JASPER, IN - As the grocery sector remains a hot spot for innovation and growth, Schnuck Markets has thrown its hat in the ring once again as it revealed plans to unveil a new format grocery location. The “Schnucks Fresh” store, as it’s been named, will be located in Jasper, Indiana, and will place a heavy focus on fresh departments such as produce, bakery, meat, and seafood.

“We’re excited to expand into the Jasper community and to be able to continue on our company’s mission to Nourish People’s Lives in an area new to Schnucks,” said Chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck. “As a new format for us, ‘Schnucks Fresh’ will be a store that customers will be able to quickly and easily navigate where they will find an extensive selection of the same fresh products for which Schnucks is known throughout the Midwest.”

The new location will be 18,000 square feet and is expected to open in summer of 2021, as noted by the company in a statement.

Joining six other Schnucks markets in Indiana, the market will add 30 new associates to the already 795 teammates employed in the area. Hiring will begin for the new store approximately six weeks ahead of the store opening, with more details shared once the company finalizes its plans.

As more updates on the store’s opening become available, ANUK will continue to report.

Schnuck Markets

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA - Last Friday, a coalition of agricultural organizations, including Western Growers, California Fresh Fruit Association, and Growing Coachella Valley, filed a lawsuit in Riverside Superior Court to block Coachella’s urgency ordinance mandating that farmers and other agricultural employers pay an additional four dollars per hour to their employees for at least 120 days.

In the complaint, which was outlined in a release, plaintiffs Western Growers Association, California Fresh Fruit Association, and Growing Coachella Valley argue the following: that, among other claims, that there is no factual justification for the urgency ordinance, that it’s unconstitutionally vague, and that the urgency ordinance will cause irreparable harm to agricultural employers for which they have no adequate remedy.

“Coachella Valley farmers have made significant investments to comply with local, county, state and federal guidance on employee health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Growing Coachella Valley Executive Director Janell Percy. “Add in these expenses to already-existing regulatory compliance costs, agricultural overtime laws, and the highest minimum wage in the country, our local family farms are buckling under the weight.”

After the Coachella City Council passed the mandate, the release cited a Los Angeles Times report which relayed a warning from a United Farm Workers Organizing Coordinator who correctly observed that farmers are already “struggling” with California’s wage and overtime costs and are reducing overtime hours: “Hero pay sounds good in theory,” he added, "but in practice it’s possible that ‘the worker ends up losing.’”

"The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt by all. The past year has been nothing short of challenging,” said California Fresh Fruit Association President Ian LeMay. “Yet, as we begin to collectively move beyond the darkest days, it is beyond astonishing that the leaders of the City of Coachella decided to impose another burden on agriculture. It is our hope that with time and additional counsel, the City will reverse course and remove this obstacle to economic recovery in the Coachella Valley.”

In a comment letter to the council prior to their adoption of the urgency ordinance, Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia noted: “Farmers are price takers, not price setters. Grocery and restaurant buyers have many options for sourcing the types of fresh produce grown in the Coachella Valley and will look elsewhere – likely Mexico—for cheaper sources of fresh bell peppers, lettuce, cabbage, table grapes, dates, citrus, and other Coachella-grown produce. While the Coachella City Council can mandate higher wages be paid to farm employees, they cannot mandate that grocery stores and restaurants accept the additional cost and pass it along to consumers.”

CASTROVILLE, CA - Spring coincides with artichoke consumption, and doesn’t Ocean Mist® Farms know it. Celebrating with the second season of its proprietary purple artichokes, Ocean Mist is supporting this with a social media promotion in tandem with the season.

“We are happy to re-introduce this new variety of artichokes with our customers through an engaging promotion once again,” said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing. “Not only are they striking in appearance, but we’ve found these artichokes to have a superior texture when steamed, and are as flavorful and meaty as the original Castroville Green Globe artichoke.”

The grower, according to a press release, is supporting retail sales for the purple artichokes with a variety of marketing activations to highlight this unique variety and drive purchase intent.

Alongside adding this unique item to the store locator on the website, Ocean Mist Farms has a second chapter to the 2020 Arti and Viola social media promotion. This promotion, “Arti’s Spring Fling” continues the summer romance from last season with Viola returning to visit Arti the Artichoke, Ocean Mist Farms’ artichoke mascot.

Over the next four weeks, the social media storyline will encourage consumers to follow along. Shoppers are invited to comment and like each promotion post for a chance to win a $100 gift card.

Characteristics of the Purple Artichokes include a vibrant purple exterior that, when cooked, may transform into shades of green and purple depending on seasoning and cooking method. It also evokes the look and flavor of a Mediterranean old-world variety; tender, meaty leaves and a rich, earthy artichoke flavor. This artichoke variety tends to grow toward the large and medium sizes, with limited jumbos.

Alongside its promotion, Ocean Mist Farms is introducing a 4-count clamshell packed with size 30 (medium) artichokes. This is in addition to the loose artichokes with the tag. The purple artichokes are a colorful variety selected for superior flavor and appearance. Ocean Mist Farms expects the heaviest production period to be March 15–April 30.

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

Ocean Mist® Farms

WASHINGTON, DC - United Fresh Produce Association gathered its exhibiting community for the first time since announcing its return to live events this June 24–26 in Los Angeles, California, to kick off a four-event education webinar series that will guide exhibitors through the benefits of this year’s online and in-person experience.

“United Fresh does an excellent job developing solutions to ensure our business is visible with buyers,” said Rachelle Schulken, Marketing Event Manager, Renaissance Food Group. “We learn so much from their webinars which help us build the best online and in-person experience possible. Working in partnership with United Fresh has really been a game changer.”

During a year of uncertainty and virtual-only engagement, United Fresh worked with its exhibitors through pre-event education to ensure a successful transition online for United Fresh LIVE! held in June 2020. This year, the association will once again usher exhibitors toward success of the hybrid event through a series of webinars as it plans to bring the industry together once again, in-person and online, for a choose-your-own-adventure experience.

Leading trade show expert Jefferson Davis of Competitive Edge, will host the monthly webinar series, presenting a digital-first strategy that will drive success of the in-person experience in June.

United Fresh 2021 Exhibitor Education Webinar Series:

• Wednesday, April 7 – United Fresh 2021: You Built Your Presence; Now What?
  You have built your profile and you know your targets. Learn how to bring your sales team along in order to have maximum success across the company at United Fresh 2021
• Thursday, May 6 – United Fresh 2021: Driving the Exhibitor Matchmaking Experience
  Explore strategies and tactics to make the most productive use of United Fresh’s new matchmaking feature. From requesting meetings with buyers and attendees to confirming requests for meetings, both the online and in-person experience will rely on matchmaking. Prepare for success
• Tuesday, June 8 – United Fresh 2021: Hosting Your Prospects to Drive Your Bottom Line
  After months of planning and scheduling meetings through the online matchmaking platform, the in-person show is upon us! What KPI’s are in place to measure value and performance during the trade show and how can you ensure that you’ve taken advantage of all the opportunities to have success?

These webinars are free of charge and all interested parties are invited to participate and learn about United Fresh 2021. Registration for each webinar is available by visiting www.unitedfreshshow.org.

United Fresh Produce Association

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Key executive transitions will be taking place later this month as SpartanNash makes multiple strategic shifts. The retailer has named Jason Monaco as its new Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective March 22. Mark Shamber, the current EVP and CFO, will remain with the company through the end of April to assist with the transition. As CFO, Monaco will direct finance, mergers and acquisitions, treasury, internal audit, real estate, and risk management and will report to SpartanNash's President and Chief Executive Officer, Tony Sarsam.

Monaco most recently served as CFO for Dallas, Texas-based Cornerstone Chemical Company. He also served as CFO of Dallas-based Borden Dairy and held increasing executive leadership positions with Kimberly-Clark. During his tenure at Borden, Monaco was responsible for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling all financial and technology-related activities.

According to a press release, his strategic initiatives drove volume growth and execution of a critical supply chain productivity program resulting in significant cost savings. At Cornerstone Chemical, Monaco guided acquisition integration planning, facilitating 50 percent sales growth through capacity, fulfillment, customer transition, inventory management, systems integration, and organizational design.

"We look forward to having Jason join our team," noted Sarsam. "Jason has a proven track record of partnering with cross functional teams and digging deeply into the business to build systems, processes, and teams to develop and drive operational efficiencies. His extensive food distribution expertise at Borden Dairy, coupled with his deep financial background leading multiple global teams with Kimberly Clark, align with SpartanNash's future growth plans. On behalf of the board of directors and all of us at SpartanNash, I want to thank Mark for supporting this transition and for all his contributions over the last three years. We wish him well in his future endeavors."

SpartanNash also announced the promotion of Todd Riksen to Vice President, Corporate Controller, effective March 14. Riksen is assuming the position as part of the company's succession plan. In his new role, Riksen will oversee the company's retail, distribution, and corporate accounting and financial reporting, SEC reporting, tax compliance and tax planning, financial shared services, and will support the quarterly earnings reports, shareholder calls, and required filings.

Prior to joining SpartanNash, Riksen worked in the assurance practice at Ernst & Young serving publicly traded companies while based in the U.S. and in the Netherlands. Riksen is a certified public accountant and joined the company in April 2018 as Director of Financial Reporting and Corporate Accounting.

During his time at Ernst & Young, Riksen held roles of increasing responsibility, culminating with his role as Assurance Senior Manager.

Additionally, Tammy Hurley, Vice President of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer, is retiring on April 23 after 20 years with the company.

"As part of our people-first culture, we are grateful for Tammy's leadership, talent development, as well as the succession planning that will enable us to seamlessly make this transition," said Sarsam. "Todd is a key contributor and we are excited to have him overseeing our accounting group. He is well respected by our executive leadership team, co-workers, and customers; and we look forward to his future contributions."

Congratulations to all on these next steps in their careers!

SpartanNash

LOS ANGELES, CA - Thirty-five years of produce industry experience and advocacy is quite the legacy to leave. I'm speaking of Progressive Produce Chief Executive Officer Jim Leimkuhler, who is set to retire effective March 31. The last 25 years of his career have been spent with Progressive Produce in Los Angeles, California, where he was instrumental in building the company into one that serves national and regional grocery chains and foodservice companies.

"My life and career at Progressive Produce have meant so very much to me," stated Leimkuhler in a company press relesase. "I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to come here in 1995 as the Chief Financial Officer, to be named its President in 1996, and to become a part Owner of the company in 2003."

Leimkuhler began his career in the newspaper business after getting his degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in 1977. At his first job with The Packer, he was sent to Wisconsin to work with another writer that was reporting on potato fields that were soon to be harvested. Fast forward through a seven-year career in the book publishing business in Iowa, an MBA in accounting from Drake University, and a role as a Certified Public Accountant, fate stepped in and led him back to produce. In 1986, he joined Chiquita's finance department. He was then transferred to Miami in 1989 to work for John Thatcher, as Vice President of Finance for Banana Supply, a newly acquired subsidiary of Chiquita.

"John Thatcher taught me so much about humbleness, hard work, integrity, and how to be a leader. It was all through an example of how he lived his life. I will always be grateful for that opportunity," said Leimkuhler. It's been 26 years since he picked up his family, moved to Los Angeles, and began using the leadership skills he learned from Thatcher to build Progressive into what it is today.

"I could never have imagined how much Progressive, and the produce industry, would evolve over the next 25 years and I feel fortunate to have been part of the journey," Leimkuhler added.

Even though the company is now much larger, it still maintains a small business mentality. Leimkuhler would always emphasize to his team that the way to success was to always get better.

"Getting better was an easier goal than saying we had to grow by 15 percent every year, which is tough in a commodity business," he said. "I just boiled it down to getting better. And if we got better, we would get bigger. And if we got bigger, well we just had to deal with it."

With this philosophy, Progressive grew from a local Los Angeles produce company into a year-round grower/packer/shipper. Today, Progressive's product line consists of organic and conventional asparagus, potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, citrus, and chili peppers grown throughout North and South America with sales offices in Los Angeles, Washington, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

Leimkuhler and other company leadership sold a majority interest in the company to TOTAL PRODUCE plc in February 2016. Subsequently, one year later, the company merged with its longtime sweet onion and asparagus business partner Keystone Fruit Marketing of Greencastle. Marty Kamer, who was previously President of Keystone, was named President of the Progressive business in October 2018. Kamer will continue to lead the company into the future, together with a well-respected team of industry veterans.

"My first and lasting impression of Jim is leadership personified. His inspirational leadership is rooted in his integrity and his relentless pursuit of excellence," said Kamer.

Scott Leimkuhler, VP of Sales at Progressive, also commented on his father's retirement.

"It has been a special time in my life to get to work with and learn from my dad," he said. "He cares deeply about the people at Progressive and the produce industry as a whole. I will miss working with him. His legacy of integrity, leadership, and kindness makes me proud."

When asked about what he will miss most, Leimkuhler was quick to reply that he'll miss the people of Progressive, who have always been his motivation to work hard. He often said that people are what makes this industry great and to never lose sight of the fact that we need people and we need to keep relationships strong in everything we do.

"Jim is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met," said Jeannie Berger, Vice President of HR and Administration. "He is a true visionary with a compassion to make everyone's life better."

As Leimkuhler prepares for retirement, he offers some advice to the next generation of leaders and those starting their careers in the industry: "Always look for where you can add value and make a difference. If you love your job, 'own it' and grow with it. And don't forget to take some risks. I started out in a journalism job, became a CPA, and ended up in produce. It's rarely a straight line for anyone. Go out there and follow your dreams."

We wish Jim Leimkuhler the best of luck as he embarks on this next stage of his journey.

Progressive Produce

OTAY MESA, CA - Officers for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have once again stepped in to save the day when it comes to protecting our precious fresh produce. On March 10, 2021, officers at the Otay Mesa commercial facility foiled the plot of criminals to smuggle over $1.3 million worth of methamphetamine hidden with a shipment of produce.

“CBP officers continue to expedite legitimate trade and travel without letting their guard down when it comes to protecting our country,” said Rosa Hernandez, Port Director of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. “We are aggressively combating the flow of illegal narcotics and preventing them to reach our communities.”

On Wednesday, according to a relase, officers encountered a tractor pulling a trailer with what appeared to be fresh spinach inside. As the inspection unfolded, CBP referred the trailer for X-ray imaging, during which anomalies were detected.

Upon further review and a canine team screening, detector dogs alerted to 127 packages of methamphetamine wrapped in images of spinach concealed within fresh spinach. The drugs that were removed weighed more than 580 pounds.

The driver of the tractor has been turned over to agents with with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the tractor, trailer, and narcotics were seized by CBP officers.

Thanks to the efforts of these agents, our fresh produce remains safe from the hands of criminals for another day.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

CHICAGO, IL - Continuing to grow its footprint in the industry, Hazel Technologies has recently unveiled a new partnership with Migiva Group. The solutions company's new partner is a family-owned group of diversified companies in the Americas and is the owner of Agricola Andrea. In joining forces, Migiva will trial Hazel Tech^® post-harvest application for its grapes on a commercial scale.

“Our growth in Peru has been fantastic in our first year of commercial operation. Our ultimate goal is to allow our customers to provide the highest quality fruit, decrease food waste, and increase sales,” said Martin Roeder, Latin America Sales Manager, Hazel Technologies. “For post-harvest protection in grapes, there is no solution simpler than Hazel 100™.”

Migiva Group has been trialing Hazel Tech’s product over the last year in Peru, and has seen overall positive results. According to a release, the solutions offered by Hazel have the potential to deliver significant added value for Agricola Andrea in delivering the highest quality table grapes to the high-end markets it serves.

Hazel Tech has shown to prolong shelf-life of table grapes, reducing dehydration and improving the overall visual appearance of the fruit.

“In this business, and especially for the high-end markets that we serve, nothing is more important than the perfection of the fruit and its eating experience. We don’t just sell fruit; we sell an extraordinary eating experience! We are passionate about distinguishing ourselves with the best quality fruit,” explained Eduardo Mazzini, Commercial Director of Migiva Group. “Based on our trial results, we believe that Hazel Tech’s product favors the grapes post-harvest. The fruit keeps fresher for longer; the stems look greener, as if they were not long ago harvested. This is key because the condition of the stems is a known indicator of freshness in grapes.”

Following the trials of Hazel’s solutions last season, the product is being trialed commercially throughout the 2020–21 season on exports of Agricola Andrea’s table grapes from Peru that are destined primarily for Asia.

Some of the grapes will also be hitting markets in Europe, the U.K., the U.S., and Canada, among others.

For more growing partnerships and innovative solutions from across the industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Hazel Technologies Migiva Group

KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA - Taking the fresh produce industry by storm, greenhouse-grown products are continuing to make a splash in the retail sector. Staying on top of the growing demand from consumers, DelFrescoPure® has revealed Phase One of its greenhouse production expansion to 25 acres. In full production by September 2021, the project will increase supplies of high-quality Ontario greenhouse-grown tomatoes and strawberries for winter 2021–2022.

“With the demand for locally grown Ontario greenhouse tomatoes, DelFrescoPure® decided to leverage the demand with expansion plans. We’re planning three phases to keep up with consumer demand for tomatoes and strawberries,” said Carl Mastronardi, President.

As consumption of locally grown tomatoes increases, DelFrescoPure’s latest expansion will offer buyers the produce experience that consumers are searching for with reduced food miles, according to a press release. The expanded acreage will also create more product to serve both the Canandian and U.S. markets.

“We are proud to offer our retail partners and consumers high quality locally grown greenhouse tomatoes from September 2021 winter production season,” commented Ray Mastronardi, Vice President of Sales. “The decision to expand the winter tomato program was made clear from our retail partners asking for more acreage to meet the demand of the consumers."

The expansion will feature innovative technology for all-season growing. By installing energy curtains and grow lights, the grower will be able to provide over three quarters of a half million square-foot controlled micro-climate environment for growing tomatoes.

DelFrescoPure® brands greenhouse tomatoes under Delights Blushing with Flavor®, Mini Mixers®, Ombra®, G.R.Eat!®, Heirloom®. Additionally, the greenhouse maven offers beefsteak and tomatoes on the vine with local and national retail partners.

For more updates on the expanding greenhouse sector, stick with AndNowUKnow for the latest news.

DelFrescoPure®

TRAVERSE CITY, MI - The vegetable category is one of my favorites to explore as I am always finding exciting new varieties to switch up my eating experiences. I know many shoppers feel the same, and North Bay Produce’s dynamic vegetable program provides plenty of differentiation in the produce aisle. Sitting down with John Battle, Vegetable Category Manager, I had the chance to add another veg to my repertoire: French beans.

“All supplies of our French beans are grown in Guatemala and are available 12 months out of the year,” John began. “This variety is grown around 9,000 feet above sea level, providing our grower with cool nights and warm days for growth. The cooler nighttime temperatures bring out a sugar level that produces a unique and firm bean that snaps when cracked in half.”

John divulged that this year is the first that North Bay is offering a full organic program for its French beans. In addition to the traditional green French bean, North Bay also produces a yellow French bean. Retailers have been placing the two varieties next to each other, which has resulted in consumers picking up two bags of the beans to blend together for an exciting presentation.

But that is just the beginning of the delightful surprises from this category.

“As one of the first people to import sweet onions into North America from South America and being able to see their skyrocketing demand, I am now seeing a similar phenomenon in the bean category: French beans are outselling green beans,” John said. “Our largest retail partners who supply these have surpassed the traditional green beans category in sales, which is incredibly unique considering that we can get a larger ring at the register for French beans.”

The key to this program, John explained, is a quick turnaround from harvest to packing. During shipment, the vegetables are only on the boat for a total of six and a half days. Product is brought directly to North Bay’s Miami, Florida, warehouses and arrives twice a week.

Of course, another aspect of North Bay’s wildly successful French bean program is its precision in bringing product to market. Everything at North Bay is carefully calculated. The company implements one-year contracts with chain stores, so its growers know how much to plant and exactly what the output is going to be. As a result, there have been no shortages or delays.

“Seven months out of the year, we offer Brussels sprouts, which are also produced in the high altitudes of these Guatemalan fields,” John said as we explored the rest of North Bay’s vegetable operations. “We have the same grower who does all of the French beans, Brussels sprouts, sugar snaps, and snow peas.”

North Bay only deals in value-added product, so its Brussels sprouts are pre-peeled, triple washed, and pre-cooled, which holds in the sweetness. These high-altitude Brussels sprouts are different from California and Mexican Brussels sprouts as they are much less bitter.

As we continue to track the progress of our industry’s leading fresh produce suppliers, keep clicking back to ANUK.

North Bay Produce