OXNARD, CA - In our industry, we always have to applaud the leaders who planted a seed that sprouted into an operation booming with success. Steve Barnard, the Founder, President, and CEO of Mission Produce, is definitely one of those leaders, and he has recently been named an Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2021 Greater Los Angeles Award finalist.

“I’m proud to represent Mission Produce among some of the most influential business people in the country,” said Barnard. “Over the last four decades, Mission has left an incredible mark on the industry, leading the way and setting the standard in the avocado business. It’s a great honor to have the opportunity to highlight the work we’ve done in such a prestigious program.”

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program honors business leaders whose ambition, ingenuity, and courage in the face of adversity pave the way for the future of the industry, a press release noted, and recognizes business leaders in more than 145 cities in over 60 different countries. Barnard was selected by a panel of independent judges for his work in evolving the produce industry as a whole.

Barnard founded Mission Produce in 1983, and during his tenure, the avocado industry has grown into a $6.5 billion industry, which is estimated to scale to $8 billion by 2023. As President and CEO of Mission, Barnard makes critical business decisions and steers the general direction of the entire company.

The nominees for the Entrepreneur Of The Year program are evaluated based on six different criteria: entrepreneurial leadership; talent management; degree of difficulty; financial performance; societal impact and building a values-based company; and originality, innovation, and future plans.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum®. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in June 2022, according to the release.

Award winners will be announced during an exciting virtual celebration on July 29, and will become lifelong members of the community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the globe.

Congratulations to Steve Barnard on this momentous milestone in his career!

Mission Produce

BOISE, ID - Albertsons may experience newfound brand growth in the coming months, as the retailer has named Jennifer Saenz as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, effective July 12, 2021. Saenz will be responsible for all areas of merchandising as well as further strengthening the company’s relationships with its brand partners. She will join the senior leadership team and report to Vivek Sankaran, President and Chief Executive Officer.

“I am honored to join Albertsons, and to work with Vivek and the company’s talented management team,” said Saenz. “Albertsons is undertaking a transformation that is further strengthening its position as an industry leader focused on deepening its relationship with customers. I am excited to leverage my experience and partner with our vendors to continue providing great products and great value to our customers.”

Saenz has over 15 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods sector, holding roles of increasing responsibility within PepsiCo since 2005. Since 2019, Saenz has served as Global Chief Marketing Officer and President, Global Foods, with responsibility for the $30 billion PepsiCo Foods portfolio, a press release stated. From 2015 to 2019 Saenz served as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo Foods North America, where she accelerated growth and drove innovation for the $16 billion snacking portfolio. From 2009 to 2015 she held a number of brand and customer marketing positions within Frito-Lay.

She graduated from The Goizueta School of Business at Emory University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and received an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Saenz has been recognized for her professional accomplishments through a number of awards, including Fast Company’s Most Creative People in 2018; Brand Innovators’ Top 100 Women in Marketing in 2017, 2018, and 2019; and AdWeek’s Brand Genius Award in 2017.

“We’re excited to welcome Jennifer to the Albertsons team,” said Sankaran. “A commitment to serving our customers with a broad and differentiated assortment of products is a key aspect of our transformation strategy. Jennifer’s extensive global industry experience and proven track record of driving growth through marketing, analytics, and product innovation, grounded in a deep understanding of the consumer, will allow her to make significant contributions to our business and elevate the Albertsons brand for our customers, brand partners, and associates.”

We extend our congratulations to Jennifer Saenz on this well-deserved appointment.

Albertsons Companies

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Food safety remains top of mind for suppliers, and Grimmway Farms is certainly no exception. The carrot producer recently teamed up with Highland Ag Solutions to put its food safety and regulatory compliance management software to use.

“Using auditor access has really increased our efficiency. We can send access to our records to an auditor so they can do a desk review from a remote location,” stated Wendell Stockton, Director of Quality Assurance for Grimmway Farms. “I highly recommend Highland Hub software because it is well-designed and well-serviced. When they first demonstrated it for me, I was using a competitor’s software, but knew within the first 15 minutes that I would be making a change. The software is a much better value, as well as very user-friendly and customized to my needs. Any questions I have are immediately addressed with a call to Customer Support and they answer the phone every time.”

According to a press release, the Highland Hub software provides the necessary tools to give a transparent and real-time view of Grimmway Farms’ food safety program.

These tools include the Auditor Access, which has helped the supplier greatly.

“We are honored to partner with Grimmway Farms to provide a platform that allows them to virtually manage their food safety programs. Food safety culture is a priority at Grimmway, and Highland is ready to play a vital role in that process,” added Justin Machell, CEO of Highland Ag Solutions.

We’ll continue to keep our eyes on the wire regarding the latest in food safety innovations and partnerships, so stay tuned.

Grimmway Farms

NAPLES, FL - Strengthening its ranks of industry partners as it carries out its mission to provide fresh produce to families, Brighter Bites has announced two new partnerships with Harry Chapin Food Bank and Lipman Family Farms. Together, the trio will work to ensure that families in Southwest Florida will continue to receive fresh fruits and vegetables as they overcome the impacts made on their communities due to the pandemic.

“Brighter Bites is so grateful to Harry Chapin Food Bank and to Lipman Family Farms for their support during this unusual school year,” said Brighter Bites Senior Program Director Mike Pomeroy. “Both organizations stepped up to help as soon as the pandemic crisis hit in 2020, providing produce donations and volunteer assistance. This assistance proved to be essential as we continued to serve families at our six elementary schools in Florida.”

Starting at the beginning of the 2021 semester, the partners increased the number of families served to more than 930, resulting in over 266,000 pounds of fresh produce distributed, according to a press release.

In total, 10,477 boxes containing Brussels sprouts, asparagus, eggplant, green beans, apples, oranges, and other items were delivered to students, their families, and their teachers. Additionally, other nutrition education materials were also distributed along with in-class lessons being conducted on a regular basis at schools.

“We are pleased to be a part of these great initiatives launched by Brighter Bites in the Immokalee/Naples area,” commented Jaime Weisinger, Director of Community Relations and Government Relations at Lipman Family Farms. “We value our incredible partnerships with Brighter Bites and Harry Chapin Food Bank, and we look forward to making an even greater impact in the coming years.”

To help with this expansion of services, Harry Chapin Food Bank and Lipman Family Farms both provided volunteer support with produce sorting, packing, and box distribution, in addition to monetary and product donations. Through the two organizations’ support, Brighter Bites was able to provide crucial help to those in need during the pandemic.

“It was a true collaboration as our organization, Brighter Bites ,and Lipman Family Farms worked to meet the needs of the community in Southwest Florida during the 2020-2021 school year,” added Harry Chapin Food Bank President and CEO, Richard LeBer.

Brighter Bites is based in Houston, Texas, and currently works with families in more than 120 school districts across seven cities, with each family receiving approximately 25 pounds of fresh, seasonal produce and nutrition education weekly.

Cheers to Brighter Bites, Lipman Family Farms, and Harry Chapin Food Bank as they continue to make a difference not only in the fresh produce industry, but local communities as well!

Brighter Bites Lipman Family Farms Harry Chapin Food Bank

HOUSTON, TX - There is something to be said for spending multiple decades with a single company. Jeff Walker is one of those rare breeds, having joined Oppy in 1994 and gone on to lead as the fresh maven’s Sales Manager in its Houston, Texas, office. Walker is now preparing to take the next step in his journey, recently announcing that he will retire at the end of this month.

Walker started selling produce from his family’s farm when he was eight years old, a press release stated. When he joined the company, he aided in opening the company’s fifth U.S. office on Houston’s Produce Row. He became fondly known by his colleagues as “The Lone Ranger,” having built Oppy’s business with key customers in Texas and the South-Central U.S. to create a high-performing sales team in which it thrives today.

The release went on to note that Walker brought the present-day Texas-style Oppy to life through his relationship approach to sales, which is described by Brett Libke, the Senior Vice President of Sales, as calm, witty, and insightful from the ground up.

Furthermore, he served as President of the Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association (HFFVA) in 2004 and 2005. Through programs such as the signature Gift of Produce, HFFVA helps lead the fight against hunger in much of southeast Texas. Blending his passion for golf with his life in produce, Walker headed up or assisted in organizing the HFFVA annual charity golf tournament for many years.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Jeff for nearly three decades. On behalf of everyone at Oppy, we wish him and his wife Mary a long and wonderful retirement,” said Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Managing Partner John Anderson.

Libke went on to detail some of the incredible accomplishments that decorate Walker’s impressive career.

“When Jeff joined us, we were launching the New Zealand Braeburn apple, which he helped establish in the region. From there, he introduced his customers to JAZZ™ and Envy™ apples, along with Zespri green and gold kiwifruit and ultimately the whole Oppy basket,” continued Libke. “His leadership in our avocado business over the years enabled us to create a foothold in that key category, too. Jeff is the ultimate produce professional. We know his customers will miss his great service and relaxed but conscientious style.”

Stepping into his boots as Oppy’s Sales Manager in Houston is Jim Leach.

With experience gained at BASF, Taylor Farms, and PepsiCo, Leach joined Oppy as a business development representative in California in 2016 and quickly evolved to sales representative in 2017. Known for his energetic approach and solutions focus, Leach is relocating to Texas with a freshly minted MBA from Pepperdine University in hand.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for Jim to lead our South-Central U.S. sales strategy,” Libke said. “He has big shoes to fill with Jeff’s departure, but we are confident that Jim and the team in Texas will continue to deliver on the legacy Jeff established over the years.”

Congratulations to Jeff Walker and Jim Leach on these exciting next steps.

Oppy

LOS ALAMITOS, CA - Why blend in when you were born to stand out? This is a phrase that Frieda’s lives by and a strategy that is especially effective for retailers as they look to woo shoppers with eye-catching merchandising methods and unique offerings. To spice up produce aisles this summer, the specialty maven has unveiled new tropical options to get consumers excited to load up their baskets and invest their dollars in fruits and veggies.

“We like being in sync with what our shoppers are thinking, and our research helps us decipher that. This year we can say with certainty that a strong tropical program will help push consumer interest and in-store sales. In fact, 66 percent of shoppers said they would be willing to ‘trade-up’ (purchase higher quality/unique ingredients) when entertaining, according to a C+R Research 1000 person study,” explains Alex Jackson Berkley, Director of Sales. “Summer is a great time to get shoppers to try something new that they just might stick with when fall comes around. That means more robust demand for tropical products year-round.”

As summer approaches, Alex tells me that shoppers are excited to experiment, and it’s no different with their produce consumption. For that reason, retailers shouldn’t be afraid to take risks with their in-store assortment, as Frieda’s research also shows that 74 percent of shoppers are choosing to shop at grocery stores with a wide variety of produce, as they believe it makes healthy eating easier.

Likewise, 64 percent of consumers are on the lookout for more colorful produce on their plates, creating the perfect opportunity to showcase Frieda’s eclectic range of bright, tropical offerings.

“As shoppers look to up their game, we want to make it easy and approachable for them. Take our Fire Dragon™ Fruit, for example. We’ve made it easy for them to figure out what it is going to be like and taste like on the inside, and how easy it is to slice, scoop, and enjoy,” says Alex. “In fact, 59 percent of shoppers said that Frieda’s packaging graphics makes it easier to figure out how to use and consume new kinds of produce. We also have our eye-catching 3 tier shipper, which is perfect for merchandising Fire Dragons, Snow Dragons, and Honey Dragons all together when they are in season this June.”

In addition to its delicious Fire Dragon Fruit, Frieda’s has new options for buyers and consumers alike, including rambutan, lychees, and its coveted Angelcots®, which only come in season for an incredibly short time.

Just as Alex says, “normal is boring.” So, grab the phone and contact a Frieda’s rep to turn your produce aisle into a tropical haven this summer—trust me, your shoppers will appreciate a vacation.

Frieda's Specialty Produce

LOS ANGELES, CA - Year-round, the necessity of merchandising makes itself apparent at retail. As a consumer first and trade news writer second, I see how my own shopping behaviors align with being taken in by merchandising displays and new packaging. Knowing the truth of this, buyers are quick to look for supply-side partners that offer this distinction. Luckily, Giumarra Companies has quite the expertise.

“Each Giumarra sales team specializes in specific categories that require different packaging and merchandising approaches,” begins Kellee Harris, Western Business Development Director. “Our business development team works in tandem with division sales and management to research market trends and work with key retailer accounts to design and produce programs that fit their needs.”

Invoking a “flexibility on the fly” mentality with its grape merchandising programs, Giumarra designed the Mystic® grape bins with reversible front and back panels. These allow retailers to flip them based on whether or not they’re featuring Mystic Treat red seedless grapes, Mystic Sweet green seedless grapes, or a combination of both in multi-bin displays.

“This gives the retailer the ability to tailor presentations per store based on inventory and seasonal promotional offerings, plus adds more color ‘pop’ to secondary displays,” Kellee explains.

Part of Giumarra’s appeal is that the company is constantly pivoting to make sure that its products hold up against the myriad of other options in the store.

“We have designed point-of-sale (POS) signage and merchandising bin panels that feature ‘cell ready’ plated recipes so consumers can ‘Snap and Go’ menu ideas with their cell phones onsite versus the old tear-off recipe pads that are not sustainable and require constant replacement,” Kellee adds. “Our #DoYouFuyu Persimmon Bins offer a quick, easy, cell-ready recipe for avocado toast with fresh Fuyu slices on the side panel of the bin. For consumers who have never tried a Fuyu persimmon, we also invest in digital ‘sampling’ coupons offering to encourage trial and repeat purchase.”

Giumarra continues to innovate across both packaging and merchandising, a stance that keeps them leading the supply-side pack.

“We’re looking at new size packs to help tell our story and create new ways for Produce Managers to build displays and move more inventory. Our new DulceVida™ proprietary nectarine line puts a new spark into the stonefruit category by offering 2 lb bags and 2.5 lb and 4 lb consumer packs with beautiful graphics that can stack in a variety of configurations for floor displays,” Kellee notes. “The branding and packaging of the Twilight, Midnight, and Sunrise Editions features tones of blues and golds that look like a present you want to give yourself and your friends.”

A present for both the buy-side and the consumers frequenting their stores. What could be better?

Giumarra Companies

NEWARK, DE - Throughout the pandemic, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has gone above and beyond to keep our industry connected through exciting, informative events. As part of an all-female trade writing team, I can’t help but get excited about PMA’s next event: the annual 2021 Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference. This will feature a myriad of inspiring female leaders discussing challenges and triumphs of women trailblazers in the industry.

The PMA Virtual Town Hall event, sponsored by Mucci Farms, will take place on Wednesday, June 16 starting at 12 p.m. EST, and will address challenges facing professional women and what they can do to flip the script, according to a statement from PMA. Other topics will include advancing gender diversity, equity and inclusion, and the focus on success, not setbacks.

Megan Nash, Director of Programs for Center for Growing Talent will be the Moderator for the event, and panelists will include Sally Helgesen, Wendy McManus, Brenda Necic, Jenean Merkel Perelstein, Marilyn Sherman, and Leslie Simmons.

To register for the event, click here.

Discover more exciting and transformative industry events by sticking with AndNowUKnow.

Produce Marketing Association

SPAIN - Produce has once again fallen victim to drug operations, as Spanish authorities recently seized €60 million ($72 million USD) worth of cocaine disguised amongst a shipment of frozen pineapple from Brazil.

According to a police statement, the 800-kilogram shipment was en route to a secret laboratory located in a chalet in Robledo de Chavela, Madrid. The cocaine had been treated with a complex chemical process that made it almost undetectable for sniffer dogs, according to Sunday World.

The seizure of the illicit substance followed a three-year operation by the Spanish National Police and Tax Agency. This investigation was sparked by an operation between the Columbian National Police and the United States Customs Service, which uncovered 216 kg of cocaine on its way to Spain in 2018.

The maritime container carrying 14 tons of frozen pineapple pulp was linked to the same companies in the former case, authorities examined the truck and found the drugs mixed into one of the pallets.

Following the seizure of the substance, officers executed three house searches and arrested the two businessmen. Two recently purchased vehicles and roughly $12,000 in cash were also obtained by officials.

A huge shout out to these authorities for defending fresh produce from the heinous acts of drug smugglers.

YERINGTON, NV - As we in the fresh produce industry know, making transitions is a key facet of success. Making its annual move, Foxy Organic Vegetables is beginning its production of organic produce in Yerington, Nevada. The Yerington season will takes place from May to mid-October and is expected to lead to a plethora of high-quality offerings.

“This will be our 13^th season in Yerington, and the demand for our product continues to grow,” said Foxy Organic Vegetables’ Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Mark Crossgrove.

The Yerington region is home to high elevation, mild climate, fertile soil, and an abundance of quality water that makes for great growing conditions. According to a press release, Foxy grows and ships over 25 varieties of organic vegetables out of its Walker River Cooling Facility in the area.

With such high-quality produce, Foxy continues to stand out across Nevada grocery stores, and the location of its facility cuts transportation by a day and half by not having to come into California. This provides the grower’s customers with fresher product and less shrink, creating a win-win situation for both buyers and consumers.

For more crop and season updates from across the world of fresh produce, keep a tab open for AndNowUKnow.

Foxy Organic Vegetables