WOODLAND, CA - Sakata Seed America is continuing to press the gas on growth in the melon category. Recently, we reported on the launch of its New Horizon watermelon varieties. And now, the seed maven has followed up with even more exciting news, as it announced Mark Frahm has joined its Research and Development team as the company’s Melon Breeder.

“Sakata’s products have a certain quality that I have admired throughout my tenure in plant breeding,” Frahm said. “I’m thrilled for this opportunity to create varieties that bring a reliable yield to the grower and an unforgettable experience for the consumer. Expect big things from Sakata’s melons in the near future!”

Frahm began his breeding career fifteen years ago at Nunhems, according to a press release, and holds extensive knowledge surrounding the trialing and development of melons throughout North, Central, and South America.

He has worked in every step of the breeding process for melons and bringing new genetics to market. Frahm also received a Bachelor of Science in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Purdue University and a Master of Science in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Michigan State University.

“Mark is the perfect addition to the team. His leadership skills and deep understanding of the plant breeding process will continue to bolster Sakata’s position as a leader in the cantaloupe segment. He will work out of our state-of-the-art, Woodland Innovation Center in Woodland, California—a perfect environment to support and enhance the team’s work. We’re very excited for what’s to come out of the Sakata melon program,” says Jeff Zischke, Senior Director of Research and Development.

Congratulations to Mark Frahm on this recent appointment! AndNowUKnow will be on the lookout for upcoming developments and innovations from Sakata, so keep an eye out for our logo.

Sakata Seed America

WASHINGTON, DC - As the industry as a whole works to recover from the effects of the pandemic, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) has been a crucial tool for the restaurant sector. However, the $28.6 billion in funding could leave many owners without any disaster relief. To aid companies in getting back on their feet, Congress has unveiled the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) Replenishment Act of 2021, which will provide $60 billion in additional funding.

“When the RRF portal closed in May, small business restaurant owners all wanted to know ‘what’s next’ for their pending applications,” said National Restaurant Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, Sean Kennedy, in a recent statement. “The introduction of this additional $60 billion in funding not only answers that question but proves once again that Congress understands and supports the foodservice industry. We appreciate the leadership of Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Roger Wicker, and Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Brian Fitzpatrick, who have championed the restaurant industry throughout the pandemic. Their bipartisan support continues to be critical for local restaurants needing access to relief for full recovery.”

Over 362,000 applications for a total of $75 billion in funding were received in the three weeks the RRF application portal was open, according to the Small Business Administration. The average grant application was just over $200,000, signifying that more than half of the restaurants open at the beginning of the year witnessed a severe revenue loss. The restaurant industry as a whole has lost $290 billion in sales since the beginning of pandemic-related shutdowns, and 90,000 restaurants have closed permanently or long-term.

“The success of the RRF so far is, in large part, because the SBA focused on making the program simple and accessible. We appreciate how swiftly they were able to establish a program unlike anything they had administered before and believe it has the structure to sustain additional funding,” Kennedy added. “For much of the country, life is starting to feel close to normal. While restaurants are optimistic about this trend, we’re still in the early days of rebuilding and are far from recovery. Industry revenue continues to be below expectations, and in many states we’re still operating under limitations. To make sure we don’t lose our rebuilding momentum, we will continue to focus on creating access to the tools the industry needs to address outstanding obligations and to manage the new challenges that could slow our recovery.”

As the economy continues to strengthen, the path to recovery remains uncertain, as outlined in the statement, as consumer spending in restaurants in April was still over $1 billion below pre-pandemic sales. In addition, many operators are still well below normal staffing as a result of the current labor shortage. To read more about the shortage of workers across the supply chain, click here.

As the industry pushes forward to overcome the challenges of last year, AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the latest information.

National Restaurant Association

MCCLEAN, VA - Acquisition alert! Gladstone Land Corporation is continuing to expand its presence across the produce industry, as the company has announced the recent acquisition of 930 gross acres of farmland. The $13.3 million acquisition also includes approximately 480 acres of blueberry bushes and support facilities in Paw Paw, Michigan.

"We are very excited to make our largest acquisition to date in the state of Michigan," said President and CEO David Gladstone. "This purchase also highlights our ability to acquire farmland for our growers across the country to help expand and diversify their growing season. We hope to continue our steady acquisition growth during the second half of 2021, although I wouldn't count on us continuing at the same recent pace of three acquisitions within seven days!”

The acquired facilities include a 23,000-square-foot cooling and packing plant, a 9,000-square-foot box barn, and a blueberry retail store for selling fruit from the farm directly to vendors and consumers, according to Yahoo! Finance.

In relation to the acquisition, the company also entered into a 15-year, triple-net lease agreement with family-owned farming company Berry Brothers, which has local blueberry operations in Holland, Michigan, as well as three other states.

"This acquisition was a great opportunity to acquire a highly desirable blueberry farm for our grower-partner and to expand our portfolio in Michigan," said Joseph Van Wingerden, Director. "The large cooling and packing facility is essential to the local blueberry operations. We continue to be very optimistic about the 2021 blueberry season and the ongoing strength of fruit and produce sales across the United States."

Earlier this year, the produce partner acquired 2,285 gross acres of farmland in Tehama County, California, and 108,000 square feet of blueberry cooling and storage facilities in Stockton, California.

Gladstone Land is sure to expand its portfolio with more pivotal acquisitions, so keep reading ANUK to stay in the know.

Gladstone Land Corporation

WASHINGTON, DC - The past year and a half for the retail industry has been about adjusting its footing to overcome new challenges, only to find stronger positioning and success in these recent moves. Proving this to be the case, the National Retail Federation (NRF) has issued its revised annual forecast for 2021, anticipating that sales for the entire retail industry will see between 10.5 percent and 13.5 percent growth, shooting up to $4.44 trillion this year. Although specific numbers were not given for grocery, this economic surge pattern will surely be seen in the sector. 

“The economy and consumer spending have proven to be much more resilient than initially forecasted,” President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “The combination of vaccine distribution, fiscal stimulus, and private-sector ingenuity have put millions of Americans back to work. While there are downside risks related to worker shortages, an overheating economy, tax increases, and over-regulation, overall households are healthier, and consumers are demonstrating their ability and willingness to spend. The pandemic was a reminder how essential small, mid-size and large retailers are to the everyday lives of Americans in communities nationwide.”

Released at NRF’s inaugural State of Retail and the Consumer event, the revised forecast surpasses the organizations original projection of at least 6.5 percent growth which was made in February 2021. According to a release, the initial forecast was made when there was still great uncertainty about consumer spending, vaccine distribution, virus infection rates, and additional stimulus plans.

The NRF now predicts that 2021 retail sales will come in between $4.44 trillion and $4.56 trillion, with non-store and online sales—included in the figure—expected to grow 18–23 percent to a range of $1.09 trillion to $1.13 trillion. The forecast excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants.

The updated numbers compare with $4.02 trillion in total retail sales in 2020, of which $920 billion was from purchases made through non-store and online channels.

“We are seeing clear signs of a strong and resilient economy,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “Incoming data suggests that U.S. economic activity continues to expand rapidly, and we have seen impressive growth. Most indicators point toward an energetic expansion over the upcoming months and through the remainder of the year.”

Supporting the idea of economic resiliency, NRF is also projecting full-year GDP growth to approach 7 percent, compared with 4.4 percent and 5 percent earlier this year. Pre-pandemic levels of output are also expected to return this quarter.

Kleinhenz went on to explain that the amount of both fiscal and monetary policy intervention has helped lift personal income, filling the well of lost income from March and April 2020, creating an overabundance of purchasing power. Given the strength of consumer spending, he also noted he anticipates the fastest growth the U.S. has experienced since 1984.

To listen to a recording of the State of Retail and the Consumer event, click here.

Will the retail market reach these staggering numbers in 2021, and what will that mean for the evolution of the industry? Stick with AndNowUKnow as we go on the hunt for answers.

National Retail Federation

FRESNO, CA - Transitions, as crucial as they are exciting, are the connective tissue to year-round supply. One team that has this connection smooth and ready to flex is Baloian Farms. Currently on the cusp of its Thermal and Bakersfield, California, bell pepper seasons, the company is wrapping the former and headed into the latter with no gaps in sight.

“Volumes are lightening up as we get ready for our transition to Bakersfield the second week of June. Quality out of Thermal is still very nice and production is doing a good job of putting up a really nice pack,” Susan McLaughlin, Marketing Coordinator, shares. “Markets are mostly steady. Volumes will be lighter on green bells in particular until Bakersfield really gets kicked into gear mid-June.”

Price-wise, Susan adds that current markets are lower compared to the same time last year for both retail and foodservice packs.

“Pricing was in the mid-20's on the retail grades and in the high teens on the foodservice packs. This year retail grades are trading in the high teens while choice is in the low teens,” she shares, adding that transportation continues to be a challenge across the industry. “Truck rates are really expensive—well above average—and the availability of trucks is down dramatically. This is forcing customers to minimize their number of picks and load as many items as they can each time they stop the truck.”

This last aspect is one Baloian Farms can assist its customers with, having a versatile range of offerings it is well versed in mixing and matching on the truck.

“We are also performing consolidation services at our Fresno location to help our customers,” Susan tells me. “This benefits our customers due to our expanded line of products we are offering in Fresno, such as peppers, eggplant, hard squash, sweet red onion, chili peppers, zucchini, yams, sweet potatoes, and cucumbers.”

In addition to Thermal and Bakersfield, California, Baloian Farms grows throughout the state of California and Mexico. Thermal kicks off the spring from the beginning of April before the company moves north through Bakersfield, Fresno, Stockton, Hollister, and Oxnard, circling back to Thermal in the fall. Once the cold weather starts creeping in, the company transitions to Mexico’s Baja California, Sonora, and Sinaloa, completing a 12-month offering to its buy-side customers.

As we too continue to follow the seasons, AndNowUKnow will ensure that you stay up to date on all the latest.

Baloian Farms

WEST DES MOINES, IA - With technology playing some role in almost every part of consumers’ lives, why should grocery shopping be any different? To boost its digital capabilities both in-store and online, Hy-Vee has revealed its partnership with Google Cloud to stay on the cutting-edge of innovation within the retail sector.

The multiyear partnership will feature a suite of services powered by Google Cloud to make online shopping easier for consumers who use Hy-Vee’s Aisles Online Services while integrating new elements to optimize the shopping experience.

“The pandemic accelerated many digital initiatives for Hy-Vee as consumers shifted the way they shopped at our stores,” said Aaron Wiese, President, Digital Growth, and Co-Chief Operating Officer at Hy-Vee. “Google Cloud is helping us provide a unique and more personalized experience as we work to integrate all our digital platforms and look to further simplify the customer’s interaction with our services—whether that be in our aisles in person or online.”

Looking to stay on the forefront of the skyrocketing digital shopping sector, Hy-Vee will utilize Google Cloud’s solutions, localized information, and features to make it easier for shoppers to complete their orders online. According to a press release, this will allow Hy-Vee to provide more personalized service; simpler ordering, pickup, and delivery; and predictive shopping carts.

The new upgrades to Hy-Vee’s online ordering system will also include the integration of its virtual dietitian services, as well as the ability to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations online. All of these innovative implementations allow Hy-Vee to sidle up to grocery moguls such as Amazon and Walmart, both of which have leveraged technology to continue growing their footprints.

“Hy-Vee is leading the way in bringing innovative technologies to its customers,” said Jim Anderson, Managing Director for Google Cloud. “We’re proud to partner with Hy-Vee to streamline processes and power innovative digital experiences. As they look toward the future, our services will help accelerate the grocer’s plans to be the best place to shop.”

In addition to its partnership with Google Cloud, Hy-Vee has also recently launched its Hy-Vee Plus membership and is working to provide more perks and benefits to consumers. This includes personalized coupons and an integrated shopping experience across its app in addition to a better overall online shopping experience. The partnership with Google Cloud will only inspire further innovation and expansion of these benefits.

With the partnership already underway, how will Google Cloud’s digital enhancements affect Hy-Vee’s position in the retail market? We here at AndNowUKnow will keep an ear to the newswire for the answers.

Hy-Vee Google Cloud

FOWLER, CA - The seasons are changing, and transitions abound—not only for those looking to switch up their everyday routines, but for the produce industry as well. Bee Sweet Citrus is one supplier transitioning its focus to move with the seasons, announcing that as its domestic California citrus season nears its end, the company’s annual summer citrus program is raring to go.

“Over the past 25 years, our team has established long-term relationships with two respected Chilean growers,” stated Sales Representative Joe Berberian. “Through these ongoing partnerships, our team can offer customers a 12-month citrus program, supplementing them with oranges, mandarins, and lemons year-round.”

During the summer months, Bee Sweet Citrus receives oranges, lemons, and mandarins from its offshore partners, a press release noted. Not only is the company’s production team trained to facilitate the program, but Bee Sweet’s sales team oversees all import clearance, logistics, and inventory. The sales and production teams also conduct weekly market analysis calls with their international partners—a strategy that certainly sharpens the supplier’s competitive edge.

As Bee Sweet’s summer citrus program prepares to launch, the company still has domestic Navel oranges, lemons, mandarins, and grapefruit available for buyers.

“All imported citrus is brought to our main facility in Fowler where it undergoes a thorough quality control procedure before it’s shipped out to customers,” stated Sales Representative Jason Sadoian. “Our customers also have the option to re-pack any offshore product to meet specific pack styles throughout the program.”

So, will your produce department be transitioning along with shoppers and suppliers this summer? I’d bet that the answer is, “yes.”

Bee Sweet Citrus

LOS ANGELES, CA - As the summer heat kisses the skin of consumers here in the Northern Hemisphere, Dulcinea^® Farms’ exclusive Kiss melon varieties are hitting the produce aisles. Just in time to greet shoppers as they rush to fill their baskets with tantalizing melons of all varieties, Dulcinea’s Kiss offerings have everything retailers need to meet rising demand and inspire summer snacking.

“Retailers benefit from being able to cross-promote Kiss melons with other Dulcinea-branded offerings, including PureHeart^® Mini Seedless Watermelon, Sunny Gold^® Yellow Watermelon, Tuscan Style^® Cantaloupe, premium grapes, and citrus,” Josh Leichter, Chief Executive Officer, tells me. In other words, Dulcinea has everything you need to stock up your aisles this season. “Due to the variety’s unique flavor profile, retailers can also leverage in-store signage that allows shoppers to better understand each Kiss melon offering.”

Kiss melons are grown in Yuma, Arizona, and California’s San Joaquin Valley, with their season lasting from May through November. Already, demand for the melon varieties from both retailers and consumers has been high, and to meet that surge, Dulcinea will be offering significantly more volume this season. As Josh explains, shoppers search out Kiss melons because they fall in line with their desire for premium offerings and new flavors.

“Consumers are increasingly seeking out ‘treasure hunt’ type foods with special flavor experiences, which is a growing trend we are seeing across different produce categories. As such, Kiss melons will add a lot of depth to the melon category,” says Josh.

If Kiss melons have grabbed your attention like they have consumers, look no further than Dulcinea, as the varieties are exclusively offered by the company.

“Kiss melons are exclusively distributed by Dulcinea, which is exciting because we are a one-stop shop able to deliver depth and breadth to meet our customers’ needs when it comes to melons,” Josh adds.

Buyers, what are you waiting for? Grab your phone and call a Dulcinea rep to get Kiss melons on display just in time for your shoppers to clear them out—trust me, they won’t stay stocked for long.

Dulcinea^® Farms

IDAHO FALLS, ID - Where would we be without careful market analysis? The ability to track and predict trends has done wonders for both the buy- and supply-sides, and Category Partners is one industry partner leading the charge. Further fortifying its analytical prowess, the company recently named Jashon Newlun to the new position of Senior Analyst.

Newlun originally joined the Category Partners team last year in 2020 as an analyst focused on core client deliverables, including retail sales analysis, consumer research analytics, and data reporting platform (CP Conduit) support. His new role will cover additional direct client support and consulting, machine learning capabilities, and the mentoring and oversight of the Category Partners analytics team.

As noted in a press release, Newlun is a graduate of BYU-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics. He grew up in Seattle, Washington, and currently lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho, with his wife and their cat Rory. Newlun considers himself a movie buff, and is always looking to travel to some new and exotic location. The press release stated that among his more memorable travels was his time in Eastern Europe where he gained fluency in Romanian.

CEO Tom Barnes weighed in on this exciting appointment.

“It goes without saying, as 2020 began to unfold, it was anybody’s guess as to how the industry would be impacted. Category Partners was no exception,” Barnes said. “As the year progressed and our growth was strong and accelerating, it became obvious very fast that we needed to expand our team with people who could contribute on day one. Jashon hit the ground running and never looked back. He has been a key contributor to the success of our team and that of our clients across the perishables industries. Promoting Jashon is really about ‘truth in labeling.' He contributes at a high level, and we’re excited to recognize this. Congratulations Jashon!”

The team at ANUK also extends our congratulations to Jashon Newlun on entering a new role!

Category Partners

CASTROVILLE, CA - Whether it be a century or two decades, a legacy is worth celebrating, especially in our fast-paced industry. Ocean Mist® Farms is preparing to honor both as Joe Pezzini has announced he will step down from his role as CEO and President, just as the grower moves toward is centennial celebration. Pezzini has been part of Ocean Mist for 21 years, and will depart from his position on June 30, 2021.

“There is never a good time to make a change of this magnitude. Ocean Mist Farms will celebrate its centennial in 2024. In that long and rich history, we have grown from very humble beginnings in 1924 to a full-service, year-round supplier of the finest artichokes and fresh produce. I am proud to have been a part of that journey along with all the other Ocean Mist Farms team members over the years,” commented Pezzini.

Following Pezzini’s departure, an executive committee and senior management team is in place to continue the success of Ocean Mist throughout the transition. According to a press release, the company has begun an executive search for his successor.

“This is a very significant change for Ocean Mist Farms, however, I have no doubt that the service and supply expectations that the industry has come to expect from the Ocean Mist Farms brand will continue at the highest levels,” said Kirk Martin, Chairman of the Board. “On behalf of the Board and the family Owners of Ocean Mist Farms, we thank Joe for his steadfast service and leadership. We will miss his passion, professionalism, and commitment to our collective success. In the meantime, we will move forward with confidence in our growers, people, and leadership team to continue to serve the needs of our customers and stakeholders as a valued produce solutions provider.”

Cheers to Joe Pezzini as he continues his path forward into new endeavors.

Ocean Mist® Farms