host a webinar scheduled for June 4, 2020. Speakers include Dante Galeazzi and Emily Griep, Food Safety Manager of UFPA. This webinar will also discuss how this broad international collaboration plans to make the guide an on-going effort, with an education and research component, and how partners can help drive early adoption on a large scale.
Registration is free and will be hosted using Zoom. You can register here. And for those looking to download the Best Practices Guide so you're prepared for the webinar, click here.
BENTONVILLE, AR - Walmart continues to surprise as it makes moves to strengthen its physical and digital presence. As of late, this has included several changes to Jet.com, most recently undergoing a cancelation of its fresh grocery services in New York City. As these strategic pivots have come to a head, Walmart revealed it will cease Jet.com entirely, which it acquired in 2016 for $3.3 billion.
“Due to continued strength of the Walmart.com brand, the company will discontinue Jet.com,” the retailer said in a short statement. “The acquisition of Jet.com nearly four years ago was critical to accelerating our omnistrategy.”
Walmart has long been working to up its e-commerce abilities; its two-hour delivery service pilot attested to this. The surge in people shopping online has also helped the retailer’s e-commerce sales spike. In fact, the newly released Q1 report noted that these sales were up 74 percent. The jump seems to align with the retailer's reiteration that it is preparing for further digital transformation.
What is up next for the innovative behemoth as the online space continues to shift for our industry and beyond? AndNowUKnow will continue tuning into the newswire for updates.
VINTON, IA - In late January, Hy-Vee pressed the gas on its expansion plans by acquiring six former Shopko locations in order to convert them to its Dollar Fresh banner. Just a few months later, Hy-Vee is making good on those plans as it schedules the opening of its newest Dollar Fresh store in Vinton, Iowa.
According to news source The Gazette, the new store is expected to open on Friday, May 22. Standing at 22,000 square feet, the facility will create over 40 new jobs for the community and include a variety of fresh grocery selections. Additional locations that were acquired by Hy-Vee reside in Cresco, Dyersville, Hampton, Oelwein, and Waukon, Iowa.
In addition to this news, Hy-Vee is also accelerating its Aisles Online pickup format by expanding its fleet of shoppers as well as its online grocery offerings, according to a press release
“Hy-Vee’s new two-hour pickup option will give Hy-Vee customers a chance to get the grocery items they need faster than ever before,” said Tom Crocker, Senior Vice President of E-Commerce. “This option, along with increasing our number of available Aisles Online time slots, will only continue to add to the exceptional level of customer service we’re able to provide.”
As reported by Kelo, 57th and Cliff Hy-Vee Store Director Dale Mitchell added, “We see the aisles online program to be a new way of shopping and we think it’s here to stay. Many of our customers as they’ve experienced it, they’ve just determined that this is the way they want to shop from now on."
Which city will be the next epicenter of Hy-Vee’s growth? AndNowUKnow will keep investigating as we wait to find out.
MILLEN, GA - Education, for many, can be key to leading a life of fulfillment. Aiming to cultivate the fresh produce leaders of the future, the Southeast Produce Council provides scholarships to qualifying children and grandchildren of its members. The association recently announced this year’s SEPC Member Scholarship recipients, awarding 74 scholarships ($148,000) for the year of 2020.
Scholarships are awarded to applicants who meet the application criteria of having a parent or grandparent who is a corporate member in good standing with the SEPC and has personally attended at least one SEPC event within the last 12 months. Additionally, applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student with a minimum of 12 semester hours. According to a press release, applicants are then able to submit the necessary paperwork, including an essay with this year’s topic “How do you define success?” to be reviewed by members of the SEPC Scholarship Committee.
SEPC Member Scholarship recipients receive one $2,000 scholarship annually. Past recipients are eligible; however, they must have maintained a 3.0 GPA, and first preference is given to new applicants.
Congratulations to the 74 recipients of the 2020 SEPC Member Scholarship! To see the complete list of this year's hard-working recipients, read the press release in full here.
LONDON, U.K. - Aldi UK is introducing home delivery for the first time. This inaugural pilot for the discount chain is part of its new partnership with Deliveroo and hits the market just as grocery delivery is at its peak in consumer demand.
Because grocery delivery is very much in demand, both in the U.S., the U.K., and beyond, Aldi hasn’t debuted just any delivery service. The grocer announced that its new rapid delivery service—which touts delivery in as little as 30 minutes—will kick off at a Nottingham store before being expanded to seven stores across East Midlands in June.
If rapid delivery sounds familiar, it might be because Amazon also recently unveiled its Ultra Fast Fresh delivery service in the U.K. market at the beginning of April. Thus, Aldi’s latest move makes the grocery delivery market that much more competitive.
According to Reuters, the new grocery delivery service will allow shoppers access to over 150 Aldi products, including fresh produce and other fresh foods. Once selected by shoppers, Aldi staff will then pick and pack items in-store before Deliveroo’s network of riders delivers the goods directly to consumers.
As more grocery retailers in the States and across the pond launch first-ever operations to stay competitive in the grocery market, AndNowUKnow will continue to keep the fresh produce industry apprised of the latest.