IRELAND - On a mission to promote health and wellbeing to today’s younger generations, the Fyffes Fit Squad is back at it again. Rolling out a competitive new campaign, Fyffes has teamed up with two Irish Olympians, Cork sprinter Phil Healy and fellow athlete and Dubliner David Gillick, in an online quest to find Ireland’s Fittest School.

As it embarks on its search, the popular Olympians have recorded a series of workouts that are “fit for even the least active” to develop exercise routines they hope schools will adopt as part of their physical education curriculum, according to a press release.

One school will be chosen as Ireland’s Fittest School, and will receive a visit from Healy and Gillick, the Fit Squad ambassadors, and €5,000 worth of sports equipment ($5,796 USD). Monthly and spot prize rewards will also be presented throughout the competition.

Furthering its commitment to promote fitness and healthy eating amongst the younger generations, the Fyffes Fit Squad program has been introduced to 20,000 plus individuals in a series of live school visits since its inception three years ago. Last year, the team went online when schools were forced to close, and is now looking forward to resuming live sessions in schools when conditions permit.

The competition will run from November through April, and the overall winner will be announced in May. Registration for the competition is officially open online.

Stay tuned as AndNowUKnow continues to bring you the latest news in the produce industry.

Fyffes

LOCKPORT, NY - RubyFrost™ apples are back and better than ever, and with increased volume, too. Crunch Time Apple Growers kept busy in its off season, undertaking a total brand refresh that includes an enhanced logo as well as new packaging and promotional materials. This season brings 175,000 bushels—which is a 35 percent year-over-year increase—of the variety, soon to be available in select produce aisles and wider distribution expected in the first quarter of 2022.

"The RubyFrost brand refresh will be transformative this season, and for many to come. We took the time to focus on what it is that consumers love about RubyFrost—the tart flavor profile, perfect size, beautiful ruby red color, and versatility of use—and visually accentuated those attributes," said Jessica Wells, Executive Director, Crunch Time Apple Growers.

Three new sales partners will help the company expand its distribution: Applewood Fresh Growers, Rice Fruit Company, and Riveridge Produce Marketing. The new packers and shippers double down on the supplier’s geographic reach among existing grocers and new retail partners, particularly in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Developed and bred by Dr. Susan Brown of Cornell University in Ithaca, RubyFrost is grown commercially in Upstate New York. The apple features a tart flavor profile appealing to about 30 percent of consumers, according to a press release. It is a versatile apple perfect for cooking, baking, and topping salads and naturally non-browning due to high vitamin C.

"For those who prefer a less sweet, more balanced taste, RubyFrost is the perfect apple. It combines sugar and acidity to offer a beautifully sweet but tart flavor profile that's packed full of vitamin C so it doesn't brown quickly," said fifth-generation Farmer Joel Crist of Crist Bros. Orchards and Crunch Time Apple Growers’ Board Chair. "The brand refresh is exactly what we needed to spotlight the appeal of RubyFrost to tart apple lovers for the 2021-2022 season and beyond."

The East Coast roots of this variety allows for cost-effective transportation to primary selling regions, greater freshness and quality, and lower shelf prices.

Could your own consumers be on the lookout for this exclusive variety? It may be worth finding out.

Crunch Time Apple Growers

UNITED STATES - President Biden conducted a meeting at the White House with the business community and carriers, as well as labor and port representatives, to address the increasing challenges posed by the congested supply chain. As part of the solution, the Port of Los Angeles is to begin operating around the clock to relieve the backlogs of goods awaiting entrance into the United States.

Within the produce industry, this situation has become absolutely critical, as companies await fresh goods on boats that are stuck in ports. Product shortages are also frustrating American consumers—and this frustration will only heighten as we make our way into the holiday season.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) issued a statement regarding the meeting, underlining one important factor: that we must work together in order to solve this problem.

“We thank President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Buttigieg, Director Deese, and Port Envoy John Porcari for their leadership to address the ongoing global supply chain disruption,” the statement read. “It is critically important that we all come together—business, labor, and government—to address the current issue regarding port congestion, and the long-term need to create a more reliable supply chain globally and within the United States.”

According to a report from The New York Times, administration officials say they have brokered a deal to move the Port of Los Angeles toward 24/7 operations. They will join the Port of Long Beach, which is already working at this pace. The administration is also encouraging states to accelerate the licensing of truck drivers, and companies such as Walmart, UPS, and FedEx have announced they are moving to work more off-peak hours.

“The retail industry greatly appreciates President Biden’s personal commitment to marshal the power of the federal government behind efforts to reduce the disruptions our members are currently facing, and retailers remain committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure consumers have access to the products and services they want and expect,” NRF’s statement continued. “NRF has been urging more focus and resources to address supply chain failures for many years, and we look forward to continued efforts that result in sustainable solutions for this growing problem.”

Although it is unclear just how much help the Biden administration can provide, we hope that leaders across every sector will be able to get the resources needed to address this critical problem.

AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you abreast of the global supply chain, so please stay tuned.

MIAMI, FL - For Fresh Del Monte Produce, sustainability and innovation have long been part of its company strategy, and reaffirming its commitment to communities and the ecosystem, the fresh purveyor will take part in this year’s World Biodiversity Summit. Occurring alongside the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), the summit will feature discussions centered around the industry transition to more environmentally friendly and sustainable practices while maintaining global food security.

“It is extremely important to me to be able to represent Fresh Del Monte’s initiatives at the World Biodiversity Summit and COP26,” said Hans Sauter, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Research and Development. “Time is of the essence, and it is vital for different stakeholders in society to come together to identify and implement game-changing solutions to stimulate food production while conserving biodiversity and addressing climate change. As one of the largest integrated producers, marketers, and distributors of fresh produce, we want to lead change. We believe that as an agricultural company, we can be an integral part of the solution. However, we cannot do it alone. With our pledge to implement regenerative farming and soil-health management in all our farms and associated growers’ farms by 2030, we hope to inspire every member of the supply chain (farmers, retailers, and consumers) to also do their part.”

Sauter will be joining fellow industry leaders in a panel discussion at the World Biodiversity Summit entitled “Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture at the Center of Development Strategies - Challenges and Opportunities," according to a press release. The discussion will focus on the industry’s move toward more resilient agricultural systems and how innovation and technology will play a large part in the transition.

Fresh Del Monte has long been working to support communities and ecosystems that will be vital to the company’s future by creating systems that meld production and biodiversity. Some of the company’s efforts toward building A Brighter World Tomorrow™ include conserving and restoring forests and wild areas to protect biodiversity in and around its farms, amounting to 28 percent of its owned land; preserving soil health; stewarding critical water sources; and providing quality education and scholarships for students throughout its growing regions.

The World Biodiversity Summit will be held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, on November 10, and will create a pivotal opportunity to address the central role private sector has in responding to biodiversity loss and climate change.

As it drives forward its commitment to sustainability and environmental protection, what will Fresh Del Monte’s next strategy consist of? Only time and AndNowUKnow will tell, so keep a page open.

Fresh Del Monte Produce

WATSONVILLE, CA - Laying a solid groundwork for the next generation is a critical task, and Monterey Mushrooms is not shying away from the challenge. Making key investments in the future and those who will lead it, the supplier recently awarded 94 children of its employees with scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year, totaling an investment of $254,678.

“For 29 years, we have been honored and privileged to be able to support these dedicated young people in their educational pursuits,” Chief Executive Officer Shah Kazemi said. “The feedback and thanks we get from the students and their parents is gratifying, and we look forward to watching these excellent young people succeed in the future.”

As it celebrates its 50^th year in business, the supplier is taking its purpose of “Enhancing People’s Lives” to new levels through efforts such as the recently awarded scholarships. For the past three decades, children of full-time employees have been eligible to apply for a scholarship up to $3,000 and for up to four years, as explained in a press release.

The scholarships are presented to students who pursue higher education at accredited colleges, universities, and vocation/technical schools. During the application process, students share their educational background, school activities, academic goals and aspirations, work experience, and other personal achievements.

“The scholarship helped me gain my career and educational goals by reducing the cost burden,” Ana Mejia, a current employee and four-time scholarship recipient who earned a degree of science in business administration with a major in accounting from Tennessee Tech University, said. “Monterey Mushrooms feels like home.”

In 2004, Monterey Mushrooms’ scholarship program was renamed the Carl Victor Fields Scholarship Program to honor the company’s Vice President of Marketing, who was extremely passionate about the importance of young leaders achieving their potential.

Since the program was created, the company has awarded 2,387 grants totaling more than $3.4 million.

“The MMI Scholarship has allowed me to continue my studies all four years. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity, and it is another symbol of my parents' contribution toward my future,” Berenice Campos, another scholarship recipient, said.

Congratulations to all of this year’s scholarship recipients! We at ANUK applaud Monterey Mushrooms on its countless investments in the future.

Monterey Mushrooms

ONTARIO, CANADA - Catania Worldwide must be listening to The Beatles as of late, as the company announced it has come together to form a single company with its widespread divisions. Facilities across the United States and Mexico have been renamed and reimagined in an effort to strengthen its distribution footprint.

“With ranches and a network of five Catania warehouses, it allows for sales and distribution worldwide,” the video highlights.

Leading with one name and one mission, the newly optimized company is continuing to bring the same freshness it always has to tables everywhere. The facilities included in this effort are now named Catania North, formerly M.L. Catania; Catania East, formerly Catania New Jersey; Catania West, formerly Stellar Distributing; Catania South, formerly Catania Texas; and Catania Mexico.

Catania announced the news in an exclusive and exciting video featured above, so be sure to check it out for more details. The video notes that Catania will continue its mission of providing taste, quality, and service with offerings that are always in season.

Further details of the optimization have yet to be released, but ANUK will be keeping a close eye on what Catania Worldwide does next.

Catania Worldwide

CINCINNATI, OH - Offering ease, safety, and convenience to consumers nationwide, the grocery delivery sector is skyrocketing, and retail companies are making key plays to keep up with demand. Kroger is one of the latest chains to announce the expansion of its delivery strategy with the addition of new fulfillment centers powered by the Ocado Group. Utilizing vertical integration, machine learning, and robotics, Kroger will provide affordable, fast delivery service to more consumers nationwide.

"Kroger Delivery is a thriving part of our dynamic ecosystem and is transforming grocery e-commerce and meeting a range of customer needs through the introduction of first-of-its-kind technology in the U.S. developed by Ocado," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Kroger's growing seamless ecosystem continues to scale, and we're committed to doubling both our digital sales and profitability rate by the end of 2023, and Kroger Delivery will help us reach this target. We feel great about the momentum we're experiencing with Kroger Delivery and our partnership with Ocado and are strategically leveraging our assets to expand our operations in existing regions as well as enter new geographies on the East Coast that leverage facilities across a growing range of sizes."

The retailer's recent announcement includes plans for expansion in the Northeast, California, and Florida, according to a release. Details surrounding customer coverage areas, jobs, facility sizes, and timing are expected to be revealed in the coming months.

Although exact details weren't announced, Kroger did highlight the fact that this will be the company's entrance into the Northeast, offering Kroger Delivery enabled by a customer fulfillment center, which will meet the need for same-day and next-day grocery delivery demand.

In California, Kroger will expand its existing operations and boost capacity in the state with the addition of two new customer fulfillment centers. Like the Northeast, the medium and smaller-sized facilities will meet demand for same-day and next-day delivery services.

"I am delighted that we're bringing Ocado's world-leading technology to Kroger customers across the U.S.," said Luke Jensen, Chief Executive Officer of Ocado Solutions. "The Northeast is another new geography for Kroger, and we're excited to enter it with them. Moreover, with the addition of fulfillment centers in Southern California, our partnership is truly revolutionizing the U.S. grocery online landscape from coast to coast."

Kroger Delivery launched in Central Florida earlier this year, and the new operation gained momentum faster than anticipated, creating high customer repeat rates and net promoter scores. To continue this growth, Kroger will enter South Florida and introduce two smaller-sized fulfillment centers that will join the already launched center in Groveland, Florida, as well as "spoke" sites in Jacksonville and Tampa.

"The acceleration of Kroger Delivery continues with these new facilities and our continued focus on creating career opportunities and serving customers through interconnected, automated, and innovative fulfillment models that cater to different and accretive grocery shopper missions in both new and existing geographies," said Gabriel Arreaga, Kroger's Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer. "We have a pipeline of sites in development across the U.S., with several scheduled to open next year, and we're excited to continue delivering the Kroger experience to more doorsteps."

The expansion in the Florida market will also mark the introduction of two automated local fulfillment centers with Ocado, allowing Kroger Delivery to serve its shopper in as fast as 30 minutes with a selection over 10,000 fresh food items and essentials as well as offer same-day and next-day orders for 35,000 items.

"Kroger is also leveraging the full breadth of Ocado's fulfillment capabilities to meet the growing range of customer wants and demands," continued Jensen. "Alongside the current rollout of our automated facilities and software to optimize fulfillment in stores for curbside pickup, today's announcement of a further CFC in Florida and the introduction of our first 'Zoom' micro fulfillment site in the U.S., serving the immediacy market, is a testament to the breadth and flexibility of the offering we are helping to bring to Kroger shoppers. These fulfillment centers will also benefit from significant upstream efficiencies, with the existing CFC in Groveland able to act as a major supply hub into the new Florida sites."

Currently, Kroger operates customer fulfillment centers in Groveland, Florida, and Monroe, Ohio. The retailer recently announced five other new facilities in Dallas, Texas; Forest Park, Georgia; Frederick, Maryland; Phoenix, Arizona; Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin; Romulus, Michigan; and in the South, West, and Pacific Northwest.

As more details of these pivotal expansions become available, AndNowUKnow will report.

Kroger

MONTEREY, CA - Leadership is a key facet of success, and the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) is honoring industry luminaries that have helped evolve fresh produce as it has selected the 2021 Profiles in Leadership (PIL) Award recipients. The list of honorees includes Jeff Stephens, Jeannine Campos Grech, and Tracy Schohr, Ag Leadership Program alumni who will be awarded at a ceremony in Clovis, California, on October 14.

“Ag Leadership is focused on growing leaders who make a difference,” said CALF President and Chief Executive Officer Dwight Ferguson. “We are delighted to see our alumni positively influence their industries, communities, and families. This couldn’t be more evident with Jeannine, Tracy, and Jeff, and this award is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their leadership-in-practice.”

Jeannine Campos Grech was part of the 29^th class of the Ag Leadership Program.

Aaccording to a release, Campos Grech was selected for her community service work, especially with Valley Children’s. Currently, she serves as Chair of both Valley Children’s Hospital and Valley Children’s Healthcare Boards of Trustees and also served as a Valley Children’s Healthcare Foundation Board Member.

“Jeannine has left a lasting legacy on the children of the Central Valley,” said those who nominated her. “She is a hands-on Board Member and is directly involved in the strategic planning, financial management, and vision setting for the healthcare network.”

A part of Class 39, Tracy Schohr is receiving the award based on her community service during wildfires in her area, including the 2018 Camp Fire, 2020 North Complex Fire, and 2021 Dixie Fire, all of which ravaged the California landscape. To aid in relief, her work included coordinating with emergency personnel and ranchers to contain, transport, and secure a safe place for loose herds and displaced livestock. She currently serves as Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor at the University of California.

“Tracy supports the agricultural industry through education and understanding of the science around natural working lands with the public,” commented her nominators. “She is the first to step up to make a difference. California will continue to have natural disasters and Tracy will be there on the front lines, and we can count on the fact that her crisis leadership will benefit everyone.”

Jeff Stephens, Class 24, will join the list of recipients for his work with homelessness and community cleanup.

“I saw a need and the community needed action taken, and what resulted has totally changed my life and benefited our community,” said Stephens. “We took people who were feeling hopeless and gave them something to feel hopeful about within the community.”

To help this cause, he founded SAYlove, an organization to address dumping in rural areas and provide care and support in Yuba City and the surrounding communities. Bringing businesses and the community together, Stephens enabled the cleanup of over 1.5 million pounds of dumped material in just one year.

Recipients of this year’s awards will be honored during the Class 51 Inaugural Banquet being held on October 14 at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District.

Congratulations to these three leaders on becoming recipients of this honor and for making a vital difference in their communities!

California Agricultural Leadership Foundation

PARIS, FRANCE - A game-changing announcement was made by France’s environmental ministry yesterday, as a new retail packaging mandate will soon be implemented. As of January 2022, the country will be banning plastic packaging for the majority of fresh fruit and vegetables in an effort to increase sustainability in the food industry.

"We use an outrageous amount of single-use plastic in our daily lives. The circular economy law aims at cutting back the use of throwaway plastic and boost its substitution by other materials or reusable and recyclable packaging," the ministry said, according to a report from Reuters.

The law was presented in February of 2020 and covers roughly 30 fresh produce categories, including leeks, round tomatoes, apples, bananas, and oranges. The ministry reports that approximately 37 percent of fruits and vegetables use packaging materials, and the new mandate is expected to remove one billion plastic components each year.

From a Stateside perspective, this mandate could pose understandable challenges to industry suppliers, as packaging has become a sign of safety for shoppers in the past two years. The French Fruit Sellers Federation reportedly echoes this sentiment.

"Selling loose produce is complicated, as many customers touch the fruit and people do not want their fruit to be touched by other customers," President Françoise Roch stated, noting that suppliers have very little time to transition to cardboard packaging.

The mandate is part of a larger plastic reduction strategy implemented by France. Earlier this year, the country placed a ban on plastic straws, cups, and cutlery. According to the news source, plastic packaging is also expected to be phased out of the supply chain for more delicate produce items by June 2026.

By the end of June 2023, plastic packaging for cherry tomatoes, green beans, and peaches will be phased out, and asparagus, mushrooms, cherries, and more will no longer feature plastic packaging by the end of 2024. Berries are expected to follow in June 2026, and further food system bans will be set in motion.

AndNowUKnow is left to wonder how this new packaging mandate will impact the United States' export of fresh produce to France moving forward. As always, we will keep you posted.

TAHOE, CA - Northern California welcomed a brief reprieve from the threats of fire season this past Friday, as the Sierra Nevada mountains saw light snowfall in the early morning. Only a few inches covered the ground, but it was a definitive sign that the winter season is coming, bringing with it cooler weather and, hopefully, a significant amount of precipitation.

Local news source The Sacramento Bee states that high-elevation areas experienced between one and three inches of snow late Thursday night and early Friday morning. While the snow did melt in the early afternoon, this combined with lower temperatures has played a positive role in the region’s outlook on fire season.

Quickly following the snowfall, the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for Northern California. Strong north winds from 20 to 30 miles per hour and gusts from 40 to 50 miles per hour are expected to impact the region today and into tomorrow.

Due to the intense wind gusts and low humidity for the next couple days, the National Weather Service has also issued a red flag warning through Tuesday. The strongest winds are expected to impact the Central Valley and the Coastal Range’s foothills, raising concerns surrounding the critical fire conditions in California.

As to how these conditions will impact our industry’s operators, we will continue to keep a close watch on the situation and report as soon as news comes to light.