SANTA MARIA, CA - It seems like only yesterday I was discussing end-of-summer plans and somehow I’ve arrived at the holidays. How time flies! The produce industry understands how quickly days can slip into months, which explains how Babé Farms already had its head in the game as it looked toward the seasonal holiday push. While consumers are preparing for holiday meals, I asked Matt Hiltner, Marketing Coordinator, about the grower’s carrot crop, and how buyers can take advantage.

“In our coastal growing region in Santa Maria, California, we are fortunate to be able to grow, pack, and ship our colorful selection of carrots year-round. At Babé Farms, we grow six varieties of baby bunched carrots, including our French variety, an orange carrot, yellow, purple, pink, and white carrots, and Thumbelina, our round carrot. In addition, we offer hand-peeled carrots in French and mix-color offerings. These are available in a 5 lb “ZIP” bag as well as bulk, multi-color carrots with no tops in 25 lb sacks,” Matt explained.

Noting that the current carrot market is steady and active, it’s a perfect time for retailers and foodservice operators to continue stocking up as the holiday season begins.

“Right now, we are seeing strong supplies coming in on nearly all our baby bunched carrot offerings,” he remarked. “Now is a wonderful time to stock up as chefs begin their holiday menu planning.”

The Santa Maria weather, Matt shared with me, has made for excellent carrot quality. Babé Farms expects to see great supplies and quality throughout the holidays. And it would be remiss to not mention the company’s other specialty items, which includes its celery root, baby beets, kohlrabi, fennel, and radishes. All of these hearty vegetables elevate holiday cuisine.

“With low-carb and keto diets trending, celery root and kohlrabi are godsends in the kitchen when looking to recreate mashed potatoes, gratins, soups, stews, and other fall/winter favorites. And no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without the stuffing. Elevate your stuffing game this season by adding fennel to the mix. Fennel provides a lovely aroma and licorice flavored crunch that will make stuffing a standout on a crowded Thanksgiving dinner plate,” Matt noted.

Retailers can facilitate these ideas by making grab-n-go recipe cards available to customers and cross-merchandising these vegetables with corresponding recipe ingredients, he shared with me. Consumers may also be intimidated by unique vegetables like celery root and kohlrabi, so it’s important for retailers to educate them with signage or even in-store cooking demos.

As the holiday season continues, AndNowUKnow will keep you abreast of all things related to produce.

Babé Farms

NYSSA, OR - While the average person may rely on the convenience of their weather app to determine the day’s climate, I prefer scrolling through my social media feeds and seeing the snow flurries, storm clouds, and sunshine in the backgrounds of my friends’ posts. Lately, my friends in the Pacific Northwest have been bundled up under November’s rainy skies, with Owyhee Produce being no exception.

I chatted with Shay Myers, General Manager, to find out how Owyhee Produce’s onions have been faring in the colder climes this season.

“Harvest is completed, and we are packing our storage crop of onions,” Shay began. “It was a challenging harvest this season for a few reasons: a late start date, rains, and early freezes. On our farm, around 10 percent of the crop has had potential freeze damage. Fortunately, our new optical grader has assisted in helping us maintain our high-quality standards while minimizing the shrink from the frozen crop, with most of these onions graded and run across our sorting line. Other than that, quality looks excellent. We are looking forward to having good quality through the duration of our season as we continue to pack from our bulk storages all the way till May.”

In terms of volume, Shay forecasted average volume this year, as a result of Mother Nature freezing that extra 10 percent of crop late in the harvest. Despite this minor setback, the Owyhee Produce team is expecting to turn its onions into onionade (…like lemons/lemonade) with the promotable volumes it does have.

“We will see tighter supplies as a result of the freeze somewhere down the line. As far as seeing any spikes or dips in demand currently, it’s just the normal status quo, although our onions are generally consumed at a higher-level during November, December, and even January,” Shay shard with me.

As demand begins to ramp up around the winter holidays, Shay pointed to Owyhee Produce’s new palletizer and bagging system—which will be installed within the next couple of weeks—as well as its new growing fields in California as a way of keeping up with voracious consumer demand.

“We are excited to be California onion growers! We are just getting started planting this week. This will close the loop in our supply system to be able to take care of our customers the same way that we do during the 10 months of the year when we are running our Idaho packing facility,” Shay explained. “We are hoping the outcome of this new expansion and partnership in California will add value to the customers we serve with a true year-round onion program.”

For more of the freshest produce news straight from the fields, packinghouses, and growers themselves, stay right here with AndNowUKnow.

Owyhee Produce

CALGARY, ALBERTA - What’s the holiday season without an onion or two? Flavorless, absolutely flavorless. Fortunately, consumers, retailers, and foodservice operators won’t have to endure a flavorless winter this year as Thomas Fresh’s Canadian season has officially begun, adding to its U.S. operations and bolstering its supply of the 12 unique onion varieties it offers year-round.

To find out more about how Thomas Fresh is preparing for one of the busiest grocery shopping time periods of the year, I tapped the grower’s Andrea Dubak, Marketing Specialist, and Heron Espino, Potato and Onion Buyer.

“As a Canadian-based company, we see a strong push for our onions during Thanksgiving, which starts during mid-October. Demand stays elevated until the Christmas season—when shoppers are entertaining and generally cooking more from home due to the colder Canadian weather,” Andrea shared with me. “Onions are a staple offering at Thomas Fresh, and so we provide our customers with dozens of pack sizes and bulk variations to help them find the right onion product for their store.”

This season, that right onion product could be any of Thomas Fresh’s varieties, which Heron noted are sporting good overall quality from all regions the grower actively sources onions from.

“Our volume of sales has increased compared to last season. We have seen steady volume with our medium yellow, sweet, and red onions, as well as our tri-colored bag, which is a convenient mix of red, white, and yellow onions,” Heron said. “Mother Nature has been a challenge for the last few years, with cold weather potentially impacting our volumes in some regions this season. However, it is still too early to confirm, so we are not expecting any volume concerns to supply our commitments with our customers.”

Heron went on to describe the onion market as steady with the potential to become volatile in the next few weeks, based on a careful analysis of source reports in a number of regions. As a result, a spike in pricing is expected to occur sooner rather than later as we head further into the fall season.

“The increase is due to growing pressure in some regions to fill customer demand as the holidays approach,” Heron explained.

In addition to the upcoming holidays, this season is also expected to be an exciting one thanks to a few new Thomas Fresh packaging options and labels, including its second year of its Think Pink Onion program—this time as an organic onion—and its new eye-catching wine tag label for its 3lb sweet onion and yellow onion.

“Compared to our previous design, our new tags provide a bolder look for consumers. We look forward to offering this exciting new packaging during the holidays,” Andrea told me. “Another hot item is our 7 lb red onions, a new product launched in April. The 7 lb bag is a useful size for big holiday gatherings, as red onions are fantastic to caramelize or roast with butter, honey, and balsamic vinegar for Christmas dinners!”

It might only be the beginning of November, but I don’t think anyone in the supply chain will have to worry about anything but a holiday season bursting with flavor thanks to Thomas Fresh and its team. As AndNowUKnow continues to bring you the latest news from fresh produce fields around the world, stay right here.

Thomas Fresh

CHICAGO, IL - As Hazel Technologies makes waves in the produce world with innovations and partnerships, someone’s got to lead the team when crossing international waters. Who better to take charge than industry veteran Martin Roeder as the new Latin America Sales Manager?

“Martin brings decades of knowledge and experience to our team and will be a key asset in growing our business throughout Latin America,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO of Hazel Technologies. “Key additions like Martin will allow us to continue to provide value from the grower level all the way to the retail shelves, reducing costly waste and improving sales for suppliers and retailers alike.”

Roeder brings over 20 years of experience leading commercial strategy in Latin America for companies such as Monsanto, where he led the technology development division in Ecuador, Panama, and Peru. After that, he joined Spectrum Technologies to manage sales efforts across South America and Australia. According to a press release, Roeder will lead Hazel’s business efforts in the Latin American region and will report directly to Pat Flynn, CMO.

As a native of Peru, Roeder has deep ties to Latin America, earning his Bachelor’s in Agricultural Engineering from Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in La Molina, Peru. He also earned his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Universidad de Piura in Lima, Peru.

The company's patent-pending technologies have been studied and tested by many of the country's top academic research programs including UC Davis, Oregon State University, and Cornell University, a key point of differentiation for the company. Mission Avocado, WP Produce, and Frieda’s are just a few of the leading produce companies that have partnered with Hazel to utilize this technology.

Congratulations to Martin Roeder from everyone at ANUK! Keep reading on for more exciting changes in sustainability, retail, and fresh produce.

Hazel Technologies

MCALLEN, TX - Lone Star Citrus continues to wow the industry with its grapefruit brand, Winter Sweetz and, with its latest announcement, it wants to wow us again! The Texas-based company announced the start of its twelfth season of supplying grapefruit throughout the United States. Now in full production, Texas Red Grapefruit will be available through April 2020, with peak sweetness from November 2019 to March 2020.

“We are thrilled with this season’s harvest and look forward to sharing our sweet and juicy Texas-grown Red Grapefruit with shoppers this winter,” said April Flowers, Director of Marketing. “The bright color and juicy texture is the perfect pick-me-up during the winter months, and we’re excited for our winter promotion to showcase the many ways consumers are able to use this versatile fruit.”

Winter Sweetz’s upcoming winter promotion will utilize email campaigns, social media promotions, influencer partnerships, and outreach to both regional and national media to drive foot traffic in stores and increase sales of Texas Red Grapefruit. The promotion will share helpful and inspiring content to change the perception that grapefruit can only be enjoyed by cutting the fruit in half and sprinkling sugar on top. Simply not true!

The company’s grapefruit is grown in the temperate and sunny climate of the Rio Grande Valley, a press release noted. This summer, the region experienced a lighter bloom, which allowed the fruit to increase, on average, one size compared to the previous season.

Winter Sweetz grapefruit began shipping mid-October and is currently in full production. Consumer-friendly gift cartons are also available to promote in-store impulse purchases.

Keep up with the latest in produce by reading AndNowUKnow.

Lone Star Citrus

WASHINGTON, DC - As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint under the PACA against Genaro Produce Incorporated. The company, operating from Florida, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to ten produce sellers in the amount of $284,981 from September 2016 through October 2018.

Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:

Genaro Produce Incorporated 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 in the Fair Trade Practices Program in the Agricultural Marketing Service, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.

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

For more information, contacts, and to read the full press release, please click here.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service

ISSAQUAH, WA - Delivery start-up Instacart has found a spot for itself in the grocery retail space, and has been forming partnerships with grocers for some time. Instacart has partnered with major retailers like Costco, Walmart, and Whole Foods (the latter of which saw the partnership terminated earlier this year). But now, Costco has expanded its partnership with Instacart to test a free prescription drug delivery program. The deepening of its relationship with Instacart seems a prudent move as the retailer seeks to strengthen its convenience capabilities.

The test program will take place in California and Washington, according to CNBC, and includes delivery with no fees on orders over $35 (minus tip), to a Costco member’s home or office. The pilot program offers a range of delivery speeds—some in as quick as an hour—that will require additional delivery fees, though usually less than $10. The news source reports that customers will receive updates on their orders via text, just as Instacart does for its other grocery delivery ordering.

There is one key difference between the new service being tested and standard grocery delivery services—only customers over the age of 18 may order, and they will be required to show proof of identity upon delivery. The service also requires the Instacart workers receive extra training and earn a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) certification.

Costco has recently been trailing behind major retailers in the e-commerce space, so the expansion of its Instacart partnership could potentially give it a leg up on the competition. Because Instacart is such a major player in the grocery delivery sector, a more concrete partnership would be a boon for Costco.

However, Costco won't be alone in the $300 billion pharmaceutical market, as CNBC reported many big-name retailers are trialing their own services. That's not to say that Costco's new program, when paired with its already thriving grocery delivery services, won't prove to be a pivotal strategy in the crowded market.

AndNowUKnow will keep you updated on all the biggest retail developments.

Costco Instacart

ANAHEIM, CA - At industry shows like PMA Fresh Summit, it’s easy to get caught up in the showroom floor or the many networking opportunities, but just as important are the learning opportunities. Valuable panels populate the pages of the event’s itinerary, because in these situations the entire industry is gathered and can, as a group, receive training and inspiration that can elevate the produce world. Dan’l Mackey Almy, CEO of DMA Solutions, made sure to take advantage of the speakers and presentations at her disposal.

“We were able to have an interactive dialogue with a consultancy firm, sparks & honey, and they led us through micro and mega trends—we got to discuss how could this impact our industry,” she commented.

The presenters gave a master’s class on the evolution of food trends, breaking the topic up into three key areas—innovation, demographics, and entertainment—as a way to inform industry marketing strategies. As a marketer, Dan’l saw great potential in the presentation and noted that attendees from all different aspects of the industry could see the importance of how trends influence the world of produce, particularly trends that push the envelope.

“Even though they may be outlandish, if we’re thinking about them in a horizontal fashion, we’re going to benefit and be able to react to them sooner than we traditionally would when we think outside the box and think about them as tangible trends that we can actually respond to,” Mackey Almy said.

With all the resources at our disposal—especially at exceptional shows like Fresh Summit, it would be crazy not to take advantage of all the information and experience floating around in the ether. So, the next time you find yourself pondering whether to attend the next education panel you see, take a page out of Dan’l’s book and grab a seat, sit back, and get ready to expand your mind.

AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you exclusive content from the best and brightest in the industry.

DMA Solutions

LAKELAND, FL - When it comes to retailers, there are endless ways of classifying who is the best. You can have the best prices, offer the best variety of products, or be the most sustainable in the business, for example. Fortune, however, recently surveyed employees in order to recognize the 2019 Best Workplaces in Retail. While some retailers may have strength in other ranks, Wegmans Food Markets and Publix Super Markets nabbed the first and second spots on the list of best retailers to work for, again.

According to Fortune, the Great Place to Work survey analyzed anonymous feedback from over 694,000 employees working in retail in the United States. Employees relayed their experiences with the companies, including effectiveness of leaders, company values, and ability to reach their full potential.

The New York-based retailer, Wegmans, managed to once again earn the number one ranking on Fortune’s list, with Publix following in second. Employees touted a unique sense of opportunity in the workspace, as well as the ability to advance and create a career for themselves, as the top two reasons why Wegmans is a great place to work.

With more than 1,200 stores across seven states, retail associates at Publix named its community contributions, quality facilities, and welcoming atmosphere as reasons why they enjoy working for the company. According to a press release, the company followed closely behind Wegmans, ranking second on Fortune’s list.

Congratulations to both Wegmans and Publix on this high honor!

Wegman's Food Markets Publix Super Markets

EDINBURG, TX - Just about everyone knows about sweet onions—they have all the great qualities of onions with a sweeter edge, what’s not to love? J&D Produce is taking efforts to make sure consumers know not just how tasty its sweet onions are, but also how versatile they can be. The World Food Championships (WFC) was held last month in Dallas’ Reunion Arena Park, where more than 1,400 chefs and home cooks wowed judges with dishes of the utmost creativity. Contestants from 42 states and 15 different countries—not to mention the nearly 25,000 foodies, buyers, and attendees—took part in the prestigious competition. J&D Produce put its prized HoneySweet^® onions to the test, sponsoring the event’s Top Ten Burger competition.

“We saw a wide variety of uses for the HoneySweet onion, and lots of creativity,” commented James Bassetti, VP of Operations at J&D Produce and guest judge at the event. “There were bacon, truffle, and cheese-stuffed HoneySweet onion rings; quick-pickled HoneySweets; crispy fried onion rings topping burgers; bacon wrapped HoneySweets; and more. It was amazing to see what these talented competitors could come up with.”

While there were burgers galore at the competition, not everyone could be a winner, and the group of contestants was narrowed down to ten finalists who all utilized J&D’s HoneySweet onions in their creative and artistic burgers.

“These HoneySweet onions were phenomenal. I love the flavor profile,” Chef Jay Ducote, Celebrity Chef and Emcee of the burger competition, said in a press release. “They’re super sweet, with no tears at all while cutting them. You just don’t get that acidic burn that you get with a lot of onions, and with a high sugar content they caramelize beautifully.”

Just like the Highlander, there can only be one, and this year the top honors went to James Cheek of Sweet Cheek’s Pit BBQ in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, for his exceptional creation, the Hometown Smashburger featuring caramelized HoneySweet onions.

The WFC debuted in 2012, and since then the competition has launched 30 TV food stars, awarded more than $1.8 million in prize money, garnered more than 6.9 billion media impressions, and connected over 150 food brands with food fans, bloggers, and media. This year, the event included a $350,000 prize purse, with the winning burger snagging $10,000 and a chance at a $100,000 prize at WFC’s Final Table challenge.

J&D Produce and AndNowUKnow offer our congratulations to James Cheek and all the other competitors at the 2019 WFC Burger competition—the event truly would not be as special without them.

J&D Produce