STOCKTON, CA - It is with excitement and a forward-looking vision that a new face has arrived at Fresh Innovations. Tim Stejskal joins the team as the new Chief Executive Officer of the sliced apple and fresh-cut fruit innovator.

“Fresh Innovations is one of those companies to have truly continued to look at innovation as a means for healthy eating, and I couldn’t be more honored to have been chosen to lead the company,” Tim stated. “The opportunity ahead for Fresh Innovations is vast, but to capitalize on it, we must have laser focus, move faster, and continue to transform. A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our partners, build upon the culture of the organization, and have fun while doing it too!”

The industry vet brings a distinguished 20-plus year career with Dole Fresh Vegetables and most recently as General Manager and Senior Vice President of Sales and Innovation.

In his new role, Tim succeeds Toby Cohen who was the Founder and President of Fresh Innovations since 2001, and a leader in expanding the sliced-apple category. Toby will continue with the company as the Chief Strategy Officer, according to a press release.

With such a remarkable career, Tim brings extensive experience, leadership, and team building in the produce industry and product development to Fresh Innovations.

“We are very excited about the addition of Tim to the Fresh Innovations team. His experience and skillset are a great match as we continue to build Fresh Innovations as a leader in the industry. This also allows Toby to focus his efforts on product innovation and development, amongst other things, as he did in building Fresh Innovations into the success that it is today,” said Greg Richards, Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of Arable Capital Partners.

Arable Capital Partners is an investment firm with a focus on the food and agriculture industry.

“I look forward to working with Tim to capitalize on our recent major new customer acquisitions in the retail segment and in developing successful new product offerings across all segments of our business,” Cohen expressed.

Congratulations to Tim Stejskal on joining the Fresh Innovations team and to the company on your continued growth and success!

Fresh Innovations

WATSONVILLE, CA - Who focuses on the health and well-being of the family like mom? Seeking to connect with the matriarchs of consumption on a resonant level, Driscoll’s launched a special content series that put several new faces to the berry behemoth’s brand by highlighting Driscoll’s moms. As retailers begin Mother's Day promotions—and understand the importance of social media in bringing shoppers into stores—the new marketing campaign is sure to up foot traffic in the berry category.

“For Driscoll’s to be relevant in such a context for millions of our consumers, we knew we needed to be authentic, candid, compassionate, and supportive,” said Diane Scalisi, Senior Digital Marketing Manager. “It was time to strip away all the fancy aspirational stuff, and just be real. So, we tapped into the experience of the moms within the Driscoll’s employee base to collect stories, challenges, tips, and photos of moms just trying to make it all work.”

Since April 3, Driscoll’s has introduced a new addition to the series every Friday on Instagram, featuring a mother in the Driscoll’s family sharing her experiences in her own words and pictures.

“The response of our special content series on social media has been very positive and well received by our community,” Ashley Enos, Digital Marketing Manager, commented. “Our berry moms resonated with the shared stories and echoed that despite all the chaos and messiness, there is love and joy found in the sweet little wins of the day.”

The company noted that, for thousands of moms everywhere, COVID-19 has led to a collapse of boundaries between work and home life, resulting in overwhelming feelings of loss of control. As the team stated in a press release, the normal rhythms of life have been upended, including losing childcare, working from home with a household full of energy (a baby, young children, a spouse), and uncertainty about what the future weeks and months will hold.

The content series will culminate on Mother’s Day with a special montage of photos and quotes from Driscoll’s moms and grandmothers on Driscoll’s Instagram.

With a large social media community, Driscoll’s brand recognizes a unique opportunity to provide helpful information that brings families comfort, develops comradery, and provides ideas for time at home.

To see the Driscoll’s moms, hear their stories, and share with your teams and customer base, you can go to the company’s Instagram account @driscollsberry.

Driscoll's

LOXAHATCHEE, FL - It is a comfort to know that those who have passed away can live on in our memories. Carl Ream is one of those whose deep commitment will continue to flourish inside the stories the industry holds. The fresh produce veteran passed away Thursday, April 30, 2020, in Naples, Florida, at the age of 64.

J&J Family of Farms is mourning the loss of its longtime colleague and friend and honoring the memory of the man that brought a broad range of sales experience, knowledge, and leadership skills to the J&J team. And as the team shares, even beyond that, he possessed all of the qualities of a true friend.

“Working alongside Carl, you saw his passion to tirelessly serve the community and inspire others,” said Kohl Brown, Vice President of Sales. “Carl leaves behind an incredible mark on the produce industry, the community, and the team here at J&J Family of Farms.”

Carl worked with several import, domestic, and organic fresh produce organizations during his career and had more than 40 years of experience working in numerous produce industry positions. These positions included Sales and Marketing roles with retailers, wholesalers, and growers as well as management experience with Kroger in the 1970s and 1980s, according to a press release. Carl returned to J&J Family of Farms in 2015 managing a number of customers and growers.

“We at J&J feel fortunate to have spent time with Carl, listening to his stories and insights on the industry,” Brown expressed. “He wasn’t just our colleague, he was our friend and will be missed by many.

A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date via www.MullinsMemorial.com.

Carl is survived by three loving children, one grandson, two sisters, three nieces, and two nephews as well as four great-nieces and two great-nephews. Memorial Contributions in memory of Carl Ream are suggested to The Friendship House, 602 Main St., Immokalee, Florida, 34142, or Pawsitive Kid’s Camp, 3723 Del Prado Blvd., Cape Coral, Florida, 33904.

We offer the indistry our deepest condolences and our hearts and thoughts go out to Carl's family, friends, and team members during this difficult time.

REEDLEY, CA - California cherries signal several key activities to come: a boost in fresh produce sales, merchandising opportunities, and the kick-off of the U.S. West Coast cherry season with the heightened demand that follows the category. Bravante Produce is gearing up for this advantageous time of year as the company launches into its California cherry season this week.

“Our Bravante Produce California cherry program is a perfect opportunity to offer that differentiation and excitement that consumers love in the fresh produce department—especially as a way to bring in nostalgia and positive experiences to rival the challenging climate of today,” Steve Shearer, Sales Manager, shares with me. “This will be our second year marketing our own fruit since our cherries have typically been packed by other marketers. This year, we are elevating the category as one that demands a premium and gives a premium experience at retail.”

The first variety to come off the trees will be Brooks followed closely by Coral Champagne. The Tulare variety will wrap up the California Season for Bravante. Sizing looks to be much better than last year, Steve adds, and quality looks excellent.

“Volume will be lighter industry-wide here in California, making for the always anticipated tight cherry market as the West Coast season gets underway,” Steve expresses. “Demand looks excellent for our U.S. retail and export partners.”

Excited to see Bravante’s cherries make their way onto retail shelves? So are we!

Stick with us as we keep you up-to-date with the latest on the West Coast cherry crop and the dynamic market ahead.

Bravante Produce

VALENCIA, CA - We all know what to do when life gives you lemons...or so we thought! Sunkist Growers, the 127-year-old citrus cooperative, is imparting its wisdom in the form of its new "When Life Gives You Lemons" series, a talk show it just launched for Canadian customers—watch out, Oprah Winfrey! Sunkist is preparing to take on the "Talk Show Queen" mantle.

"At Sunkist, we have an old saying, 'When life gives you lemons, make something sweet,'" said Christina Ward, Director of Global Brand Marketing. "Many seem to be adopting this mindset, as we've seen an influx of consumers cooking at home and trying new things. We developed the new virtual talk show to bring people together, sharing ways to freshen up pantry staples, offer ideas on how to use the whole fruit, and expert tips on how to photograph citrus like a pro."

Far beyond just lemonade, the show is hosted by television and online personality Deepa Prashad and features special guests, new citrus recipes, and at-home activities in a three-part series that launched its debut episode yesterday, May 4, at 5 p.m. EDT.

Virtual and easy to access via Instagram Live, the next episode airs tomorrow, May 6, and the final episode is scheduled for Friday, May 8.

Nielsen Canada reports baking ranks at the top of department growth across grocery stores in Canada. In addition, Sunkist noted in a press release that fruit sales are up in Canada, and the team combines these two recent retail trends with pantry staples on hand to bring at-home inspiration to consumers.

Featuring recipes and mood-boosting tips using California-grown Sunkist citrus, each 15-minute episode features Deepa joined by special guests, including Afrim Pristine, Owner of the Cheese Boutique in Toronto, Canada; YouTube personality Alexandra Gater; and photographer Alexa Fernando. Sunkist’s Instagram can be found here.

Sunkist lemons are available year-round, and the cooperative reports quality and size structure have been excellent while demand continues to grow due to its nutritious benefits and versatility.

Additionally, Sunkist Navel oranges and Cara Cara Navel oranges both offer sweet, juicy, seedless, excellent sources of vitamin C to further bring consumers to your produce department.

These in-season California-grown citrus varieties are available to local grocery stores through June.

Sunkist Growers

DES MOINES, IA - Watermelon and carrots and, now, bananas, oh my! Hy-Vee has been on a supply-side partnership spree, teaming up with Sol Group and Grimmway Farms to do its part in helping to alleviate food insecurity in its communities. This week, the retailer is adding another high-profile grower to its list of partners after uniting with Dole Food Company to donate more than 32,000 bananas.

According to a press release, as more people become financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hy-Vee and Dole Food Company believe it’s important to provide access to produce during this time of need. The donation will include 13,440 pounds of fresh DOLE Organic Bananas, which will provide fresh produce for approximately 2,600 families.

Hy-Vee and Dole will be giving the bananas away to shoppers in Illinois' Des Moines area at an event held at the Southridge Mall today, May 5. The bananas, which will be safely loaded into shoppers’ vehicles during the event using a contactless method, will be distributed to consumers for free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Will Hy-Vee continue to team up with grower leaders in the produce industry as it fights on the frontlines of fresh? AndNowUKnow will keep its eyes on the prize—with the prize being the latest grocery retail news.

Hy-Vee Dole Food Company

SACRAMENTO, CA - Do mine ears deceive me, or did I hear the call of April showers bringing May dollars? Hark, here comes the glorious April issue of The Snack Magazine! Feast thine eyes upon it and see if ye can behold the logo in its treasured depths for a chance to make off with a treasure of your own!

100 dollars awaits the hawk-eyed investigator clever enough to spot the ANUK apple logo hidden in a majestic tower of fruit. And remember, we choose one representative from the buy-side and one from the supply-side.

If you haven’t received a hard copy of our April issue, never fear treasure seekers! Click here for the digital cover. Then, to truly prove to us that you’ve found our logo, we need you to snap a pic of yourself with your finger pointing to the logo. I repeat:

• Your FOUND the Apple Logo photo must include your likeness (that photo needs to be a selfie y’all)
• And your finger must be pointing to the AndNowUKnow apple logo

Once your photo checks off the above boxes, email it to [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:

• Sarah Krzysik of Nature Fresh™ Farms (reigning supply-side champ)
• Kelly Mejia-Cruz of Denny's (reigning buy-side champ)
• Monina Knox of Sobeys
• Chris Olsen of Gold Coast Packing
• Kimberly Chan of 99 Cents Only
• Danny Ortiz of Sysco
• Brandi McGuire-Sisco of Topco Associates
• Mike Mendez of NatureFresh™ Farms

Interested in receiving a copy of The Snack to give you a leg up in future challenges? Subscriptions are valued at $129 per year, click here to subscribe.

Go merrily into this great quest, fellow industry members!

The Snack Magazine

SOLEDAD, CA - Kori Tuggle, one of the industry’s most forward-thinking marketers, is joining Braga Fresh Family Farms’ team. The produce marketing executive will take on the new position of Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, in which she will wield her 20-plus years of marketing experience to help the grower strengthen its brand standing and growth efforts, which includes a new facility in Gonzales, California.

As Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, Tuggle will be responsible for brand management, corporate communications, scaling consumer engagement, and collaborating with internal teams and customers to expand Braga Fresh’s product offerings, according to a press release.

With over 20 years of produce marketing experience, Tuggle brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role—knowledge she’s gained while leading marketing and product innovation efforts at companies like Safeway, Ocean Mist Farms, and Church Brothers/True Leaf Farms.

Her most recent position was serving as the Vice President of Marketing and Product Development with Church Brothers Farms.

“In the immediate time frame of this global health crisis, our focus is the health and safety of our employees,” said Rodney Braga, President and CEO, Braga Fresh. “Creating this position is an addition to our executive team as we build for the future. As farming has evolved, so has the approach to marketing, and Kori’s background will bring us the additional support we need to continue our growth.”

At the beginning of March, Braga Fresh opened its newest salad and vegetable processing facility in Gonzales, California. With Tuggle now part of the grower’s team, Braga Fresh will only continue expansion efforts like these as we continue through 2020.

Congratulations to Kori Tuggle on her new role!

Braga Fresh Family Farms

MONROVIA, CA - A look inside the marketing minds of Trader Joe’s is a rare treat for the industry. But in the newest episode of the retailer’s Inside Trader Joe’s podcast, we get exactly that. Vice President of Marketing Matt Sloan and Marketing Director Tara Miller took to the airwaves to explain key creative strategies the chain has been employing as of late, including how it weathers intense grocery demand and whether or not it’s going into delivery after all.

“Our stores were already busy and already selling a lot of product, and to have, in some cases, that volume double…well, it just ground the support system to a halt,” Sloan explained. “If you have more truckloads than you can accept, things just get clogged up. And that’s what happened.”

In order to survive the consumer panic buying retailers faced at the beginning of the pandemic, Trader Joe’s had to switch up its own buying strategy. This included buying up and selling products that fit the retailer’s current specifications, even those that didn’t have the traditional label on them.

“The buying team was calm and methodical and really looking at ‘what do we need’ and ‘how can we best fill that need.' And it turns out by looking in places other than the usual places,” Sloan noted.

The two execs went on to discuss the elephant in the room: grocery delivery.

"Customers are asking if given current circumstances, we're planning on offering delivery or curbside pickup," Miller remarked. “We understand the impulse, and we know that some other retailers are offering these services. We also know those offerings don't always translate into positive results."

Both Miller and Sloan commented on the expensive nature of building an online grocery service and that this infrastructure takes away the need for people—which it would rather invest in.

"Creating an online shopping system for curbside pickup or the infrastructure for delivery—it's a massive undertaking," Sloan said. "It's something that takes months or years to plan, build, and implement, and it requires tremendous resources. [And] at Trader Joe's, the reality is that over the last couple of decades, we've invested those resources in our people rather than build an infrastructure that eliminates the need for people."

Is this the final word on grocery delivery and Trader Joe’s? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.

Trader Joe's

SANTA ANA, CA - It’s easy for things to fall apart in times of crisis, for communication to break down, and communities to gravitate toward their differences instead of the similarities. I get the strong sense that in our industry these are not the elements that define our actions in a crisis—but rather resiliency, unity, and strength do. Robert Thompson, Founder and CEO of FreshSource, is tapping these qualities as he takes up the goal of bolstering a unified front and generating gratitude within his own company and the industry.

“We deeply appreciate our entire team and all of our vendor partners who make this business work so successfully. This past month, with contributions and help from our vendor partners, we presented front-line team members with gift cards to show our support during these trying times,” Robert says, pausing to reflect on the climate of today. “Everyone’s efforts during such difficult times do not go unnoticed. We hope that FreshSource employees take pride in the fact that our company gets to be the steward and a vehicle of our vendor partners’ generosity.”

The gesture most surely has paid it forward.

Robert shares that the actual inception of the idea for this gift came from one of FreshSource’s retail partners who wanted to do something for the front-line workers at the store level.

“Since our vendor partners weren’t spending money on travel and other areas of their business, the retailer thought they might be interested in offering a small token of appreciation to the grocery store front-line workers,” Robert says. “The response from our partners was overwhelming! In a matter of days, we raised over 8,000 dollars and purchased gift cards from the local businesses right around each of the grocery stores that we visited.”

These gifts were a win-win for all as they supported nearby businesses such as Chick-fil-A, Jersey Mike’s, Subway, and In-N-Out, to name a few. Additionally, the store workers were extremely grateful to be recognized with a small token of everyone’s appreciation.

“We could not have brought together this gift without the help of our vendor partners,” Robert adds. “We definitely want to let our partners know how inspiring it is to see companies like theirs be so willing to give in an effort to assist others. They set a fantastic example that motivates others to make a difference as well. We are proud to be partners with such amazing companies.”

The valuable message that consistently emerges from each employee is one of thanks as additional team members also share with us their thanks and gratitude with me.

“Our frontline grocery partners are working hard from the warehouses to stores, filling trucks, cleaning carts, keeping shelves stocked, all while following the necessary mandated guidelines for everyone’s safety," Shannon Dambach, FreshSource Director of Sales, Southern California, says. "Their selfless efforts deserve to be recognized. It has been a pleasure handing out gift cards. We can feel the smiles behind those masks.”

Additionally, Mike Casazza, President of FreshSource Southwest Divisions, could only echo that great thanks felt by all FreshSource team members.

“Our goal at FreshSource has always been to make a difference. It is inspiring to see how the retailers, vendor partners, and frontline workers have come together to fight this pandemic. The commitment to the community and customers is going on 24/7, with so many people working behind the scenes," Mike reflects. "As we adapt during these unprecedented times, it is amazing to witness the very best come out of everyone in our industry and know that by working together we are making a difference.”

This gesture on the part of Robert, his team, and their partners speaks very much to who FreshSource is as a company. As Robert tells me, there are no limits or boundaries to what his team can accomplish. When the FreshSource team sees a challenge, they get creative and come up with solutions to try to make a difference.

I am constantly inspired by the generosity of others within our industry. It speaks volumes about what each individual and company is made of, and the potential of where we can go collectively from here.

FreshSource