COVINGTON, GA - As it continues to expand its retail presence in the Georgia market, Lidl is taking steps to ensure its operations can keep pace with its growth plans in the region. The grocer recently announced a new $100 million regional distribution center located in Covington, Georgia. The new facility will serve as a regional headquarters to service the surrounding area.

“We look forward to breaking ground on Lidl’s fourth regional distribution center in the U.S. and hiring hundreds of new team members in Georgia,” Chairman Roman Heini said. “This centrally located facility will allow us to efficiently deliver outstanding quality products to our customers at the lowest possible prices and expand our network of stores across the region. We thank Governor Brian Kemp and local leaders for their tremendous support during this process.”

Lidl operates four stores in Georgia, located in Augusta, Mableton, Marietta, and Snellville, according to a press release. The retailer originally had considered Cartersville as the site for the new facility, but pivoted its focus to Covington, a city that is more centralized for Lidl’s entire store network in Georgia and its future growth plans.

“I am grateful for Lidl’s investment in Georgia and the tremendous opportunities that it will create for hardworking Georgians in Newton County,” said Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp. “Our logistics infrastructure puts domestic and international markets within arm’s reach, and leading brands from around the world are taking notice. As the No. 1 State for Business for seven years running, Georgia’s ability to support international companies looking to expand their U.S. footprint is unmatched.”

The new facility is set to take up 925,000 square feet and is expected to generate 270 full-time jobs over the next five years.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for updates on retail growth.

Lidl US

ORLANDO, FL - The National Mango Board (NMB) is encouraging any and all in the produce biz with a knack for a certain tropical fruit to get their mangos a go-go and get to participatin’ in the upcoming board nominations. The NMB is currently seeking nominations for six board member positions, including three fresh mango importers in District II, two foreign producers, and one domestic producer—all of which will serve a three-year term beginning January 2021.

The NMB is comprised of 21 mango industry members dedicated to increasing the consumption of fresh and frozen mangos in the U.S.—the NMB's mission. Current board members include fresh and frozen mango importers, a first handler, a frozen processor, domestic producers, and foreign producers, all of whom have made it their mission to conduct innovative research, implement promotional activities, and foster a thriving industry alongside NMB staff.

The nomination process is as follows, as noted in a press release: For each importer and domestic producer position, two nominees will be forwarded to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The two nominees per position will have been voted for by mango industry members in the respective district. Once nominations are in and a final slate of nominees has been selected, the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint the new members.

Before you get to nominatin’, be sure to note that candidates must meet certain requirements to be eligible, on top of being willing to serve the mango industry by fulfilling board member roles and responsibilities. The NMB encourages industry members without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, size of business/operation, and marital or family status or other basis protected by U.S. law, to participate in NMB activities and seek a position on the NMB. Foreign producer nominations will be submitted by mango foreign producing organizations or themselves.

If you already know of a candidate or two, or are thinking of serving yourself, click here for complete details, updates, and the necessary forms. Nominations must be received at the NMB office no later than February 21, 2020.

Looking for that extra push? According to a press release, by actively participating, board members will have the opportunity to shape the future direction of NMB programs in upcoming years—so what are you waiting for mango aficionados? Get to nominatin’!

National Mango Board

WAXAHACHIE, TX - It’s the beginning of another new year, and the Peruvian Asparagus Importers Association (PAIA) couldn’t wait to get a jump start. Priscilla Lleras-Bush, PAIA Director, announced that the association will be welcoming two new Co-Chairmen for the 2020-2021 term at the Association Meeting that took place in October 2019 in Anaheim, California.

“The elected PAIA Co-Chairmen for the 2020-2021 term are Jay Rodriguez of Crystal Valley Foods, Miami, Florida, and Walter Yager of Alpine Fresh, Doral, Florida,” Lleras-Bush said. “These two gentlemen have close to a combined 60+ years’ experience within the international trade/agricultural sector. Their knowledge provides our asparagus association with the foresight that will propel the entire asparagus industry forward.”

Rodriguez and Yager have been consistent, driven leaders of the asparagus industry and of PAIA. According to a press release, PAIA consists of 34 members: 23 key industry importers, focused on advancing and expanding market consumer demand, and 11 industry service providers solely focused on streamlining service to the sector.

“Each member of PAIA contributes their knowledge, experience, and specialized skills for the initiatives set forth by the association,” stated Rodriguez.

Yager added, “PAIA companies believe in membership synergy, and they understand that synergy is the single component stimulus for the association to obtain industry goals.”

In 2020, the association plans to focus even greater efforts on spreading the positive word to trade press, supermarkets, and consumers concerning the benefits of fresh asparagus.

“PAIA has always been an association with its finger on the pulse of the asparagus industry,” said Lleras-Bush. “We have been focused on dedication, direction, and increasing demand for asparagus. We will continue to work together with industry and agency to advance asparagus industry goals.”

Congratulations to Jay Rodriguez and Walter Yager on their new positions! For more produce-related updates, keep reading ANUK.

MCALLEN, TX - The Texas Produce Hall of Fame was established in 1988. Since then, 143 living and posthumous awards and 23 Scott Toothaker Awards have been given to men and women who have contributed to the betterment of the produce industry throughout Texas. On January 27, seven leaders of the Texas produce industry will be added to that legacy and honored this year at the Texas International Produce Association’s Hall of Fame Banquet.

According to a press release, the seven inductees to be honored as leaders among the farming or sales industry of fresh produce in Texas will be: Kathy Reavis, Aquilies J. Garza, Charles La Grange, Jimmy Pawlik, and Lawrence Kroman. Posthumous awards will also be given to honor Harold Macomb and Ross La Grange.

Jimmy Santos will be honored as the 2020 recipient of the Scott Toothaker Award for his dedication and service as a partner to the industry. The Scott Toothaker Award was established in 1989 for those individuals who are not directly involved in production agriculture, but who have made immense contributions nonetheless.

The Hall of Fame is held every other year and is considered one of the most treasured events. This banquet provides the opportunity for today’s industry members to pay tribute to the leaders and role models who paved the way for future generations in the produce industry. In addition, the banquet also serves as a fundraiser for the William E. Weeks Agricultural Scholarship, established to encourage future generations to carry on the hard work of our past leaders and pursue education in the field of specialty crop agriculture.

Congratulations to all the winners at this year’s event! For more exciting news in the industry, keep up with us at AndNowUKnow.

Texas International Produce Association

HOUSTON, TX - The industry recently lost one of its pioneers, as Sysco Corp. announced the passing of its former CEO, Bill Lindig. Part of the food industry since 1940s, Mr. Lindig played an integral role in Sysco’s growth and evolution, and will be sorely missed.

Mr. Lindig started in the food industry helping his mother at the neighborhood grocery store she ran in Austin, Texas, The Wall Street Journal reports. Over the years, Mr. Lindig’s career grew, and he served in several leadership roles, including COO of Sysco, starting in 1985, and CEO from 1995 to 2000, during which time, the company’s annual sales rose from $12 billion to $19 billion. Mr. Lindig spearheaded efforts to find acquisitions to add to Sysco’s operations, including the 1988 acquisition of CFS Continental in 1988, which provided Sysco nationwide coverage, according to the news source.

Mr. Lindig passed away due to heart failure on December 25 in Lindale, Texas, at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife, Bobetta Clayton Lindig, their two sons, and four grandchildren.

We offer our condolences to Mr. Lindig’s family and all who knew him as a family member, a friend, and an industry pioneer.

WATSONVILLE, CA - The new year is a time for (sometimes overly ambitious) health resolutions, and as consumers scour the produce aisle for antioxidant-rich superfoods, growers and retailers look outside the country to fill rising demand. Blueberries are a prized commodity in the pantheon of berries, and California Giant Berry Farms is currently amping up its import program to bring its delicious wares to customers and consumers alike.

“The market has been steady while gearing up for promotional volumes for the holidays and peak arrivals from South America, post-holiday,” Nick Chappell, Director of Retail Sales, told me.

According to Nick, California Giant is headed into its peak Chilean blueberry season, and is also harvesting blueberries in Peru and Mexico. The grower is harvesting organic blueberries out of Oxnard, California, with consistent weekly production. Although these regions are the focus of its current harvesting efforts, California Giant also grows blueberries in other international regions, including British Columbia, Canada; Argentina; Uruguay; and Peru; and domestically in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington. This wide range of growing regions offers California Giant a buffer against unfavorable weather conditions.

“It’s farming,” said Nick. “Weather is always an issue, but we are diversified in so many areas that the effects have been minimal.”

California Giant is reporting blueberries of exceptional quality from all of its regions, and in terms of year-over-year quality, 2019 was one of the grower’s best years yet. Overall production increased around 50 percent while maintaining and improving a high quality pack. With such a spectacular year in its rear view, California Giant is poised to enter 2020 with a robust blueberry program that can contend with a shifting market.

“There is currently a dip in prices, while demand is steady,” Nick commented. “Promotions are currently set up through the holidays and for the month of January.”

And it’s not just blueberries that California Giant is offering—the grower is a veritable one-stop-shop for berries, providing blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries with phenomenal quality, year-round.

For more market insight, keep reading AndNowUknow.

California Giant Berry Farms

BATON ROUGE, LA - JHJ Inc., the parent company of Baton Rouge-based grocery chain Shoppers Value, and its affiliated businesses filed for bankruptcy on November 15, 2019. Now, additional affiliates and stores under JHJ have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and reorganization as the company as a whole looks to keep its grocery chain afloat in the competitive retail market.

“They plan to reorganize and continue operations,” said William Steffes, attorney at The Steffes Firm, according to news source The Advocate, which noted that the Shoppers Value chain cited debt tied to its 2018 acquisition of six former Winn-Dixie stores. Following the Chapter 11 filing, only one of these stores remains in business.

The news source also noted records that show JHJ consulted attorneys in February about “certain liabilities associated with affiliates’ store closures”—in regard to its acquisition of the Winn-Dixie locations from Southeastern Grocers—before deciding in November to advance bankruptcy proceedings in order to use this as an opportunity to continue to advance its grocery business.

Shoppers Value operates 12 grocery locations. As JHJ and its affiliates continue to strategize and recoup in order to keep its grocery operations open, AndNowUKnow will continue to follow along with all updates.

LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO - NatureFresh™ Farms is ending the decade with another round of successful charity initiatives. The greenhouse grower brought joy throughout the holiday season with several charitable programs to lend a hand to families in need. The initiatives included its Holiday Giveaway, a cross-company food drive, and a 15-kilometer fundraiser.

“The amount of donations raised for our Holiday Giveaway and cross-company food drive really shows the incredible generosity and kindness of our team members at NatureFresh Farms and South Essex Fabricating,” Founder and Owner, Peter Quiring, said in a press release. “It was very humbling to see how everyone was inspired to give back to people in need in our communities in such a meaningful way.”

As part of its third consecutive Holiday Giveaway initiative, NatureFresh Farms and South Essex Fabricating visited a total of 45 families on December 21 and 22—34 were in Windsor/Essex and 11 were in Fulton County, Ohio. The families were given $200 in groceries along with a $500 gift card. Though the companies initially planned to sponsor 30 families, employees of the two companies came together to sponsor an additional 15 families in need.

Both companies also held a cross-company food drive over two weeks, where employee donations led to a total of 5,128 dry goods collected. Non-perishable food items were donated to the Leamington, Ontario, Salvation Army, and The Open Door in Delta, Ohio.

Continuing its acts of seasonal charity, NatureFresh Farms donated $2,000 on December 17 to The Bridge, where the grower’s Allocation Manager, Justin Guenther, brought the donation on behalf of the participants of a 15-km fundraiser. Starting in August, participants of the fundraiser agreed to walk or run a total of 15 km each week for 12 weeks. At the end of the 12 weeks, any participant that did not reach the 15 km goal would donate $5 for each kilometer they did not complete. The goal of the fundraiser was to promote a healthy lifestyle, while raising funds for local organizations.

“As a team, we always want to challenge ourselves to lead healthy lifestyles,” Guenther said. “A fundraiser like this encourages that while raising money for an organization that our company already supports heavily. This has been a win-win for our team.”

NatureFresh Farms is dedicated to improving and engaging with its communities through ongoing fundraising initiatives. The grower demonstrates this commitment to those in need with this recent round of charitable efforts to spread much-needed cheer throughout the holidays.

Thank you to NatureFresh Farms for once again proving itself a shining example for the industry.

NatureFresh™ Farms

SAN CARLOS, CA - Watching the Super Bowl is a time-honored tradition in the Allen family household, and just like dozens of other consumers, we’re constantly looking for ways to incorporate fresh produce into the game day festivities. The Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) is leaning into this desire, launching its “Super Fruit Bowl” campaign, a program that invites consumers to discover both the wide range of Chilean fresh fruits and a chance to win tickets to the Super Bowl.

“This campaign was such a natural fit for us,” stated Karen Brux, Managing Director. “We’re in the heart of the biggest season for Chilean fruit, with blueberries, cherries, grapes, and stonefruit now arriving to North America. With a ‘Super Fruit Bowl’ available to U.S. consumers, this is a great opportunity to attract consumer attention and build awareness for Chilean fruit.”

Digital ads and videos appearing on ESPN.com and the ESPN app will drive consumers to a landing page where they can learn more about Chilean fruit and also enter to win two tickets and VIP passes to the Big Game, $1,000 in spending money, and a one-night hotel stay.

A press release noted that the new consumer program is one element of CFFA’s broad marketing campaign.

“It’s important for us to build consumer awareness and demand for Chilean fruit, but it’s also essential that we give retailers the support they need to drive sales,” stated Brux. “Our merchandisers work closely with all industry segments, developing programs that will be most effective for retailers. We also provide weekly crop reports so everyone involved in the sales and distribution of our fruit can make informed decisions based on the latest updates.”

Blueberry and cherry shipments from Chile are well underway, with cherry promotions continuing through January and blueberry programs going strong until February. Stonefruit will be promoted from late January through March, with grape promotions running from February through April.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest and greatest in produce.

Chilean Fresh Fruit Association

BEIJING, CHINA - With China’s booming economy, it’s only natural that demand for fresh produce and convenience follows suit. And with Walmart as a business partner, JD.com firmly paves the way with a new concept, even a first for China. JD.com recently launched its grocery lifestyle space concept SEVEN FUN, a unique combination of dining, drinking, and social living all in one space right in the burgeoning metropolis that is Beijing.

SEVEN FUN, operating under 7FRESH, caters to the busy professionals of the city. With offerings like breakfast, late night drinks, afternoon teas, snacks, and daily groceries, JD.com is hoping to carve out a special part of the day between home and the office.

“As a lifestyle retailer, SEVEN FUN is innovating the retail landscape in China,” said Jonathan Wang, Head of 7FRESH, JD.com. “Through this concept, JD.com provides an unprecedented ‘SOLOMOME’ (social, local, mobile, and personalized) offline experience that serves as a pioneering model for future brick-and-mortar stores.”

According to its statement, SEVEN FUN offers more than 3,500 different products such as fresh food, baked goods, fresh flowers, and groceries in its 1,000-square-meter locations (around 10,000 square feet). It’s like a fun grocery store that includes 12 eateries and three bars. The company has also enabled consumers to order anything from the stores through the 7FRESH app to be delivered to their doorsteps.

Located in Galaxy SOHO on the second ring road of Beijing, SEVEN FUN is designed specifically to cater to working professionals in first tier cities. Future expansion of SEVEN FUN is expected to focus on tier-one cities, with working professionals as the target demographic.

Will Walmart follow suit for other countries, specifically in the U.S.? Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we keep our hand in retail waters.

JD.com Walmart