RANDOLPH, MA - RoadOne IntermodaLogistics announced today that it has acquired Savannah, Georgia-based Crown Transportation. The latest acquisition has expanded the distribution and logistics company’s reach in the Southeast as well as its overall North American network. Henceforth, Crown Transportation will now be Crown IntermodaLogistics in keeping with RoadOne’s family of brands.

“I’m thrilled to add Crown IntermodaLogistics, a strong, experienced intermodal trucking and logistics company to our national footprint to deliver the increased capacity and comprehensive intermodal logistics solutions our customers’ supply chains depend on,” said Ken Kellaway, CEO of RoadOne IntermodaLogistics.

Crown’s Owner and President, Rick Prevatt, and COO, Steven McAllister, will continue to run the company, supported by RoadOne’s strong fuel, truck, and insurance purchasing capabilities; national warehousing and depot services; as well as advanced, end-to-end TMS TrueVision technology platform, according to a press release.

Crown strengthens RoadOne’s overall network with the addition of a container terminal in Savannah and 500,000-plus-square-feet of transload and warehousing capacity, as well as 100 trucks to serve port drayage and transload operations in this area. In addition, Crown provides specialization in overweight cargo handling and transloading.

“We are all excited to be joining the RoadOne team and looking forward to the next phase of our exciting history. RoadOne’s national presence, industry-leading resources, and strong entrepreneurial leadership team will provide us with the expertise we need to expand and build the nation-wide Crown IntermodaLogistics transload division. I am really excited about all the opportunities this will allow us to offer our existing, as well as new customers,” stated Prevatt.

RoadOne operates 1,300 trucks out of over 40 locations. Additionally, it has an extensive agent network with over 600 trucks running out of over 35 terminals under the brands First Coast, Mile High, U.S., American, and GuideOne IntermodaLogistics. RoadOne also has a drayage brokerage operation, RoadOne LogisticSolutions, located in Tampa, Florida.

Keep reading ANUK as we bring you more industry news.

RoadOne IntermodaLogistics

UNITED STATES - The year of grocery delivery has come and gone. Or, at least, it’s going in another direction. This is what Instacart recently predicted when it announced its upgraded Instacart Pickup product alongside a nationwide rollout by year’s end.

“2020 is the year of pickup. For our retail partners, we’ve seen Instacart Pickup become a gateway to growth in a margin-thin industry,” Instacart President Nilam Ganenthiran said in a press release. “Our pickup product is also becoming a significant revenue contributor for our retail partners, growing customer basket size by an average of 15 percent, and accounting for an average of 20 percent of a retailer’s total Instacart store sales.”

According to the release, Instacart Pickup product has been rolling out to consumers gradually over the past several months and is now available to all Instacart customers across the U.S. and Canada.

“At Gelson’s, Instacart Pickup is an integral part of the way we’re evolving to meet the changing needs of our customers, who appreciate the flexibility and affordability that comes with a curbside offering,” said John Bagan, Chief Merchandising Officer, Gelson’s Markets. “We recently expanded our partnership with Instacart to add pickup, in addition to delivery, across 100 percent of our store locations. With this new partnership, customers can now have groceries and household essentials as well as beer, wine, and spirits ready for same-day pickup. While still early days, Instacart Pickup is growing double-digits for us quarter over quarter, making it clear how much our customers value—and have come to rely on—this new experience.”

Darren Caudill, Senior Vice President of Sales, Merchandising, and Marketing for Cub Foods, added, “We first partnered with Instacart to bring Cub stores online with delivery in 2015 and, based on the overwhelmingly positive customer response, last year we expanded our Instacart partnership to include pickup across nearly 100 percent of the Cub store footprint. Cub Foods customers are shopping online more than ever before, and having a seamless pickup experience is an important part of the digital offering we’re building for those loyal customers. It’s also been a boon for our business—we’ve seen our pickup business double in the last three months alone.”

In order to oversee this new product, the company also appointed Instacart veteran Sarah Mastrorocco to the newly-created role of General Manager, Instacart Pickup.

Is 2020 truly the year of grocery pickup? Will grocery delivery begin to take a backseat to this burgeoning sector? Only time—and AndNowUKnow—will tell.

Instacart

SALINAS, CA - Berry extraordinaire Naturipe Farms is diving headfirst into 2020 with anticipation for its biggest and best blueberry year on record. Yes, the year of the blueberry has officially begun, and with excellent quality and high volume berries on their way, we’ll all soon be singing the blues—in the best way possible.

“After Pantone^® named 2020’s color of the year classic blue, and Firmenich announced 2020’s flavor of the year classic blueberry, we knew this year was going to be special,” said CarrieAnn Arias, Vice President of Marketing. “What’s even more exciting is that Mother Nature is joining the celebration, allowing us to confidently predict 2020 as our largest blueberry production ever.”

Naturipe’s growers provide consumers with fresh, conventional and organic blueberries year-round, and this year, the company is expecting Mother Nature to be especially generous. Industry-wide, almost 750 million pounds of fresh blueberries are anticipated to be harvested. Naturipe, as one of the largest fresh blueberry suppliers in the world, will play a significant role in this year’s berry forecast.

“It’s a drastic increase we’ve been planning in response to growing consumer demand,” CarrieAnn commented. “So, whether you prefer a yogurt parfait, blueberry pie, or a handful of straight berries, we’ll be here all year long to help you celebrate the year of the blueberry with Mother Nature herself.”

In years past, Naturipe has been able to predict the size of its blueberry harvest thanks to its thorough understanding of historical production, new plantings, and significant farms that have joined the Naturipe family.

“We are always in pursuit of the very best growers in the world who are willing to innovate and leverage technology to bring the tastiest berries to our consumers. These traits have the added benefit of helping us accurately estimate the size of our harvest,” said Brian Bocock, Vice President of Product Management, in a press release. “For example, many of our growers are moving their bushes under tunnels which helps moderate weather, producing better fruit and making forecasts and yields more dependable. We’re also making major moves to improve our varieties by helping our growers, carefully selecting the best varieties for their growing region and conditions. In doing so, we can consistently yield better results both in terms of volume, but most important to us, taste.”

 

 

 

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#HappyBlueYear! Are you excited for the year of classic blue? . . . . . . . . #naturipe #haveaplant #eatclean #fresh #plantbased #vitaminc #farmgrown #farmgrowngoodness #farmgrownproduce #snacksmart #antioxidants #healthyfoods #vegansnacks #cultivatewithcare #healthysnacks #freshfruit #bestblue #bluebs #blueberries #happynewyear

A post shared by Naturipe Farms (@naturipe) on Jan 1, 2020 at 8:42am PST

The good news about this year’s blues comes right after Naturipe kicked off its Blue Year celebration, which began with a Blue Year Celebration and countdown to 2020, and now this announcement on Naturipe’s Instagram account.

For more news on the world of fresh produce, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Naturipe 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.

FLORDIA COOLDOWN COMING NEXT WEEK

Florida is right in the middle of a weeklong heat wave that started last Friday and will continue through this Saturday. Maximum temperatures up and down the state are in the mid 80°s with minimum temperatures in the mid 60°s.

Hopefully these warmer temperatures will help bring on production of all items, which have been unusually light the last several weeks.

Come next Monday, January 20, the party will end as a cold front will hit the state. Expect maximum temperatures in the strawberry region Plant City to only reach into the mid 60°s on Monday and only reach 62° by Wednesday. The nights will also be chilly in the lower to mid 40°s.

Belle Glade will also cool off with maximum temperatures into the upper 60°s by next Wednesday with a minimum temperature of 52°.

Look for supplies to once again lighten later next week.

RAIN COMING TO CALIFORNIA

Look for rain and cooler temperatures this Thursday throughout California. The central coast regions of Santa Maria and Oxnard, which are shipping strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, and celery, can expect to receive .50” of rain. Southern California regions of Irvine and San Diego will only see .25”. Temperatures will be cool on Thursday and Friday with maximum temperatures only in the 50°s throughout these regions and minimum temperatures from the mid 40°s down to the upper 30°s in Santa Maria. Look for a disruption in supplies on Thursday and Friday of next week.

RAIN AND COOLER TEMPERATURES COMING TO LIME REGIONS OF MEXICO

Martinez de la Torre, Veracruz, will experience cooler temperatures and four continuous days of rain starting this Saturday. Maximum temperatures, which are currently in the 80°s, will drop into the 70°s on Sunday and will reach a low of 66° on Tuesday, Jan 21. The minimum temperature that night will be 57°.

Expect up to 0.50” of rain daily from Saturday, January 18, through the following Tuesday.

With the rain and cooler temperatures plan for a possible reduction in supplies next week.

CULICÁN TO FINALLY SEE WARMER TEMPERATURES

The shade house capital of Mexico, Culiacán Sinaloa, has experienced cool temperatures the last week or so with minimum temperatures in the upper 40°s and maximum temperatures in the low 80°s. These temperatures are unusually cool for this part of the world.

Starting today, maximum temperatures will finally get into the 90°s while low temperatures will get close to 60°. Temperatures will continue to rise through the week reaching a minimum temperature peak of 64° on Thursday before cooling off slightly for the weekend and next week.

Hopefully these warmer temperatures will help with production numbers on all items.

Look for temperatures to cool as we head into next week, only reaching into the mid 80°s by Tuesday and Wednesday.

GRAPE REGIONS OF CHILE REMAIN WARM

The regions of Rancagua, Santiago, and San Felipe are all experiencing temperatures well above normal right now. Maximum temperatures for the region have been in the mid 90°s with minimum temperatures in the mid 60°s for the last 10 days and will continue through next Tuesday, Jan 21.

The high point of this heat wave will be this Friday and Saturday before cooling off a few degrees for the weekend. Temperatures will be back into the 80°s by next Wednesday. These temperatures are 10° above average.

Look for strong numbers as the season gets underway.

Thank you as always! We will be back later this week with another report.

Weathermelon

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 Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses for failing to meet their contractual obligations to the sellers from whom they purchased produce and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the PACA. These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from USDA. By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.

Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

• Star Gold Produce Corporation, operating out of Los Angeles, Calif., for failing to pay a $201,035 award in favor of an Arizona seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Alicia Palacios was listed as the officer, director, and/or major stockholder of the business.

• Wayne Bailey Produce Company LLC, operating out of Chadbourn, N.C., for failing to pay a $56,400 award in favor of a North Carolina seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Alice Wooten was listed as a member or manager of the business. She has challenged her responsibly connected status.

• Champions Produce LLC, operating out of Spring, Texas, for failing to pay a $192,274 award in favor of a Florida seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Christopher Petro and Michael Petro were listed as members or managers of the business.

• RR & Tequila Limes LLC, operating out of McAllen, Texas, for failing to pay an $11,600 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Victor Rivera was listed a member or manager of the business.

PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

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 USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.

For further information, contacts, and to read the press release in its entirety, please click the link here.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service

LOS ANGELES, CA - It may be a new year, but we are still very much in the winter season here on the West Coast. Shoppers this week may be pleasantly surprised, though, as Southern California’s retail shelves are sporting an array of fresh, summertime fruit in various categories. The fare hailed from Chile, traveling for 12 days on the bulk vessel, Ice River, until it arrived at the Port of Los Angeles on January 9. According to a press release from the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA), this is Chile's first shipment of the season, unloading 4,500 pallets of fresh grapes, cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums, and blueberries.

“Demos, digital coupons, kids cooking classes, and social media contests are just some of the programs we’re currently running with retailers big and small,” said Karen Brux, Managing Director of the CFFA. “We’re also further supporting retail sales through our consumer campaign, which includes extensive social media promotions, as well as our new ‘Super Fruit Bowl’ campaign that’s currently running with ESPN.”

Cherries, blueberries, grapes, and stonefruit (peaches, plums, and nectarines) are now in market, with merchandising support available to retailers through the U.S. and Canada.

SSA Marine Terminal Manager, Kevin Nielsen, and Office Administrator Lacey Patalano received the Ice River vessel, and will continue to receive weekly Chilean fresh fruit vessels now through April. Steve Hattendorf, Western Region Merchandiser for the CFFA, greeted the first West Coast vessel of the 2019-2020 Chilean winter fruit season and toured the 14-acre facility in San Pedro, California.

Through January 6, Chile had exported the following volumes to the U.S.:

• Cherries 4,386 tons
• Blueberries 30,194 tons
• Grapes: 17,067 tons
• Nectarines: 5,114 tons
• Peaches: 5,419 tons
• Plums: 2,276 tons

Information on specific fruits, as well as recipes and promotional material, can be found here. As new harvests continue to come to fruition, keep clicking back to AndNowUKnow.

Chilean Fresh Fruit Association

IDAHO FALLS, ID - ’Tis a bright Tuesday morning when we get to report on new folks joining the teams of companies we know and love. For Eagle Eye Produce, this new team member comes in the form of Joe Ange, who is the company’s newest Director of Business Development.

“Eagle Eye Produce has experienced tremendous growth in the past 20+ years across multiple commodities, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to become part of a great team of leaders in our industry,” remarked Ange in a recent press release.

Prior to his role with Eagle Eye Produce, Ange was the Purchasing Director of Markon Cooperative for 18 years. Before joining Markon, Ange earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Business at California Polytechnic State University in 2001.

With a wealth of knowledge regarding the produce industry, Ange noted that he is excited to help build Eagle Eye’s commodity programs.

Ange will continue to serve on the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Board of Directors.

Congratulations to Joe on this next step in his career!

Eagle Eye Produce

WATSONVILLE, CA - What better way to kick off 2020 than with a newly-fortified executive team? California Giant Berry Farms did just this, recently welcoming Sean Martin as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Martin will supersede Dan Nicola as he begins his transition into retirement after serving as CFO at the company for more than 30 years. Nicola has been a strong and vital asset and a long-term friend to all at Cal Giant through his expansive and prosperous career.

“I’d like to thank Dan for his many years of service to California Giant,” said President, Joe Barsi. “Dan’s plan was to retire in 2020, and the addition of Sean was part of the company’s succession plan for key executive positions, with Dan remaining with the company until October to assist with the transition. We are very excited about the addition of Sean Martin to the Executive Team with a background in large consumer goods companies and berry industry experience making him a great fit for the company.”

According to a press release, Martin comes to Cal Giant with an extensive background, having earned an MBA from the University of Louisville. Additionally, he brings with him over 30 years of financial leadership with both public and private companies, including six years in the berry industry.

“I’m excited to be a part of the California Giant Team, back in the Santa Cruz County, and look forward to enjoying more of the wonderful community here,” said Martin.

Martin has expertise in strategic planning, organizational restructuring, reduction of business risk, business evaluation, and financial management, with an emphasis on establishing and building strong teams for finance, accounting, and information technology.

The berry company will continue to build upon its strategic plan set in place by Barsi, developing a high-performance management team and maintaining company culture as we move through 2020.

Congratulations to Sean Martin on this exciting opportunity!

California Giant Berry Farms

SAN BERNADINO, CA - You know the saying, you’re only as good as the people who work for you? (Or did I just make that up?) Regardless of that phrase’s origin story, it’s one we should all take to heart, just as Stater Bros. Markets has. The Southern California-based chain recently announced the hiring of its new Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Jerrold Williams, meaning that it’s right on track to walking in that phrase’s footsteps.

Prior to joining the grocer, Williams held various roles of increasing responsibility for leading packaged goods and retail service companies such as Kellogg Company, where he ultimately earned the role as the Head of Human Resources for the largest sales region in the company. He also served Daymon Worldwide in the capacity of Vice President, Human Resources before advancing to the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.

Williams most recently held the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Hostess Brands. Williams earned his Master of Business Administration from Western Michigan University and holds a Juris Doctor Degree from the Michigan State College of Law.

“The grocery business is also a people business,” said Pete Van Helden, CEO. “I’m confident Jerrold will fit right into our ‘Family’ and his extensive experience will add significant value as we continually strive to attract, develop, and engage strong talent now and in the future."

In this role, Williams will report to President Greg McNiff. He will oversee the Stater Bros.’ Administrative Division, which includes the company’s Human Resources, Labor Relations, Equal Employment Opportunity, Compliance, Insurance Adminstration, and Workers Compensation department. According to a press release, he is also charged with advancing Stater Bros.’ leadership development and career progression processes. Additionally, Williams will join the Company’s Executive Management Team which devises the company’s key strategic initiatives.

Congratulations to Jerrold on this new role! As we continue to report on the latest in retail executive news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Stater Bros. Markets

HOUSTON, TX - The individuality that leaders bring to the table inevitably impacts the business they lead, especially when it comes to such pivotal roles as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The global foodservice distribution company, Sysco Corporation, recently announced some important changes to its leadership team, stating that current President and CEO Tom Bené will be stepping down from his roles effective January 31. Bené will stay on as an Executive Advisor until March 1, to be available to assist with a smooth and orderly transition of leadership. The Board of Directors unanimously elected Kevin Hourican as the company’s new President and CEO, who will start on February 1.

“I have been honored to lead Sysco over the last few years and I am incredibly proud of all that our team has accomplished,” said Bené. “Sysco’s leading market position in the foodservice industry, our unique capabilities, and talented associates have positioned us well for the future. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to work alongside our 69,000 dedicated associates to bring our strategy to life.”

According to a press release, Sysco’s board believes that these senior leadership changes will enable the company to accelerate performance, fully capitalize on its scale advantages, and drive meaningful operating improvements. Specifically, the board believes Hourican’s expertise across key company capabilities—sales, supply chain, logistics, operations, and digital technologies—will unlock meaningful value for customers and other key stakeholders. Hourican most recently served as Executive Vice President of CVS Health and President of CVS Pharmacy and is a proven business leader with two decades of experience driving market-leading growth for large organizations.

“I am thrilled to join the Sysco team. Sysco has an exceptional business model and significant headroom for profitable growth,” Hourican commented. “I look forward to working with Ed, the Board, and the talented global team to continue the company’s success and identify new opportunities to enhance our market leadership and long-term growth prospects."

Prior to joining CVS Health, Hourican held executive leadership roles at Macy’s, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Regional Director of Stores, responsible for the management of 110 department stores in the Mid-Atlantic region. He holds an undergraduate degree in economics and a master’s degree in supply chain management from The Pennsylvania State University.

In addition to this monumental transition, Sysco elected the lead Independent Director Ed Shirley as Executive Chair, replacing Tom Bené. Additionally, Brad Halverson has been elected as the new lead Independent Director. Both changes will be effective January 13.

As Executive Chair, Shirley will work closely with Hourican to ensure a smooth and successful transition, lead the Board of Directors, and provide input on key strategic priorities.

“We are pleased to welcome Kevin as our new president and CEO,” Shirley began. “Kevin brings a demonstrated track record of delivering strong growth, market share gains, customer service improvement, and operational efficiencies within large and complex environments, having run an $85 billion business and leading large divisions at multi-unit retailers. He takes a strategic approach to winning in underdeveloped markets while driving new innovation. The board is highly confident Kevin has the skill set and vision to capture the opportunities ahead and we look forward to working with him and the full leadership team to deliver enhanced value for shareholders.”

He continued, “Tom has made many significant contributions to Sysco and the board and I are grateful for his leadership, integrity, and dedication to our associates and customers. During his seven years at Sysco, he led important strategic initiatives that strengthened the company’s overall performance and increased shareholder value. As CEO, he also renewed our focus on the customer, fostered a culture of empowerment, and elevated the importance of corporate social responsibility, all of which will underpin our future success. The entire board thanks Tom for his dedication and service and we wish him well in his next endeavors.”

Shirley joined Sysco’s board in 2016 and has served as lead Independent Director since November 2018. He has substantial experience in executive leadership, strategy development, marketing/brand development, and business operations, both domestically and globally, developed in his various senior executive positions with large consumer products companies.

“As part of a deliberate and thoughtful process to ensure Sysco is best positioned for its next phase of development, we are pleased to announce Kevin Hourican as the company’s new president and CEO,” said Larry Glasscock, Chairman of the Governance and Nominating Committee. “The board believes Kevin’s leadership and skill set align strongly with Sysco’s strategic priorities in this next phase of accelerated growth. Moreover, Ed’s familiarity with the company and deep experience over decades running highly successful consumer businesses will ensure a smooth leadership transition.”

Brad Halverson joined the board in 2016 and is the former Group President, Financial Products and Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer of Caterpillar Inc.

Regarding the financial outlook, Sysco remains confident in its ability to achieve its financial objectives and is aligned with current fiscal year consensus estimates. Congratulations to the company on such integral leadership changes!

Sysco