TEFEN, ISRAEL - When two innovative forces join together, the sky is the limit. This is the case as StePac L.A. has announced that it has been acquired by Nili Capital Partners. StePac, a fresh produce sustainable packaging specialist, will now form the central piece of Nili’s Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) platform, MAPfresh Holdings.

“This acquisition marks a major step toward StePac’s goal of becoming the leading global force in MAP packaging solutions for fresh produce,” said Asaf Shachnai, CEO of StePac and MAPfresh Holdings. “Our unwavering focus on product quality, innovation, and customer service drives our strong organic growth, and Nili will enable us to accelerate our inorganic growth as we seek additional acquisition opportunities in the industry.”

StePac is well known for its Xtend^® brand of product packaging, which entails a broad portfolio of precisely engineered, functional packaging formats and solutions that help extend produce seasonality, enhance quality, reduce waste, and support long-haul shipments, according to a press release.

With such extensive insights into sustainable packaging solutions, StePac is the perfect choice to lead Nili’s new platform.

“Secular trends in the fresh produce industry, new post-COVID norms, and the push toward greater sustainability and environmentally friendly solutions attracted us to this category,” stated Josef Mandelbaum, General Partner with Nili. “StePac’s strong management team, with more than 25 years of experience in post-harvest science in the fresh produce industry and a history of strong innovation, secured our belief that it was the right company to anchor our MAP platform.”

As more companies across the fresh produce industry push forward sustainability and new packaging solutions, AndNowUKnow will be here to deliver important updates.

StePac

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Innovation has been reimagined by Price Chopper Supermarkets and Market 32 this week. The retail powers have partnered with Manthan-RichRelevance to drive highly personalized customer engagement across the supply chain. Price Chopper will integrate the company's SaaS suite, which includes its Customer Data Platform, Advanced Customer Analytics, and Omnichannel Lifecycle Marketing for leveraging insights and improving personalization.

"We're proud of the product mix and shopping experience we provide in our stores and online. Personalization is an important strategic initiative in our continued endeavor to enhance customer experience across Digital and In-Store. We did a comprehensive evaluation of the market before selecting Manthan-RichRelevance. We're excited to announce the partnership and the comprehensive capabilities of the platform to help us execute our strategic vision with speed," said Glen Bradley, Price Chopper Supermarkets/Market 32's Group Vice President of Marketing.

The Golub Corporation, which owns Price Chopper and Market 32, serves customers across New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. The company is passionate about providing its customers with an overall experience that earns their long-term loyalty, as stated in a press release.

Manthan-RichRelevance will apply its CDP service, which is purpose-built for customer-centric retail businesses, and its specialized recommendation engine to help Price Chopper develop a single view of its customer and personalize every single customer interaction across direct mail program, weekly flyer, and digital/email programs. The solution also provides the marketing team with key capabilities to run automated, on-demand, and journey-based campaigns; offer recommendations, test, and optimize campaigns; and improve engagement, conversion rate, and overall marketing ROI.

"The grocery industry has taken a decisive digital shift, and hyper-personalization is both critical and essential to provide shoppers with a frictionless, easy shopping experience no matter the channel of engagement. At Manthan-RichRelevance, we're incredibly proud to partner with a customer-obsessed brand such as Price Chopper Supermarkets and add to our marquee portfolio of grocery customers across the globe," said Sivakumar Hariharaiyer, Senior Vice President of the Americas at Manthan-RichRelevance.

A new era of innovation has begun at Price Chopper Supermarkets and Market 32, so keep an eye out for ANUK's latest reports as we wait to see what happens next.

Price Chopper Supermarkets

THIBODAUX, LA - Rouses Markets is expanding its reach with the unveiling of a new store. To celebrate the opening of its new 44,000-square-foot store in South Lake Charles, Louisiana, Rouses is presenting $10,000 to local Feeding America^® Food Banks, made possible through the recent Produce For Kids^® produce-centric cause marketing campaign.

“We strive to make a difference in every community we serve,” said Donny Rouse, Rouses Markets CEO. “The Produce For Kids campaign is a great program, and we’re proud to be a part of it. We know this donation will help to improve the lives of our customers and employees, which is what we seek to do in every way we can.”

Now more than ever, local South Lake Charles Feeding America member food banks are in need of support as COVID-19 has affected unemployment rates and 2020 hurricane patterns put several storms directly over the Lake Charles region. Food banks that will benefit from this donation include Feeding the Gulf Coast, Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, the press release states.

“Supporting grocer’s communities has always been at the core of the Produce For Kids’ cause marketing efforts, and this year more than ever, the local food banks need the extra funding,” said John Shuman, Founder of Produce For Kids and President at Shuman Farms. “We look forward to our continued partnership, knowing Rouses Markets is dedicated to giving back to their communities and educating shoppers on the benefits of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.”

In addition to in-store signage, campaign details were highlighted in the weekly circular and featured in My Rouses Everyday, a magazine distributed to more than 65 Rouses Markets stores. Rouses Markets’ registered dietitian, April Sins, hosted a series of Facebook Live streams highlighting partner products in recipe ideas for families throughout the campaign.

Produce brands who participated in the initiative include: Curation Foods, Dole^®, Earth Greens, Mountain King, Pure Flavor^®, Schraad Sales & Marketing, Shuman Farms, Sage Fruit^®, Sunkist^®, and Marzetti^®. The campaign kicked off on September 9 when shoppers noticed signage near each of the produce partners as well as family-friendly recipes showcased in-store with scannable QR codes to obtain the recipes.

For the latest partnerships, updates, and fresh produce releases, keep checking back to ANUK.

Rouses Markets Produce For Kids^®

LAREDO, TX - Criminals have once again attempted to use produce as a disguise for their illegal activities, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers have stepped in to protect the fruits and vegetables we hold dear.

“The trafficking and production of methamphetamine has increased substantially over the past year, causing drug traffickers to become more creative in their methods of smuggling their product into America,” said Acting Port Director Andrew Douglas, Laredo Port of Entry.

On October 28, officers uncovered a shipment containing 1049.84 pounds of alleged methamphetamine masquerading as a load of frozen vegetables. According to a press release, the seizure occurred at the World Trade Bridge when a tractor hauling the shipment was detained and referred for canine and non-intrusive imaging inspection.

Inspection of the vehicle discovered 352 packages of the alleged drug, which is estimated to have a street value of $20,996,610.

CBP officers seized the narcotics from the tractor-trailer and have turned them over to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents who will continue to further investigate the incident.

With nefarious criminals once again apprehended and kept from exploiting fresh produce, we would like to thank all of the officers who continue to stop the illegal activities.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

TERRYTOWN, NY - What could be a better gift this holiday season than the announcement that a new brand of table grapes will be hitting the market? Jac. Vandenberg is giving the ultimate gift as it has announced its newest addition to the grape category with the introduction of its SUNRAYS^® branded grapes. The first containers of the grapes arrived this past weekend, making the international trip from Peru to Philadelphia.

“When we began planning for this expansion in January, we had no idea that a pandemic was going to hit. But here we are and to our team’s great credit, in spite of all the challenges of 2020, we have been able to develop a really amazing addition for the American and Canadian grape category,” said John Paap, Brand Manager. “It’s really quite fitting that out of the challenges and dark times of 2020 that SUNRAYS is making its entry into the grape category.”

Development and preparation for the introduction of SUNRAYS branded grapes started at the beginning of 2020, according to a press release. The original SUNRAYS launched in 2017 with the introduction of mandarin oranges, and has been on a mission to deliver not only premium quality, but focus on social and environmental issues as well.

To ensure premium quality grapes, Jac. Vandenberg partnered with grape growers in Peru, Chile, and Mexico to source its new SUNRAYS grapes and to give retailers and consumers a consistent supply from November through July.

SUNRAYS branded grapes will include proprietary varieties like Sweet Globes, Sweet Celebration, Jacks Salute, Timco, Allison, and Sweet Favors.

“Over the last 75 years, we have been fortunate as a company to have established amazing relationships with many top, quality grape growers around the world. In that time, we have learned a lot from those relationships and how to provide our retail partners with the very highest quality grapes. The introduction of SUNRAYS grapes is a testament to those quality relationships. SUNRAYS grapes represent the very best of what we have to offer,” explained Paap.

In addition to grower partnerships, through partnerships with foundations like Save the Children^®, SUNRAYS has been successful in creating a “feel good” brand that truly does deliver new light into the world. The brand lives up to its tagline of Snack With Impact^®, having donated over $225,000 to Save the Children since its inception in 2017.

Simultaneously, the brand has also delivered eco-friendly solutions to improve on the company’s environmental impact. In 2019, the brand introduced its eco-box and this past summer unveiled its bio-bag, both of which reduce plastic consumption and greenhouse emissions.

To support the brand’s retail partners, the company has created tools for success, which retailers can register online to gain access to. This includes exclusive crop updates providing details on grower feedback and pictures from the farm, volume outlook, market trends, best weeks to promote, and more.

“By providing this detailed, intimate level of information, we are giving all the tools possible to our retail partners so they can be as successful as they possibly can when it comes to planning, marketing, and understanding the product,” continued Paap. “It all comes down to making sure everyone is successful and happy from the retailer all the way back to the grower.”

With the SUNRAYS brand moving full steam ahead, what will be the next category that it will shine its light on? Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we bring you the answers.

Jac. Vandenberg

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Paying it forward is a year-round philosophy in our industry, and with the fall and winter holiday season upon us, the action is more essential than ever. This is what Nick Martinez from Country Sweet Produce (CSP) tells me as we look back on a recent gesture made by the Bako Sweet® squad in the spirit of giving. The company donated approximately 16,800 lbs of sweet potatoes over Thanksgiving to those less fortunate—one donation was to The LA Reinvestment Foundation in Los Angeles and the other to Love for Thanksgiving 2020 in Bakersfield.

“Now is always our busiest time of year and it’s because sweet potatoes are essential at the dinner table during the holidays. We saw a huge increase in sweet potato demand this year and knew how important it would be for friends and family to gather at the dinner table with some of their favorite fresh produce dishes,” Nick, Director of Operations, shares with me. “Our hope was to spread the joy and comfort that sweet potatoes can bring to any table, large or small.”

Both organizations have become close to the hearts of those at CSP. The LA Reinvestment Foundation feeds the homeless every month and puts on its Turkey Grocery Giveaway each November, Nick expresses, and with Country Sweet Produce being only 90 miles from Los Angeles, California, the team wanted to donate sweet potatoes to complete its grocery giveaway item list.

In order to give back to its community in Bakersfield, CSP searched the local landscape and found Love for Thanksgiving 2020, where it was also able to extend its abundant sweet potato crop to those in need this past Thanksgiving.

“We are proud to grow such healthy food that people can incorporate into their daily meals. This was just another opportunity for us to share that with the community!” Nick reflects. “Everyone has a memory with food, and that memory often feels nostalgic, especially for holiday meals. As people seek familiar meals, we have an opportunity as the fresh produce industry to give back to those who are struggling this year.”

We would like to extend a huge thank you to the Country Sweet Produce team for their amazing donation, continued contributions to elevating the industry, and as always, for paying it forward!

Country Sweet Produce

SACRAMENTO, CA - We hope you aren’t feeling too sluggish from your post-turkey feast, because it’s time to bust out those quick moves and find the AndNowUKnow logo on The Snack cover!

Our highly anticipated November issue features tips and tricks to drive sales this holiday season—and it could make two industry members 100 dollars richer! There are few in the biz who have the fastest eyes and the quickest shutter fingers, and now it’s time to ask yourself: Could you be one of them?

Don’t worry if you haven’t received a hard copy of the November issue. Simply click here to see the digital cover. Whether you’re viewing the hard or the digital cover, be sure to take a victory picture of yourself with your finger pointing at the logo.

The criteria for winning is below:

• Your FOUND the Apple Logo photo must include your face
• And your finger must be pointing to the AndNowUKnow apple logo

Once your proof of victory is complete, send that selfie over to us at [email protected] to join the running for the $100 cash prize! If your photo lands in our inbox ahead of everyone else’s, you could join the winners’ circle with some of the quickest produce people, like:

• Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos of D’Arrigo California (reigning supply-side champ)
• Danny Ortiz of Sysco (reigning buy-side champ)
• Osmerlin Garcia of Nature Fresh Farms
• Betty Tomao of The Save Mart Companies
• Monina Knox of Sobeys
• Chris Olsen of Gold Coast Packing
• Kimberly Chan of 99 Cents Only
• Brandi McGuire-Sisco of Topco Associates
• Mike Mendez of Nature Fresh Farms

If you want a leg up for future challenges, click here to subscribe to The Snack (valued at $129 per year).

Which winners are going to come down the produce pipeline? Stick around to find out—and to potentially see your face as a winner!

The Snack Magazine

DONNA, TX - Come December here in the Northern Hemisphere, our editorial calendars begin to light up with frequent reminders that South Texas and Mexico produce is gearing up to fill retail spreads with premium quality vegetables from some of the richest growing regions in the world. One company looking to the amazing opportunities on the horizon is Grow Farms Texas, which notes that the time is now to begin planning for the remaining 2020 holidays and the spike in demand that accompanies a new year.

“We partner closely with retailers to ensure their departments are stocked with only the best and freshest vegetables,” Tommy Wilkins, Director of Sales and Business Development, shares with me. “This vision allows our partners to remain true to their own quality commitment to the consumer to bring only the best-of-the-best in product to their baskets. Right now, demand across the board is up for holiday staples from squash to bell peppers and green beans, and we believe it will stay that way as we move through the beginning of 2021.”

Tommy adds that quality has been very good across Grow Farms’ growing operations in Mexico, as Mother Nature has played a calmer role in recent weeks.

Currently, the team is growing cabbage, green bell peppers, green beans, cucumber, eggplant, and yellow squash as well as zucchini, acorn squash, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash. Grow Farms will be shipping through the Nogales, Arizona, and McAllen, Texas, ports of entry to lessen transport and travel time for customers. The company is kicking off its program in Mexico as we speak with Texas Green and Red cabbage beginning the first week of December.

Grow Farms Texas offers basic carton packaging across its portfolio and RPC options as well, Tommy details, then gives me a further breakdown of the crops.

“Large green bell pepper sizing has been short in the first two to three weeks, but has improved to larger sizing this week. Green beans were tight for Thanksgiving but are looking good for Christmas and Yellow squash has been short but looking to catch up. Additionally, eggplant has been promotable since we began the program this season and we don’t see that changing.”

Tommy notes that cucumber and bell pepper supplies will be steady as long as the weather stays good.

“The hot pepper menu is very promotable and supplies have been very nice and steady,” he reveals. “We are looking forward to mangos from Mexico starting in January with February volumes becoming promotable.”

There is much to be thankful for this holiday season, and the Texas, Arizona, and Mexico corridors are helping to make that statement ring true. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we look to those companies trailblazing and elevating their fresh produce game and by extension, the retail space.

Grow Farms Texas

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Just as moving into a new house can be an exciting opportunity for growth, so too is moving to a new facility for companies. Sun World recently announced that it will be introducing a new Center for Innovation, a facility two years in the making, that will house the company’s operations and serve as a new base from which it will breed, assess, and unveil new and exciting produce varieties.

“We are intentionally thinking big, and long-term. This facility will house much more than the table grape and stonefruit breeding programs we currently operate. We have bold plans to expand into developing other crops that delight consumers,” explained Vice President of Variety Development, Terry Bacon.

Sun World broke ground on the facility, located in Wasco, California, in August of 2019 after planning and designing the facility for over a year, according to a press release. Prior to introducing its new facility, the company carried out its breeding work at its longstanding Variety Development Center near the location of the Center for Innovation.

The Center for Innovation is seated on a 160-acre campus and includes a 17,000-square-foot building to house the company’s experimental research farm, laboratories for molecular breeding, embryo rescue, seedling transfers, and post-harvest assessment. The facilities also include grow rooms, greenhouses, and fruit tasting facilities for new grape and stonefruit varieties. The building features offices for staff along with an outdoor events venue.

The company also announced that the new center is dedicated in memory of Sun World’s Founder, Howard P. Marguleas.

“My father’s notable passion for introducing consumers to unique and flavorful new fruit and vegetables was legendary. As such, we thought it was particularly fitting to dedicate this extraordinary new facility in his memory,” Sun World Chief Executive Officer David Marguleas noted. “This passion to innovate continues to shape our vision and guide our business philosophy and will enable us to bring growers, retailers, and consumers an even wider array of new fruit for many decades to come.”

With a new facility in hand, we here at AndNowUKnow look forward to seeing the upcoming innovations from Sun World and are excited to see what new products may be in the works.

Sun World

WEST DES MOINES, IA - Membership programs have become par for the course in the world of big grocery, especially since Amazon and Walmart have launched theirs. Most recently, Hy-Vee has joined these ranks, launching its own Hy-Vee Plus premium membership, which offers customers added savings and exclusive benefits and services.

“After listening to the evolving needs of our customers, we designed our Hy-Vee Plus premium membership,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s Chairman, CEO, and President. “This membership is unlike any other program in the industry and blends our greatest services—both in-store and online—into an affordable experience that brings incredible value to our customers. Our membership offers additional savings on top of our already popular Fuel Saver + Perks program.”

The cost of the program is $99 per year. As noted in the release, the Hy-Vee Plus premium membership will offer exclusive benefits.

Consumers can enjoy select monthly offers and coupons, free Hy-Vee Aisles Online grocery delivery, free Hy-Vee Aisles Online two-hour express pick-up, a personal concierge service, and more.

As retailers continue to discuss bringing more expertise to the floor, and suppliers speak to sharing insight with shoppers to boost sales, the Red Line Access/Concierge Service especially stands out in possibility by offering members exclusive access to Hy-Vee’s “Red Line.” This designated telephone number exclusively for premium members, staffed by a team of Hy-Vee experts and personal shoppers and opening up that avenue for further item insights.

As programs like Walmart Plus and Amazon Prime become the norm, local retailers like Hy-Vee are coming onto the competetive scene utilizing big-box strategies. Will we soon see other companies join in on this strategy? Only time will tell.

Hy-Vee