ROSEMONT, IL - US Foods is taking the “new year, new me,” mindset to the next level as it has announced that it will be rebranding its Smart Foodservice® Warehouse Stores. The distributor has revealed that the chain of cash and carry markets, which it aquired in March 2020, will now go by CHEF’STORE® effective March 1, 2021. The rebrand will bring together the power of the US Foods brand with the customer service, pricing, and variety of Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores to create an upgraded customer experience. US Foods has also unveiled two new store openings to help usher in the rebrand.

“Our new CHEF’STORE branding represents the next step in our continued partnership with US Foods,” said Derek Jones, President, US Foods CHEF’STORE. “Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores and US Foods share a commitment to providing best-in-class service to our broad customer base, which includes restaurant operators and foodservice professionals. We are excited about the additional benefits this will offer our loyal customers.”

As a part of the rebrand, all of Smart Foodservice Warehouse's 72 stores will get new signage, marketing and promotional material, and associate uniforms, according to a press release. Additionally, over time US Foods' exclusive brands will be introduced to help grow the product assortment offered in stores.

In tandem with the new rebrand, US Foods has also announced the opening of two new CHEF’STORE locations in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Clarkston, Washington. The stores will be opening their doors on March 1, in line with the official rebrand unveiling.

The newly opened CHEF'STOREs will act as a one-stop shop for restaurant operators and food industry professionals, featuring thousands of food products from fresh produce to fresh meat, as well as restaurant-grade equipment and supplies. The stores will be open to the public with no membership required.

The addition of the two new stores will bring the number of CHEF’STORE locations to 80 across the U.S.

As US Foods continues to expand its footprint in the retail sector with its CHEF’STORE banner, AndNowUKnow will bring you the latest.

US Foods

GONZALES, CA - Misionero’s distribution operation gained a strategic ally this week, as the grower recently announced a new supply-side partnership. Teaming up with Grupo Altex, an agricultural company in Mexico, Misionero will be able to expand across the United States and Canada as well as explore new opportunities in Mexico.

"We're excited to partner with Altex, as the company's culture and values align with what we've built since Harbinger Group acquired Misionero in 2016," said Joe Merenda, President of Misionero. "The expertise in protected farming and the use of technology will allow us to bring greater value to our customers. Our shared vision for opportunities within our industry will ensure both an exciting and rewarding future."

The partnership will add resources, growing regions, and processing capabilities, allowing for better distribution, according to a press release. Created with the customer in mind, the partnership will lead to a product catalog expansion for Misionero's value-added vegetables, salad blends and kits, and hydroponic lettuces.

Both companies are committed to their cultural foundations and investing in their communities, each of which are led by the desire to build a world-class operation. Misionero has focused on social responsibility through its Equitable Food Initiative certifications, while Altex built the "Agricultural Entrepreneurs" program, which has graduated over 800 farmers.

"When we had the opportunity to visit the team in person, we recognized the natural, cultural fit," said Mauricio Servitje, Corporate Director at Grupo Altex. "Combined with strategic alignment, the path to the partnership was a natural fit, allowing Grupo Altex better access and distribution to the U.S. and Canadian markets."

How will Misionero leverage its newfound prowess in the Mexican market? Stay tuned as ANUK reports.

Misionero

KEASBEY, NJ - Wakefern Food Corp. has entered an esteemed retail partnership this week as the company joins other big-name players in upping the industry’s sustainable efforts. Becoming a part of the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag and its Beyond the Bag Initiative, Wakefern will work alongside a collective of retailers to identify, test, and scale solutions for a more consumer-friendly, sustainable retail bag.

"For more than four decades the Wakefern Cooperative has supported sustainability through efforts such as recycling plastic bags and other materials, reducing food waste, and implementing energy efficient technology at retail and in our distribution centers. Encouraging our customers to use reusable bags to shop and reducing dependency on single use plastic and traditional paper bags is another important part of our commitment to the environment,” said Karen Meleta, Wakefern’s Chief Communications Officer. “We believe the best bag is a reusable bag, and we are proud to work with fellow Consortium Partners and innovators to create an even better retail bag and further advance our waste reduction initiatives.”

The Beyond the Bag Initiative is a three-year effort to create sustainable and cost-effective retail bag solutions. Founding partners include Target and Walmart, working alongside other retailers Dollar General, Kroger, Albertsons Companies, Hy-Vee, Meijer, and more. The Consortium engages with stakeholders including suppliers, materials recovery facilities, municipalities, advocacy groups, and others. The Consortium takes a holistic approach to identify and scale affordable, accessible, and less wasteful retail bag alternatives, spanning multiple complementary workstreams, spurring innovation, advancing materials recovery through infrastructure investments, and identifying best practices for policy and engaging consumers.

Wakefern’s banners already carry a variety of reusable bags, and the company looks forward to discovering even better, more sustainable designs for a better bag at checkout, according to a press release.

“Wakefern’s connection to the communities its stores serve, and its alignment with the Consortium’s broader vision, lays the essential foundation for meaningful impact at scale,” said Kate Daly, Managing Director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, which launched the Consortium. “We are thrilled to welcome Wakefern Food Corp. to the Consortium to help build more pathways for collaboration that will create and incentivize sustainable, long-term change for retail.”

As more retailers join in on this valiant effort, our team at AndNowUKnow will keep you up to date.

Wakefern Food Corp.

MEXICO - Prime Time International’s Mexico harvest is officially in full swing, showing off the grower’s product versatility as it brings bell peppers, mini peppers, and asparagus to the U.S. market.

“From Valentine’s Day through the Easter pull, the supply from Mexico should be very good, then will begin to gradually taper off. In early spring, the transition from predominantly Mexican-grown produce to more abundant U.S.-grown items will occur,” Katy Johnson, Marketing, shares.

She points out that, right now, there are a lot of players in the game and as a result, prices are all over the board.

“We are experiencing very typical winter market conditions where there is a lot of fluctuation. These trends do not usually last more than a few weeks, though, and the markets tend to strengthen as supply decreases toward the latter part of the season,” Katy says.

With the Nogales, Arizona, season currently at its peak, supply of most produce items from Mexico should be at promotional levels. As for blessings and challenges, Katy points out that there have been both and all rests in the hands of Mother Nature.

“Other than rain and some cool temperatures, Mother Nature has been fairly kind this year as far as growing conditions. On the flip side, the extreme cold and wintery weather that the vast majority of the U.S. has been experiencing recently, combined with continuing COVID-19 obstacles, has slightly hindered retail and foodservice purchases of fresh items,” she explains.

It is in both strategy and versatility that Prime Time has managed to take on such obstacles. Currently, the grower is shipping from multiple U.S. locations along with Nogales, including San Diego, El Centro, Coachella, and Somis, California. Additionally, the team is shipping asparagus from Peru from its new Miami, Florida, facility—an addition Katy says there will be more to share on soon.

“Between asparagus and peppers, there has definitely been a lot going on. For now, as a result of having various growing regions and facilities in Mexico, supply is plentiful and quality is very good,” she concludes.

With much still clearly on the horizon for this ever-expanding company, be sure to keep an eye on AndNowUKnow as we bring you the latest.

Prime Time International

MONTEREY, CA - Like a beacon of light in the produce aisle, organics continue to serve as valuable tools at retail. The Organic Produce Network (OPN) knows this well, and aims to leverage its insights in order to support the industry’s growth. The organization recently released its inaugural State of Organic Produce 2020 report, which provides an overview of how organics performed last year, including data and analysis of organic fresh produce sales at retail.

“Organic produce took center stage in 2020 retail sales. The connection consumers made between their personal health and fresh produce is crystal clear in the data shared in this first-ever report. Organic produce is, and will remain, a key driver of retail sales,” said Tonya Antle, Co-Founder.

The newly published report includes information related to:

• The year-over-year growth of organic fresh produce compared to conventional
• Region-specific organic produce performance
• The top 10 organic produce items (in both sales and volume)
• The percentage change in year-over-year monthly produce sales for both conventional and organic

Additionally, the report contains retailer and wholesaler feedback on last year’s record-breaking sales of organic fresh produce. According to the report, which is available for viewing here, organic produce sales were up 14.2 percent in 2020, leading the industry to surpass a total of $8.5 billion in sales.

In partnership with Category Partners, OPN provides quarterly updates of organic fresh produce sales throughout the year. State of Organic Produce 2020 provides a deeper dive into last year’s sales of leading organic fresh produce items and how they fared compared to their conventional counterparts.

The 68-page report includes commentary from several of the industry’s major trade organizations and associations, showcasing their work in promoting and protecting the integrity of organic fresh produce. In addition to the downloadable version of the report, hard copies are being mailed to nearly 1,000 retailers.

Be sure to check out OPN’s report to see which produce categories took the cake in 2020. As we continue to scour the newswires for the latest updates, keep checking back with ANUK.

Organic Produce Network

THE UNITED STATES - Thinking back on the technological innovation that has occurred in the past year alone is mind blowing, and as our industry continues to increasingly become a part of the evolution, pivotal partnerships have been formed to drive forward this initiative. Nexxt Solutions and Librestream have recently joined together to introduce augmented reality to the produce industry, unveiling a new platform that will provide smart data and guidance to increase operational efficiency.

“Our industry deals with perishables, and any idle time generates losses. I like this solution because many clients cannot afford to wait for service when personnel changes or equipment issues can prove so costly” said Marco Bini, Principal of Nexxt Solutions. “Librestream provides an exciting evolution in technology that allows to quickly and easily place any operator in touch with the expert of any company supplying equipment or services. The customer can start with a simple set up and can build and expand as needed. Guidance and solutions are immediately accessible as the expert becomes virtually present on the location. Librestream provides the hardware and the software to build on this foundation.”

The technology, known as Onsight, will be able to empower workers and customers with immediate access to content, people, smart data, and guidance that is needed to not only inspect, but quickly solve challenges that arise. With the simple click of a button, operators can stream hands-free video to an expert and in return receive instructions and training on how to resolve the issue, drastically cutting down troubleshooting and downtime.

The Onsight technology can be applied in the packing house and in the field in areas including:

• Verifying and support using remote expert video assistance
• Gaining consistency and productivity through digital work instructions
• Creating intelligent data with AI Computer Vision
• Capturing and centralizing content for training and audits
• Visualizing IoT data from test instruments and data sources

Increased automation and remote working requires utilizing systems that leverage intelligence across organizations and operations. With this technology continuing to trend upward, an acceleration in decisions, reduced costs, increased productivity, and improved worker safety are all in the cards for those using these systems.

To see an example of the technology at work, click here.

As technology continues to make strides in the fresh produce industry, AndNowUKnow will keep you updated on the latest advancements.

Nexxt Solutions

SACRAMENTO, CA - Lunar New Year is a time for celebrating. Whether it be celebrating health, family, or the spirit of the occasion, many Southeast Asian countries look forward to the start of the Lunar New Year as a symbol for new beginnings and a reflection of fond memories. Regardless of the country of origin, I can speak for many that nothing ties bonds stronger than food.

Food is symbolic across every culture, and it takes a central role in Lunar New Year celebrations. My family draws on our Chinese and Vietnamese heritage, and I gotta say, our family sure loves to cook up a storm. Various veggies, succulent meats, and a bevy of fresh fruit come out to play leading up to and during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Before today, the start of the new lunar calendar, my family has traded boxes of oranges, zung (glutinous rice cake wrapped in banana leaves), citrus plants, and auspicious apples—and that’s just the beginning.

Family gatherings take place throughout the 16-day holiday. Preparations take all day to bring together a dinner feast that can spread across two or three tables. I must repeat, there are multiple days throughout the holiday where my family gets together for our feasts. Dishes can include:

• Steamed bok choy or choy sum
• Braised shiitake mushrooms
• Red jujube (dried red dates) cakes
• Spring or egg rolls (sometimes both!)
• Braised fish
• Chinese steamed chicken
• Roasted duck
• Chinese egg cakes
• Longevity noodles
• Ginger scallion lobster
• Crispy pork
• Fish maw soup

Each year has its own elemental aspect too, in addition to the representative animal. There are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. As this year marks the beginning of the Year of the Metal Ox, some things to know for those born in 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, and 2021 are:

• Lucky numbers are 1 and 4, unlucky numbers are 5 and 6
• Lucky flowers are peach blossoms and tulips
• Lucky colors are white, yellow, and green whereas blue is unlucky
• Famous people include Barack Obama, Vincent Van Gogh, Walt Disney, and Margaret Thatcher

However you celebrate Lunar New Year in your household, you can’t go wrong with fresh produce at the center of the plate. So bring in some luck this year with close family and friends, and celebrate with ANUK as we cover more holidays.

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Time is money. This statement rings true for many of us in the fresh produce industry. With more moving parts in today’s business operations than ever before, leading-edge and tech-forward companies are helping suppliers drive efficiencies in better, more productive, and cost-effective ways—especially with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ripple effects related to key employees having to work remotely.

Pack List Pro (PLP) is one such operation rising to the challenge and managing today’s multitude of moving parts. As Jack Chance, Chief Marketing Officer, and Eric Kong, Chief Technology Officer, tell me, on average, their customers are struggling with over 150 unique pack style recipes, 15 different varieties of produce, and multitudes of disparate locations. Add in 10 different material suppliers, multiple field labor contractors, and sometimes depending on harvest, thousands of additional team members at any given time—organization in the supply chain becomes paramount. Pack List Pro allows a central platform to assemble these data points, bring them together seamlessly, and move them around accurately in moments, not hours.

“With key employees not being allowed into the office, our cloud-based software is more essential and advantageous than ever, minimizing difficulties, miscommunications, and rejections. In a nutshell, our system specializes in building and distributing daily pack plans,” Jack tells me. “Pack List Pro enables your sales and operations teams to save hours on planning harvest schedules by filtering out pack styles in relation to each retailer’s specifications. Doing so enables management to take control of their supply chain by providing a set of instructions to the packaging supplier, contractor, supervisor, crew, cold storage, grower, and trucker.”

Check out a sample demo packlist by clicking here.

This high level of connectivity is essential for medium- to large-sized operations that need to keep their foot applied firmly to the gas while at the same time maintaining control of their organization.

“The complexity of pack styles has evolved over the years, and new styles are added each year. PLP has allowed us to be more efficient at communicating these vast arrays of potential packing needs to all employees involved and doing so in a timely manner,” Justin McGowan, Director of Administration, Anthony Vineyards, and PLP customer, shares with me.

The multifaceted solution takes the demands of the specific customer and aligns them with the ideal PLP solution.

“Pack List Pro customers can push and pull all pack list-related data into one cloud-based location, optimized across multiple device-types, to ensure those packaging specifications are met not only in the field and cold-storage where the labeling and packing begins, but all the way to its intended destination,” Eric expresses. “The platform is easy to integrate, and we introduce our customers to all functionalities and offer 24/7 support as well.”

Columbine Vineyards is another company tapping the PLP technology and vision.

“Pack List Pro has allowed our sales department to communicate more effectively and efficiently with both the field and operations department. We’re able to organize the list based on specific needs from customers without any confusion in the field. What would once take hours in the afternoon, now only takes a few minutes, thanks to Pack List Pro,” Alexandra Cody, Sales, Columbine Vineyards, and another PLP customer reveals to us.

The Pack List Pro team built their platform by spending an extensive amount of time with some of the country’s largest exporters of fresh produce in the world. They are continuously working with their customers to discover what works best for their operation.

“Pack List Pro is a program that was created from the inside out, we saw a need and provided a solution with the grower, for the grower. Due to my experience in the packaging industry being heavily based on fresh produce, I understand the increasing complexity of packaging styles and retailer mandated specifications. This has made me realize the pain points associated with my customers not having the ability to distribute accurate information in a timely basis. Before having a multifaceted tool to plan out harvest schedules, the traditional system was costing my customers a significant amount of money and time every season, along with potential reputational loss that could never be recovered with their customers,” Founder, Tracey Chance, reflects.

Tracey has been a part of the farming industry for over 20 years, working to supply materials in the printing and packaging business. His entire career has been spent working hand-in-hand with farmers who field- and house-pack fresh produce.

With a vision to innovate for all, Tracey and his team are taking the Pack List Pro Harvest Management Platform to the industry in full-force.

In an industry where every minute of time has a cost associated with it, you can be assured that Pack List Pro will make every second count.

Pack List Pro

OAK LAWN, IL - Illinois has become a hotbed for Amazon’s banner, Amazon Fresh, as the company recently announced its third store in the state.

The new store, which resides in Oak Lawn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, features innovations such as Dash Carts. Dash Carts, as you’ll recall, is part of Amazon’s latest cashierless tech. Standing at 35,000 square feet, the store offers a wide assortment of national brands and high-quality produce, as well as a range of delicious prepared foods made fresh in store every day.

According to a press release, Amazon is proud to support the local community of this Chicago suburb by bringing local jobs and donating surplus food to local food banks.

Amazon news as of late has been far from boring, as it announced both Bezos’ departure as CEO and what his new role of Executive Chairman might entail.

It’s too soon to say just what this development means for Amazon overall, but we’re certain that its expansion plans show no signs of slowing.

Keep reading us here at AndNowUKnow for all news that pertains to the retail sector.

Amazon

SANTA PAULA, CA - Just as rearranging the pieces of a puzzle can serve to make the picture clearer for those putting it together, Calavo Growers is reorganizing its operational pieces to further synergize its operations. Therefore, the avocado maven has announced that it will be enhancing its organizational structure within its Operations department to maximize its business efficiencies.

“As Calavo seeks to streamline business initiatives under our ‘one-company vision,’ one of our core strategies is to continue developing and investing in our people, as well as building a strong, integrated team to support and drive our growth goals,” stated Mark Lodge, Chief Operations Officer. “We are committed to becoming the leader in operational excellence, food safety and quality, and sustainability within the industry; these strategic changes across Calavo Operations support our long-term business objectives for all segments of the business.”

Under the leadership of its CEO, Jim Gibson, Calavo is setting out to create a “one-company vision,” which includes the joining of forces with its subsidiary, Renaissance Food Group (RFG), according to a press release.

“Through the merging of our internal divisions, we are able to leverage the legacy and expertise of the Calavo brand with the innovation and influence of RFG to form one cohesive, industry-leading enterprise,” explained Gibson. “The combined talents of the Calavo and RFG teams will help realize our vision and strengthen the future of our company.”

In addition to the integration of RFG and Calavo, other notable features of the restructuring include the promotion and appointment of new leaders. The first to note is the promotion of Cheryl Enlow to Vice President of Food Safety and Quality Assurance. In her new role, Enlow will oversee food safety and quality programs for all Calavo business units, including the avocado and guacamole divisions of RFG.

Enlow comes from a background in produce, having held positions in production and quality for various growers across the industry as well as fresh-cut companies and Safeway Corporate where she was responsible for quality of perishables, through which she became familiar with RFG and joined the company in 2015.

She received a Food Technology degree from Iowa State University, and is the current Chair of the United Fresh Food Safety and Technology Council, as well as a mentor in the United Fresh Produce Safety Immersion Program.

Joining Enlow is Omar Martinez who has been promoted to Vice President of Continuous Improvement where he will lead Calavo’s Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) and Workers Compensation (WC) teams. He will help implement the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics that will drive performance and responsibility to the company’s stakeholders in focal areas.

Prior to his promotion, Martinez held the position of National Director, Continuous Improvement for RFG, where his experience with Lean Six Sigma drove key performance and processes initiatives which he will continue in his new role for Calavo.

Marc Fallini has also been promoted to the role of Vice President of Fresh Operations and will be overseeing all fresh avocado operations in the U.S.

Additionally, Don Johnson, an industry veteran and longstanding leader at RFG will now lead Calavo’s purchasing and logistic initiatives to centralize packaging, purchasing and domestic logistics for Calavo’s business units.

Through its efforts, Calavo will continue to focus its attention on maintaining its principles while also bolstering its business success and enhancing the value chain for its customers.

How will this new operational strategy benefit the company going forward? AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the latest answers.

Calavo Renaissance Food Group