BRAMPTON, ONTARIO, CANADA - Loblaw Companies Limited is trailing its latest concept, announcing the introduction of the no name® store in three Ontario markets. The new no name store will help customers save up to 20 percent on certain items by carrying only a targeted assortment.

“Our goal is simple—providing food and essential household items across a limited range of national brands and no name brand products at our lowest possible price,” said Per Bank, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Since food inflation took off globally, we have been laser-focused on doing what we can to keep prices lower for customers, including opening more discount food locations in more parts of the country. This new test concept allows us to pass on lower prices to our customers—it’s a completely different and simplified shopping experience.”

According to a press release, the no name stores are reducing operating costs through a variety of ways, such as:

• Shorter operating hours
• Smaller assortment means the store is less complicated to run
• Limited marketing and no flyers
• No refrigeration (no dairy or fresh meat products)
• Reused fixtures—shelves, cash lanes—to minimize building costs
• Fewer weekly deliveries, reducing logistic costs

Customers should expect a small range of frozen food items complemented by pantry staples, household necessities, and shelf-stable bakery and produce items including bread, bagels, apples, bananas, peppers, and carrots.

“Our commitment to customers is that products at the no name store will be up to 20 percent less than the regular retail price on a comparable product at any of the four main discount grocers in that local area. These no name stores will have a limited selection of 1,300 products, but these are many of our top-selling pantry staples and household goods throughout the province, so we know they’re what customers buy most and what will bring them the biggest savings,” said Melanie Singh, President, Hard Discount Division. “This is a test and learn project, and we’re planning to listen and adjust quickly. The pilot is unchartered territory and while success isn't guaranteed, our commitment to creating value and meeting customer needs remains unwavering.”

The new banner is being piloted in three markets in Ontario starting in September 2024.

How will shoppers respond to this format? Only time and AndNowUKnow will tell.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO - Minimizing plastic packaging waste is a leading priority of the fresh produce industry, and a study commissioned by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), has highlighted the critical role of packaging in fresh produce supply chains by quantifying the functionality of plastic packaging in fresh produce from a needs/benefit perspective.

“Canadian Produce Marketing Association is pleased to see the Government of Canada commission an industry-informed study which highlights the critical role and function that fresh produce packaging plays to ensure that high-quality fruits and vegetables are available to Canadians year-round,” said Ron Lemaire, President. “Consumers are requesting safe, affordable, and high-quality fresh produce which is only available when respective supply chains—and the critical packaging forms they rely upon—are readily accessible.”

However, initiatives in Canada have been undertaken without fully accounting for the critical functionality that fresh produce packaging provides to meet a wide array of important supply chain-related outcomes.

The Government study, “Quantifying the Functionality Importance of Plastic Packaging in Fresh Produce from a Needs/Benefit Perspective,” provides an innovative framework for describing the critical functionality provided by fresh produce packaging, including containment (seal integrity and physical robustness), convenient (portion control and ease of handling), and communication (storage and handling instructions, as well as traceability), a press release shared.

Additionally, the study’s functionality framework also captures one of the key functions provided by packaging: protection. This includes ensuring preservation and microbial control, as well as preventing contamination during transportation and storage.

For a deeper look into this study, including the impact of packaging on fresh produce affordability, click here.

AndNowUKnow will continue to report on packaging initiatives and updates from across North America, so keep clicking back.

WATSONVILLE, CA - California Giant Berry Farms knows how to put on a party! The supplier recently released details from its successful Skirt Steak BBQ fundraising event, which resulted in over $46,000 raised for the California Giant Foundation.

“California Giant’s mission is to provide high-quality berries and nourish our communities,” said Kyla Oberman, Director of Marketing. “This year, we expanded our reach by inviting businesses and vendors to sponsor our Skirt Steak BBQ, allowing us to make an even greater impact on the non-profits we support. We are filled with gratitude for the generous sponsorships we received.”

The annual BBQ is now in its 18^th year and was originally initiated by the California Giant sales office in 2006. What began with a lunch for about 50 people has transformed into a community-wide tradition.

According to a press release, the funds raised from the BBQ and other fundraising events throughout the year are distributed among several nonprofit organizations. Additionally, funds from every BBQ lunch sold are matched by Bill Moncovich, the Founder of California Giant Berry Farms.

“From planning to execution, our team has come together to make a difference. Their dedication to our company’s mission and values, as well as to our community at large is inspiring and truly reflects the heart of our company,” the current Owner noted.

The proceeds from the event will be allocated by the California Giant Foundation at the end of the year to organizations such as CASA of Santa Cruz County, CASA of Monterey County, Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services, Seneca Central Coast, and several others.

For details on sponsors and more, click here.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we cover the latest in community endeavors like this.

FRESNO, CA - I look forward to the domestic stonefruit season all year long, so naturally I was thrilled to hear from Trinity Fruit Company’s Angela Hernandez that the grower is finishing its stonefruit season with a bang!

“It has been a very bountiful year, with the suppleness to keep produce departments stocked and consumers' bellies full!” Angela, Director of Marketing, told me. “We have a good amount of varieties, one being our proprietary variety, Sunset. This late peach variety is one of the best eating peaches with its bespoke flavor.”

The yellow peach has a red exterior skin like a sunset, with a sweet, juicy bite.

“Being able to offer summer fruit late in the season is a great offering in the grocery stores as shoppers LOVE summer fruit,” Angela added. “Given that most of these seasonal varieties are harvested once a year, this allows retailers to carry summer fruit for a longer duration of time.”

I know that late-season varieties mean back-to-school promotions. Who wouldn’t want peaches in their lunchbox?

Keep reading ANUK as we cover the latest news across fresh produce!

PLANT CITY, FL - Wish Farms is championing this campaign for the third year in a row. The $10,000 charitable, give-back consumer campaign, “Pick-A-Berry, Pick-A-Cause” will be divided among three organizations: Brighter Bites, Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA), and Tunnel to Towers.

“This campaign has been a resounding success over the last couple of years. Not only have we expanded our audience with 30,000+ new Berry Lover email signups, but we are also bringing awareness to great causes to spread the ‘Feel Good’ message that is so important to our company,” remarked Director of Marketing Amber Maloney. “We are very excited to see how much this year builds on our past success!”

The sweepstakes went live on August 19 and will last until September 30. In the first two years combined, the campaign achieved nearly 1 million views and 400,000 entries.

Here’s a brief breakdown of each organization and its objectives:

• Brighter Bites utilizes reliable access to fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and consistent exposure to recipes and messages that feature fresh food. Since 2012, Brighter Bites has provided over 65 million pounds of produce and millions of nutrition education materials to more than one million individuals
• Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA), has been serving migrant farm workers and rural, low-income communities since 1965. Today, they serve nearly 6,500+ children in more than 66 centers throughout Florida
• Tunnel to Towers provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, builds specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, and provides housing and services to homeless veterans

We welcome news of this charitable nature and look forward to hearing more from this endeavor!

CALIFORNIA - Climate change will continue to drive industry conversations for years to come. Driscoll’s Chief Executive Officer Soren Bjorn understands the critical issues facing fresh produce and has been on a mission to find berries that can do the seemingly impossible: resist climate change.

In a recent article from Lookout Santa Cruz, one of the company’s research and development (R&D) facilities was the focus. This Watsonville, California, facility, titled Cassin Ranch, is hard at work to find a way to genetically create more resilient berries, all while using new artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to forecast models for different regions and seasons.

A recent success out of Cassin Ranch was perfecting a blackberry bush that yields large, dark purple berries the size of an adult thumb, bursting with juice yet sturdy enough to handle being packaged and shipped to stores.

As Bjorn was explaining the research done at Cassin Ranch, he touched upon the fact that Driscoll’s has already established 90 percent resistance in its berries to certain diseases. Along with new technology and predictive AI models, the company relies on biology and genetics to ensure that its berries are high quality.

For a deeper look, click here.

AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the latest news across fresh produce, so stay tuned!