SALISBURY, NC - Ahold Delhaize banner Food Lion is buckling up for accelerated expansion plans in the Southeast. The retailer announced that it agreed to purchase 62 BI-LO/Harveys Supermarket stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia from Southeastern Grocers.

“We are so excited to add these new locations to our more than 630 stores across Georgia and the Carolinas,” said Food Lion President Meg Ham. “We’ve been serving customers in these larger regions for almost 60 years. We’re thrilled to add these locations and serve even more towns and cities across these three states with fresh, quality products at affordable prices every day with the caring, friendly service customers expect from their local Food Lion.”

Food Lion noted in a press release that it expects to hire more than 4,650 associates to serve customers at the 62 new stores. Until the transaction is complete in January–April of next year, the stores will remain open as BI-LO and Harveys Supermarket.

“Caring for families and communities is at the heart of our brand. We believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent and gas and groceries,” Ham said. “That’s why Food Lion recently announced a goal of providing 1 billion more meals through our hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds, to feed our neighbors in need. As part of that commitment to the most vulnerable in our communities, these new stores will also be paired with local food bank partners. Caring is who we are and what we do at Food Lion.”

Ahold’s banner will be served by ADUSA Distribution through the Mauldin, South Carolina, distribution center, which helps support the additional needs of 62 new operations.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest in acquisitions, retail updates, and more.

Food Lion

WASHINGTON, DC - In a move of solidarity, a letter hit industry inboxes recently with the faces of Tom Stenzel, President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Fresh Produce Association, and Cathy Burns, CEO of the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). Together, they sent a message to the industry of their takeaways from a critical meeting with the USDA regarding the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

“We had an open and candid dialogue on many topics we have each heard from our members, including challenges faced in the RFP process, and discussion about how the program is operating today. We’re pleased to report that USDA’s tracking data show that more than 3 million boxes have already been delivered,” the two associations stated.

The conversation was described as a “lengthy virtual meeting with USDA officials who have direct responsibility for the Farmers to Families Food Box program,” in response to an earlier joint letter offering input on the program, which, if successful, could serve as a game-changer for all involved.

“As this program is just two weeks into operation, USDA is evaluating everything they are learning from current contracts and developing new plans for a second round beginning July 1,” the statement continues. “We heard about extensive analysis and audits to verify what is actually taking place under current contracts, which gives us confidence in USDA’s oversight of the program.”

Stenzel and Burns observed that the USDA team was very open and receptive to suggestions both associations have heard from industry members, and said it was reaffirmed that they believe one of the goals of the program is to support companies that have suffered from the loss of foodservice business. Among the topics advised on were how to best meet the needs of those the program is intended to connect with food, as well as providing diversity of commodities and better demonstrating capabilities in the bidding process.

“We applaud those of you are working hard to deliver fresh produce through this program today, and urge any others who want to be part of the program to be on the lookout for how you might be considered in the future. As we know, there will likely be many more bidders who offer their services than dollars or contracts allow, but we believe the process will continue to improve with a mutual industry and USDA goal to achieve maximum success for the program,” the letter concludes.

Click here to read the letter in its entirety.

While it sounds like the conversation was a productive one, both associations acknowledged that a specific course ahead is not yet official. As something of a preview, the USDA shared that it is likely current contract holders who are demonstrating excellence in fulfilling their contracts will have the opportunity to be considered for an extension in the next round and new offerors will likely be considered, particularly where there are unmet needs to serve people in need.

With a promise of further communication should more details come to light, stay tuned for the latest from your friends at AndNowUKnow.

United Fresh PMA USDA

VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA - We’re sure you know by now, but summertime means cherry time! Oppy is bringing the cherry love this summer with the help of its Orchard View brand, which boasts premium quality cherries after an exceptional growing season. With Oppy’s California cherry season wrapping up at the beginning of June, the crop from the Pacific Northwest leads to a seamless transition for buyers looking for promotional volumes.

Orchard View brand cherries are offered by Oppy in bags, clamshells, and in a first-time-ever innovation: a top-seal pack this season.

“We’ve seen many excellent Orchard View cherry crops over the years, but this one is shaping up to be truly superb. Season in and season out, we’ve found that consumers truly appreciate their excellent flavor profile, and rightfully so—no other fruit can really provide this unique combination of taste and texture. This is why it retains a wide-spread national appeal, as well as high-interest from key export markets around the world,” said Oppy Senior Vice President of Categories and Marketing James Milne. “Cherries have always been so intimately tied to a celebratory summer spirit, and this year people are certainly looking forward to it.”

The brand’s “Pick Your Moments” positioning, initially launched in 2016, highlights the importance of savoring the special moments in life, a press release explained.

Due to recent tech acquired in 2016, Orchard View is utilizing an on-site Unitec optical sorting line to separate cherries by color and size while culling out quality concerns. The sorter’s 48-lane capacity efficiently delivers consistency within each pack.

“We’re incredibly happy with how the growing season turned out this year. The quality is truly spectacular and is in line with what people expect from the Orchard View brand,” said Orchard View President Brenda Thomas. “We are already seeing great consistency and uniformity in color and shape, meaning the crop is just top-notch.”

As there’s a first time for everything, perhaps this will be the first time that I buy cherries every single day of the summer! Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest in all things produce.

Oppy

MASSY, FRANCE - Global challenges do not necessarily mean a halt in global growth for some—just ask Carrefour. The retail giant has entered into an agreement with Dairy Farm to acquire Wellcome Taiwan, a transaction that involves 224 proximity stores in quality locations. The transaction’s enterprise value is 97 million euros (approximately $108.5M USD).

To put this acquisition in a context of success, Wellcome Taiwan posted net sales of around 390 million euros ($435.79 million USD) in 2019, according to a press release. This footprint breakdown welcomes 199 Wellcome formats and 25 Jasons formats as well as a warehouse. This includes ownership of the warehouse’s real estate and land.

In addition, Wellcome will bring its recognized expertise in fresh produce and will contribute to the development of food e-commerce, with each store becoming a new pick-up point for e-commerce orders.

Carrefour has plans to convert the Wellcome stores to the Market banner within 12 months after the closing of the transaction. Jasons stores will be converted to a Carrefour premium banner. The converted stores will benefit from Carrefour’s commercial policy and purchasing conditions.

Carried out under attractive conditions, the acquisition allows Carrefour to accelerate its development in Taiwan in the area of fast-growing proximity formats, making Carrefour the local number 2 group in this sector. This move allows Carrefour to consolidate its position as the multi-format food retail titan in that market. In addition, by combining these businesses, customers and team members will benefit from the group’s greater presence and wide-ranging scale.

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close by the end of 2020. A huge congrats to Carrefour on this recent growth on the international stage!

Carrefour

WAPATO, WA - As the weather warms, there’s nothing like some seasonal produce to get us ready for summertime. What better way to capture that excitement than with delicious stonefruit? RemBrandt Fruit has just the selection consumers are craving and retailers are buying.

“We are shaping up for a great Washington stonefruit season," shares Joe Brandt, Sales Manager. For this upcoming year, Rembrandt is expecting to have more than double the volume.

With great growing weather post-bloom and plenty of land to utilize, the grower is now primed and ready to grow optimal stonefruit sizes for retail this upcoming season.

“Right now, we are getting ready for apricots and are about six weeks away from peaches and nectarines,” Joe continues. “Things are progressing nicely.”

In addition to Mother Nature’s good will, Joe explains the company’s promising volume is thanks in part to an acquisition of a significant amount of stonefruit acreage from a neighboring company.

“The acquisition had set us up quite nicely for the future in the stonefruit category here in Washington,” Joe says.

To help ensure its retail partners have an amazing season, RemBrandt provides high-quality POS materials, such as end cap displays and pouch bags featuring the grower’s family story.

With fruit maturing just as the RemBrandt team expects, retailers can look forward to ample promotional opportunities this summer. AndNowUKnow will continue to bring the freshest news from the ag industry, so look forward to the latest.

RemBrandt Fruit

UNITED STATES - The produce industry is in for another knowledge knock-out on tomorrow, June 3, as a few leaders take the digital stage in PMA’s latest Virtual Town Hall: Tech Innovation in the Supply Chain—which will begin promptly at 12 p.m. Eastern Time.

Jim DiMenna, President of Red Sun Farms; Kenny Lund, VP/Support Operations of Allen Lund Company; and Gary Wishnatzki, President and CEO of Wish Farms, will center the discussion on the current and future state of supply chain technologies. The three industry veterans will specifically touch on the innovations that have emerged during COVID-19, including advances and changes in shipping, blockchain, and the accelerated use of drones and other technologies for food delivery, according to a press release.

Following this week’s Virtual Town Hall, which is an opportunity for the industry to rally together in order to discuss the challenges of COVID-19 and solutions that can be enacted, four Roundtables will take place to keep the conversation going, including the following:

• Foodservice: A discussion exploring how innovation and technology have impacted the foodservice sector and the effect on the industry for the long-term
• Retail: Retail sales analysis overview and category discussions around potatoes and blueberries
• Floral: What can the supply chain do to help the retailers in recovery from COVID-19
• Grower/Shipper, Supply Chain, and Global Trade: A conversation on tech solutions, with guests from Aerobotics, Arable, and Bear Flag robotics

To register for this one-of-a-kind event and join the discussion, click here. As more events like this come to light, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow for the freshest updates.

Produce Marketing Association

NEW YORK, NY - It’s always a celebration when an award has been won, so it looks like two celebrations are in order for the New York Apple Association (NYAA). The NYAA’s series of videos featuring New York apple growers and Kelly Springer, Registered Dietitian for NYAA, recently won two prestigious Telly Awards.

“We are thrilled with this news,” said NYAA President and CEO Cynthia Haskins. “The twelve grower and five nutrition videos are popular on social media platforms, and we are making them available for all of our growers, retailers, and other outlets to be used on their websites and social media programs.”

The series of apple grower videos were recognized for Social Video and earned the Gold Telly Award in the Food & Beverage: Growers category. The winning series of New York nutritious apples earned the Silver Telly Award in the Food & Beverage: Nutrition category.

According to a press release, the videos were created to showcase NYAA’s apple orchards and growers along with delivering facts about New York apple production and nutrition.

“The New York Apple Association is pushing the boundaries for video and television innovation and creativity at a time when the industry is both rapidly changing and heavily impacted by the current crisis,” said Sabrina Dridje, Managing Director of the Telly Awards. “Our theme for this season, ​Telly Award Winners Tell Great Stories,​ is a true reflection of the diversity of stories the community is skillfully able to tell. Now, more than ever, do we need to celebrate them and those that bring global stories to our attention. This award is a tribute to the talent and vision of these creators.”

The videos were produced by Rochester-based creative agency Dixon Schwabl. During the filming, shots of individual growers were captured and edited into the series of videos.

Clips from these individual interviews appeared on NYAA’s Facebook page and will be used this fall in support of the 2020 apple harvest.

“The videos are an excellent addition to our portfolio for retailers’ social media programs,” said Retail Account Manager Cailin Kowalewski. “We’re honored to receive these awards and can’t wait to share these videos with our partners.”

This year’s winners not only represent a further broadening of the online landscape to embrace more documentary, scripted, and even episodic pieces but an increased focus on branded content and innovative new platforms like VR and Social Streaming.

The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. Established in 1979, The Telly Awards receives over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council—an industry body of over 200 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multi-screen industry.

Congratulations to the New York Apple Association on these amazing awards!

New York Apple Association

SUNBURY, PA - Retailers are proceeding with caution as COVID-19 containment efforts continue. In its latest move, Weis Markets announced it is extending operational hours and availability of Weis 2 Go Online Pickup or Delivery, among several other implementations.

As for fresh offerings, the retailer noted that service delis are being reopened with social distancing markers and signage, indicating separate order and pick-up areas at the counter.

Weis Markets' store hours have been extended one hour in the evening, now 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Sunday hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Weis 2 Go Online Pickup or Delivery availability has also been extended from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This move follows in the footsteps of H-E-B, Publix, and Meijer, all of which have expanded their hours of operations earlier this year.

In Pennsylvania, the designated shopping time for seniors and those with compromised immune systems remains on Tuesdays from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., the same day a 10 percent senior discount is offered on more than 6,000 Weis brand items.

Among the changes are the temporary closures of self-serve salad, olive, and soup bars, and in-store café seating areas, as well as temporarily banning the use of personal reusable bags and the return of used plastic bags.

“These changes are part of the company’s continuing efforts to upgrade and refine existing COVID-19 protection measures to ensure customer and associate safety, increase cleanliness, and minimize personal contact,” Weis said in a statement.

A comprehensive list of additional safety measures, as well as details of the relaunch of the retailer’s immunization programs, can be found here.

Weis Markets operates 197 stores throughout several states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, and Virginia. As Weis and other retailers continue to announce strategic changes, ANUK will be sure to share the latest.

Weis Markets

MOUNT VERNON, WA - In the fresh produce industry, it cannot be contested that we are for the earth, with the earth, and of the earth—especially since our whole operation relies so heavily on Mother Earth and her bounty of resources. Bay Baby Produce recognizes this and is hard at work being a good environmental steward as a way of keeping its employees, families, and community healthy.

According to a press release, to support its efforts of environmental stewardship, Bay Baby Produce has enacted a process based on its annual plan, which enables the value-added innovator to reduce its environmental impact. To date, this plan has helped the company yield results such as diverting, reducing, and recycling the following:

• Solar Power: Largest Solar Powered Agricultural Facility/Western WA
• Recycled approx. 51,000 lbs of paper products
• 43 percent reduction office paper supplies through digital technologies
• Composted approximately 1 million lbs food waste
• 16 percent reduction Petroleum use

In addition, as part of its environmental stewardship plan, Bay Baby Produce provides continual training and management, as well as partners with retailers and nonprofit organizations to help reduce its environmental impact.

As more fresh produce leaders go green, AndNowUKnow will continue to bring the industry the most up-to-date news.

Bay Baby Produce

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA - In a bid to strengthen the industry’s understanding of food safety, CPMA has partnered with NSF Canada, a division of NSF International and a global leader in the provision of public health and safety risk-based management solutions, to offer online Food Safety, Regulatory, and Quality Assurance workshops to CPMA members and non-members, beginning this month. These workshops were originally planned to take place in person but have now been moved to an online format.

The workshops are specifically targeted toward small and medium-sized local growers, packers, and shippers, however, all produce supply chain personnel are welcome and encouraged to attend. As noted in a press release, the topics covered in the workshops will include food safety principles, an overview of the current regulatory landscape, the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, and an introduction to quality assurance principles.

These engaging workshops will feature interactive exercises, discussions, and opportunities to apply new knowledge gained, including assessing and using the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, where appropriate, to enhance understanding of produce-specific preventive control plan (PCP) requirements.

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations officially came into force for the produce industry on January 15, 2020, and CPMA plans to support ongoing member compliance through these workshops. The first workshop is set to take place over the course of three days: June 11, June 15, and June 17, 2020. Subsequent workshop dates are to be announced.

Workshops are limited to 25 participants in order to maximize engagement with participants, and CPMA’s first round has already been filled!

Interested in attending future workshops? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we report.

CPMA