TAMPA, FL - IFCO, one of the world’s leading operators of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs), recently announced that Washington-based Bybee Produce has extended its use of the company’s RPCs for its dry onion products. This will bump the extension—now in its third year—through 2020.

“Our customers are like family and we are pleased Bybee Produce, a family-owned and operated business, has agreed to continue the RPC partnership with IFCO,” said Dan Martin, President of IFCO North America. “We value our relationship with Bybee and know our collaboration will benefit both companies in the months and years to come.”

Bybee Produce is a family-owned and operated farm in the Columbia River Basin in Washington state. It uses more than 130,000 IFCO RPCs throughout the year to ship its yellow, white, red, and organic onions to retail locations throughout the United States. The company noted that IFCO’s RPCs are designed to facilitate maximum airflow during shipping, an important benefit that keeps Bybee’s onions in peak quality during transport from farm to grocery.

“IFCO RPCs have proven to be an ideal packaging solution for our dry onions,” stated Jason Walker, General Manager of Bybee Produce, in a press release. “They help us deliver high-quality produce to retail customers and their shoppers throughout the year.”

Congratulations to IFCO and Bybee Produce on a fruitful partnership. Stick with AndNowUKnow as we continue to seek out the latest news in produce.

IFCO Bybee Produce

IDAHO FALLS, ID - Thanksgiving is only a couple of days away, which means those of us in the industry are working at high-speed to ensure that Turkey Day runs without a hitch. Category Partners took a deep dive into consumer behavior for this holiday, highlighting what those in the supply chain need to know.

In a new national consumer survey of 1,000 consumers, Category Partners asked participants how they plan to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. A key area of inquiry was whether consumers host a Thanksgiving meal at home, travel away from home to celebrate with family/friends, or to not celebrate the holiday at all.

Some of the results of the survey, according to Cara Ammon, Director of Research, were surprising.

“We were surprised that for 20 percent of survey respondents, the traditional home-cooked Thanksgiving meal is not part of holiday,” Ammon remarked in a press release. “For 9 percent of individuals, they say they either don’t celebrate Thanksgiving at all or there is no unique holiday meal. An additional 11 percent said that they will either travel to a restaurant or the Thanksgiving meal will be store-bought or catered.”

Nearly one-half of respondents said they plan to host a Thanksgiving dinner with a home-prepared meal for themselves and/or family members, while 30 percent of households indicated plans to travel to someone else’s home for a home-prepared Thanksgiving meal. However, household demographics reveal that there are significant differences linked to age, income, household size, and other factors.

Ammon also noted that there are significant demographic differences that appear to impact decisions around hosting Thanksgiving events.

“Having children in the home significantly impacts the celebration plans,” said Ammon. “64 percent of households with children said they plan to celebrate Thanksgiving at home compared to only 41 percent of households without children. 21 percent of households without children said they will go to a restaurant or skip Thanksgiving altogether.”

Household income also plays a significant role in decisions to host Thanksgiving at home. The study showed that in households reporting income in excess of $200,000 per year, 73 percent plan to host a Thanksgiving at a home event versus only 47 percent of households with $50,000 in annual income.

“We were also surprised to see that for people living alone, many may stay alone on Thanksgiving,” said Ammon. “Nearly 30 percent of individuals living by themselves do not experience a traditional Thanksgiving and say they will eat at a restaurant on Thanksgiving or skip the holiday all together. It seems like a good reminder that on Thanksgiving a lot of people have no place to go. An invitation to join you for your Thanksgiving meal—especially among those people living alone—just might make all the difference in the world.”

In the spirit of the holidays, reach out to those in need. And from all us here at AndNowUKnow, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Category Partners

NEW YORK CITY, NY - Walmart continues to up its competitive standing in the world of grocery, aggressively expanding overseas and rethinking the way it does fresh produce. Now, the company has made another move by pulling the plug on Jet.com’s fresh grocery delivery service in New York City.

According to a report from Bloomberg, this move includes the closure of Jet’s 200,000-square-foot facility in the Bronx, per several unnamed sources.

Walmart’s connection with Jet began in 2016, when the retailer purchased the delivery company for over $3 billion. Many saw the acquisition as a direct strike against major competitors and as a decisive move to penetrate urban markets where Walmart's brick-and-mortar presence was lacking.

In a statement, Walmart confirmed the closure.

“We learned a lot by testing Jet fresh grocery delivery in New York City, and we recognized the important role of our stores in providing an efficient way to offer groceries to customers through pickup and delivery,” the retailer disclosed. “We will focus our grocery pickup and delivery in markets where we have this incredible opportunity. Jet will continue to offer millions of dry grocery and general merchandise items to customers in major metros like New York City. And we’ll continue to test bold concepts that can offer convenience to our customers.”

What’s next for Walmart’s plans in New York City and other urban markets? Will we see an uptick in its brick-and-mortar presence rather than a rise in e-commerce? AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest in retail news.

Walmart

FOWLER, CA - The cold is officially here to stay in sunny California, and to brighten up our chillier days, Bee Sweet Citrus is bringing its variety of specialty citrus to retailers and consumers across the nation. With California’s domestic citrus season in full swing—running between the months of October and June—the buy-side will have the chance to sweeten up its produce aisles with every kind of citrus imaginable, from staple to exotic varieties.

“Throughout the winter months, consumers can expect to see several different citrus varieties available at their local retailer,” said Joe Berberian, Sales Representative. “Right now, we have mandarins and Navel oranges available, as well as several specialty citrus varieties such as Pummelos, Meyer Lemons, and Cara Cara navels.”

But what makes specialty citrus varieties so...well, special, you ask? Bee Sweet noted that distinct characteristics and exceptional flavors are what set these varieties apart from more traditional ones. This includes category favorites like specialty lemons—Meyer lemons are often sought out as a flavorful ingredient for seasonal cuisine—and Cara Cara navels—which catch consumers’ eyes with their vibrant pink color and antioxidant properties—both of which are returning to the produce aisle en masse thanks to Bee Sweet Citrus.

“California’s Mediterranean climate is ideal for growing citrus,” added Keith Watkins, Vice President of Farming. “Because citrus is sensitive toward extreme temperatures, we’re able to harvest citrus year-round and focus on specialty varieties during the winter months.”

According to a press release, all of Bee Sweet’s specialty citrus is grown under the close watch of the company’s farming department and meets strict quality standards to ensure consumers an exceptional piece of fruit.

“The domestic season is an exciting time for our team because we have the opportunity to showcase amazing varieties,” continued Berberian. “While there’s no doubt that citrus has become a staple for many homes, our specialty varieties are here to remind consumers why California’s citrus is so special.”

Bee Sweet Citrus’ specialty varieties are only available for a limited time, so get ‘em while they’re hot! For more of the sweetest produce news, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.

Bee Sweet Citrus

HOUSTON, TX - Brighter Bites is ringing in a big win after receiving the RESULTS Houston Seeds of Hope Award last week! The award is bestowed annually to an honoree who is making a meaningful impact in the work to end poverty, and Brighter Bites, with its mission to provide free fresh produce to underserved communities around the U.S. and change healthy behaviors among children and families, is making that positive impact in flying colors.

“Brighter Bites is mission aligned with RESULTS in that we are all trying to empower families in need by planting ‘seeds of hope’ to improve their health and lives,” said Shreela Sharma, PhD, Co-Founder of Brighter Bites and Professor of Epidemiology at UTHealth School of Public Health. “We are greatly humbled and honored to receive this award.”

According to a press release, the Houston chapter of RESULTS—a non-partisan advocacy group that supports a movement of passionate, committed volunteers who use their voices to influence political decisions that will end poverty—typically gathers 150 people from the Houston area to attend a fundraising dinner the chapter has been hosting for close to 20 years.

In past years, the event has included featured speakers with experience working to end proverty. This has included the likes of Professor Muhammad Yunus, with William Moore, Executive Director of Eleanor Crook Foundation, adding his name to the list after serving as this year's speaker.

“We are thrilled and grateful to receive this honor,” said Rich Dachman, Brighter Bites CEO. “This prestigious award will further motivate us to continue to dedicate ourselves to getting produce into the homes of families who need it, teaching them how to use it, and helping improve their eating habits so they can lead healthier lives.”

Since its inception in 2012, Brighter Bites has provided more than 24 million pounds of fresh produce and 100,000s of nutrition education materials to more than 50,000 families in Houston, Dallas, Austin, New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, and Southwest Florida.

Dr. Sharma and Dachman received the award on behalf of Brighter Bites at the gala on Friday, November 22 in Houston.

Congatulations to Brighter Bites on this recognition!

Brighter Bites

UNITED STATES - As trade industry advocates, we do our best to bring the most beneficial and relevant information to light, and challenging times like these provide tricky territory. Without a doubt, we send our hearts out to all those affected by the recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to Salinas romaine lettuce that has occurred—this is a terrible tragedy indeed. And as a trade news organization, we know that the dialogue between the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and fresh produce industry suppliers is still an ongoing process and evolution.

At this time, it is essential that the public, restaurants, and retailers note that, according to the FDA, lettuce that was harvested outside of the Salinas region has not been implicated in this outbreak investigation. The FDA and CDC are advising consumers not to purchase or consume any romaine lettuce grown in the Salinas Valley area and, according to a PMA correspondence, this includes California's Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Clara counties.

Here are some stats at a glance:

• Reported Cases: 40
• States: 16
• Hospitalizations: 28
• Deaths: 0
• Recall: Yes

For restaurants, retailers, and distributors, the FDA shared that it does not have enough traceback information to identify the specific source of the contamination that would allow the association to request a targeted recall from specific growers. The FDA adds that, “At this stage in the investigation, the most efficient way to ensure that contaminated romaine is off the market would be for the industry to voluntarily withdraw product grown in Salinas, and to withhold distribution of Salinas romaine for the remainder of the growing season in Salinas.”

Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine from any region does not appear to be related to the current outbreak.

A recall announced by the USDA on November 21, 2019, shared that Missa Bay, LLC had recalled approximately 75,233 pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry because the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

The products recalled have “Use By” dates ranging from October 29, 2019, to November 1, 2019, according to the FDA and CDC.

For full reports on the most recent info, please click through here: FDA and CDC.

Dr. Trevor Suslow, Vice President, Produce Safety for the Produce Marketing Association shared that late into last Friday night, PMA, United Fresh, and other trade associations worked hard to get clarifications of the FDA and CDC notifications about the romaine outbreak and recall. The corrections to the CDC and FDA web posts helped immeasurably to reduce most of the confusion. However, despite this, Trevor adds that they are still hearing that this firm identification pre-printed identity or stick-on "PTI" label vs. "Grown In" labeling confusion is still causing rejections of product in the system that has been harvested outside the currently named counties, as well as Yuma-grown and harvested product which is entering the system, because the grower shipper has its business office address on a carton as Salinas, California.

“Early on, over this past weekend, it was relatively easy to find retail product on shelves with the consumer-facing stickers identifying 'Grown In' information which should have resulted in removal for sale,” Trevor shares. “An additional development has been the dialogue around the planned introduction of the Expanded Food Safety Inspection Act by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of NY. The intent is to explicitly give FDA the authority to conduct environmental investigative sampling at any locations it deems necessary to pursue a source of contamination. The focus would include animal feeding operations, compost facilities, and other non-target and off-farm locations deemed relevant. FDA does not currently have full authority to conduct this type of sampling but in 2018 FDA investigators were eventually allowed access and did take limited samples at the CAFO operation in the Yuma region.”

As the industry responds to this most recent information, we share their words with you here…

Dr. Jennifer McEntire, Vice President of Food Safety & Technology, United Fresh Produce Association

“We have a major challenge as an industry to find ways to prevent outbreaks such as this. We’re pleased that the labeling by production region adopted after last year’s outbreak allowed FDA to limit its advisory to one region. Shippers and processors are still able to supply romaine from other regions and retailers can meet their customers’ needs. But, preventing outbreaks in the first place has to be our 100 percent focus. It’s imperative that we drive toward fast electronic traceability from the point of sale to shorten outbreaks if they occur.”

Chris Valadez, President, Grower Shipper Association (GSA)

“We said that many have worked hard to improve, and this is true—we have strengthened our food safety practices which are verified through mandatory government audits and new studies are now underway to advance new science and solutions at the Center for Produce Safety. This diligent work should not be diminished but we must do more and we must do it faster. To those who are suffering with this illness and their families and loved ones, we know our apologies aren't enough, as heartfelt as they are. GSA is committed to keeping you informed about how we advance continuous improvement in food safety for romaine products because that is truly what this is about: Making both the big and small changes throughout the supply chain, from farm to fork, each and every day. And, most importantly, keeping the health of consumers in our hearts and minds with every decision we make.”

Scott Horsfall, CEO, California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement

“We are very hopeful that what we learn from these recent outbreaks will help us to strengthen our food safety practices. Since the outbreak linked to romaine last Thanksgiving, the LGMA program in both California and Arizona have made several changes to the food safety practices required of farmers. The changes include updated protocols for irrigation and increased buffer zones between leafy greens farms and adjacent animal operations.”

As an industry, we can say that there have unquestionably been many advancements in food safety knowledge and practice, but from a consumer confidence standpoint, it is obviously concerning and disheartening to learn of these recurring outbreaks, Trevor adds.

“It is personal for me and my family—how does one make an informed decision when romaine lettuce and other leafy greens are part of our daily meal planning?” he says.

With greater transparency and access to relevant environmental sites—public and private—new molecular and genomic technologies open up vast possibilities to help limit contamination and make investigations, when it does occur, faster so the industry can get back to the source more quickly to surgically exclude a source and help determine what caused the contamination, Trevor reflects.

Keep checking back with AndNowUKnow as we bring you the latest information and voices from the industry as topics like this bring our members together.

CORAL GABLES, FL - What I love most about writing in this industry is that—while we get to keep the news of the day at the front of your mind—it truly is the people’s stories that make this industry thrive. Albert Perez, CEO and Grower Relations for Continental Fresh, has one of those stories that drives more than the bottom line—it drives passion, persistence, and innovation.

“In 1987, I started my produce journey at the Port of Miami working as a filing clerk for a company called Chestnut Hill Farms. I worked my way through accounting, warehousing, inventory, and eventually to Sales Assistant,” Albert tells me. “I was taken under the wing by a young salesman named Chuck Olsen. He would say, ‘Albert, I think you would make a good salesman.’ I was very shy and would say that I didn’t think it was for me. He would put me on cold calls, listen in, and give me pointers on how to improve. “

For some of us in the industry—whether on the writing or the sales desk—our voice and passion take root when we least expect it and where the road throws us a curve that defines our path.

“One morning while on vacation, I received a call that Chuck had passed away in his sleep. He was only 30 years old. Upon returning to the office after his services a week later, I was given a Blue Book and told that I was now on the sales staff. Even today, there are so many things that I do that were taught to me by Chuck,” Albert shares. “The number one lesson he left me was ‘Be genuine, transmit joy, and live every day as if it could be your last.’”

Fast forward a few years later, and Albert had decided to take the sales portfolio he had built and step under the wing of industry pioneer David Warren of Central American Produce. Since he was fluent in Spanish, Albert served as David’s translator and travelling companion for many years.

“I traveled all over Latin America learning about the nuances in culture that each country had. There I learned how to understand the needs and challenges of growers,” Albert says. “I discovered how much toil and effort goes into bringing each product to market. I learned to respect the needs of the growers and to bring transparency to my relationship with them.”

After many more years in other produce firms, Albert decided he was ready to make a go on his own, gathering some of the finest growers he had worked with and starting Continental Fresh. Almost 13 years later he is still working with 90 percent of the original cast and many have joined since.

“I like produce but I love people,” he expresses. “I genuinely care about the lives and families of my suppliers and buyers. We talk on the phone almost every day and we don’t just talk about produce. We share not only the highs and lows of markets but the highs and lows of life. I have been to many of their weddings and funerals. One of my favorite things to celebrate is the birth of a new child in one of their families."

Continental Fresh has since grown and diversified and evolved from those early days. As a longtime importer of niche, quality items, the team is best known for its Honduran cucumber program that provides East Coast customers with an alternative to trucking Mexican product across the country during the winter months.

“We also produce some of the finest butternut squash packed in bins to meet the amazing growth that value added SKU’s have brought to this item. Finally, we are well known for our year-round supplies of mangos from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. I feel that we are at a point in our company’s history where we are poised for diversification and growth,” Albert tells me.

So, what is next for the burgeoning company? The Continental Fresh team is developing and searching for new growers that will allow them to build long-term relations and will also allow the company to share its passion and brand of business. And recently, Continental Fresh began a rebranding campaign that highlights its values and dedication to social responsibility. “In Business to Make a Difference,” is a tagline the company is using.

Curious and hungry for more of Albert’s and Continental Fresh’s story? So are we, so stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we bring you more on an evolving company culture, leadership, and growing program.

Continental Fresh

BOSTON, MA - Sustainability and regenerative agriculture have become full-scale movements these past years as they have evolved from simply topics for conversation to ones of execution. Indigo Ag is one company helping to move the needle as it builds a system responsive to demands for high-quality and sustainably produced food and fiber through the development of microbial and digital technologies that improve grower profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health. Brain teased? So was mine.

The company’s President and CEO David Perry will be a keynote speaker at this year’s Organic Grower Summit on December 4th and 5th in Monterey, California, and from the topics he hopes to touch on, he will not disappoint.

“Many proposed solutions to climate change focus on emissions reductions,” David tells me. “Minimizing the size of our carbon footprints is, of course, critically important to ensuring a livable future, but to avoid the harshest effects of additional greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, we must also focus on strategies to pull existing carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere—or carbon drawdown."

Need a bit more in the way of hard facts? In May 2019, Mauna Loa Observatory reported the highest level of atmospheric carbon dioxide recorded in human history: 415 parts per million (ppm), David shares.

“Prior to the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide levels were 280 ppm. This difference represents one trillion tons–or, a teraton–of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today that was not there 200 years ago,” he informs me. “Soil represents the third largest pool of carbon on the planet, after the ocean and fossil fuels. Agricultural soils currently hold roughly one percent carbon, but evidence demonstrates that those levels could be on average three percent. If regenerative growing practices—those that leverage plants’ ability to pull carbon dioxide into the soil—were implemented across the world’s 3.6 billion acres of farmland, we could bring soil carbon levels from one percent to three percent.”

This two-percent change in soil organic carbon across 3.6 billion acres represents one trillion tons of carbon dioxide that could be removed from the atmosphere and stored within agricultural soils.

“This one trillion ton potential is only the floor of what’s possible, as we can leverage the additional eight billion acres of pastureland across the world to store carbon as well. The size of this potential solution matches, if not exceeds, the size of the problem,” David adds.

To harness the potential of agricultural soils, earlier this year Indigo launched The Terraton Initiative, a global effort to draw down one trillion tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide into agricultural soils by supporting farmers who adopt regenerative practices.

“Regenerative growing practices leverage a plant’s innate ability to draw down carbon dioxide through the process of photosynthesis. As we have heard and identified from hundreds of regenerative farmers, in addition to higher soil organic carbon levels, these practices produce healthier soils, add resiliency in the face of extreme weather events, and maintain, if not increase, yields—resulting in better outcomes for the environment, growers, and consumers,” David expresses.

Indigo provides growers with the technology, data-driven insights, and financial incentives to encourage a transition to regenerative growing practices. Indigo Carbon, a key component of The Terraton Initiative, compensates growers for sequestering carbon into their soils. Farmers who sign up in 2019 are paid 15 dollars per ton of carbon dioxide captured. This financial incentive, paired with the cost savings and consistent yields experienced by regenerative growers, has the potential to fundamentally shift the balance sheet toward profitability.

“With Indigo’s integrated approach to agriculture, and partnerships with representatives from across the value chain, The Terraton Initiative seeks to empower growers to unlock the most scalable, immediate, and affordable opportunity to address climate change,” David says.

Indigo Ag’s Indigo Acres program breaks down the barriers of entry for growers and allows them a more efficient transition to a regenerative ag program as it is designed to encourage and reward growers for adopting regenerative practices, and to assist farmers in scaling these practices across their operations with data-driven insights and agronomic support.

There is still so much more to tell in the lead up to the Organic Grower Summit, so stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we bring you more from Indigo Ag.

Indigo Ag

DUBLIN, CA - “I get by with a little help from my friends” offers a valuable life lesson in the form of the song by The Beatles (or Joe Cocker, depending on personal preference)—friendships are critical for “getting by.” In this industry, that outlook takes shape in partnerships that allow us to work together to establish a safe and secure food supply chain. But sometimes, managing the logistics end can be best managed by teaming up with an expert—an expert like iTradeNetwork. The well-established company offers a robust suite of supply chain management solutions, including traceability, logistics, quality, and analytics solutions, enabling its customers to focus on what they do best, while iTradeNetwork takes care of the rest. Now would be a great time to make friends with the solutions company, as iTradeNetwork is currently touting promotions and products that can be of great benefit to anyone in the supply chain.

“We believe that the world would be a better place if we knew where, and had confidence in, where our food came from,” Bryn McFadden, Manager of Marketing, told me. “We want to make it just as easy for a small, remote farm in Costa Rica and a large growing operation in Yuma, Arizona to adopt the latest technologies. That’s why we're taking away any barriers that suppliers have when implementing a traceability solution. With our new promotion, we are offering one free year of our traceability solutions, and we are taking on all the heavy lifting.”

Though the company used to be known mostly for its procurement and order management systems, iTradeNetwork can provide so much more. If you’ve been on the fence, now is the time to jump aboard and see what the company has to offer, taking advantage of its current promotion offering free traceability for one year. Free anything for a year is incredible, but a year of free traceability solutions? Now you’re cooking with gas.

“Being able to provide robust, end-to-end traceability increases consumer confidence and makes you incredibly attractive to buyers. Many buyers are demanding traceability and transparency, and our customers have been able to grow their business with new and current buyers because iTracefresh is a solution the industry trusts. We will even promote your business as a member of the world’s safest food supply chain through press releases, ads, and more.” Bryn said.

The year of free traceability includes two of iTradeNetwork’s products: its PTI solution, which is called Label; and its Transit solution, which is a PTI-palletized ASN solution. The first suppliers to sign up will also receive a free hardware package, valued at $4,000. And if you somehow start getting cold feet at the end of the year, you can walk away, no strings attached. But really, your feet will most likely stay toasty warm, because iTradeNetwork offers significantly discounted pricing for year two and three. For any company looking to make the leap to a new solution, now is definitely the time.

iTradeNetwork will be a highly-valuable partner even when the first year is up, not just due to its competitive pricing, but for its range of other solutions, including its recent procurement solution, iTradeOrder.

“We've been in procurement for the last 20 years, but iTradeOrder is our new solution specifically for mid-market buyers. iTradeOrder simplifies the order management process with native mobile applications, collaborative workflows, issue based management, and self-service onboarding that connects new trading partners quickly and seamlessly,” Bryn commented.

iTradeNetwork provides other solutions as well, including iTradeFreight, a logistics solution for buyers and suppliers. iTradeFreight allows companies to plan and model different scenarios when they start building their purchase orders. With this solution, buyers and suppliers can factor logistics costs into their procurement process.

“Logistics costs really cut into our customers’ already razor-thin margins,” Bryn explained. “With iTradeFreight, our customers will be able to maximize their margins on every PO.”

When it comes to making friends, iTradeNetwork is a pro, ready to anticipate your needs and offer innovative solutions, and with its current promotions, the door is wide open to anyone ready to walk through it. Go ahead, try it—you might end up besties.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the best the produce world has to offer.

iTradeNetwork

VICTOR, NY - Big things are happening at New York Apple Association (NYAA) and the association is only just getting started on kicking the fall season into fifth gear. Recently, NYAA announced its newest marketing materials for its retail and foodservice partners, which includes the addition of Kelly Springer, NYAA’s new Dietitian Spokesperson. I spoke with Cynthia Haskins, President and CEO, to learn more.

“We are so pleased to have Kelly be part of our team. She is a true professional, great to work with, and has this year kicked off to a grand start,” Cynthia shared with me.

Springer has been practicing in the field of dietetics for two decades, Cynthia explained, detailing Springer’s extensive experience. She graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and a Masters in Health Education at SUNY Cortland in New York. Springer completed training with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and received a certificate in Adult Weight Management in 2012. Kelly became Syracuse’s Division Nutritionist for Wegmans where she developed programs and educated both employees and customers on how to make great meals easily.”

Currently, Springer educates the public on a variety of platforms, including live TV, blogs, and written articles. She is a spokesperson for a collection of companies such as Kind, BARE Snacks, Chewy Bites, and more, and has appeared on FOX, ABC, NBC, and “Good Morning America.”

“We have a great early line-up of television segments for Kelly to appear on television this fall in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Philadelphia, and Baltimore with more to follow,” stated Cynthia. “Television segments coupled with a series of videos featuring Springer and New York apples will appear on NYAA’s website, social media, and will be made available to retailers and foodservice marketplaces throughout the country.”

In addition to Springer’s involvement with NYAA, the association is debuting a series of new recipes alongside high-resolution photos and how-to recipe videos. Retailers interested in the content can use these on both their website and social media platforms. Cooking recipes, as Cynthia shared, are some of the most addictive content on the web and across social media—I can attest to that! The recipes created are a combination of snappy and easy, as well as visually engaging. Those consumers who like to test their culinary skills will be put to the test, all while enjoying the best apples New York has to offer.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest in all things produce.

New York Apple Association