DAVIS, CA - Leveraging retail insights is the name of the game in fresh produce, whether it is for a supplier trying to enrich its value proposition or a retailer building a competitive buy-side strategy. Ken Ouimet, Founder of Engage3, lists his top six predictions for retail in this video. And, what skin in the game does Engage3 have? As a company that helps retailers and manufacturers manage their “price image” through accurate competitive data, data science, and Artificial Intelligence-powered software solutions, I would say quite a bit.
Here is a taste of Ouimet’s top six predictions for retail as the way that we experience products, make food choices, and evolve negotiations for the best price and assortment on the consumers’ behalf, keeps the trade on its toes.
Take a quick browse below or click on the video to see Ouimet in action.
Prediction 1: Stores will evolve from places to buy products into places to experience products…
Costco has its version of this with in-store sampling to let consumers experience the food, and man, is it one of the things that gets me in the store over Instacarting. According to Ouimet, visual search will be important for fashion as will experiences like augmented reality which will make it more efficient and engaging to try before you buy.
Prediction 2: Consumers’ expectations will continue to accelerate…
This is, in part, about a need for speed. Amazon Go’s grab-and-go concept will raise consumers’ expectations for both speed and convenience, as Engage3 shares, noting that already, 51 percent of e-Commerce retailers are offering same-day shipping. Robotic process automation will be another resource for retailers to impact speed and operational costs.
Prediction 3: There will be a vicious fight for the last mile…
Interest piqued? According to Ouimet, there’s already intense competition for that last mile which comes in the form of delivery, in-store pickup, self-driving delivery cars, drones, and 3D printing. The team shares that in-store pickup is being tapped by more than two-thirds of Americans and half of them find it faster than delivery. And that is not the only stat worth checking out in this video.
...Curious about the other three? Check out the rest from Ouimet himself as he talks about how socially responsible shopping will influence purchase decisions, AI becoming the consumer’s new shopkeeper, and retailers competing on health.
When differentiation is key to battling for share of the consumers' wallet, insights like these go along way and can become a valuable asset across business strategies. Keep checking back with AndNowUKnow for more retail insights as the new decade rolls on!
TAMPA, FL - One of the many takeaways I get from the opportunity to dig into the stories of this industry is that its leaders and its chefs are perfectionists. Tal Shoshan, a Chef and the Chief Executive Officer of FiveStar Gourmet Foods, most certainly brings that mentality and enthusiasm for ingredients to everything this company launches.
“Simply Fresh is definitely in the forefront of everything that is new and exciting in the marketplace,” Tal recently shared with me about the company’s beautifully branded product line. “We are always coming out with new items, always innovating, there’s always something exciting coming.”
A premier company for the highly demanded grab-and-go market, FiveStar focuses on clean, fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, not just for its fresh produce but also in the antibiotic-free chicken featured in its salad bowls.
“We are known for our salad and we’re known for a lot of our innovation,” Tal shared, pointing out not just that the clear bowl showcased a fresh, tasty meal but also a color wheel of items, bright and tempting.
While I tried my best to have Tal share just one sneak peek of the newest things coming out of this premium provider, he suggested we keep an eye out because there is “always something new and exciting coming.”
To hear it straight from the man, the chef, and the CEO himself, watch the brief, jazzy video above.
INDIA - Is Walmart honing in on its India-based operations? The retailer has made multiple updates to the division, and is now turning to its leadership team for further growth. As company veteran Krish Iyer steps down from his position as President and CEO of Walmart India, Sameer Aggarwal is tapped as the new leader of the company’s India operations. The company reported that Iyer will remain with Walmart as an advisor.
According to ETtech.com, this is Aggarwal’s third promotion since joining Walmart’s team in April 2018. Rounding out two dynamic years with yet another promotion, this announcement will be finalized next month. Prior to joining Walmart, Aggarwal worked at Yum! Brands in Thailand as well as at a Sainsbury’s location in London.
His new position is Deputy CEO of Walmart India, in which he will take the helm of 28 Best Price cash-and-carry stores. In addition, Aggarwal will be working to help restructure India’s flagship wholesale unit for Walmart, as stated by the news source.
Congratulations to Sameer Aggarwal on this exciting promotion!
IRVINE, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!
Today, I am bringing you some of the category and weather news from around the industry. Check back twice weekly to see the latest around all growing regions.
RECORD RAIN YESTERDAY IN YUMA AND COACHELLA
The storms that have been making their way across Southern California and the Yuma valley regions have ended up bringing more rain than initially anticipated, with heavier amounts falling in the desert growing regions as opposed to the coastal growing regions.
Yesterday, Yuma and the Coachella Valley both saw record rainfall amount while Coachella also set a record on Tuesday. Yuma received .84” of rain—and this is on top of 1.25” on Tuesday and .15” on Wednesday. 2.25” of total rainfall. For Yuma, this is highly unusual during this time of year. Please check with shippers to see if there were any issues with harvests as well as any quality issues.
Coachella Valley received a record setting 1.66” of rain yesterday and a record of .66” on Tuesday. Please check with grower/shippers in the area to see if there was any crop damage.
Santa Maria received 1.10” between Tuesday and Wednesday while Oxnard received approximately .50”. Further north in Salinas, growers are getting ready for the spring lettuce crop to start and received only a sprinkle of rain.
There is more rain anticipated for the state of California this weekend, however this will be a typical winter storm originating in Alaska compared to the warmer tropical originating storm expected to cause the heavier rains this week. The storm this weekend will affect the entire state as it makes it way down, bringing rain and cold temperatures to all growing regions.
FLORIDA TO REMAIN EXCESSIVELY HOT— POSSIBLE EARLY START TO BLUEBERRIES
Inland growing regions in the state of Florida will see temperatures well above average this weekend and through most of next week. Look for strawberry regions such as Plant City, vegetable and tomato regions such as Immokalee, and row crop regions such as Belle Glade all to see highs in the 90°s starting today and lasting through at least next Saturday, the 21st.
Look for a possible uptick in production numbers out of these regions.
Also look for a possible early start to blueberries out of Florida due to these warmer than normal temperatures. Alucha and Orlando, which are big blueberry regions, will both see maximum temperatures around the 90° for the next ten days, which is 12° to 15° above normal.
Thank you as always! We will be back this week with another report.
SANTA MARIA, CA - The next generation of fresh produce consumers will be primed to build their healthy eating shopping lists if Gold Coast Packing has anything to say about it. As a leading grower, shipper, and processor of fresh produce, the company is taking its impact to the playground and launching its first-annual after-school program, Fantastic Fridays, to bring fresh vegetables to children throughout California’s Santa Maria Valley.
“Our goal for this program is to get fresh vegetables directly into kids' hands, and we wanted to do it before the weekend to ensure they could take product home and share with their family,” said Crystal Chavez, Marketing Coordinator. “We understand not every child has access to fresh produce at home, so we hope that through Fantastic Fridays, we are able to give kids healthy options that will lead to a healthier lifestyle as they grow.”
These efforts help build the demand for fresh produce for the benefit of all—including the retail customer.
Through this brilliant program, Gold Coast personally delivers, on average, 200 to 250 pounds of fresh produce to schools in the Santa Maria Bonita School District and the Guadalupe Union School District through Fantastic Fridays. According to a press release, on top of providing enough produce for the children to take home, Gold Coast shares vegetable trivia to educate this impactful generation on how crops such as broccoli and cauliflower are grown locally in the Santa Maria’s burgeoning growing regions.
“It is great to see the kids so excited to learn about the products that are grown right here in Santa Maria,” Chavez reflected. “They see the fields all across the valley, so to be able to educate students about how the most common produce items are grown and how it gets from the field to their school salad bar or their own dinner table is awesome!”
Gold Coast has visited nine school sites within the two school districts with support from the local YMCA and Boys & Girls Club, and has donated 1,434 pounds of fresh vegetables and shared fresh produce education with nearly 800 students since the Fantastic Fridays program began in November 2019.
Gold Coast plans to continue Fantastic Fridays for years to come and roll out several programs with the local Boys & Girls Club and YMCA during the summer months. So, stay tuned as we bring you more on the efforts of produce suppliers that will surely pay it forward.
ALEXANDRIA, VA - Naturipe Farms’ very own Brian Bocock has been recognized for excellence in the berry category. The company’s Vice President of Product Management was named the 2020 Alex Wetherbee Award winner by the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) for his outstanding contributions to the industry in the areas of marketing and promotion.
“I can’t think of another award I could receive that means as much to me as the Alex Wetherbee Award. So many blueberry industry members are family farms and families, and to have that group think of me like this is truly humbling,” said Bocock, who is also a member of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) Promotion Council.
According to a press release, Bocock is a blueberry farmer with an innovative approach to blueberry sales that has significantly increased sales in the blueberry category for Naturipe Farms.
Bocock was presented this honor—an honor named after the late Alex Wetherbee, one of the founders of NABC and a blueberry marketer in New Jersey revered industry-wide—by nonother than Art Galletta, Chair of the NABC Nominations and Awards Committee.
“[Wetherbee’s] passion was inspiring and pushed me to be better than I thought I could be. He also had a funny comment about almost everything. It was a true honor to know Alex,” Bocock added, noting that Wetherbee was a beloved mentor of his and one of the most passionate people he’s ever met. On top of this, Galletta’s role in presenting the award to Bocock only added more honor to this accomplishment. “To receive the award from an industry sales icon like Art Galletta meant almost as much as the award itself. Art is a true gentleman and leader.”
Galletta, President of the Atlantic Blueberry Co., added, “There’s no one in the blueberry industry who deserves this award more than Brian. He’s known throughout the blueberry industry as a friend to both growers and buyers, and his contributions have had a profound effect on moving our product forward. He’s kept the grower at the forefront in his approach to generating fresh sales of our product.”
Congratulations, Brian Bocock, on this outstanding achievement! For more ways our industry's front-runners are showcasing what produce excellence is all about, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY - As we round out the remaining months of winter, LGS Specialty Sales is making sure consumers endure the last bouts of cold weather with sweet categories in their grocery carts. With the company’s W. Murcotts variety and table grape offerings on the tail-end of their seasons, I chatted with Luke Sears, President and Founder, to ensure LGS Specialty Sales’ retail and foodservice partners are well-stocked with high-quality fruit well into spring.
“We are currently wrapping up our Peruvian grape season, which includes Reds, Jack’s Salute, Timcos, and Allisons. Chile is also going strong with Sweet Celebrations on Reds and Arra 15s on Greens. We are seeing a growth in our grape volumes compared to last year’s season, so we will have a strong supply through March and early April,” Luke shared with me. “On the citrus side, we began importing W. Murcotts from Morocco in January and expect to have a strong supply through March and April. In fact, we’re reporting a 15 percent increase in volume compared to our 2019 W. Murcotts season.”
In terms of quality, Luke noted that grapes have been good across the board, with LGS’s varieties boasting great quality in terms of color, size, and sugar content. The Murcotts, too, are boasting great eating quality, with what Luke described as an ideal acid/brix ratio and strong orange color. The Murcotts are peaking at medium to large sizes.
“This season, we saw great quality W. Murcotts fruit from Morocco with overall high sugar content equaling an excellent eating piece of fruit,” Luke explained. “We also recently unveiled a special pink packaging for the Darling Clementine line to use around holidays like Valentine’s Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and more.”
This special pink packaging is a strategic way for retailers to draw consumers’ eyes to LGS’s varieties in-store, even beyond pink-themed holidays.
Another way to draw attention to the LGS Specialty Sales name is by teasing new varieties in key categories.
“With more new grape varieties coming into production, LGS expects a positive finish to the season,” Luke concluded.
For more market updates like this, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
SANTA CRUZ, CA - Organic industry veteran Brad Stark is re-joining the Jacobs Farm Del Cabo team after being appointed to the role of Sales Manager. In this position, Stark will be responsible for the strategic and day-to-day sales and marketing of the grower’s branded products, including its Jacobs Farm and Del Cabo offerings.
“I am pleased to be returning back to a company I know well and believe in the products and the people behind it,” said Stark. “I look forward to reengaging with customers and am excited at the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Stark’s fresh produce resume includes a host of top-of-the-line growers, including Awe Sum Organics, Jacobs Farm Del Cabo, and his family’s citrus business. While with Awe Sum Organics, he worked in sales. Prior to that, he served on the Jacobs Farm Del Cabo team, making his return to the company as its new Sales Manager super sweet!
“I am pleased to welcome Brad back to Jacobs Farm Del Cabo,” said Aaron Brookes, Director of Sales and Marketing. “Brad’s deep understanding of organic produce and Jacobs Farm Del Cabo’s mission and values will be extremely beneficial to our organization and customers alike. He is a great fit to our team and we are excited to have him back.”
According to a press release, Stark brings a wealth of experience and passion for organic produce and small family farm operations, with his commitment to organic farming expected to contribute greatly to Jacobs Farm Del Cabo’s mission of over 40 years of healthy soils, healthy plants, and healthy people.
Congratulations to Brad Stark on his new position—and on his return to a fresh-focused team!
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - SpartanNash has named its new Executive Vice President and General Manager, Corporate Retail, a move that strengthens its leadership team and adds over 30 years of executive and managerial experience to its exec roster. Industry veteran Thomas E. Swanson, who served as the distributor’s Vice President of Corporate Retail-West from 2012 to 2018, has been appointed to the position.
Swanson’s 30+ years of industry experience includes holding positions within SpartanNash’s executive ranks. In 2018, he took on the role of Senior Vice President and General Manager, Corporate Retail. In this position, Swanson was responsible for leading the corporate retail business unit for all corporate retail banners and Quick Stop fuel and convenience centers, according to a press release.
“On behalf of the executive leadership team and our corporate Board of Directors, we are excited for Tom’s visionary leadership as he continues to develop and execute strategic plans that continually grow and improve SpartanNash’s corporate retail business. In his new position, he has full P&L responsibility and oversight of SpartanNash’s customer first initiatives for our corporate retail stores,” said Dennis Eidson, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer.
Since joining SpartanNash’s team, Swanson has contributed more than his experience to help grow the company, with his energy and passion for retail playing an instrumental role in SpartanNash’s success. The company notes that his impact has included positive retail comparable sales for the last two quarters, attributable to his role in overseeing the transition and integration of more than 20 Martin’s Super Markets into the SpartanNash family of stores.
In his new role, Swanson will report directly to Eidson.
Congratulations to Thomas Swanson on his new role!
NEW YORK CITY, NY - Family-owned Bogopa Enterprises’ grocery operations just saw significant growth in a bid for six Fairway stores, as well as a distribution center. The latter, together with its debtor affiliates in their Chapter 11 cases, said that the buyer submitted a "qualified overbid" of $75 million for all seven assets.
"We would like to extend gratitude to our employees, vendors, distributors and customers for their continued support, dedication, and loyalty during this process. Fairway's store performance has generated significant interest in our stores. We look forward to a robust auction," said Abel Porter, Chief Executive Officer at Fairway Market.
As we reported previously, Fairway announced its intent to sell last September. At the end of January, ShopRite-owned Village Super Market bid $70 million for five of Fairway Market’s New York supermarkets and one of its distribution centers.
Bogopa has operated grocery stores in the New York area for 32 years, and currently operates 26 supermarkets under the "Food Bazaar" banner in New York City, New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut, and Westchester, according to a press release. This seems a good fit for the Fairway Market locations, which are known for a unique strategy and an established reputation as a food destination in New York’s greater metropolitan area.
Fairway noted in the announcement that it has also received competitive bids for various other stores that are being evaluated, but did not say if there is any interest in taking over the banner in its entirety. An auction will be held on March 16, 2020, pursuant to the court-supervised sale process.
AndNowUKnow will bring you the latest on this and all other developing stories that hold sway in our industry.