MINNEAPOLIS, MN - As restaurants start to bounce back due to the lifting of certain pandemic restrictions, the supplier need for foodservice strategies is on the rise. Backing its foodservice division with strong leadership, Revol Greens announced Matt Roy as its new Vice President of Food Service, bringing over two decades of fresh produce and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) knowledge to the position.

“I have been a longtime proponent and advocate about the controlled environment agriculture space, and the ability to grow a quality, sustainable product closer to the end user is only going to become more important,” said Roy. “The vision, passion, and people at Revol made it an easy decision to join the company. I look forward to working with an industry-leading team backed by visionary investors and making a difference for our customers.”

Prior to joining Revol, Roy served in a Vice President role at Tanimura & Antle where he led business development for greenhouse operations and oversaw the grower’s CEA strategy. Noted in a release, he also spent six years in a variety of executive positions at US Foods, with his responsibilities including CEA strategy leadership.

In addition to his tenure at these well-known industry companies, Roy has also served a number of fresh produce committees including United Fresh Wholesaler Distributor Board, the Southeast Produce Council’s Education Committee and Board of Directors, and the Indoor Ag Con Board of Advisors. He is also a graduate of the United Fresh Produce Industry Leadership Program: Class 24.

“We are excited to have Matt join the Revol team. His deep understanding of how to translate customer needs to achievable strategies is a perfect fit for our leadership team of experienced growers, marketers, and greenhouse operators,” commented Tom Thompson, Chief Revenue Officer. “Revol’s coast-to-coast network of regional greenhouses producing organic lettuces at scale has been a presence in the market, and Matt’s real-world experience with supply chain complexities will help us address the challenges that come with our unique business model.”

Best of luck to Matt Roy as the takes the helm in this new role!

Revol Greens

REEDLEY, CA - Making waves across the ocean of fresh produce, Frutura acquired Dayka & Hackett and Agrícola Don Ricardo earlier this summer. Now rocking the boat once again, the sales and marketing network has wielded its Dayka & Hackett subsidiary to form an agreement that sells majority ownership of TerraFresh Organics to Frutura.

“Adding a solid organic team to our roster of excellent companies was absolutely on my radar,” said David Krause, Frutura’s Chief Executive Officer. “But we weren’t willing to ‘settle.’ We wanted to partner with an organization with an already proven track record of success in organics. What Greg and Steve built at TerraFresh matched our expectations, and this is a good day for the Frutura family of companies.”

TerraFresh sources high-quality organic citrus, mangos, and table grapes domestically and internationally, a press release explained. Following the acquisition, the supplier will continue to be led by Founders Greg Holzman and Steve Akagaki, who were early advocates in the organic sector, joining forces in 1987 to convert a traditional apple orchard to an organic farm and forming a new company.

Frutura’s founding vision aligns with that of TerraFresh through an intent to supply the marketplace with the fruit varieties discerning customers expect, regardless of season. TerraFresh has built relationships with organic growers around the world and expects that network to expand because of the addition of Frutura’s significant international footprint.

“When Steve and I met with our team to share this news, the ‘why’ was simple,” said TerraFresh Organics Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Holzman. “It’s all about accelerating growth. We’re excited to scale up our operation and in particular, work closely with Dayka & Hackett. Steve and I greatly admire what Tim and his team have achieved, and we plan to capitalize on the exponential growth of organics in the years ahead.”

What else might Frutura have its sights set on? AndNowUKnow will let you know as soon as we find out.

Frutura

IRVINE, CA - The sharks are circling, and I’m not talking about great whites. Western Growers (WG) is preparing for the 2021 AgSharks® Competition, hosted in tandem with S2G Ventures at the WG Annual Meeting on November 9, 2021. Out of more than 100 applicants, five agtech start-up companies have been selected to vie for a shot at new ag seed funding, a $250,000 minimum investment, as well as potential access to farm acreage to pilot their technologies.

These startups are all developing systems and technologies that promote a more healthy and sustainable food and agriculture system. At the event, they will pitch their inventions to a panel of AgSharks Judges in front of 400 fresh produce farmers and industry leaders, a press release stated.

The selected companies are as follows:

• 3Bar Biologics: 3Bar Biologics provides farmers with the most cost-effective, sustainable, and biological products that are activated in a self-contained package, delivering 100 percent fresh microbes at the time of application
• Boost Biomes: Using state-of-the-art DNA sequencing to identify microbial products that could be sold in the commercial marketplace, Boost Biomes’ solutions can be used in both the food and agriculture sectors
• Global Water Innovations: Global Water Innovations brings to market a basket of emerging breakthrough technologies that will undercut current market pricing by 30 percent for desalination of both brackish groundwater and produced water
• Naïo Technologies: Naïo Technologies develops autonomous software for agriculture, enabling autonomous field operations, fleet management, and “intelligent farming” while providing fast ROI for growers as well as facilitating more sustainable farming practices
• Vivent SA: Vivent SA uses unique, patented, electrophysiology sensors and artificial intelligence to give farmers instantaneous insight into crop health

The winning startup(s) will also receive international recognition, mentoring from S2G and WG, and access to WG’s expansive network of leading fresh produce companies. WG and S2G also announced the slate of AgSharks Judges who will be offering feedback, equity investment offers, acreage for use in pilot programs, or a combination of the three.

The panel—which is comprised of growers, shippers, processors, and venture capitalists—is as follows:

• Alexandra Allen, Compliance Counsel, Main Street Produce
• Audre Kapacinskas, Vice President, S2G Ventures
• Frank Maconachy, President and CEO, Ramsay Highlander
• Dominic Muzzi Jr., CEO/COO, Muzzi Family Farms
• Cristina Rohr, Principal, S2G Ventures
• Matthew Walker, Managing Director, S2G Ventures

We wish the best of luck to these distinguished start-ups!

Western Growers

SACRAMENTO, CA - If you wear a costume, and no one is around to see it, did you really wear a costume? We're hear to solve that condundrum, because we're calling out across the industry for your best Halloween fits!

If the office is decked out as superheroes, villians, or old fashioned monsters, we want to be the first to see! As a fan of the spooky season, I can't wait to commemorate the fresh biz's finest in our industry yearbook.

Pets even count! Whether it be your dog dressed as Thor, or your cat dressed as Loki—shoutout to my own cat's costume—we want to see the critters taking part in the holiday.

When you submit your picture, please include names of everyone featured in the photo for the caption. If your costume is that good, we might not be able to tell who's who!

We will be accepting submissions through [email protected] until Tuesday morning. Boo-tiful, chilling, or just plain creepy, send us those pics!

Until then, stay weird, produce industry, and Happy Halloween!

MONTEREY, CA - Can you believe we’re only a month away from December? As we ready to kick off November next week, many in the industry are already looking down the line to the first of December, which is when the Organic Growers Summit (OGS), presented by Western Growers and the Organic Produce Network (OPN), kicks off. However, we have not been left wanting, as yet another exciting education session has been announced.

Titled CEA: What Does it Mean for Organics?, the session will be moderated by Todd Linsky, Principal and Owner of Todd Linsky Consulting. Panelists include Nate Storey, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at Plenty; Arama Kukutai, Co-Founder and Partner at Finistere Ventures; and Philip Karp, President and Co-Founder of Shenandoah Growers, which was recently renamed Soli Organic^™.

An announcement from OGS states that the session will work to define vertical farming, indoor growing, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) for the organic community. Each of the panelists are distinguished CEA industry members, and will offer insights on the opportunities and challenges associated with this growing method.

With the rapid growth of CEA, this is one session many organic operators will likely be drawn to. To register for the event, please click here.

As the event date approaches, keep an eye out for exclusive stories from ANUK.

Organic Grower Summit

MIAMI, FL - There must be a party happening on the East Coast today, as Moxxy Marketing announced the appointment of its newest team member. Expanding its internal operations on the East Coast, the industry ally has named Cameron Dolan as its new Business and Accounting Director.

"In my last position, I managed a team of 20 onboarding specialists and accountants, overseeing operations for a shared services company responsible for over 800 small and medium-sized businesses," relates Dolan. "The experience demonstrated how hard work, transparency, and consistency make a business successful—all traits exemplified by the Moxxy team."

Dolan grew up in coastal New Jersey and moved to Florida for college, where she earned a bachelor’s in finance from Florida State University, a press release stated. With previous career roles in accounting and operations management, Dolan brings with her a deep breadth of experience to Moxxy.

"Every business owner understands the importance of having strength in operations and behind-the-scenes support," said Karen Nardozza, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Cameron hit the ground running by demonstrating know-how in accounting, HR, and business operations, freeing the rest of the team to focus solely on what we do best: creating great strategic and creative work for our clients."

Nardozza continued, noting how Dolan will bring a unique edge to the Moxxy team.

"I knew from the start Cameron has what it takes to be a Moxxer," she added. "She displays grit, initiative, and is able to see beyond an immediate task while maintaining a client-centric approach—all key skills needed to succeed at Moxxy. Cam has earned the trust and respect of her team in just a few months."

Congratulations to Cameron Dolan on joining the Moxxy team!

Moxxy Marketing

FARMINGDALE, NY - Never underestimate the power of a new look. While consistency may breed comfort in many consumers’ day-to-day life, change is also necessary, as it sparks excitement, curiosity, and impulse purchases, of course. Bringing a fresh new look to the fans of its brand, Bushwick Commission recently unveiled a new packaging redesign for its beloved Guarantee label.

“We are a multi-generation family business, and our Guarantee brand has been the cornerstone of our company since 1934 and highlights our promise to our customers,” Ken Gray, Executive Vice President, remarked. “We’re extremely proud of the redesign that is consumer-friendly while maintaining the farm-fresh feel of our original Guarantee label but with a bold, modern flair.”

The new designs will grace the supplier’s full range of potato offerings, including red, Russet, and Yukon gold potatoes, as well as its premium white potato. According to a press release, the bold colors and fonts featured on the refresh packaging highlight a new modernized design and farm scene to catch shoppers’ attention in the produce department.

With tried-and-true recipes included on the back of the bags, such as French Potato Salad and Half-Baked Potatoes, the design draws consumers in with the promise of possibility in their home kitchens. In addition, the bags also provide shoppers with great tips on picking the best potatoes at the store, as well as information about at-home preparation and proper storage.

“The last year has proven that consumers still love potatoes, and they are pantry staples and meal-time favorites. Our new packaging offers an attractive brand that will stand out on shelves,” Gray pointed out. “Although our packaging has a new look, our customers can continue to expect the same great quality and service for which Bushwick has been known for generations.”

With the winter months in full swing and the holidays quickly approaching, potatoes are on nearly every shopper’s grocery list, and meeting the steady demand is easy with eye-catching products such as those from Bushwick Commission.

Bushwick Commission

UNITED STATES - Pressures are mounting as President Biden met with Democrats on Capitol Hill this morning to unveil a new framework on his current $1.75 trillion social and climate spending package. The President hopes to pass this package alongside his $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged colleagues to vote on.

According to a source, the President said to the closed door meeting with Democrats, "We are at an inflection point. The rest of the world wonders whether we can function.”

NBC News noted that if Biden is successful in passing both this spending proposal and the infrastructure bill, Congress will have enacted $5 trillion in spending in the 10 months since President Biden took office—a historic level of domestic spending.

The source, which was familiar with the hour-long closed door meeting, reported Biden as saying, “I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that the House and Senate majorities and my presidency will be determined by what happens in the next week.”

What does the spending package and its social programs and climate measures mean for our industry? On the White House website, the Build Back Better Framework provides a brief summary on what this could look like for farmers, although there are no hard numbers regarding government assistance.

According to the outline, “increased investments in climate-smart agriculture alone could reach roughly 130 million cropland acres per year, representing as many as 240,000 farms. Farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners have long demonstrated leadership in environmental stewardship with strategies that provide benefits for the farm, the environment, and the public.”

The bill would be paid for largely through tax increases that would likely have little direct impact on agriculture, the outline went on to explain. This includes a 15 percent minimum tax on corporations and a 5 percent surtax on personal incomes above $10 million.

We will be waiting any further details from the possible vote, so please stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest.

SACRAMENTO, CA - The results are in, and two industry players have taken the ANUK cake. In what may have been our fastest responses yet, members from both the supply- and buy-sides flooded our inboxes not five minutes after the contest was announced. The Snack Contest champions have been crowned, so, who are they?

Mike Specht, Content Specialist at Nature Fresh Farms, was one of the first to land in our inboxes last Friday. The supply-side winner humbly accepted his winnings and teased a bit of the recent activities going on in the world of Mike.

“I am about to do some home renovations, so I will be using this money as a responsible adult!” he told us excitedly.

None other than Danny Ortiz, Quality Assurance Inspector at Sysco, was our buy-side champion. A frequent participant of The Snack contest, we couldn’t wait to hear what Danny had to say about his most recent win.

“Thank you to ANUK for the wonderful news the whole team provides us with each day, and of course The Snack contest that is so thrilling,” said The Snack contest vet. “And by the way, it feels good to be back!”

And it’s good to have you back in the winning circle, Danny.

For those who did not snag first or second place this round, there’s always the next issue! You can request a subscription to The Snack Magazine here (valued at $129 per year) to get in on the fun for November.

Contest rules require submissions showing your face while pointing at the ANUK logo on the cover of The Snack Magazine. The countdown does not begin until we announce the contest in our newsletter, and the subject line must state “FOUND the Apple Logo.”

Congratulations to the winners of our October round!

The Snack Magazine