LOS ANGELES, CA - When I think of Dole Food Company, I think of tropical fruits. I know many other shoppers make this association as well, and even more will be doing so soon enough. The company is teaming up with pocket.watch and the Ryan’s World franchise from Sunlight Entertainment to bring the Island Adventures program to every aisle and screen across North America.​​

“Dole is always seeking fun new ways to reach families and help educate on happiness and wellness through produce,” said William Goldfield, Director of Corporate Communications at Dole. “By connecting with such a recognizable brand for families as Ryan’s World, pocket watch provided Dole a powerful partner to help deliver the joy, flavor, and pure sweetness of our pineapple.”

Starting this week, 26 million co-branded DOLE® Royal Hawaiian® and Tropical Gold® Pineapples hit stores across the United States and Canada, a press release noted. Ryan Kaji himself visited the Dole Pineapple Farm in Oahu, Hawaii, where he learned about pineapple farming to produce educational and entertaining content.

The Ryan’s World Island Adventures program includes new content, new consumer products, gaming, and co-promotion extending the franchise, including:

• On April 1, the channel will premier a video featuring the Dole Pineapple Farm, educating kids and families about the harvesting process

• Ryan’s World will debut a suite of Island Adventure toys available at major retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Amazon

• The Ryan’s World Island Adventures Special, premiered for free on The Roku Channel on April 1, 2023

• Pineapple character upgrades and a new Island Adventures welcome will appear in the Tag with Ryan mobile video game, which has over 29 million downloads

• Ryan’s World Combo Panda and Dole’s Pinellopy Pineapple characters will collaborate on an exciting social content series, while immersive dotcom pages hosted by pocket.watch and Dole will showcase everything Island Adventures plus feature recipes and free downloadable activities

How will you leverage this collaboration in your own produce department? We cannot wait to find out.

Dole Food Company

GRAND FORKS, ND - Black Gold Farms’ C-suite recently welcomed a new leader to its team. Heath Webber, CPA, joins the potato provider as its newest Chief Financial Officer. He will succeed Bob Hoffert, who will be retiring from the company.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with Black Gold Farms,” said Webber. “I have lived in the greater Grand Forks area a long time and have always held the company in high regard. It’s a privilege to be part of the organization’s strategic direction moving forward.”

Webber has more than 30 years of finance experience and a combined 10 years in the CFO role. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from the University of North Dakota and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Mary.

As noted in the release, Webber has a history of executive experience with local potato processing plants, making him an excellent fit for Black Gold Farms. Webber most recently served as CFO at PS Industries Incorporated in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he oversaw all financial aspects of the organization.

In Webber’s executive position, he will manage accounting, finance, budgeting, and reporting functions in addition to IT and HR and benefits oversight.

This change follows Bob Hoffert stepping down from his CFO position, as he will enjoy retirement after 30 years of service with Black Gold Farms.

“Heath brings a wealth of knowledge, and we’re so glad to have him on the team,” said Eric Halverson, Chief Executive Officer. “Stepping into a role such as this can bring certain pressures, and Heath has continued to impress us all.”

Congratulations to Heath Webber on his new position, and to Bob Hoffert as he begins his well-earned retirement!

Black Gold Farms

CALIFORNIA - Walk with me through the strawberry fields for a moment. On March 31, Bobalu shared its most recent crop update, giving us an in-depth look at each of its California growing regions.

“We are very hopeful that April will be more kind to us and bring on some real spring weather,” the company said in the release. “We continue to see the entire state tracking a month behind our normal production curve. Weather looks to be improving over the next 10 days with sunny skies, but we still anticipate cooler overall temps in the short term.”

Starting in Oxnard, the grower shared an update revealing that the strawberry market is tight for the rest of the Easter pull; however, volume is currently picking up each week and is expected to for the next four weeks. Quality is looking excellent with great flavor, and the supplier’s quality control teams are following the harvest closely as crews cull damaged fruit from the adverse weather that has impacted California.

“We expect to continue to cull damaged berries for at least the next couple of weeks working through all the issues caused by so much rain, hail, and wind we have gone through," the release continued. “As the weather warms over the next couple of weeks, we hope to get on a daily harvest rotation as these plants finally get a chance to kick into spring.”

The Coachella region has received less rain, but is seeing cooler temperatures, which have also led to tighter volumes. Bobalu noted that it expects to be pulling fruit from this region for several more weeks since the quality and flavor are excellent and the mild weather remains favorable, and the team looks forward to continued increases in volume each week as the weather warms up.

The grower also shared insight into its Santa Maria production.

“Continuing with the ‘month behind normal’ theme, we are still way behind here in Santa Maria. The plants look really good, and we should start scratching some fields here in the next week or so, but don’t expect to see any measurable numbers until closer to the end of April. It has been cold here on the west side of town, but we do see warmer days ahead in the forecast,” the company noted.

For more crop insights and market updates, you know where to click.

Bobalu

NANUET, NY - Expanded program alert! Flashfood has continued to grow its presence through strategic retail alliances, and now the company is expanding its partnership with Ahold Delhaize banner Stop & Shop to roll out the innovative program across a 60-store footprint in New York.

“Providing value and variety to our customers with a focus on reducing our carbon footprint is at the forefront of what we do,” said Tarik Stewart, Regional Vice President of Operations for Stop & Shop. “We’re proud to now offer the Flashfood marketplace to our New York customers to help offer sustainable shopping options with ways to also save significantly on groceries.”

Stop & Shop’s expansion throughout New York is part of the grocer’s 2023 rollout plans to make Flashfood available at more than 300 Stop & Shop locations across the Northeast, a press release stated. With over 60 of Stop & Shop’s New York stores across Long Island, New York City, Westchester County, and the Hudson Valley now offering Flashfood, sales through the app will further decrease food waste throughout the Northeast.

Since the duo formed their alliance in 2021, over 30,000 shoppers across the Northeast have used Flashfood, resulting in nearly $500,000 in grocery savings and over 233,280 pounds of food being saved from ending up in landfills.

“Our mission has always been to reduce food waste, while helping families eat healthy food at an affordable price,” said Josh Domingues, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flashfood. “With one in 10 New York residents facing food insecurity, our expansion across over 60 Stop & Shop locations will be an incredible resource to New Yorkers, bringing more fresh options to dinner tables across the region.”

With Flashfood, shoppers are able to save up to 50 percent off items nearing their best-by dates, such as meats, dairy, seafood, fresh produce, baked goods, and more. To learn more about the program, click here.

Keep clicking on ANUK as we bring you the latest industry insights.

Ahold Delhaize

OXNARD, CA - Sustainability remains top of mind for companies like Mission Produce. In continuing to reach its goals, the company published its third annual sustainability report, “Finest for the Future,” which communicates the company’s global sustainability story during fiscal year (FY) 2022.

“For 40 years, we have invested in sustainable practices to protect our land, preserve our resources, and support the health and safety of our people,” said Steve Barnard, Chief Executive Officer. “We strive to create a positive impact not only for our company, but for the communities and environments in which we operate.”

In its report, the company details its operating procedures, projects, and achievements, as well as reports on the company’s global use of resources.

Mission’s sustainability highlights for FY 2022 include:

• People: From FY 2020 to FY 2022, Mission’s global charitable giving has increased by 450 percent, contributing to causes supporting children, families, and agriculture education. One of its largest investments in 2022 involved significant infrastructure developments in La Libertad, Peru
• Product: As part of the company’s commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its products, Mission has a goal to reduce the plastic in 50 percent of the bags packed and shipped globally by FY 2025
• Planet: In FY 2022, Mission planted nearly 200,000 new trees in harmony with the existing ecosystems of its managed farms in Peru, Guatemala, and Colombia

“Mission's approach to sustainability is strategically designed to focus on the areas and risks most relevant to our business,” said Delanie Beeson, Global Science and Sustainability Manager. “We seek to minimize the impact of our global footprint and consistently evaluate opportunities to implement sustainable practices throughout our operations. Each of our initiatives is developed and executed to mitigate important sustainability risks affecting our people, product, and planet.”

Click here to read the full release, and click here to download the full FY 2022 sustainability report.

ANUK will keep an eye out for the industry’s latest, so stay tuned.

Mission Produce

WENATCHEE, WA - Cherries are coming in hot! CMI Orchards revealed it is amping up to dive into the fruitful cherry window, and it’s helping retailers by providing the sweetest sales guide yet.

“From coveted fan favorites like Red and Rainier to deluxe specialty varieties like Skylar Rae® and Strawberry Cherries, we’ve got it all,” Domestic Sales and Organics Manager Joel Hewitt said. “Cherry season offers the most attractive window of the year for sales. Savvy retailers who get ahead of the game see their sales skyrocket, impacting total produce sales for the year.”

As noted in the release, Northwest cherries deliver an intense, extremely profitable season—and there’s only a three-month window left to plan promotions and reserve volume. Bolster sales from every direction with the freshest selections of premium cherries, high-graphic displays, and exciting promotional programs. For even more help and visualization, CMI Orchards provided its sweetest sales guide yet for retailers.

Danelle Huber, Senior Marketing Manager, explained that the trick to making sure cherry season isn’t just a flash in the pan is capitalizing on consumers’ anticipation with a multi-pronged approach.

“Our programs take sales to the next level by curating a shopping experience that has customers coming back for more,” said Huber. “Displays typically drive up to 30 percent more sales in-store. When you pair that with cherries—the magical fruit that inspires seasonal excitement year over year—it’s really the dreamiest match-up you could ask for.”

Capitalize on the impulse allure of cherries with CMI’s large selection of specialty cherries, as they’re the sort of item that gets picked up on a shopper’s way through the store or during their online shopping experience.

“A study conducted by Harvard Business Review and a major U.S. retail company found 73 percent of customers use multiple channels throughout their shopping journey, while only 7 percent were exclusive online shoppers and 20 percent were store-only shoppers,” Huber continued, explaining the benefits of utilizing a range of channels, such as digital ads, in-store displays, and mobile app information. “The window for success is so tight during this season that we highly recommend retailers stay proactive and make sure they have secondary displays on hand.”

Hewitt further noted there are solid expectations of a good, healthy crop, which retailers can advertise through the majority of the summer.

“Due to challenging weather conditions, last year’s cherry crop was down,” said Hewitt, “but this year, we’re optimistic that retailers are going to get more bang for their buck on advertising throughout the season.”

The season is only going to keep heating up, so keep a tab open for more marketing and promotional ideas.

CMI Orchards

BOISE, ID - Through a series of unique new partnerships, Albertsons Companies is doing its part to drive produce consumption. Recently, the retailer announced that it has teamed up with global financial services technology leader FIS in addition to Soda Health.

“Expanding our benefit card partnerships are essential in ensuring that our customers have access to the broadest selection of nutritious food, supplements, and OTC medicine that improve their health and well-being,” said Omer Gajial, Executive Vice President of Pharmacy and Health at Albertsons. “We are striving to be more than just a neighborhood grocery store; we want to build a deeper connection with our customers, support them in their wellness journey, and address hunger in our most vulnerable communities.”

FIS represents supplemental health benefits administrators, including Fresh Connect, PayForward, and WEX™, according to a release. Soda Health works to improve health equity by tailoring benefits based on individual needs. With benefit cards from either of these companies, shoppers now have the ability to make purchases on eligible health and food items at Albertsons’ banner stores.

Health benefit cards are prepaid debit cards that are funded by Medicare Advantage plans, employers, healthcare providers, or local governments and can be used to make purchases of eligible over-the-counter medicine and wellness care products. This includes nutritious foods, whole grains, fish, and poultry.

Albertsons continues to partner with benefit card providers Solutran (S3), InComm (OTC Network), and Speak (formerly Speak Retail Group). Most national health plans, such as Aetna, Humana, United Healthcare, and Centene, and many regional plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cigna, offer these benefits as well.

To read more about this program, click here.

Stay tuned to ANUK for more fresh-forward retail strategies and more.

Albertsons

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - The fresh produce department is a treasure trove of retail opportunity, and one yellow fruit in particular is making waves with consumers. As Dole Food Company’s Bil Goldfield told me, bananas are an opportunistic category, and retailers should be taking advantage.

“Bananas are the satisfying, all-natural comfort food that customers turn to when times are uncertain, and this is how we message them to shoppers,” the Director of Corporate Communications told me. “Despite rising inflation and food costs across the board, bananas have done better than most other produce and household staple items in maintaining their appeal for consumers and average basket size purchase by showcasing their value for shoppers looking to stretch their food dollar. The beloved yellow fruit remains one of the best values throughout not just the produce department but the entire supermarket.”

As Bil explained, bananas are versatile at all stages of ripeness. Since consumer tastes and recipes vary widely, offering multiple color stages appealing to broader shopper usage preferences and demographics may increase purchase size.

Secondary displays near the high-traffic or complementary product aisles—cereal, dairy, nut butters, and check-out—can promote bananas as an impulse purchase or single-serve snack option. Bil also suggests communicating where and how the bananas are grown along with unexpected and inspirational usage ideas or recipe suggestions.

“Knowledgeable retailers and produce managers can maximize sales by first leaning into the fruit’s premium low-unit price and unsurpassed value as an all-day recipe ingredient as well as a healthier, economical alternative to breakfast and energy bars, snack foods, post-workout sports drinks, and just about everything in-between," Bil added. "Our April campaign touches on much of this amazing versatility.”

Speaking of campaigns, Dole has plenty of unique strategies in its back pocket. In the first and second quarters of 2022, Dole launched its Dole Fruit Love campaign in collaboration with classic Disney characters. To place a special spotlight on bananas, Dole also launched a banana bread bake-off for National Banana Bread Day in February. The Dole Fruit & Veg Tourney Brackets recently launched as well, aligning with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

In April, Dole will honor National Banana Day on April 19. 2023 will also be the year of Bobby Banana, one of Dole’s beloved mascots, who represents the energy, exuberance, and healthy fun of America’s most popular produce. Dole can also work closely with retail partners to speak to the unique value and differentiation that only a DOLE® bananas program can deliver.

“Beyond this, Dole offers retailers access to some of the most powerful—and appealing—characters, alliances, healthy-living initiatives, social media platforms, follower groups, and online recipe libraries in produce such as programs with The Walt Disney Company and No Kid Hungry,” Bil added.

Dole has a mission to Make the World a Healthier Place, which includes a broad definition of health and informs all of its marketing and communications programs. The company also focuses on a healthy planet with clean water and renewable energy, healthy farms with rich soils and quality products, healthy living with sustainable labor and wages, and healthy production with low emissions and smaller carbon footprints.

“As the company’s largest and most prolific crop, bananas will continue to play a pivotal role in this bold path moving forward. Dole banana programs help convert this rising consumer passion for sustainability and authenticity into increased sales and customer loyalty,” Bil concluded.

If this doesn’t have you looking intently at the banana display in your own produce department, I don’t know what will. For more produce news, keep following along with ANUK.

Dole Food Company

NEWARK, NJ - With growth on the brain, AeroFarms® has tapped two industry leaders with a combined 60 years of experience to help in its ongoing commercial scaling and category expansion. Robert Ferla has been named the grower’s Vice President of Customer Logistics and Demand Planning, and John Freitas has been selected as its Head of Food Service.

Ferla brings over three decades of expertise to the team, most recently working at Fierman Produce Exchange and Katzman Produce companies, according to a release. Prior to that, he was at The Grand Union Supermarket Company.

The industry vet’s expertise in the distribution, operations, and customer logistics of perishable foods will help AeroFarms continue to scale operations and deliver the best customer experience.

Also wielding more than 30 years of experience, Freitas joins the AeroFarms team with knowledge of the microgreens category and a passion for sustainable, flavorful produce. He garnered his produce industry experience at Fresh Origins and IFCO, which he will use to expand the grower’s foodservice business even further.

AeroFarms is a Certified B Corporation and purpose-driven organization. Its goal is to use its indoor vertical farming knowledge to elevate agriculture with both people and the planet in mind. With its unique growing methods, the supplier is able to use 95 percent less water and no pesticides.

Currently, AeroFarms products can be found in major retailers like Ahold Delhaize, Harris Teeter, Walmart, The Fresh Market, and more.

“As we continue to scale our operations to meet our increasing customer demands for our award-winning products, we are excited to bolster our world-class team with two long-time produce industry leaders who will help ensure our continued expansion success with a focus on servicing our great selling partners,” said AeroFarms Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer David Rosenberg.

Congratulations to these industry vets on their new positions!

AeroFarms®

GRAND JUNCTION, MI - An exciting partnership was formed between Berry Blue, an MBG Marketing company, and the University of Florida Blueberry Breeding Program. Through this partnership, the two entities will research and develop new and proprietary late-season southern highbush blueberry varieties.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the University of Florida Blueberry Breeding Program,” said Brad Moorer, President/Chief Executive Officer of Berry Blue and MBG Marketing. “Their expertise in blueberry breeding has been tremendously influential in the industry. We are excited to bring together our collective breeding efforts and technology to deliver transformative cultivars to MBG growers.”

This collaboration will bring together the expertise of both organizations to create unique blueberry varieties that are not currently available in the market for late May and June.

As noted in the release, the University of Florida Blueberry Breeding Program has a long history of developing successful blueberry cultivars, and Berry Blue is committed to uniting the combined expertise of both breeding programs and bringing these innovative cultivars to blueberry growers.

“This multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment into new varieties further validates the commitment that MBG growers/owners have made to innovating for the future of the berry category,” stated Moorer. “This will be a ground-breaking advancement of southern highbush blueberries. Together, we will deliver the highest quality, best tasting berries to retailers and consumers around the world.”

Through this partnership, the two organizations will work together to develop blueberry varieties that not only have enhanced agronomic traits, but also improved consumer appeal. MBG will leverage the results of this partnership between Berry Blue and the University of Florida Blueberry Breeding Program in its already highly successful southeastern blueberry program it sells under the Naturipe brand.

“When Brad approached me about this project, I got very excited about the possibility of extending the work we have been doing for Florida growers. In this project, we will leverage our expertise and germplasm to breed blueberry varieties with high yield and ideal fruit characteristics,” said Patricio Munoz, Blueberry Breeder at the University of Florida. “These efforts will complement the work we have been doing and [will] continue doing in Florida. This means we will use the new funding to develop cultivars for the window after the Florida season. We would not be able to do this work if it was not for the support of Berry Blue and MBG.”

More delicious varieties are definitely in store, so keep an eye out for the latest updates from ANUK.

Berry Blue