LOS ANGELES, CA - Worker safety is of the utmost importance, which is why The Giumarra Companies, a marketing partner of Sonora, Mexico-based Videxport S.A. de C.V., is making a major investment to support its employee base. This investment is taking the shape of new sanitation tunnels, which will ensure continued production, quality, and worker safety during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.

“Videxport’s commitment to its workers’ safety and wellbeing, evidenced by the company’s long-standing social responsibility programs and corresponding certifications, is strongly reinforced by this forward-thinking measure,” said John Corsaro, CEO of The Giumarra Companies. “We are proud to work with a grower so deeply invested in caring for its employees and producing high-quality, nutritious products. Partners like Videxport are vital in supporting our mission to feed the world in a healthy way.”

Videxport—a Fair Trade Certified™ and Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) certified grower shipping fresh watermelon, grapes, and bell peppers to the U.S. and Canada—recently installed four tunnels at its packing operation and implemented new enhancements to its existing worker safety procedures, according to a press release. Each 10-foot-long tunnel can accommodate about 20 people per minute while misting a disinfectant solution as employees walk through. This will help to safely sanitize workers and protect them against viruses and bacteria.

In addition to the tunnels, Videxport also expanded its medical capabilities by hiring a second full-time doctor and additional nurses and purchasing two new mobile clinics for its on-site worker healthcare. he new mobile clinic will supplement its on-farm healthcare clinic.

Last but certainly not least, Videxport has also implemented social distancing, staff education, and worker health monitoring measures across its 7,400-employee-strong workforce and its fields, packhouses, and worker housing.

For more unprecedented updates like this, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest fresh produce news.

The Giumarra Companies Videxport S.A. de C.V.

FLORIDA - It’s more essential now than ever to lock arms with those around us to stay strong as we brave the eye of today’s COVID-19 crisis. Publix has been leading the charge in uniting the buy- and supply-sides to help the whole supply chain, with the Florida-based grocer again partnering with a grower-supplier to expand its produce aisle offerings.

Kalera, a vertical farm company, has sealed a deal with Publix to sell its lettuce and microgreens in 165 stores.

“To be able to keep working at full speed and to not have to throw away product, but more importantly to generate some revenue for our company, it was such a blessing at the absolute opportune time for us,” said Daniel Malechuk, Kalera’s CEO, to news source Orlando Sentinel.

Kalera’s operations are typically geared toward providing lettuce and microgreens to restaurants, theme parks, and other venues. However, with the coronavirus pandemic, the vertical farming company has had to look elsewhere to keep its products in demand—and Publix was the perfect partner to turn to.

The grower operates a 2,000-square-foot indoor hydroponic growing site at the Orland World Center Marriott and recently opened a larger facility in Central Florida.

“We perfected Mother Nature indoors by using science and technology with farming,” Malechuk disclosed to Spectrum News 13.

As part of Kalera’s partnership with Publix, the grocer acquired 20,000 pounds of lettuce from the grower for its donation program. On top of that, Kalera itself has donated 75,000 pounds of fresh vegetables.

Will more partnerships between retailers and growers sprout up as a strategic solution to today's market? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.

Publix Kalera

IDAHO FALLS, ID - It’s been said that seeing is believing, and sometimes giving customers and consumers a peek into your operations is a surefire way to gain their trust. This is a strategy Eagle Eye Produce has long believed in, launching innovative short videos to spread its message in a unique way. Most recently, the company released a montage video highlighting its spring potato planting in Eastern Idaho.

“Videos like this are a great tool to open a dialogue with our customers and show them each step of the potato growing process,” said Dallin Klinger of Marketing and Communications. “It’s also important for people to know that the ag business doesn’t stop. Our farmers have always been essential, and during these hard times it really brings that idea to the foreground.”

According to Dallin, Eagle Eye’s potato season is off to a great start. All of the grower’s crops in Idaho are planting on time and everything is expected to be in the ground within the next couple of weeks.

“Someone once said ‘Farming is a profession of hope.’ I think the industry as a whole is a little cautious this year, but we are optimistic about our crop and we look forward to a great season. We expect a great crop of all of our varieties this year,” Dallin concluded.

How can visual tools such as this drive sales to the Eagle Eye brand? As the grower continues to release videos and harvest its premium supply, AndNowUKnow will keep you up to date on the latest news in fresh produce.

Eagle Eye Produce

LOS ANGELES, CA - As marketing continues to become a central part of selling fresh produce, growers are working hard to innovate their packaging formats to best reach their consumers. Because innovation is often top of mind for Pacific Trellis, the grower of the premium Dulcinea® brand, the company recently rolled out new packaging for its citrus line, including oranges and mandarins.

“Even though our citrus importing endeavor is relatively young compared to other companies, we will be importing premium, high-quality mandarins and fresh oranges at higher volumes this season,” said Josh Leichter, General Manager. “This has allowed us to sell our citrus program under our premium Dulcinea brand, which is generally reserved for only our highest standard fruit.”

The new high-graphic, front-of-package design will be applied to Dulcinea’s 2-lb and 3-lb mesh bags and will use separate and distinct bold colors to help differentiate between the oranges and mandarins. According to a press release, the new packaging will also feature prominent consumer language around the features of the citrus inside that are synonymous with the Dulcinea brand.

Expected to debut with the first arrival of Dulcinea premium mandarins around the middle of May, the packaging will be fully rolled out with the addition of Dulcinea fresh oranges, arriving by the middle of June. Both Dulcinea-branded citrus items will be available to consumers through the end of October.

What will be Pacific Trellis’ next packaging innovation? Keep following along with us at AndNowUKnow as we wait to find out.

Pacific Trellis

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently filed an administrative complaint against Old West Export Inc., a company operating out of California, for allegedly failing to make payment promptly to five produce sellers in the amount of $1,059,875 from March 2018 through November 2018.

Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:

Old West Export Inc. will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should the USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry as a licensee for three years, or two years with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for two years, or one year with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.

The PACA Division, which is a part of AMS’ Fair Trade Practices Program, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.

In the past three years, the USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 7,800 callers with issues valued at approximately $148 million. These are just two examples of how the USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.

For further information, contacts, and to read the press release in its entirety, please visit the link here.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service

SALINAS, CA - As suppliers of fresh produce, it is paramount that companies maintain a sustainable relationship with the Earth. As such, many of our industry’s leaders are constantly evolving their extensive sustainability initiatives. Taylor Farms is one such company, recently publishing its 2020 Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report, featuring innovative advancements in environmental, business, and community stewardship.

“We are extremely proud of the hard work that is showcased in this report,” said Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO. “We are committed to leading change to be a force for good in the world and have taken risks as we search for unique breakthroughs and solutions to create positive impacts. This bi-annual report is proof that those risks—made possible by our business and innovative culture—have been successful. I am humbled by how far we have come as we celebrate our 25^th anniversary and motivated by the ever-evolving vision of our employees, partners, customers, and consumers to create healthier lives for all.”

Taylor Farms’ 2020 Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report focuses on three core pillars where the company has committed to leaving the world a better place through impactful actions.

As reported in a press release, these three core pillars are interconnected, each sustaining the other, and are brought to life through the company’s transformative business model and innovative culture, which includes maintaining a:

• Healthy Environment – Resource Conservation and Responsible Business Practices
• Healthy Business – Quality and Food Safety, Innovation, Enhancing Consumer Experience, and Workforce Development
• Healthy Community – Youth Development, Food Accessibility, and Health and Wellness

“Our mission to create healthy lives transcends across our entire Taylor Farms ecosystem from preserving a healthy environment, promoting healthy communities, and ultimately sustaining the health of our business,” said Nicole Flewell, Director of Sustainability. “It is because of the entire Taylor team of 20,000 employees that we’ve been able to use our scale for good and make a positive, long-lasting social and environmental impact from farm to fork.”

To read Taylor Farms’ Sustainability Report in full, click here. As always, ANUK will continue bringing you the latest news in fresh produce, so stick with us!

Taylor Farms

SCHILLER PARK, IL - Is there anything sweeter than a new partnership? We at ANUK believe it’s possible—but only by doubling down on that sentiment with the expansion of an existing one. Sun Belle and Giddings Fruit Mexico jointly announced a long-term exclusive marketing and distribution agreement whereby Sun Belle will market all of Giddings' conventional and organic blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. The agreement solidifies Sun Belle’s 18-year relationship with Giddings Fruit and is expected to extend the reach of Sun Belle and Giddings Fruit Mexico as principal producers and distributors of berries worldwide.

“This agreement completely aligns the two companies in their shared mission of providing top-quality berries to consumers reliably and in good quantities,” stated Janice Honigberg, President and Founder of Sun Belle. “For example, we are excited to be marketing peak production through May of the new Aketzali blackberry variety that Giddings developed.”

Giddings has 322 hectares of conventional and 40 hectares of organic Aketzali in production in very good quantities through the end of May. The grower’s state-of-the-art tissue culture propagation lab and extensive nurseries support its own farms and varietal development programs as well as its grower partners.

“The Aketzali is a very sweet blackberry with good size and little regression. It is an excellent alternative to the Tupy variety, which we pioneered together starting in 2003,” Patricio Cortes, General Manager and Co-Founder of Giddings Mexico, said. “While the Tupy is no longer a productive variety, it established Mexico as the largest blackberry grower and shipper in the world.”

According to a press release, Sun Belle has a first-class structure and reliable distribution of products through its four distribution centers in the U.S. Sun Belle expressed equal excitement about the new partnership as it will help both growers bring superb berries to the market.

“The Aketzali blackberry has excellent flavor and appearance while presenting fewer growing and shipping challenges than earlier varieties,” Honigberg continued. “Bringing excellent quantities of Aketzali to market this spring is just the beginning of closer work between Sun Belle and Giddings in developing and marketing other superb blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry varieties next season and in seasons to come.”

Sun Belle is a year-round marketer of a full line of organic and conventional berries and pomegranate arils, principally sold under the Sun Belle and Green Belle brands.

“This new, strengthened relationship between our two companies further integrates the work of Giddings Mexico and Sun Belle at all levels—from top management to sales, logistics, and most importantly, varietal innovation and development,” continued Cortes. “The Sun Belle team brings years of experience and as a result is able to meet the demands of the market with production throughout the year from all major growing regions.”

Sun Belle supports retail, club, wholesale, and foodservice customers throughout North America, Europe, and Asia with distribution centers in Schiller Park, Illinois; Jessup, Maryland; Oxnard, California; and Miami, Florida. The company is recognized for its commitment and service to its customers, its dedication to quality, and its ability to fulfill mixed berry programs.

Giddings is a leading integrated grower and shipper of conventional and organic berries in the states of Michoacán, Jalisco, Guanajuato, and Sinaloa, Mexico.

For more sweet partnerships in the produce sector, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Sun Belle Giddings Fruit Mexico

BENGALURU, INDIA - Grocery retailers, distributors, and service providers are keeping the competitiveness of the grocery market high as many form strategic partnerships to expand their operations and strategies during this unprecedented time. Walmart-owned Flipkart is one such grocery retailer whose latest strategy to increase consumer access to essential goods involves a new partnership with Meru.

“Flipkart Group is committed to customers as India fights this unprecedented battle. This partnership with Meru is a result of our teams exploring new, innovative ways to drive value for our ecosystem of sellers, brands, partners, and customers to ensure the safe and swift availability of grocery and essential goods,” said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group. “We have a very secure and safe supply chain where we follow SOPs diligently. We stand by the nation in this fight against COVID-19 as we prioritize the wellbeing and safety of all including our customers and employees.”

Meru is one of India’s trusted app-based ride-hailing cab operators that is teaming up with Flipkart to help the grocer deliver fresh groceries to shoppers across Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Hyderabad.

According to a press release, this partnership is a continuation of Flipkart’s efforts to create innovative models of collaboration to serve consumers and ensure the essential supply chains during this unprecedented crisis.

“This is a unique initiative which we are undertaking with Flipkart which will benefit consumers immensely,” said Neeraj Gupta, Founder and CEO at Meru Mobility Tech. “Meru will use its fleet to ensure the timely and safe delivery of essentials to Flipkart’s large customer base in a hassle-free manner. This service will also offer our driver-partners an additional earning opportunity during this challenging time.”

In one of its biggest acquisitions to date, Walmart became the largest stakeholder in Flipkart back in 2018. How will Flipkart's new partnership with Meru bolster Walmart's standing in the global market?

AndNowUKnow will continue to follow along with the latest grocery giant news.

Walmart Flipkart Meru

WENATCHEE, WA - While the name of the game today is “expect the unexpected and prepare where you can,” we are seeing signs pointing to a more diversified shopper who wants options and variety. Essentially the SKU game is in jeopardy. Increased dialogue between suppliers and buyers is more essential now than ever in understanding what is happening in the consumer's mind and wallet.

For context, there had been many retailers eliminating SKUs, not so much concerning the fact that they didn't want the SKU, but they were worried about distribution. Many moved to the 80/20 rule but fruits and vegetables are essential and nothing speaks louder than a limited or empty fresh produce department when demand is high. People are highly concerned about their health for good reasons, and produce has been a winner. We are even seeing more ads on the table with our customers in recent weeks and this is a great sign for all. We hope retailers continue to follow suit. We are starting to see an expansion of SKU’s at some chains in the South and Midwest, recently showing that building categories and taking advantage of the shoppers’ willingness to reach out for more items is starting to happen.

So, what can we do for the health of the bottom line at retail and the consumer? It's time to start diversifying SKUS again.

We at Stemilt Growers, like many in the industry, have experienced the dramatic and volatile push and pull of what feels like an instantaneous fluctuation in demand on the retail and consumer front. During that panic buying phase, demand required we ship everything we had in our coolers. And in many cases, an interesting thing happened: Consumers started pivoting their buying behaviors and began purchasing a range of products—especially certain larger and more diverse quantities, and packaging types, that retailers normally weren't selling at such a high ratio. Nobody buys what they don't want, and they were buying larger packaged quantities and increments in excess on apples.

The silver lining: The new variables in the changing and challenging climate of today's pandemic may be triggering consumers to diversify their buying behaviors and, even more, opening them up to building new patterns and adapting to new priorities.

Speaking specifically of Stemilt, we saw a massive shift to more bagged products because people wanted to get in and out of the stores quicker. While traffic patterns still fluctuate, our 5-lb bag program has remained in high demand, way more than it has in the recent past.

Specialty items are now increasing in demand again at retail as well and we're seeing a rebound in the number of varieties of apples we're selling, not just the quantity of apples. So, our game plan is adapting and we would like to see that follow through at retail.

Consumers are doing less frequency of shopping, but shopping with bigger carts or bigger baskets, and so we were recommending that retailers give them more size options with additional grab-and-go appeal. The consumer's eye is scanning incredibly fast so display-ready cartons and vibrant displays will also be key. And we've been recommending those opportunities for about a month now and it has helped retailers address the uncertainty of the shopper.

Another big data insight this past month is that organic product has sold at a higher rate of frequency and we expect that trend to remain. So, keep organics strong in produce departments.

Another arena to address with urgency is the online shopping area where products are not being categorized correctly—they don't have the right picture by them, they're not in the right location, they're hard to find, and the descriptions are not always true to the product.

We're finding all those errors starting to appear, and we're working with retailers to clean up their online sites because produce buying is impulsive, and we know produce is on the shopping list for a lot of people. If we do not have accuracy on the online shopping platforms, retailers will lose the consumer in a huff of frustration.

The produce department is an essential part of success at retail—whether at brick and mortar or online. If we stop giving consumers what they want, we may lose that brand and store loyalty that has been so coveted throughout the years for our industry.

Stemilt Growers

NEWARK, DE - Growers, shippers, distributors, and retailers all play their part to bring the best fruits and vegetables to grocery shelves. However, there are times when the consumer is unsure of what to do with the fresh produce on hand. Tossing a lifeline, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has launched its latest initiative, Joy of Fresh, to assist the buy-side in connecting with consumers.

“Joy of Fresh is the next evolution of the broader conversation about driving consumption. We’re doing it in a way that's beyond just providing assets—we want our members and the industry as a whole to understand it at a deeper level,” says Lauren Scott, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our latest initiative focuses on working with industry and media partners to connect with consumers; providing resources, information, and tools for our members to use in their promotions; and listening to what the consumer sentiments are.”

As we previously reported, the Joy of Fresh campaign provides information to its members in a convenient format that is easily digestible for consumers, especially during this time when many are affected by COVID-19. With it, PMA is able to offer tools such as:

• Assets to use on social media platforms
• Research data
• Answers to sentiment studies
• Insights into consumer shopping behavior

“This information is available for our members to use to help make decisions for their business,” Lauren continues. “Consumers hear from brands they know and trust, and the industry usually relays urgent information when it’s in critical situations. Getting messages out on a regular basis and sharing a broader narrative, consistently, is really the spirit of the campaign.”

PMA created Joy of Fresh as a way for its members to reach out to national and local media in order to influence the stories that are being written about our industry.

“Without our members, we wouldn't be able to put this together. Having that continuous communication will be critical to understanding what issues they are seeing,” concludes Lauren. “By spreading the #joyoffresh, PMA can continue to build upon the information we have with the help of our members. We can create more and better content to change conversations with consumers and drive the consumption of fresh produce.”

For more information on this initiative and to access these assets, click here.

AndNowUKnow is always in the business of spreading the #joyoffresh message, so keep reading as we bring the latest in the industry.

Produce Marketing Association