IRVINE, CA - Even before any other fast food chains broke into the plant-based sector, Taco Bell was well-known as a vegetarian-friendly option. With the ability to swap beans for meat, virtually every menu item is available to those looking for alternative protein options. As options like the Impossible and Beyond Meat plant-based burgers have come to light, Taco Bell now decided to make its foray into fake meat. Following the introduction of its new “veg-centric” menu just a few months ago, the chain recently released a ground beef alternative made primarily from oats.

New reports have emerged that Taco Bell first introduced its new oat-based “Oatrageous” Taco in Finland, which has since landed in Spain as well, with a full European release planned for 2020, according to delish. The taco’s “meat” filling is made from pulled oats and legumes, but is mixed with the same seasoning used in Taco Bell's ground beef, making the plant-based meat a viable alternative in terms of taste.

Taco Bell has released no official announcement to bring the Oatrageous Taco to the U.S., but if the new menu offering takes off, the chain may be forced to cave to demand.

Vegetarians in the U.S. can only hope that this new offering will pop up Stateside. Until then, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.

Taco Bell

CANADA - The Great White North is known for many things, but in this industry, we look to it as a beacon for greenhouse growing operations. Not only are farmers growing premium vegetables, but they are promoting healthy lifestyles for everyone in the country. Red Sun Farms took this a step further when it introduced a program to encourage healthy living in the workplace. By providing produce boxes for a donation of five dollars a box, the company delivers fresh, quality vegetables straight from the Red Sun Farms’ greenhouses.

“I am so incredibly proud of our team,” said Jim DiMenna, President. “The Make-A-Wish foundation is such a great organization, and our team really hit it out of the park this time.

As an added incentive, all money collected from the boxes is donated to the Make-A-Wish Southwestern Ontario chapter, granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience. According to a press release, when DiMenna heard about the team’s plan, he decided to up the ante and match every dollar raised in support of the initiative.

In 2017 the team donated $5,720, which grew to $9,770 in 2018. This year it grew even more, hitting a record of $10,890. With the growth of donations year-over-year, the bar is set high for 2020, and the Red Sun Farms team is more than willing to take on the challenge.

For more comprehensive initiatives that encourage healthy lifestyles, keep checking in with us at AndNowUKnow.

Red Sun Farms

MEXICO - Whoever came up with the phrase “cool as a cucumber” was probably talking about Bridges Organic Produce. Okay, maybe not. But that’s the attitude the company maintains even through the rainy season. Currently transitioning its organic cucumber crop from Hermosillo to Culiacán, Bridges expects to see routine quality and volume within the next few months. For more on all things cucumbers, I deferred to Oscar Trujillo, Nogales Category Manager at Bridges Produce.

“Our organic cucumbers come from Hermosillo and Culiacán Mexico from mid-September through May and are branded Rico Farms (Hermosillo) and Aztlan Organic (Culiacán). Both of these labels are sold exclusively through Bridges Produce,” Oscar told me.

As to be expected, the recent onslaught of rain slowed production slightly for the grower, but quality is otherwise on par with its expectations as no damages to crops were reported.

“Good quantities will continue to arrive from Culiacán, but we don't expect to have the next volume/promotional push until we transition back to Hermosillo in April,” said Oscar.

He continued by telling me that the cucumber market is currently very stable, and although there are many shippers in the organic market, high demand has kept pricing stable as well.

Keep checking in with us at AndNowUKnow as we investigate the state of the market across all categories.

Bridges Organic Produce

UNITED STATES - Transportation is a crucial part of what we do in the produce industry. To ensure that transportation is one of its top priorities, C&S Wholesale Grocers, alongside other industry leaders, recently launched the Smart Transportation Council (STC). Founding Members include C&S Wholesale, PLM, Microsoft, Optio3, Palfinger Lift Gates, and Merlin Solar.

According to Bulk Transporter, the new industry association says its mission is to orchestrate remote operations management product development activities across original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), advocate for open standards, and help OEMs deliver streamlined and more powerful solutions to fleet owners and operators at a lower total cost of ownership.

“C&S is an innovation leader in the wholesale grocery business,” said Chris Trajkovski, Vice President of Transportation, Fleet Maintenance, and Safety and Compliance. “We are proud to be a founding member of the STC and have high hopes that by working together we can finally solve this puzzle. Fleets need to step up and articulate a clear set of requirements so our key vendors can make smart investments. And we need world-class technology companies to help spur innovation.”

Will other retailers take on the transportation issue? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.

C&S Wholesale Grocers

WASHINGTON, DC - Eight months after Dr. Scott Gottlieb announced his resignation as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the administration has selected a new leader. In a 72 to 18 vote on Thursday, December 12, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Stephen Hahn as the FDA’s new Commissioner.

Dr. Hahn received an undergraduate degree in biology from Rice University and attended medical school at Temple University, along with postgraduate training that included a clinical residency and fellowship at the National Cancer Institute, according to TMC News. Dr. Hahn is a well-respected radiation oncology expert and the current Chief Medical Executive of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, CNN reports.

In the new role, Dr. Hahn will address the opioid epidemic and vaping and tobacco concerns, but he is also stepping into the tail-end of another romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak and will play a pivotal role in continuing the industry’s food safety efforts.

How will this new leadership impact the produce industry? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA - Between physical expansion, corporate growth, and an onslaught of leadership appointments that have taken place just within 2019, Allen Lund Company has had quite a busy year. Needless to say, the national third-party transportation broker has doubled down on its growth strategy, aiming to expand its services even further. This effort was not wasted, as the company was recently named as one of the Los Angeles Business Journal's 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies in Los Angeles for 2019.

"It is very gratifying to be recognized in the ‘Fastest Growing Private Company’ category as we see ourselves as a growth company, even though we have been in business for almost 44 years," said Edward Lund, President. "We look to continue to grow in the very dynamic logistics industry for many years to come."

According to a press release, this year’s version of the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 100 fastest growing private companies is impressive, with the combined revenue of the businesses listed weighing in at $7.4 billion. With companies like Caulipower and SnackNation also on the list, Allen Lund is in good company. To see the list in its entirety, click here.

For more innovative companies across the industry, stick with us at ANUK.

Allen Lund Company

OXNARD, CA - There is nothing quite like the flavor, texture, scent, and overall eating experience of a really great mango. And there is nothing quite like finding—this being the consumer in me speaking—a retailer I can rely on for a consistent and delicious mango program and supplier partner. When I put my B2B hat back on, one of the companies that always comes to mind when I think of mango excellence is Freska Produce International.

“With our year-round availability we have the capability to service and commit to programs from our vast experience of importing mangos,” Gary Clevenger, Managing Principal, shares with me. “We have spent the time, effort, and costs to have our food safety and social audits completed annually and we are now fully-certified for Fair Trade from our shippers in Mexico. We work on relationships with our customers to make sure they have what they need, when they need it.”

It may go without saying that customer service remains an everyday constant for suppliers at the top of their game and not only with retail partners but growers themselves remain of utmost importance as Freska works to ensure they are getting the best possible returns.

Currently, Freska is harvesting and shipping mangos from Ecuador as the season winds down. Shipping from Peru has already started with Kents and by January Freska should be totally into Peru as well as starting Ataulfos out of Mexico in late January.

“The peak out of Peru will begin the first part of February and Mexico will get started at the end of January, with reds following in mid-February,” Gary says. “The main varieties upcoming as a whole will be Tommy Atkins and Kents with some Ataulfos for the next 30 days. The market remains pretty good on large fruit in the 7s, 8s, and 9s range with some weakness on 10s and 12s due to a lot of 12s in the market today. Kents from Peru should have some bigger sizes but will have to wait and see how the harvest progresses. Quality is outstanding.”

Mangos provide an ideal splash of color and flavor during this cool winter season in the Nothern Hemisphere and Freska is ready to partner with retailers to ring in the New Year right.

Freska Produce International

LOS ANGELES, CA - This week, Wonderful® Pistachios is celebrating the television debut of its new “Almost Everyone Loves No Shells” marketing campaign. As part of a $15 million investment in the No Shells brand—one of the largest to date—the new campaign builds off of the brand’s recent launch of new flavors (Chili Roasted and Honey Roasted) and consistent year-over-year double-digit sales growth.

“Our Wonderful Pistachios No Shells brand is incredibly exciting for us right now, as it’s the fastest growing piece of our business and people can’t get enough of pistachios without the shells,” said Adam Cooper, Senior Vice President of Marketing for The Wonderful Company. “This fun and engaging campaign pulls inspiration from the brand’s ability to make healthy snacking easier.”

“Almost Everyone Loves No Shells” will introduce consumers to the reason for the “almost” in the new campaign’s title. Sheldon, beloved tortoise and resident adversary in the campaign, is stepping into the limelight for humorous effect.

The campaign will focus on No Shells as an easy and convenient way to enjoy the great taste and nutrition benefits of Wonderful Pistachios, according to a press release.

“We’re excited to incorporate Sheldon into our new No Shells campaign because we’re considering him to be a new member of the Wonderful Pistachios family, although he’s quite hesitant to join our side,” said Bobby Pearce, Chief Creative Officer for the Wonderful Agency. “This campaign, created by Wonderful Agency, is our way of talking about the brand’s main differentiator, the lack of shells, in a humorous, unexpected, and culturally relevant way.”

Wonderful Pistachio’s latest campaign will be amplified by large-scale social and digital pushes, FSIs, and public relations and influencer marketing, on top of the TV commercials—all of which will run throughout 2020.

For more information about Wonderful Pistachios, the “Almost Everyone Loves No Shells” campaign, or to view current and past commercial spots, please visit GetCrackin.com, Facebook, and Instagram.

Wonderful Pistachios

SACRAMENTO, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!

Today, I am bringing you some of the category and weather news from around the industry. Check back twice weekly to see the latest around all growing regions.

COACHELLA VALLEY TEMPERATURES TO DIP INTO MID-30°s NEXT WEEK

Current temperatures in the area are nice with highs in the mid-70°s and lows in the upper 40°s. Come next Monday and Tuesday, temperatures will cool off as maximum temperatures will only reach the low 60°s and minimum temperatures will dip into the mid-30°s. These temperatures will probably not have any affect on the broccoli and lettuce coming from the region but could slow down the production of colored bells. Please check with shippers to see if they expect any slowdowns.

POTENTIAL RAIN COMING TO COASTAL CALIFORNIA ON THE 21^st

Strawberry growing regions of Santa Maria and Oxnard are currently experiencing beautiful growing conditions with maximum temperatures in the upper 60°s and minimum temperatures in the low 50°s. These temperatures will continue through all of next week. Come next Saturday the 21^st, there is a decent chance of rain forecasted. We will keep you updated next week.

COOLER TEMPERATURES COMING TO NORTHERN HALF OF FLORIDA NEXT WEEK

Weather this week in the strawberry regions of Florida was perfect with maximum temperatures around the 80° mark and minimum temperatures in the upper 60°s. This stable weather will continue through next Tuesday until a storm comes through bringing rain and cooler temperatures. Expect up to .25” of rain with maximum temperatures in the 60°s and minimum temperatures in the 40°s. There is an additional chance of rain for Saturday the 21^st.

CENTRAL MEXICO BERRY REGIONS EXPERIENCING PERFECT WEATHER

The berry regions in the states of Michoacán, Jalisco, and Irapuato are all experiencing typical weather for this time of year. Maximum temperatures are hovering around the 80°s while the minimum temperatures are in the mid-40°s. Last week, Mexico shipped 80 loads of tomatoes and look for volume to pick up more steam into Christmas.

Thank you as always! We will be back next week with another report.

Weathermelon

OHIO - A year can fly by, but for those of us in the produce industry, a year can pass by in what feels like a blink. It seems like only yesterday we reported on Aldi’s expansion into Ohio, noting its rapid-fire expansion across the country all the way back in February. Nearly a year later, the grocer continues to saturate that market, opening up two new stores—and remodeling one—in Northeast Ohio.

In a report by Crain’s Cleveland Business, Sam Climer, Aldi’s Director of Operations for the Cleveland, Akron, and Canton market, noted to the news source that the two new stores in Northeast Ohio are the grocer’s fourth and fifth stores to open just this year. The number of units now totals to 60 in the area.

He remarked that “there’s always opportunity to grow” as shoppers continue to hit the market looking for high-quality products at competitive prices. Not only does Aldi offer steeply discounted items due to its large assortment of private-label offerings, the stores are designed specifically to give customers a “streamlined shopping experience.”

This growth plays into Aldi’s aggressive plan to expand to 2,500 stores by the end of 2022, and to add 25,000 jobs to the workforce.

Which other markets will Aldi start flooding? AndNowUKnow will keep its eyes on the retail market as we head into 2020.

Aldi