YERINGTON, NV - Out in the onion fields of Yerington, Nevada, it’s calm…too calm. But like the eerie silence blanketing a long winter freeze, the composed landscape often paints a deceptive picture of what’s to come—like a sudden snow flurry or, say, a holiday shopping scramble. As I chatted with Jessica Peri, Retail Sales Manager, one cold October morning, I got the impression that Peri & Sons Farms is facing a similar scene to the above mentioned as it awaits the expected craziness of the winter holidays.

“Harvest is wrapped up, with no major issues to report. We don’t have this season’s crop fully in storage just yet, but we’re getting close. Everything looks good: quality, yields, and sizing—except for the fact that business hasn’t quite kicked in yet since Thanksgiving is later this year,” Jessica shared with me. “There’s a lot of supply, but not enough demand. I’m looking forward to demand picking up in the next couple of weeks, which will give pricing a lift as well.”

Like a dining room prepped for a Thanksgiving meal, Peri & Sons Farms has everything immaculately in place for a great onion season. In addition to good quality, yields, and sizing, Jessica revealed that the grower recently increased its acreage, which resulted in more onions ready to market this year than last.

Even the weather hasn’t thrown a wrench into Peri & Sons Farms’ season. Jessica noted that the company just experienced its first cold spell, but it is too early to tell if it will have any effect on the onions. This is partly because Peri & Sons Farms hand-harvests its onions, meaning the current onions in the field are in burlap sacks—i.e. they’re exposed to the cold but have an extra layer of protection. This, Jessica explained, will help the grower’s supply and market stay steady once the holiday season officially ramps up.

“While the market isn’t very active at the moment, we’re expecting to not experience a slowdown until February. In a week or two, Thanksgiving shopping will pick up, followed by the winter holiday demand, then the health and wellness push in January. Since we’re already at those high levels of production, we’re not going backwards and will instead stay pretty steady until well into February,” Jessica said.

And the holidays aren’t the only thing Peri & Sons Farms is celebrating this winter. This year, the company also rang in its 40^th anniversary via a brand refresh and the launch of a new consumer awareness program for Nevada Whites™.

“Our white onions are what we’re known for, so it was a natural fit to introduce a new program,” Jessica noted, before concluding: “We’re also doing special promotions through the holidays. A few of our popular varieties like our Sunions and Sweetie Sweets are joining the holiday fun and experiencing good growth, so we’re excited about that this season, as well.”

As that deceptively calm onion landscape breaks into sweet holiday chaos—the good kind that means shoppers are buying the crucial variety in droves—AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the state of the market.

Peri & Sons Farms

IRVINE, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!

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

COACHELLA VALLEY SAW FREEZING TEMPERATURES LAST WEEK

We knew it was going to get cold, but not this cold. Last Thursday and Friday, isolated locations in the Coachella Valley saw minimum temperatures dip below the freezing line. Thursday’s mininimum temperature at the Thermal Airport was 32° while Friday saw the minimum temperature drop to 30°. Saturday and Sunday saw minimum temperatures in the mid 30°s. Please check with shippers to see if any commodities were damaged. Green beans and bell peppers coming from this region potentially. Things will change this week as the desert region enters another warming trend.

WARM TEMPERATURES RETURN TO CALIFORNIA THIS WEEK

After a week of normal to below normal temperatures, California will experience another warming trend.

The Coachella Valley, which had minimum temperatures in the 30°s last week as mentioned above, will begin to rise starting today. Maximum temperatures this week will be back into the 90°s and minimum temperatures back up into the upper 50°s. These warmer temperatures will last through Sunday before dropping back into the 80°s for next week, which is normal for this time of year.

In the coastal growing regions of Santa Maria, Salinas, and Oxnard, warmer temperatures will return this Friday and last through Sunday. Expect to see maximum temperatures in the 80°s for the weekend. Temperatures will drop a few degrees come next Monday, but maximum temperatures will remain in the mid 70°s all next week, which should be good for berries and veg from these regions.

Baja, CA, and regions of San Quintín will also see warmer temps this weekend.

HOT TEMPERATURES CONTINUE IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA

The growing regions of southern Florida including Belle Glade, Immokalee, and Homestead continue to see maximum temperatures near 90°s with minimum temperatures in the lower 70°s. These temperatures are well above normal for this time of year. In fact, the entire month of October saw temperatures well above normal. This region has now seen 15 continuous days with maximum temperatures above 90° going back to October 21.

Temperatures will finally begin to cool down to normal starting Saturday as maximum temperatures drop into the low 80°s and minimum temperatures into the mid 60°s.

Look for production out of these regions earlier than normal due to the above average October temperatures. Look for good supplies of green beans for Thanksgiving.

COOLING TREND COMING TO GEORGIA

The southern Georgia growing regions of Moultrie and Bainbridge, which are still shipping fall veg items and some mature green tomatoes, will see temperatures drop by 15° overnight this Friday as a storm front comes through. Maximum tempeartures are currently hovering around 80° with minimum temperatures around 60°.

On Friday, look for maximum temperatures to only get into the mid 60°s while minimum temperatures will be in the low 40°s and a possible temperature in the 30°s in isolated areas. Also, look for up to .25” of rain on Friday. These cooler temperatures will last at least through next Wednesday, November 13.

Look for production out of this area to slow.

HURRICANE CENTRAL

Currently, there are no storms forecast in the Atlantic for the next 48 hours.

In the Pacific Ocean, there is a disorganized disturbance with rain several hundred miles south-south west off the southern tip of Baja California peninsula. The storm is moving north-north west approximately 15 mph and is not anticipated to make landfall or affect any Baja, CA, growing regions.

Thank you as always for your support. We will be back later this week with another report.

Weathermelon

ANAHEIM, CA - Is it just me, or is everyone else still recovering from Fresh Summit, too? After an eventful 2019 show, I’m still finding the words to describe the industry’s impressive variety of wares. I spoke with celebrity chef Roger Mooking briefly, and he enlightened me on a couple of SUNSET’s new and exciting products that made their debut.

“Right now I’m really excited about the Kaboom!™ peppers,” said Roger Mooking, Culinary Director at SUNSET. “They’re black jalapeños—it’s a new category that SUNSET’s introducing into the marketplace. What I love about it is that the color is really unique. It’s a really dark and deep color with a more robust and full flavor than just the heat of the regular green jalapeño.”

Along with this inventive new variety, the company also rolled out a line of multi-color peppers to accompany its beloved tomato variety.

“There’s the Wild Wonder® peppers—they complement the Wild Wonder tomatoes,” continued Roger. “What’s great about it is that it has a very small amount of seeds, but a very sweet, bright flavor, and they come in a multi-color pack. Every good dish starts with great ingredients. So, if you have accessibility to the best possible ingredients to start with, you’re way ahead of the grain.”

Thanks again, PMA, for putting on a great show! And thanks to you, Roger, for filling me in on SUNSET’s new pepper varieties. For more of the latest news in the industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

SUNSET®

OXNARD, CA - Fair Trade USA is an industry program to get behind as fresh produce companies look to raise the bar of social and corporate responsibility across their business platforms. Over the last few years, companies like Freska Produce International have helped to lead the charge as the company has seen, first hand, how the Fair Trade USA certification has impacted its business.

“In 2018, Freska Produce had an incredibly strong first year with Fair Trade Certified programs that were revealed in the Fair Trade Impact Report, contributing over $116K back to workers,” Jesus "Chuy" Loza, Partner, Freska Produce shares with us. “We currently have 200 workers who participated in Costco trainings in 2018 and the value and contributions of the program have been incredible at every level of the business and for them each personally as well. In 2019 fiscal year, we are going to at least triple the dollars generated for our Fair Trade employees along with bringing in more of our work force into the program."

With Freska’s mangos produced in Mexico now bearing the Fair Trade USA certification logo, the company will be able to help ensure that basic human rights for farmers and workers—and even more so, that they are enforced. Additionally, farmers and workers earn extra money with every sale.

Here is some of the amazing feedback that the program and Freska has received from the 2019 Magmar Costco Training Program:

Tomasa Ruiz Enriquez, Packhouse Worker

“I learned new things and can now put them in practice and take new precautions to prevent risks. I also liked their recommendations for how to protect the fruit.

Lizbeth Altamirano, Packhouse Worker

“The video trainings are very clear…I liked the video about finance and how to plan and manage our earnings so we do not spend more than we make.

Joel Trujillo Cruz, Packhouse Worker

“I have worked here for 14 years. I know all the company processes and have been treated well. All the training themes were very interesting and good learnings.”

Fair Trade USA certified goods are produced according to rigorous social, environmental, and economic standards, so the consumer can make a huge difference in the lives of workers all over the world by purchasing products that go through this rigorous and coveted certification.

“These employees are seeing the benefits of Fair Trade USA and how it is changing the atmosphere and the culture of our operations,” Chuy continues. “We are incredibly excited for the program to continue to take root and for our team to grow.”

Freska Produce, one of the largest Fair Trade Mango shippers in the U.S., has gained Fair Trade USA certification at its Mexico packinghouses over the past few years.

Freska Produce International

LOS ANGELES, CA - The Wonderful Company’s latest innovation has finally arrived on the produce aisle scene! After months of anticipation, Wonderful Seedless Lemons are officially available seasonally at grocery stores across the U.S. and Canada and online at Amazon Fresh, now through May!

“We are excited to introduce Wonderful Seedless Lemons to consumers who will love this new premium variety of lemon that is naturally seedless and Non-GMO Project Verified,” said Adam Cooper, Senior Vice President of Marketing.

Originally discovered in Australia, the Wonderful Seedless Lemons variety is the product of one farmer’s quest to find the perfect seedless lemon. Using innovative breeding techniques for a number of years on thousands of lemon buds, said farmer finally developed a seedless lemon tree in his orchard, which eventually—literally—bore the fruit of his labors.

"They’re just as juicy and have all the flavor of conventional lemons, but with none of the annoyance of seeds, saving you time in the kitchen," Cooper emphasized.

To truly highlight how convenient the new variety is, The Wonderful Company made sure to time Wonderful Seedless Lemons' debut just right to align perfectly with the start of the holiday season. Because of the lack of seeds, consumers can take shortcuts when baking, cooking, and squeezing ahead of holiday entertaining.

According to a press release, The Wonderful Company commissioned a third-party study to survey lemon buyers. In this study, the company found that 83 percent were likely to purchase a seedless lemon while 81 percent believe lemons would be more convenient without seeds. Additionally, 79 percent stated they use lemons as an ingredient when baking and cooking, while another 73 percent confirmed they use lemons for making drinks. This encouraged The Wonderful Company to debut its new variety as a means of helping at-home chefs simplify the entertaining occasions—from concocting alcoholic elixirs or mocktails to baking and cooking.

“Consumers who love lemons will have fun discovering this one-of-a-kind variety that is easily identified in stores with an eye-catching branded logo and packaging, as well as colorful in-store displays,” continued Cooper.

The new brand, which joins the likes of Wonderful® Halos®, Pistachios, and Pom Wonderful®, will be supported by a robust consumer marketing campaign that will include in-store POS displays and digital and influencer marketing initiative—all highlighting the variety's unique one- and two-pound bags.

Congratulations to The Wonderful Company on this exciting new product launch!

The Wonderful Company

HENDERSONVILLE, NC - With growth comes the need for a bigger space, and that’s exactly what BrightFarms plans to do in its aim to grow a network of sustainable, local farms. The greenhouse grower will be expanding into Henderson County in North Carolina with a new 280,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse. The new greenhouse will allow the purveyor of packaged salads to deliver up to two million pounds of local leafy greens and herbs to supermarkets in North Carolina and the surrounding states.

“Americans want produce that’s fresh, safe, and clean. It’s the reason that locally grown has become the number one purchase driver in produce for supermarkets,” said Steve Platt, CEO. “We are incredibly grateful for the support from Governor Cooper and the North Carolina Department of Commerce and look forward to bringing local, pesticide-free leafy greens to North Carolina and neighboring states.”

According to a press release, the North Carolina expansion is driven by strong demand from consumers and leading retailers in the region. Since its entry into retail stores in 2013, BrightFarms has driven incremental growth in the salad greens category for leading retailer partners in markets across the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.

“We are thrilled to welcome BrightFarms to North Carolina. Their sustainable farming will conserve water, land, and energy resources and improve the health of North Carolinians,” commented North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper on the latest project.

BrightFarms’ new North Carolina greenhouse will join the company’s growing network of farm locations, which includes Pennsylvania, Virginia, Illinois, and Ohio. Each farm delivers fresh, pesticide-free baby greens to supermarket partners in as little as 24 hours of harvest. BrightFarms also offers a full portfolio of salad greens and herbs including baby spinach—the number one item for the brand.

For more exciting expansions in the world of produce, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

BrightFarms

WASHINGTON, DC - Just last week, we reported on the bulldozing of a Kern County hemp field that federal officials determined to be marijuana. As industrial hemp quickly becomes a lucrative business, the industry needs to be as well-informed as possible regarding the rules and regulations of hemp production.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the official publication of an interim final rule, which establishes the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program. This program, as required by the 2018 Farm Bill, creates a consistent regulatory framework around hemp production throughout the United States. It went into effect October 31, 2019.

According to a statement from the USDA:

"This rule establishes a new part specifying the rules and regulations to produce hemp. This action is mandated by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. This rule outlines provisions for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve plans submitted by States and Indian Tribes for the domestic production of hemp. It also establishes a Federal plan for producers in States or territories of Indian Tribes that do not have their own USDA-approved plan. The program includes provisions for maintaining information on the land where hemp is produced, testing the levels of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, disposing of plants not meeting necessary requirements, licensing requirements, and ensuring compliance with the requirements of the new part.”

Additionally, the interim final rule does not affect industrial hemp that was or is being cultivated under the 2014 Farm Bill programs. That industrial hemp remains subject to the requirements of the 2014 Farm Bill.

To learn more about the regulation, as well as submit comments regarding the program, click here.

Stick with AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow all things agriculture.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service

DENVER, CO - Wakefern Food Corp has recently partnered with Locai Solutions to launch CookIt at its The Fresh Grocer and ShopRite banners. The pilot has already officially debuted on ShopRite’s website and will hit The Fresh Grocer locations later this year. The technology is designed to introduce consumers to a new and more convenient way of shopping.

"The CookIt technology powers our Recipe Shop to send customers delicious and practical recipes based on the pantry staples they are already shopping for in-store. The technology simplifies meal planning and makes recipe shopping easier and more cost effective," said Steve Henig, Wakefern's Chief Customer Officer.

Combining customized menu planning and food shopping with one click, CookIt provides personalized recipes, ingredient recommendations, and meal costs to consumers based on the items in their online shopping carts, according to a press release. The personalized service takes into account shoppers’ dietary preferences as well as seasonal ingredients when suggesting recipes from a platform of 500+ for shoppers.

"We're excited to partner on CookIt with Wakefern under both its ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer banners," said Mike Demko, Locai's CEO. "They put a high value on what their brands deliver, and the addition of our CookIt product to their online shopping platform will further elevate the customer experience for both online and in-store shoppers."

CookIt is currently available under "The Recipe Shop" across all Connecticut ShopRite stores and will be rolling out to the remaining ShopRite and The Fresh Grocer locations within the next four months.

For more news on the changing world of grocery retail, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Wakefern Food Corp ShopRite Locai Solutions

ANAHEIM, CA - Duda Farm Fresh Foods didn’t pull any punches at Fresh Summit 2019, as it unveiled both a $5 million expansion of its celery facility as well as new and sustainable tray packs for its corn. Lucky for me, I bumped into Sammy Duda himself and heard all about the company’s exciting new initiatives.

“We’re having a massive expansion in Oxnard of our celery fresh-cut facility to meet the increasing demand that we’ve seen, which is a great opportunity for us. We’re very thrilled to be in that position to meet consumer and customer demand, it’s just been fantastic,” said Sammy Duda, Senior Vice President of Operations. “We’re very enthused that our varieties have resonated with so many customers, and we’re excited to have this $5 million expansion to meet those new expectations.”

With this monumental move, Duda anticipates that its expansive acreage will have no problems meeting the expectations of consumers. Along with its second announcement, the news suggests that the company is well positioned for the upcoming year.

“In addition to that, we’re expanding our tray-packed corn operations, especially around sustainability. We have a recyclable tray that we’re really enthused about to meet the increasing need to be sustainable in today’s marketplace,” continued Sammy. “So, we are really happy to be able to offer this tray-packed corn, and we think consumers and customers alike will be thrilled to see it.”

Congratulations to Duda Farm Fresh Foods on these exciting announcements! Return to the top of the page to see an exclusive video segment explaining all of this and more.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods

WASHINGTON, DC - Fall is here, November has begun, and daylight savings has ended, signaling the ‘Winter is coming’ vibe and the end of the 2019 year. As the new year approaches, what better way to look forward to 2020 than the FreshStart Conference? Already gaining ground as an experience to remember, United Fresh Produce Association is enticing attendees with its latest drop in events and guest speakers: Sharon Olson, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Y-Pulse®.

Y-Pulse is a food-focused youth marketing research firm dedicated to young consumer eating habits and trends. Olson will present during the 2020 FreshStart Conference’s education workshops taking place Wednesday, January 15. She will provide insight into the minds of kids and the strategies of the foodservice professionals who feed them, as it relates to food, nutrition, promotion, and marketing.

“Today’s digitally-connected generation has a lot of information at their fingertips, making them savvy consumers and household influencers, especially when it comes to their food choices,” said Tom Stenzel, President and CEO, United Fresh Produce Association. “With more kids and families dining away from home, Sharon’s insights will help attendees draw connections to translate trends into meaningful business opportunities.”

According to the press release, attendees will hear from a reaction panel of foodservice operators that are making it easier for parents and children to choose fresh produce when dining. Whether produce is part of the main entrée, a side dish, or a fresh-focused kids’ menu, more restaurants are looking for ways to attract health-conscious parents and to show children that fresh fruits and vegetables can be tasty and healthy.

As a recipient of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) Sparkplug Award and two awards from the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS), Olson has over 35 years of marketing experience for the foodservice industry. She was also awarded a Child Nutrition Showcase award by the School Nutrition Association for groundbreaking original research on Vending Trends in School Foodservice. It sounds like Olson is the perfect person for the job to educate companies and attendees next year at the FreshStart Conference.

The annual event will take place January 14-16, 2020, at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. Proceedings are expected to include the Growing Up Fresh golf tournament, the Bids for Kids silent and live auction, and the Gala Dinner. United Fresh will also hold all of its committee, council, and board meetings at the conference, which are open to all members to observe.

Stay tuned with us here at ANUK as we bring you more updates as they come.

United Fresh Produce Association