TRAVERSE CITY, MI - North Bay Produce continuously diversifies its commodities with different growing environments in order to bring the very best products to its customers. In doing so, the grower has found a partner in UniSpice, a beautiful Guatemalan farm that specializes in French green beans, snow peas, sugar snap peas, and Brussels sprouts. UniSpice is isolated between mountains and away from other farms, which promotes the healthiest and best growing conditions.

“This is one of the most unique farms that I have ever witnessed in the entire Western hemisphere. The strategic planning of the topography, selection of seed, and harvest capabilities were an eye-opening lesson,” says vegetable veteran John Battle, Director of Fresh Sales.

The partnership allows North Bay to bring the best tasting beans, peas, and Brussels sprouts year round to customers. UniSpice specializes in planned growing cycles which offer a unique “grown just for you” experience. Furthermore, the controlled farm only plants orders to customer specifications as a group to ensure consistency. The high altitude and cooler nights of Guatemala increases the produce’s brix for a sweeter taste before being hand packed at the farm.

According to a press release, North Bay Produce imports the products directly to its mid-America warehouse in Mascoutah, Illinois, in order to maintain the freshness of these commodities. This state-of-the-art warehouse is strategically located in the middle of the United States so that 90 percent of the population of North America can be reached within 18 hours or less by truck. Additionally, this facility has one of only twelve USDA Certified Cold Treatment Facilities in the United States and one of only two adjacent to an airport runway. North Bay’s strategic placements and transportation services allows the grower to be a competitive and advantageous partner for retailers and grocers.

For more exciting new partnerships, keep reading ANUK.

North Bay Produce

SEATTLE, WA - While the e-tail giant continues to expand stateside, Amazon is pressing forward with its growth efforts internationally as well. Earlier this year, the company took steps to ramp up its operations in Japan, and has now set its sights on the lucrative India market. Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings recently submitted a proposal to acquire just shy of a 50 percent share in Future Coupons Ltd (FCL), an Indian Future Retail promoter group company, and has just gotten approval to move ahead with its acquisition plans.

The retailer’s proposal for a 49-percent acquisition was approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), resulting in a stock price surge for Future Retail and Future Enterprises, which rallied over 18 percent each on the Bombay Stock Exchange, according to CNBC TV18.

Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc (ACI) and is a member of the Amazon group. According to the news source, Future Coupons is a subsidiary of Future Group, which owns 7.3 percent stock in Future Retail, which operates 295 Big Bazaar stores and around 1,600 local neighborhood grocery stores.

The combination that has been proposed consists of other constituent steps involving FCL, Future Corporate Resources Pvt Ltd (FCRPL), and Future Retail Ltd (FRL), the news source reports. FCL markets and distributes corporate gift cards, loyalty cards, and reward cards to corporate customers, while FCRPL manages consultancy services and trades in goods and services, with investments in various Future Group of companies.

As a result of the deal, it is anticipated that Future Group will see its capabilities rise in the online retail space and a significant expansion of its brick-and-mortar presence in India.

How will Amazon shape the retail space in India? AndNowUKnow will bring you updates.

Amazon

WEST COAST, U.S. - Before Thanksgiving, we reported on a massive bomb cyclone expected to hit California over the holiday weekend. With Turkey Day come and gone, the state is now recuperating from more than just low temperatures and heavy rain. Communities across Southern California were particularly disrupted, as many saw roughly four feet of snow on Thanksgiving. As California and the West provides some of the most prominent growing regions for the fresh produce industry, many companies are now assessing the impact that this weather will have on their crops.

“In Yuma, Arizona, where we are growing key items including leaf lettuce, romaine, iceberg lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, and some celery, Thanksgiving brought in about a half an inch to an inch of rain, depending on the area, and delayed harvest and some planting—but the storm has not impacted the quality much, which is looking good at present,” C.R. Waters, Desert Operations Manager for Duda Farm Fresh Foods, shared. “The great thing about the rain is it has kept the ice conditions away. We do have another chance of rain on Wednesday.”

For the conditions in California, Duda had additional updates as well.

“The recent weather system that came through California did not have any effects on our Salinas operations as we no longer have any crops in the ground,” Greg Lewis, Director of Western Farming Operations for Duda Farm Fresh Foods, added. For Duda’s Oxnard, California, operations, the team reports approximately 2.5 inches of rain. “We received rain in Oxnard as well, but are fortunate because there were no strong winds which can impact the celery when the crop becomes top-heavy in rainy conditions. Currently, celery has no quality damage. The harvest was slowed down but has not stopped. There is more rain coming on Wednesday as well and despite the challenges with the inclement weather, we welcome rain here in California.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, mountain communities in SoCal experienced widespread power outages that began on Thanksgiving Day and carried on through Sunday. Temperatures over the weekend stayed consistent, remaining in the 40- to 20-degree range. The California Department of Transportation reported closures on State Route 18 and limited access via State Route 138 east of Interstate 15.

With domestic citrus coming on strong, we checked in with some additional California friends for an update as well.

“Fowler Packing is well positioned coming out of the Thanksgiving holiday with strong demand from both the east and west coasts,” Sean Nelsen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Fowler Packing, says. “We are receiving strong feedback from our customers about the quality of the Peelz mandarins being packed right now. Looking ahead, we are in good shape to withstand the current weather pattern of rain throughout California. Fowler Packing is vertically integrated, which gives us complete control of how this fruit is harvested. We have planned ahead to ensure we have enough fruit to cover all orders for our Peelz Partners. Our state of the art packinghouse allows us to continue to pack the highest quality of fruit even though wet weather offers some challenges. Supply assurance is a competitive advantage for our Peelz Partners and we are focused on keeping our customers fully stocked through this extended period of rain.”

For premium categories including California table grapes, Giumarra Vineyards gives us the deets as well.

“We only have a few grapes left to harvest but they are covered with plastic and have made it through without issue,” Randy Giumarra, Vice President of Sales, Giumarra Vineyards tells me. “As always, Giumarra Vineyards will be shipping strong California grapes through the month of December while starting the shift into Peruvian imports on the East Coast in an effort to help our customers make a smooth transition.”

Additional grape growers tell us that the recent weather comes at the end of the California grape harvest for many as well. Much of the crop was already picked prior to the rain and there are still good supplies in cold storage to ship through December as other growers wrap up the tail end of the state's program.

Additionally, communities in the high desert saw heavy snow that is extremely rare for the region. With four to five inches of snow, the desert reached the mid-40s on Sunday and began to see more moderate weather the remainder of the weekend. Low temperatures throughout the state are expected to continue well into this week, with heavy rain reaching the Bay Area as well.

With such inclement weather, how have West Coast growing operations managed to stay afloat? Stay tuned in to AndNowUKnow as we release the latest updates on the state of the winter crops.

FISHERS, NY - New York Apple Association (NYAA) is kicking off the holiday season with a variety of programs, including new poly bags, a Holiday Extravaganza Retail Display contest, 25^th anniversary social media celebration, and a partnership with Simply Recipes.

The high-graphic 3 lb and 5 lb poly bag design features an image of a modern apple orchard and the Apples from New York™ logo. Colored bands stretch across the bag, giving an extra pop of color. The bags are available in red, gold, and green, and will appear in the marketplace throughout the season.

“We have had favorable comments from retailers about the poly bags, and they appreciate the color breaks provided by the different-colored bands,” stated Cynthia Haskins, President. “The bags also match the graphics on our display shippers and price signs.”

The association is also offering its second annual Holiday Extravaganza Retail Display contest. Retailers across the country are invited to participate, and cross-merchandising opportunities will abound. Examples include pairing apples with baking ingredients, building fresh cider displays, or working apples into charcuterie plates with cheese and dip pairings.

All a retailer needs to do is snap a few photos of the store’s display and submit them by email to [email protected]. Grand prizes include three 1^st place $500 gift cards, five 2^nd place $250 gift cards, and ten 3^rd place $100 gift cards. Entries are accepted until December 31, 2019.

NYAA is also celebrating 25 years, and to mark the occasion, it is sharing 25 of the best apple recipes—highlighting the many ways in which apples can be enjoyed. These recipes will appear on social media and will be made available to retailers. How-to recipe videos will accompany these so that grocers can better engage with their shoppers.

Last, but certainly not least, the association announced its partnership with Simply Recipes. According to a press release, this partnership will help NYAA kick off a second wave of recipes for the holiday season—including ones for entertaining. Simply Recipes is a family and cooking blog with hundreds of recipes for the home cook and has been named Number One of the Top 25 Food Blogs for multiple years.

Recipes include Apple Chutney, Cranberry Apple Stuffed Pork Loin, Kale Waldorf Salad, Jeweled Carrot Salad with Apple and Pomegranate, and Caramel Apple Nachos. They will appear on Simply Recipes blog along with Apples from New York’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest in fresh produce.

New York Apple Association

NEW YORK, NY - When it comes to getting in shape, some people turn to a low-carb, veggie-forward diet, while others go full-on Crossfit in search of some washboard abs. Natural grocers like Whole Foods and H-E-B have capitalized on the former for years, but many are now turning to the latter in hopes of widening their target. According to CNN Business, multiple retailers have now partnered with workout studios in order to bring new exercise formats to the retail sector.

Most recently, Hy-Vee partnered with the high-intensity training studio OrangeTheory, aiming to build customized studios attached to two locations. The news source also stated that a New Jersey ShopRite location opened a new store featuring a fitness studio with yoga and zumba classes for its loyalty card holders. Whole Foods, however, may have been the first to the party, partnering with barre, spin, and yoga studios near its flagship store in Texas to offer classes on its rooftop.

Retail Analyst Diana Sheehan commented on the concept, stating that she predicts H-E-B and Meijer will be the next entities to adopt this unorthodox format, although H-E-B already sponsors free yoga classes at some locations. According to the news source, a study done by the industry trade group IHRSA found that exercise studio memberships have increased by 70 percent over the past four years, which is a big reason that retailers are jumping on this train. Combining health and convenience, this strategy is expected to attract time-strapped shoppers with their sights set on health.

Is this the future of grocery shopping? To see how other retailers are upping their game, stay tuned to ANUK.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint against Custom Fresh Cuts Inc.—based in California—as part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry. Custom Fresh Cuts Inc. allegedly failed to promptly make payment to ten produce sellers in the amount of $696,769 from November 2017 through June 2018. With this filing, the USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.

Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:

Custom Fresh Cuts Inc. will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should 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 the PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.

In the past three years, 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 USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.

To read the USDA's press release in its entirety, click here.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service

NEW ZEALAND AND US - This year’s Tour de Fresh exceeded everyone’s expectations, raising just over $180,000—a record-breaking amount for the event. Riders from across the industry were propelled by a desire to promote healthy lifestyles, but they got an even bigger boost in the race with T&G Global’s JAZZ™ apples to snack on. For its third-straight year, the distributor sponsored the four-day event to contribute to the goal of increasing the amount of salad bars in schools where students may have limited access to fresh produce.

“The Tour de Fresh brings together industry-wide riders, who may be the fiercest of business competitors, but all that gets set aside when we get on our bikes,” said 2018 Tour de Fresh alum Chris Willett, General Manager of EnzaFruit Products, T&G’s Wenatchee, Washington-based arm. “I was proud to ride in it and hope to return in the future. T&G was pleased to support Tour de Fresh as a premier sponsor again this year.”

The distributor supplied ample amounts of its JAZZ apples to hungry cyclists ready for a nutritious and tasty pick-me-up. The JAZZ brand—sold domestically by Oppy, CMI Orchards, and Rainier Fruit—is a natural fit for active and adventurous lifestyles across all demographics. The Tour de Fresh event and its cause are the perfect platform to spread the word about tangy-sweet, crunchy JAZZ apples. The variety is heathy, flavorful, and convenient, making it a great snack for everyone from high-performing cyclists to 10-year-olds looking for a treat.

The rest of the industry sees the potential of the JAZZ brand, and many were eager to express their support and excitement for the popular apple variety. Kelly Ansaldo, Project Developer at Coldwell Solar of Fresno, donned a JAZZ jersey for the first time at Tour de Fresh, proudly displaying the apple that would soon fill cyclist’s bellies.

“As riders, we train weekly in hopes of raising awareness that more kids need access to fresh produce and to get moving with exercise,” she said in a press release. “The salad bars we ride for are for every student. You do not have to be high or low income, and you do not have to qualify. You simply walk up and sample what your heart desires.”

Tour de Fresh has generated more than $750,000 since 2014, delivering salad bars to more than 5,000 schools and three-million students. The event and its JAZZ partner are dedicated to spreading the message of the importance of nutrition and childhood wellness—a message that can resonate with the rest of the industry.

“I was ‘jazzed’ to ride in the Tour de Fresh because it combines my passion for the agriculture industry, cycling, and healthy eating,” Ansaldo commented. “As a child, I never knew the importance of a healthy meal; lunch could be cookies or a candy bar. I’m proud to have ridden for JAZZ, and I will continue coming back, as long as there are schools in need of salad bars.”

Washington JAZZ apples are currently available, with good volume projected to ship through May, with organic shipping through April.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for more news on the charitable side of the industry.

T&G Global

RICHMOND, VA - Performance Food Group (PFG) has boosted its Board of Directors up to 10 with the appointment of Barbara Beck, Matthew Flanigan, and David Singer. These appointments are effective immediately.

“I am excited to welcome these three very experienced and exceptionally qualified directors to our Board,” said George Holm, Chairman, President, and CEO. “Barbara brings extensive general management, operational, and labor market expertise to our Board; Matt brings 16 years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer of a large, global publicly-traded company; and Dave, as a former Chief Executive Officer of a large public company engaged in the snack food business, brings significant management, strategic, and financial experience to our Board, as well as expertise in supply chain, logistics, and distribution matters. I look forward to working with our new Board members to support PFG’s continued growth and success.”

Beck recently retired from her position as CEO of Learning Care Group (LCG), a global-for-profit early childhood education provider. According to a press release, she served as CEO from 2011 to 2019. She currently acts as advisor to American Securities, the private owner of the company. Prior to joining LCG, Beck spent nine years as an executive of Manpower, including as President of Manpower’s EMEA operations from 2006 to 2011. Prior to joining Manpower, she was an executive at Sprint, serving in various leadership roles there for 15 years. Since 2008, she has served on the Board of Directors of Ecolab. She will serve as a member of PFG’s Compensation and Human Resources Committee and Technology Committee.

Flanigan recently retired from his role as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Legget & Platt, a global manufacturer of engineered components and products. He also served on the company’s Board of Directors for roughly 10 years. In 2005, Flanigan was appointed Senior Vice President and became Chief Financial Officer in 2003. From 1999 until 2003, he served as President of the Office Furniture and Plastics Components Groups of Leggett & Platt. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Board and Lead Director of Jack Henry & Associates. He has also served on the Board of Jack Henry & Associates since 2007, and he was appointed Lead Director by the independent directors of Jack Henry & Associates in 2012. Flanigan will serve as Chairperson of PFG’s Audit Committee and as a member of PFG’s Technology Committee.

Singer retired in 2013 as the Chief Executive Officer of Snyder’s-Lance, a manufacturer and marketer of snack foods throughout the United States and internationally. He served as Chief Executive Officer and as a Director of Snyder’s-Lance from its formation in 2010 until his retirement in 2013. He was the President and CEO of Lance from 2005 until its merger with Snyder’s of Hanover in 2010. The press release noted that Singer has also served as a Director of Lance from 2003 until the merger with Snyder’s. He previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated from 2001 to 2005. Presently, Singer also serves on the Board of Directors of Brunswick Corporation, Flowers Foods, Hanesbrands, and SPX Flow. He will serve as a member of PFG’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Compensation and Human Resources Committee.

Congratulations to Barbara, Matthew, and David from all of us here at AndNowUKnow.

Performance Food Group

IRELAND - As of late, Lidl has been concentrating its efforts on boosting its presence across the pond. Just this fall alone, the discount grocer opened its largest distribution center in Great Britain, invested $19 billion into a British supplier agreement, and announced its goal of opening 230 stores in the U.K. by 2023. Now, Lidl is solidifying its latest efforts with its biggest investment in Ireland since it first broke into the market in 2000. The grocer opened a new €100 million ($110 million USD) distribution center, which news source Independent.IE reported will “future-proof” Lidl’s supply chain.

While the term “future-proof” does allude to Lidl’s efforts to bolster its supply chain capabilities, the term also describes how the grocer has decked out its new facility in green—as in the green of sustainability.

“By increasing our storage capacity and streamlining our supply chains, we will achieve even higher levels of efficiencies,” said J.P. Scally, Lidl Ireland’s Managing Director, according to the news source. “It is important for us that we ensure our building is future-proofed and that we are expanding sustainably. By investing at the scale that we have, we’ve ensured that we have the ability to supply Ireland’s growing population efficiently and consistently, long into the future.”

The 625,000-square-foot distribution center—which the news source noted is three times the size of Dublin’s Aviva Stadium—officially opened on November 22, 2019. The facility includes the largest solar array in Ireland that will generate a quarter of the facility’s energy needs, according to Independent.IE. Estimated to house 49 million items, the distribution center will supply Lidl’s 90 stores across Leinster and grow to employ 350.

As more retailers expand their grocery footprint, AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the latest news and updates.

Lidl Ireland

DONNA, TX - Despite the inclement weather that keeps the industry on our toes this time of year in the northern hemisphere, Grow Farms Texas is ready and raring to go as we move through the holiday season. Tommy Wilkins, Director of Sales and Business Development, shares that Texas green and red cabbage will kick off December 2nd and will run through March with Mexico programs gearing up.

“We are expecting rain in growing areas of Mexico this week. Once we get dried out, our volume is expected to increase next week on green bell peppers and cucumber,” Tommy shares. “Eggplant and soft squash should begin in Texas later in December and with all the uncertainty around the politics of the tomatoes this year, we believe vegetables will increase to around 25 percent in plantings. Barring weather, we should have a steady promotable supply into March.”

With Grow Farms Texas’ ideal locations, loading in Texas is a freight savings along with time on the road heading East. As Texas continues to grow in crossings, this will continue to help get product to the stores quicker.

“As the menu increases you will see more mixers helping retailers be more efficient in getting deliveries more often at a shorter distance. Cucumber and green bells will be the workhorses, but incremental sales are an added bonus,” Tommy expresses.

In January, Grow Farms will start a beautiful colored bell pepper program to add to its menu. Additionally, hot peppers continue to be a nice addition all the way through Cinco De Mayo and jalapenos and serranos are very popular and have good volume coming.

“We are also looking to have a wonderful mango program this year. Volumes will increase for us on both yellow and round mangos,” Tommy adds. “This production will begin in February in good numbers and we will be working the next two months to put programs together to increase consumption and sales on mangos.”

One of the largest value propositions offered by Grow Farms is its desire to help make life easier for retailers.

“Ad quotes that some folks need weeks in advance as well as spot buys help navigate production. Working closely with the growers to promote volumes in line with production helps everyone,” Tommy says. “There has been significant conversation over the role Mexico plays in vegetable production. I am a proponent of trade. The work on good eating vegetables just gives retail and foodservice an opportunity to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables which aids in everyone's health. As we continue to build a central Mexico program, we strive to have year-round supplies on as much as we can.”

As we move into the Texas and Mexico seasons, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow for the latest and greatest on the market and more.

Grow Farms Texas