WEST DES MOINES, IA - Robots are officially the future of grocery. Hy-Vee made this abundantly clear after announcing a partnership with Simbe Robotics to roll out its autonomous inventory management and retail intelligence solution, Tally, to stores across Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri to improve the in-store experience for customers and store teams.

“Hy-Vee has a strong reputation for excellent customer service and an employee-first culture,” said Luke Tingley, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Hy-Vee. “By employing Tally, we can continue providing that excellent service by reducing out of stocks and empowering our store teams with real-time insights to ensure the best customer experience across the board.”

By gaining greater visibility into store conditions, a press release explained, Tally helps streamline operations and ensures that retailers can make more informed business decisions, such as more accurate order forecasting and optimizing the store layout to support sales.

How does this work, you might ask? Tally autonomously scans tens of thousands of products across grocery, health, and wellness aisles up to three times per day to ensure products are in stock and in the correct location. This has proven to reduce out-of-stocks by up to 30 percent, allowing teams to focus on more engaging tasks such as servicing customers.

This data, combined with Tally’s plug-and-play software platform and APIs, gives employees real-time recommendations to improve store operations and maximize customer satisfaction, the release explained.

“No other retail solution supports store teams the way Tally does. The pandemic truly created a ‘new normal’ for grocery that has illuminated the need for a greater frequency and fidelity of in-store data,” said Brad Bogolea, CEO and Co-Founder of Simbe Robotics. “Hy-Vee is the perfect example of thoughtfully adopting technology to improve the store experience for both customers and their teams. As retailers face a growing number of considerations, Tally provides a cost-effective solution that ensures they can continue to provide excellent customer service and create a valuable, more enjoyable working environment for their employees.”

Tally robots are already in Hy-Vee stores in Ankeny, Iowa, and Lincoln, Nebraska, and will be rolling out to additional locations in Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa, in the coming weeks.

Exciting times ahead for the grocery sector!

Hy-Vee Simbe Robotics

STILLWATER, MN - We must not forget that more is always merrier, especially as we head into the holiday season. This idea has certainly been put to use with Cub Foods’ most recent announcement, as the Midwest retailer is joining Honeybear Brands® under its pollinator program by sponsoring five acres and helping to raise funds. A portion of fall in-store proceeds will be used to develop additional pollinator habitats, which are planted alongside apple orchards on behalf of the retailer and supported by subsequent consumer-facing social programming.

“Cub jumped at the chance to partner with Honeybear to help solve a serious issue in our agriculture community. Honeybear is a great company and we love working with our partners especially when it comes to creative solutions that support our environment and sustainability,” says Mike Stigers, Chief Executive Officer, Cub Foods.

The unique alignment between Honeybear Brands and Cub is showcased to shoppers with displays that raise awareness about the importance of honey bee pollination and help consumers connect the dots between this concept and the apple category.

According to a press release, pollinators are responsible for one in three bites of food we eat, and their populations are under significant pressure. The work a healthy hive of honey bees does to produce one pound of honey reportedly results in the pollination of 1,000 apples.

“We are pleased to partner with Midwest retailer Cub, the number one grocery chain in Minnesota. The grocer has already pledged to sponsor the development of local acres of pollinator habitat and to showcase the displays during the month of September. Along with the National Honey Board, we will collectively increase awareness of honey bees, which are so critical to the development of our apples. In the business of life, we can sometimes forget how fragile the food system can be, so these displays are a great way to remind shoppers about the importance of honey bees and maybe even inspire them to plant their own pollinator gardens,” says Kristi Harris, Brand Manager, Honeybear Brands.

We at ANUK are singing high praises for these environmental champions.

Cub Foods Honeybear Brands®

MONNHEIM, GERMANY - Bayer is expanding its expertise to include more vegetable seed offerings. The freshly launched Vegetables by Bayer will bring to market more organically produced seeds in three key crops for the greenhouse and glasshouse sectors: tomato, sweet pepper, and cucumber. This expansion will then be followed by tomato rootstock varieties in 2023. Varieties will be sold under both the Seminis^® and De Ruiter^® vegetable seed brands.

“We serve growers all over the world and believe that they should have the freedom to choose the tools or the practices that best suit the needs of their farms and the needs of their customers,” said Inci Dannenberg, President of Global Vegetable Seeds at Bayer. “The launch of our certified organic vegetable seeds represents an opportunity to continue to bring our best-in-class varieties and industry-leading disease resistances to growers in the organics market, while supporting consumer choice.”

According to a press release, Bayer’s expanded portfolio is in direct response to increased customer need for high-quality organic seed. Global consumer demand for certified-organic products continues to grow and is predicted to drive market expansion.

“Organic certification standards require us to use certified organic seed where available, and that is what our customers expect, too,” said Ricardo Crisantes, Chief Commercial Officer of Wholesum Family Farms. "We are very pleased that Bayer is supporting our market by offering certified organic seed and look forward to having a high-quality selection of De Ruiter seeds for our organic glasshouse production.”

As noted in the release, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) estimates that today’s global organic food market is worth more than €106 billion (USD 124 billion). The global organic food seeds market was valued at $355 milion in 2020 and is expected to grow to $480 million by 2025 with a 6.2 percent CAGR.

For many reasons, this increased demand presents a valuable opportunity for many of Bayer‘s vegetable seeds customers to grow their businesses while supporting consumer food choice and promoting access to nutritious fruits and vegetables.

“Across everything we do, Bayer and our Vegetable Seeds business remain committed to being the partner of choice, providing best-in-class varieties and tailored solutions to support our customers and partners in growing their businesses while providing people around the world with safe, nutritious, and delicious fruits and vegetables,” said Dannenberg.

The commercial launch for the new certified organic portfolio is planned for early 2022 and will focus on the high-growth organic markets of Canada, United States, Mexico, Spain, and Italy with potential for future expansion based on market demand.

As it prepares for heightened demand, Bayer is taking all necessary steps to obtain the proper certification at its facilities to prepare for the receiving, processing, storage and distribution of certified organic seeds. The vegetable seed offerings will join Bayer’s non-synthetic crop production and crop protection products, or biologicals, as another critical tool for certified organic growers around the world.

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we cover the latest in fresh produce news.

Bayer

WAYNE, PA - Deals are struck with the end consumer in mind, and this is especially true of the recent acquisition of Keyes Packaging Group by Tekni-Plex. The company made the decision to acquire the group to enable its own customers with solutions that keep food products fresher for longer. Keyes Packaging Group will now operate as part of the Tekni-Plex Consumer Products division.

“Once again, we have added an incredible resource to the Tekni-Plex family,” Eldon Schaffer, CEO of Tekni-Plex Consumer Products division. “Keyes brings market intelligence and a deep material science application knowledge to us, as we continue on our journey to becoming more and more proactive for our customers.”

Keyes Packaging Group has made a name for itself in the industry as a provider of environmentally friendly, protective packaging for both the food and beverage industry. According to a press release, the company is comprised of two diverse companies: Keyes Fibre and Wrap Pack.

“Adding Keyes to the Tekni-Plex Consumer Products family also gives us a boost in our overall efforts toward providing additional sustainable solutions to our customers. Together with the recently acquired Grupo Phoenix capabilities, our existing Tekni-Plex organization and now with Keyes, we are building a tremendous future for the market, our customers, and our employees,” Schaffer continued.

Keyes Fibre, which is located in Wenatchee, is among a limited number of suppliers that produce molded fiber trays for the packaging and shipment of apples and avocados, as well as eggs and wine bottles. Wrap Pack, which is located in Yakima, Washington, produces fruit and vegetable specialty-tissue protective wrap for storing and shipping pears, apples, and citrus.

“We are excited to join a company focused on creating next-generation solutions for the market and the opportunities this provides Keyes Packaging employees and customer partners,” added Kevin Stangeland, President and CEO of Keyes Packaging Group.

As the demand for molded fiber packaging products is expected to rise with increasing consumer demand for more environmentally friendly packaging solutions, this partnership could not be better timed.

Tekni-Plex Keyes Packaging Group

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - A significant executive restructure is taking place at Oppy as the marketing maven works to position itself for the next decade of growth. Overall, the company has shifted the roles of David Smith, Satri Alpine, Chris Kurylo, James Milne, and Jason Fung in addition to subsequent structure enhancements.

“The complexity of our business has radically evolved in the last five to 10 years,” said David Smith, who is now President and Chief Operating Officer. “A huge part of Oppy’s ongoing success has been in taking a proactive approach and consistently modifying our strategy as we drive the business forward. As we continue to grow, these moves, and future moves to come, will enhance Oppy as we propel through the 2020s and beyond.”

Smith is just one of the talented Oppy executives who has entered a new role.

Former Vice President of Talent and Culture Satri Alpine has been acknowledged as Oppy’s Chief People Officer. According to Smith's statements in a press release, she made her mark as a thoughtful leader when the company navigated the COVID-19 pandemic while also continuing to evolve its approach to recruitment, on-boarding, employee development, and more.

Chris Kurylo has taken on the role of Vice President of Strategic Business Development and Analysis.

Kurylo has been instrumental to the company’s integration with Eco Farms, which Oppy acquired a 65 percent stake in last year, while also overseeing the fiscal elements across the organization’s categories. He now reports to Senior Vice President of Categories and Marketing James Milne.

Milne is entering the SVP role as part of this overarching restructure.

Milne has added executive responsibility for partner relations to his purview with this recent promotion. Director of Global Procurement Ray Reed now also reports to him, the press release added. Milne will stay connected to business development activity through his leadership position in marketing.

These changes also bring about structure enhancements to reinforce the alignment between Oppy’s tactical and strategic approaches to the sales and marketing process. Lead of the business development representatives’ team, Sales and National BDR Manager Audrey Desnoyers, will now report to Senior Vice President of North American Sales Brett Libke.

The newly created position of Vice President of Categories and Strategy has added greater responsibility to Jason Fung, who will continue to oversee Oppy’s berry and greenhouse categories while also leading more of the strategic planning process alongside the executive team.

“Jason is a proven strategic thinker, which is why he is the ideal fit for this new position to help shape and execute Oppy’s strategy while also assuring it’s embedded into our culture and understood by all,” said Smith.

This summer, Oppy also announced the retirement of two veterans and the refined roles stepping into their places. Vice President of Operations Steve Roosdahl took on Doug Grant’s top-line responsibilities within operations, transportation, and supply chain; Vice President of South American Operations Eric Coty took over the region completely; and IT is now reporting directly to Executive Vice President and CFO Kiran Rao. Jim Leach assumed the Sales Manager position of its Houston location after Jeff Walker’s 27-year tenure.

“With these retirements, along with the tragic passing of Cal Tribiano, I know that all shifts will honor those great losses and take Oppy to a heightened purpose as we grow our tomorrow,” Smith affirmed.

Congratulations to all of these highly regarded executives!

Oppy

GERMANY - Achieving an international footprint is on many companies’ radars, and meal kit provider HelloFresh is bolstering its own. Completing a deal with Russian counterpart Chefmarket, the meal kit provider has acquired a roughly 10 percent stake in the company.

“We are excited about the investment which will enable us to further expand HelloFresh’s TAM and strengthen our global footprint. HelloFresh and Chefmarket share similar values, especially when it comes to fresh, locally sourced ingredients and sustainability. With this investment, we are looking forward to having an impact on changing the way even more people eat,” said Ed Boyes, Chief Commercial Officer at HelloFresh.

With the Russian food market representing the fifth largest food market globally, noted the release, the total addressable market (TAM) expansion is one important growth lever in HelloFresh’s long-term strategy and entails identifying attractive opportunities to selectively expand geographically.

In addition, the expansion of HelloFresh’s TAM is well underway to date, with its Green Chef brand being launched in the U.K. and the market entry into Norway, the third market for HelloFresh in the Nordics, following Sweden and Denmark.

“Chefmarket has seen healthy growth over the past [few] years as an increasing amount of consumers in Russia have learned to love to cook with meal kits,” Sergey Ashin, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Chefmarket said. “Combining HelloFresh’s expertise in fifteen different markets with Chefmarket’s local supply chain and product development capabilities will support the continued strong growth of the meal kit market in Russia.”

The amount of this capital injection investment was not disclosed, but HelloFresh states it amounts to a single-digit million Euro figure in its announcement. Additionally, the investment represents a strategic step for HelloFresh to tap into an emerging market with significant growth potential.

As HelloFresh continues to build on its nationwide footprint, ANUK will be here to keep you in the loop.

HelloFresh

DELANO, CA - Doing its part to uplift the table grape category with new packaging, Pandol Brothers, Inc. continues to garner interest with its eye-catching grape bags. The packaging itself highlights U.S.-grown produce, as well as the Wounded Warrior Project®. I spoke with Scott Reade, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, to learn more.

“We were originally looking at designing a patriotic bag, which was the original concept a couple of years ago. Most importantly, we wanted to show consumers that our product was from the United States. Although packaging includes country of origin, a lot of people don't notice,” Scott told me. “We need a bag that showed that the product was from the United States graphically. Right? From there, we started thinking about, ‘Well, is there something further that we can do?’”

The answer to that question is a resounding “Yes,” as is evidenced in the partnership with Wounded Warrior Project.

“When we reached out to them, they were very responsive and experienced in co-branding products. I was surprised by how many retailers already have co-branded products on their shelves, but not in produce,” Scott explained.

The concept itself is not new, but packaging delivers values to retailers in a variety of ways that drive consumers to the store.

“One of the immediate impacts that I think both consumers and retailers would like to know about is that Pandol Brothers made a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project to be able to utilize their brand on our packaging. Retailers can support the Wounded Warrior Project, too, by carrying the grapes in that bag. Additionally, that drives awareness with customers. Altogether, it’s ultimately about drawing attention to that organization, to the grape category, and hopefully drive some incremental sales along the way,” Scott remarked.

The Wounded Warrior Project holds significance for the company, as one of its Founders, Jack Pandol, served in World War II. Beloved by the industry, Jack’s influence can still be seen. Scott told me that the grape variety, Jack’s Salute, is named in honor of Jack Pandol—a fact that speaks to the interconnectedness in this industry that I love.

“We’ve just passed the anniversary of 9/11 and Wounded Warrior's mission is to support veterans that have served, like the veterans that are from the post 9-11 generation. What we're targeting with this program is Veterans Day promotions, and we're hoping that we can get some front-page grape ads for Veterans Day this November,” Scott commented. “Hopefully, utilizing this bag and the Wounded Warrior cause will interest some retailers into putting the fruit front and center for Veterans Day.”

Stick with us here at AndNowUKnow as we cover the latest in fresh produce.

Pandol Bros. Inc.

QUÉBEC, CANADA - The fresh produce industry is stepping into the light, as a great number of operators continue to implement new LED technology. Sollum Technologies is one company making this all possible, and recently released the newest addition to its 100 percent programmable smart LED lighting solution. Known as the SF05A, this solution marks a considerable advancement for Sollum and horticultural lighting technology as a whole.

“Our newest fixture confirms once again that our 100 percent programmable smart LED lighting solution is ahead of its time, set to revolutionize horticultural lighting,” explains CEO Louis Brun. “I would like to thank our teams, clients, partners, and all who supported us as we continued innovating through the unpredictable and difficult circumstances of this past year.”

According to a press release, some of the key features of the new SF05A include:

• An increase of the light output by 21 percent
• An increase of the energy efficiency by 16 percent
• A reduction of the Total Harmonic Distortion of 16 percent
• Advanced autonomous monitoring
• Self-upgradable system

The solution was reportedly designed and manufactured in Canada and is lighter and even easier to install than before. Its spectrum quality and dynamic spectrum rectification capability were enhanced in order to provide growers with the 100 percent programmable, full spectrum smart LED lighting solution.

The fixture’s integration with the SUN as a Service® cloud platform has been streamlined to make assimilation into a greenhouse’s software infrastructure seamless. Greenhouse growers also benefit from improved fixture functionality for controllable and automated light system monitoring, the press release noted.

“Sollum’s engineering and manufacturing teams did a fantastic job in designing our newest light fixture,” said CTO François Roy-Moisan. “We delivered a superior yet affordable technology that represents the cutting edge of lighting innovation.”

Will you be one of the first to adopt this new technology? ANUK will be here delivering the latest updates.

Sollum Technologies

SOUTH AFRICA - One thing our industry can pride itself on is our ability to overcome obstacles to keep the supply chain moving and get delicious fresh produce in the hands of consumers. Summer Citrus from South Africa (SCSA) is proving this point as the company has overcome several recent hurdles to drive forward its production and distribution of high-quality citrus.

In its freshly released newsletter update, SCSA detailed some of the challenges that needed to be overcome as the company continued with its summer season. Among them were regional riots and looting; a COVID-19 spike; and an unforeseen disruption of the Transnet IT system, a state-owned enterprise that operates and owns most of South Africa’s main seaports. However, SCSA pushed ahead, undeterred to continue providing its citrus offerings.

"This program remains a bright and shining armor in South Africa as our program has not been impacted by any of the above,” said Suhanra Conradie, Chief Executive Officer, in the newsletter. “Our dedicated conventional vessels are moving fruit quickly in spite of the system shut down. Although not without its challenges, we have an open communication system and have so far been able to work through any obstacles without any major adjustments.”

Due to SCSA’s persistence and dedication, the purveyor has shipped more than 50 percent of its planned volumes for the summer, and with another one of its vessels ready to load, packed volumes are hitting just over 60 percent.

In terms of its offerings, SCSA’s easy peelers are slightly ahead on volume and are picking up with later mandarins. Additionally, quality is looking good for the variety, and buyers can expect premium product. Navels, like easy peelers, are also ahead on volumes and are into later varieties now. Both quality and sizing for the category are looking good. Star Rubys and Cara Caras are also shipping at higher volumes than anticipated and have shown good quality.

For more updates from around the fresh produce industry, stick with AndNowUKnow.

Summer Citrus from South Africa

YERINGTON, NV - Small in size, but mighty in taste, shallots pack an amazing punch in any recipe. As consumers start gearing up for the holidays, laying out their menus for each occasion, Peri & Sons Farms^® is promoting its newly debuted Gourmet Organic and Premium Shallot Programs to give shoppers the extra flavor they need this season.

“Our Organic Gourmet Shallots’ packaging is unlike any other on the market today,” Teri Gibson, Director of Marketing and Customer Relations, enlightens. “They are uniquely packaged in consumer-preferred biodegradable and recyclable clamshells that are plastic-free and can be displayed using a 12 ct shipping tray or stacked to make an impressive display. Additionally, our Premium Shallots, which are certified pesticide-residue-free, are available in convenient bulk options.”

This new organic program aligns with Peri & Sons’ commitment to sustainability, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. As eco-friendliness has also become an important factor in purchasing decisions, the grower has shifted its packaging to make it not only eye-catching with beautiful natural themed designs, but practical, efficient, and sustainable, and the Earth-friendly materials used help to extend shelf-life while minimizing food waste.

Officially launching this fall, it will be the first season for Peri & Sons’ Gourmet Organic and Premium Shallot programs. As Teri explains, they will be available from September through March, or while supplies last, and through the grower’s merchandising tools and support, they will surely fly off of shelves as the holidays near.

“Peri & Sons’ customized Merchandising Support Program is just one part of our overall PeriCare^® customer service program. We can provide eye-catching POS stanchion signs, counter cards, rack cards, shelf cards, and edge cards of any size for our buyers. Our creative POS Design Service ensure retailers have the right message in the right format to meet their needs,” she says. “Additionally, all of our high-graphic, food-safe packages include consumer engagement aspects such as free recipes from our Onion Obsession^® club, health and wellness information, nutrition facts, and onion usage guides that are great for consumers starting holiday meal preparations.”

Further enticing consumers to add these premium shallots to their baskets, they are USDA Certified Organic and packed in a secure environment at the farm where they are grown using the highest food safety standards—something that has become even more important to shoppers throughout the pandemic.

“As a company, we are recognized as a Certified Sustainable farming operation by SCS Global,” Teri explains. “We’ve always aligned ourselves with the most stringent protocols because we believe there is a substantial advantage in innovating ahead of others. Peri & Sons is also supporting new emerging packaging technologies that appeal to today’s eco-conscious consumer because it’s the right thing to do.”

What will be Peri & Sons’ next move as it helps drive sustainability in the fresh produce industry? Just like you, I can’t wait to find out. So, keep reading AndNowUKnow for the answers.

Peri & Sons Farms®