ESTERO, FL - As it looks to strengthen its financial department and maximize its operational performance, Naturipe has announced its new Vice President of Finance, Alvaro G. Alezard.

“I’m fascinated by the work that Naturipe and its family of growers do year-round,” Alezard said. “They produce high-quality fruits that provide nutrition to people all over the U.S. and globally. On top of that, Naturipe follows a family-oriented concept throughout its overall operations. I couldn’t be more excited to join such a tremendous team that is working daily to feed the world.”

In his new role, Alezard will oversee Naturipe’s finance department, implementing strategies to optimize the company’s financial and operational performance, according to the press release.

Alezard has spent over 20 years working as a global finance executive, holding executive roles in the food production industry including Vice President at Baldwin Richardson Foods and Chief Financial Officer at Hope’s Cookies. Before diving headfirst into the universe of food, Alezard worked for 17 years in the pharmaceutical industry.

“We are excited to welcome Alvaro to our team,” said Aribel Aguirre-Beck, Chief Administration Officer and Chief Financial Officer. “With his extensive experience in domestic and international finance, we believe he will bring a fresh perspective that will help flourish our financial operations and enable Naturipe to exceed its goals.”

Alezard obtained a Master of Business Administration and Finance from Xavier University, as well as a certificate of Public Accountant from Universidad de Carabobo and a certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Implications of Business Strategy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Alezard’s wide range of experience in finance will help the company to build the strength of its accounting and finance department, supply chain, and revenue generation and profit margins, the press release noted.

We at AndNowUKnow look forward to finding out what success will stem from this appointment, and wish Alvaro G. Alezard good luck in his new role!

Naturipe Farms

PHOENIZ, AZ - Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (Arizona LGMA) recently welcomed Kevin Watson as its new LGMA Compliance Officer. As he fits into this new role, Watson will implement the program’s comprehensive and science-based food safety standards.

Throughout his career, Watson has established himself as a food safety advocate. He has held leadership roles in both the public and private sector, having worked for the Arizona Department of Agriculture and Fresh Express, Chiquita International, and AG Food Safety Solutions. He has developed procedures to maintain food safety for growers, harvesters, and packers as well as transportation programs. Watson also implemented third party audit programs for buyer requirements for companies like McDonald’s, Target, and Subway.

Watson joins Arizona LGMA in time for the winter harvest season and brings more than 20 years of experience to the position.

As a Compliance Officer, he will review all onsite farm audits conducted as part of the Arizona LGMA programs. Audits are used to ensure that handlers of leafy greens are using the safest possible farming practices and that its members remain in compliance. Upon reviewing the audits, Watson will assign violations and oversee corrective actions made by farms in order to achieve 100 percent compliance.

“The role of the Compliance Officer is critical. We were fortunate to find someone with the depth and breadth of Kevin’s experience. He is a great asset to Arizona LGMA,” said C.R. Waters, Chairman of Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Committee.

Watson is also an active member of Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Technical Committee. As part of the committee, he reviews and submits actions to the marketing committee for execution in the industry.

Congratulations to Kevin on this new role!

Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement

PHARR, TX - Big news is coming out of Pharr, Texas, as city officials have announced that President Trump issued a Presidential Permit for the expansion of the Pharr International Bridge. The President signed the permit on December 31, 2020, and amends the current permit, allowing for the addition of a new bridge at the international port.

“It is unprecedented that a sitting President of the United States grants a Presidential Permit Amendment with record time, and we thank him for doing so," said Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez. "This new year began on a positive note with the issuing of this permit for the expansion of the Pharr International Bridge. The City of Pharr is appreciative of the diligent efforts made possible by the government relations and bridge teams at the city level, in coordination with Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, which opened the doors of communication with our presidential administration and federal agencies to accomplish this goal with unprecedented speed due to the forthright and transparent communication regarding the need and urgency of this project. This permit amends the current permit to allow for the expansion of the Pharr International Bridge, and will further support the record numbers of international trade and commerce that transpires on our port of entry. It is a wonderful new year, indeed!”

On average, the permit process usually takes several years before being approved; however, Pharr’s application was fast-tracked due to the tireless efforts of city leaders and staff who worked alongside U.S. and Mexican officials to push for the permit to be signed, according to a release from Pharr.

Beginning in September 2019, Pharr worked with Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, as well as members of their staff, to kick off the project. Through the efforts of both representatives, Pharr officials were able to secure meetings with both the White House and U.S. Department of State, leading to the official announcement to the U.S. Department of State in April 2020 of Pharr's intent to expand the international bridge.

“Pharr’s ports of entry serve as a gateway for billions of dollars in cross-border trade that benefits our state’s economy,” said Senator Cornyn. “Expanding the Pharr International Bridge will enhance trade and travel and benefit all who use the facility.”

Between April and August 2020, Pharr leaders and representatives consulted with major U.S. and Mexican stakeholders, which led to more than 60 letters of support from elected officials at the local, state, federal, and international levels. The project also received support from major transportation and trade associations, border infrastructure groups, and private industry partners that use the bridge daily.

"Texas is home to some of the nation’s busiest border crossings and the Pharr International Bridge serves as an important port of entry to facilitate the United States’ trade and commerce with Mexico. I am grateful the Trump Administration recognized the importance of expanding the Pharr International Bridge to further enhance the U.S.-Mexico trade partnership and increase commerce between the two nations,” Senator Cruz said. “I’d like to commend the leadership of Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez, City of Pharr City Council, the staff at the City of Pharr, and community leaders for their diligent work on this project and working with our office to help ensure this project was permitted in record time. I was proud to support the Pharr International Bridge expansion project as millions of jobs, in Texas and across the country, depend upon trade with Mexico. I will continue working to ensure future trade opportunities benefit Texas and put American jobs first.”

The new round of expansion will allow Pharr International Bridge to add new lanes to separate trucks and cars, as well as a specific lane for empty vehicles, full cargo, certified cargo, and passenger vehicles. Pharr will also have an official gate-to-gate FAST lane from Mexico to the United States, all of which will help reduce wait times.

The Presidential Permit can be found here.

Congratulations to Pharr as it works toward this momentous expansion!

Pharr International Bridge

LEXINGTON, ON - Though Christmas in 2020 probably looked different for many of us, the spirit of the holiday still prevailed. Through multiple fundraisers and donations, Nature Fresh Farms once again reached a helping hand to its community during the holidays, carrying out its Holiday Giveaway for the fourth consecutive year.

“There have been difficult times had by all [in 2020], so we weren’t sure how much our teams would be able to raise for our holiday programs,” said Vice President John Ketler. “Once again, the incredible generosity and kindness of the members at Nature Fresh Farms, Sunens, and South Essex Fabricating continues to surprise us. They have so much love for their community, and it is truly inspiring to see how everyone is so eager to give back to people in need in such a meaningful way.”

To spread some much-needed holiday cheer, the grower gifted 44 gift baskets to families in need as part of its Holiday Giveaway initiative, according to a press release. The baskets, filled with $200 worth of groceries and a $500 gift card, were distributed to 34 families in Windsor-Essex, Ontario, and 10 families in Fulton County, Ohio.

But the gift-giving didn’t stop there for Nature Fresh. In addition to the Holiday Giveaway, the company also participated in a cross-company food drive with South Essex Fabricating and Sunens. The three companies collected 2,279 dry goods from employee donations and took the items to the local Salvation Army. Nature Fresh Farms’ Ohio team made donations to The Open Door in Delta, Ohio, while its Laredo team donated the goods to the South Texas Food Bank.

Nothing quite lifts consumers’ spirits like a little help around the holidays, and they know they can look to Nature Fresh for just that. As we continue to see how this spirit plays out in the new year, AndNowUKnow will report on how industry leaders are remaining pillars of support for their consumers.

Nature Fresh Farms

SELAH, WA - We often like to save the best for last, and I think this is especially true in the case of National Pear Month taking place in December. The high-profile fruit has long been a consumer favorite, and it is worth celebrating during the holiday season. To see how Rainier Fruit Company leveraged its pear prowess this past December, I got in touch with Blaine Markley, Director of Domestic Sales.

“Every year, I am blown away by the quality of the fruit we are growing. But this year, the Bartlett, treated Anjou, and Red Pears are all fantastic,” said Blaine. “Sizing of our pears this year is big and beautiful.”

According to Blaine, the pear category is ripe with opportunity as consumers find new and exciting ways to utilize different varieties. Fresh off the heels of National Pear Month, Rainier Fruit is confident that it will continue to see a rise in demand as we kick off the new year.

“Just like other categories, organics and bags are going to trend throughout January,” Blaine continued. “There’s an opportunity in consumer education on how to check the neck of a pear for ripeness, and sharing inventive ways to incorporate pears into health-based recipes will help make the category shine this month and into the rest of the year.”

On a final note, Blaine explained that Rainier’s Pre-Ripened pear program is an impressive point of differentiation for the company.

“The program yields a better pear eating experience and cuts down on the wait time for ripening from 6–7 days to 2–3 days,” Blaine said.

Sink your teeth into the pear category this year and you’ll soon see where shopper loyalty lies.

Rainier Fruit

UNITED KINGDOM - With a track record as successful as Aldi’s, it is worth noting how the retailer chooses to invest in expansion. Most recently, Aldi announced plans for a significant expansion in the United Kingdom, investing roughly $26 million (£20 million) in order to open four new locations.

“As we look forward to 2021, our commitment to investment and expansion in Scotland continues, and we are excited to be opening a further four Aldi stores next year, and of course reaching our significant 100 store milestone,” Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said.

According to U.K. news source edinburghlive, the new stores will bring 600 jobs to Scotland. Shoppers in the markets will also have access to Aldi’s recently announced Click and Collect service.

"While our focus very much remains in brick-and-mortar shopping, the launch of our Click and Collect service in Scotland is perhaps one of our most significant initiatives yet, expanding our existing eCommerce business to bring our full range of groceries online for the first time,” Holloway continued.

In addition to its significant investment in these new stores, Aldi will be revamping seven of its locations as it expands its Project Fresh initiative—an initiative that spotlights extra space for fresh produce at retail.

Are these strategic moves precursors to an Aldi expansion in the States? Keep checking in with ANUK as we bring you the latest.

Aldi

SANTA PAULA, CA - Goodbye 2020 and hello 2021! With the new year upon us, many are taking up uncharted paths to mark a new trip around the sun. It is with this sense of adventure that we congratulate John Chamberlain on his recent retirement from Limoniera as he embarks on his next journey.

“Limoneira is a historic company, and my time as the Vice President of Marketing was truly a great blessing I will not soon forget,” John shares with me. “Limoneira is a sustainability leader, and I believe that the Board and management will continue to build this great company in the years ahead. Harold Edwards is a visionary and wonderful Chief Executive Officer who has always challenged us with goals that have elevated our brand and company, and I deeply appreciate how he has always treated his employees with respect. A huge thank you to Limoneira, my team members, and industry friends.”

John joined Limoniera in 2005 and helped to take the company’s leading-edge marketing strategies global. As John tells me, one of his greatest accomplishments was building awareness for the Limoneria brand internationally and being a part of the blueprint that has made the company a market leader in citrus.

So, what's next for John, you may ask?

John will be moving to his home in Turin/Torino Italy to invest more of his time in his own personal passion.

“I worked in Switzerland for many years and will continue to have fun with my company Trade Trajectories on International Trade and Economic Development projects,” he reveals.

Congrats, John, on an amazing 15 years, and while we are sad to see you go, we are more excited about what is yet to come!

Limoniera

LOS ANGELES, CA - The health and safety of our industry and its essential workers continues to be a prime focus. A recent development regarding COVID-19 safety standards has garnered a response from a coalition of agricultural employers, all of whom filed a lawsuit that challenges the temporary COVID-related emergency standards (ETS) approved by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. This lawsuit states that the Board lacks the authority to impose many of these measures on employers in California.

“In the weeks and months following Governor Newsom’s emergency declaration in March, California farmers and processors moved quickly to implement dramatic new safety practices aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace,” said President and CEO of Western Growers Dave Puglia. “While these measures helped reduce transmission in workplaces, this virus has swept through communities large and small in spite of lockdown orders and mask mandates, and through every sector of the economy as well despite extraordinary efforts by employers and employees alike. The Board imposed unrealistic, unfounded, and economically harmful standards in total disregard of these realities. We have no choice but to seek judicial relief.”

The purpose of the ETS is to shift the costs of COVID-19 monitoring, investigation, and remediation onto employers, the Western Growers press release revealed.

In turn, the new standards lead to new obligations and liabilities for employers, subjecting California farmers and businesses to potential future penalties. Despite the intentions of the health standards, many California farms and businesses believe that the Board did not consider the financial implications the ETS would have on them.

“These regulations will disrupt food supply operations all along the line, but it will be especially hard on our 20,000 small family farming members,” said Jamie Johansson, President of the California Farm Bureau Federation. “They and their employees are the unsung heroes of the pandemic but once again, they must react to a rule handed down by fiat instead of going through a deliberate regulatory process where the voices of farmers would be heard. We hope the court forces government to follow the law.”

One component of these new regulations is to reduce agricultural housing during the crisis. However, a substantial reduction of already-scarce agricultural housing can have a harsh impact on farmworkers across the entire state.

The lawsuit claims that the emergency regulations were enacted without due process and that the necessity of the new rules was not justified, especially since California OSHA staff insisted that it was not necessary to impose these rules. The lawsuit was filed by lead attorney David A. Schwarz, along with Kent R. Raygor, Barbara Taylor, and Sheppard Mullin.

“We take this unfortunate yet serious action because we believe there are unconsidered mitigation steps that have and would continue to better protect farmworkers while allowing our farmers to continue to produce a consistent supply of fruits and vegetables,” said Christopher Valadez, President of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. “As this pandemic has shown us over the last several months, it is imperative that science and data drive policy. That is at the core of what we seek in this lawsuit.”

AndNowUKnow will continue to report as more and more industry leaders prioritize simultaneous safety and success in the industry.

Western Growers Grower-Shipper Association of Central California California Farm Bureau Federation

SPAIN - Sysco is kicking off the new year with a turn in strategy as the foodservice operator has divested its Davigel Spain operation to METRO AG. Sysco France, Davigel Spain, and METRO’s Spanish business (MAKRO Spain) signed a long-term supply agreement which provides continued access to Davigel’s unique product catalogue. The financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

“Davigel Spain is an ideal complement for our existing Spanish operations in terms of assortment mix, customer groups, and business model. The acquisition will help us to strengthen our product proposition, as well as to gain access to chained customer groups especially on the Canary and Balearic Islands. As such, we expect to generate synergies mainly in purchasing and assortment via the contracted supply agreement. With this transaction, METRO continues its journey in consolidating the wholesale and FSD (Food Service Delivery) markets in Europe. Following the acquisition of Aviludo in Portugal in October, Davigel Spain is the second acquisition this year. Playing an active consolidator role further solidifies our strong position in the region,” says Olaf Koch, CEO of METRO AG.

Davigel Spain is a well-established foodservice distribution company in Spain with approximately $42.9 million (€35 million) in sales (as per FY-end June 2019). The company was founded in 1988 and today supplies more than 4,000 customers mainly on the Balearic and Canary Islands. According to a press release, more than 70 percent of all customers are chained hotels, while independent restaurants and Horeca represent around 30 percent of total sales. The company holds exclusive rights in Spain to certain products from Sysco France’s product assortment, which predominantly consists of elaborate or ready-to-eat frozen products.

Davigel Spain is a strategic addition to the METRO portfolio in Spain, which already includes MAKRO, with a leading position in the Spanish wholesale market. MAKRO Spain operates 37 stores spread over 15 regions, serving more than 900,000 total customers.

How will this deal position Sysco for further growth in the U.S.? And will that growth be led by a fresh produce expansion? Stay tuned as we at ANUK report.

Sysco

TEMPLE, PA - One of the great feats of an amazing product is inspiring consumers to change the way they experience a category, and Giorgio Fresh is one of those leaders impacting the plate and the mushroom universe. This winter, the company is showcasing new products and a myriad of taste-teasers to help consumer recipes unfold.

“With the holidays upon us and the new year right around the corner, we are positioned to help our customers thrive by bringing more flavor and innovation to their mushroom displays and holiday-themed destinations,” Greg Sagan, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing shares with me. “With high demand driving the need for more ways to experience mushrooms, we have launched two new items to our line of Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms: Mediterranean Cheese and Buffalo Blue Cheese.”

If you have ever met Greg in person, you know he is not only passionate about what he does as a fresh produce influencer, but he stands firmly behind the products that Giorgio Fresh brings to market. His and the team’s deep commitment to the category comes through in both the inspired eating experience of their products and the ring at the register.

“Mediterranean Cheese and Buffalo Blue Cheese bring new savory flavors to the category that are on-trend with consumer flavor palates,” Greg expresses. “Mushrooms are a hot item during the holidays as they are very versatile and easy to include in dishes that lend themselves well for entertaining. Stuffed mushrooms, specifically, are popular with consumers for special occasions such as New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl because of their convenience.”

These items are a line extension of four existing flavors that have proven to succeed from the produce department to the party plate: Fiesta Cheese Blend; Cheese and Imitation Bacon Bits Blend; Artichoke, Spinach, and Cheese Blend; and a Crab Seasoning and Cheese Blend.

“We are seeing significant growth in the stuffed mushroom line,” Greg adds. “We have an extensive research and development (R&D) department that researches ingredients and flavor trends within the marketplace. Based on this research, we formulate our products to reflect consumers' growing interests.”

The Items will be offered in both ovenable tray and RPET, given consumer interest in more options.

And, it is consumer interest that piques the curiosity and inspires the execution of unique products like those of Giorgio Fresh.

Giorgio Fresh