CANADA - The Star Group recently announced the loss of a great friend and partner, Co-Founder Leo Baribeau. As a Founder of the company, Baribeau was deeply-invested and well-known in the industry.

Baribeau was born on March 22, 1946, in Edam, SK, and was one of six children raised by Gregoire and Maria Baribeau. In 1989, he aided in the founding of Star Produce, which is now The Star Group, and remained there until his retirement in 2006.

Throughout his career, he was Chairman of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, Chairman of the Canadian Horticultural Roundtable, and sat in on many national, international, and provincial fruit and vegetable boards and task forces. He received the CPMA Lifetime Achievement Award and The Packer Canadian Produce Person of the Year award in 2004.

Friends, family, and colleagues note, in a press release, that Baribeau was a great storyteller and could always capture a crowd with his sense of humor. His true gift was that he always had time for people. Baribeau would spend the time to mentor, teach, and coach so many.

He leaves to remember him, his wife, Virginia, and daughter, Sheila; brother, Robert, sister, Denise (Bob) Buckley; and sister-in-law Wyonne Baribeau; in-laws David (Adele) Wiegers, Gerald (Bernadette) Wiegers, Anne (Doug) Sandbeck, Theresa (Kelly) Oliphant, and Janet (Louis) Christ; and numerous nieces and nephews.

An iconic presence in the industry, Leo Baribeau will be dearly missed by all who had the chance to know him. We at ANUK send our condolences to those he has left behind.

CHANDLER, AZ - Bashas’ Family of Stores is looking to the future of retail, employing NCR Corporation’s next-generation, cloud-enabled point-of-sale (POS) platform. Bashas’ signed the agreement with NCR just this last August, hoping to simplify its store operations and drive efficiencies through NCR Emerald’s complete solution of software, hardware, and services.

“After many years using NCR technology in our stores, we evaluated other vendors and chose to keep NCR in the family,” said Edward N. Basha III, Chief Executive Officer and grandson of Eddie Basha, Sr., who founded the business in 1932.

According to a press release, Bashas’ needed a strategic partner to help it compete on price while maintaining the special experiences that make it unique. Enter NCR Emerald, an end-to-end solution to help grocery stores run more simply, including point-of-sale, loyalty and promotions, merchandising, integrated payments, and self-service.

“NCR has upped its game with this all-in-one solution, ready out-of-the-box and easy to connect our store operations,” said Jim Buhr, Bashas’ Chief Information Officer. “NCR Emerald has the right product architecture to help grocery retailers like us grow and compete. Equally important, the NCR team has demonstrated true partnership and commitment to us as a valued client.”

With its cloud-enabled, API-first infrastructure, NCR Emerald integrates with other applications in the retailer ecosystem and promotes consistency of capabilities across physical stores and digital channels. NCR noted that its Emerald’s subscription pricing model lowers upfront investment, so retailers can redirect resources to enhance the customer experience.

“Like Bashas’, NCR has deep experience from decades of innovation. We’re inspired by the best of those traditions to power today’s advanced technology and propel retailers into the digital-first future,” said David Wilkinson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of NCR Retail. “We’re proud to help the Bashas’ Family of Stores compete, grow and continue to make a positive difference for their customers and community.”

As big-box retail continues to encroach upon smaller grocers, what kind of competition will they create? AndNowUKnow will report the latest.

Bashas' Family of Stores NCR Retail

PARMA, ID - There’s no more tears left to cry this fall because Sunions^® tearless onions are back, baby! Not only is the special onion variety back, but it’s hitting produce aisles across the States with four times the crop after its strongest season yet.

“With the success of last year, our growers made a significant expansion of acreage this year,” said Lyndon Johnson, Crop Sales Manager of Bayer CropScience Vegetable Seeds. “With their support, we’re able to offer Sunions to more retailers and expect to be in over 10,000 stores. The consumer feedback has been tremendous, not only do they love the tearless aspect but also the incredible sweet flavor of the onion.”

Developed by Nunhems Vegetable Seeds and bred using traditional methods, Sunions' tearless onions are a long-day sweet onion variety grown in Washington and Nevada with a distinct crunch and sweet flavor.

“Sunions are unique in that they become sweeter and even more tearless the longer they store. We triple test them and don’t release until they’re ready," Johnson added.

Alongside the launch of this season’s crop, Sunions® will be backed by a comprehensive marketing plan that will include geotargeted digital advertising, point-of-sale materials, produce manager education, social media content, and a consumer advertising and public relations campaign.

To learn more about the tearless variety, stop by the Onions 52 booth (#743) or Peri & Sons Farms booth (#2442) at PMA Fresh Summit.

Sunions®

SALINAS, CA - This industry has heart—a sentiment that takes many forms and touches lives in many ways. When it comes to honoring those that have made sacrifices for the good of all, D’Arrigo California is doing its part this year by becoming a proud supporter of the Fallen Heroes Highway Memorial Project.

“When Supervisor Luis Alejo called me to support the Fallen Heroes Highway Memorial Project, I agreed immediately,” John D’Arrigo, D’Arrigo California President and CEO, as well as Chairman of the Board stated. “Sandy and I are committed to honor the veterans and the gold star families who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan. I believe it is our civic duty to participate in the project as a family and company to honor not only the fallen soldiers but all soldiers around the world serving and protecting our country.”

According to a press release, in 2017, the California State Legislature gave approval to name highway stretches after five fallen Monterey County veterans. The Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 57 is designated for the Fallen Heroes Highway Memorial Project which was authored by State Senator Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres) and State Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel). The resolution was sponsored by the County of Monterey as Supervisor Alejo originally proposed the legislation.

The project was created to honor five local veterans for serving, protecting and giving their lives for our freedom. The five Monterey County veterans who were killed in combat in Afghanistan were Edward Balli, Ricardo Cerros Jr., Javier Sanchez Jr., Vilmar Galarza, and Conrado Javier.

"These highway stretches will now forever carry the names of our five fallen heroes of Monterey County," said Supervisor Alejo. "These veterans paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country and now, we can honor them by installing highway signs that will make sure their names and sacrifice will never be forgotten by our local communities. We applaud our biggest supporters John and Sandy D’Arrigo for helping make this project a reality for the five Gold Star families.”

The signs will carry the names of these five veterans who died in combat:

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli

Age 42, from Salinas, California and a North Salinas High School graduate, was killed in action in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan on January 20, 2014. He received two Bronze Stars for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan. A portion of State Route 183 in the City of Salinas from Davis Road to Espinosa Road will be designated as the "United States Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli Memorial Highway."

U.S. Army Ranger and Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr.

Age 24, from Salinas, California and an Everett Alvarez High School graduate, was killed in action in Logar Province, Afghanistan on October 8, 2011. He received the Purple Heart. A portion of State Highway 101 from Esperanza Road to Gould Road will be designated as the "United States Army Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr. Memorial Highway.”

U.S. Army Sgt. Javier Sanchez

Age 28, from Greenfield, California and a Ventana Continuation High School graduate, was killed in action in Sar Rowzah, Afghanistan on June 23, 2013. He received the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals. A portion of State Highway 101 from Hudson Road near the City of Soledad to Espinosa Road near the City of Greenfield will be designated as the "United States Army Sgt. Javier Sanchez Memorial Highway."

U.S. Army Specialist Vilmar Galarza Hernandez

Age 21, of Salinas, California and an Everett Alvarez High School graduate, was killed in action in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan on May 26, 2012. He received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal. A portion of State Highway 183 in the City of Salinas from Highway 101 to Davis Road will be designated as the "United States Army Specialist Vilmar Galarza Hernandez Memorial Highway."

U.S. Army Private First Class Conrado D. Javier

Age 19, from Marina, California, and a Seaside High School graduate, was killed in action in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, on December 19, 2010. A portion of State Highway 218 between the junction of State Route 68 in the City of Del Rey Oaks to the junction of State Highway 1 in the City of Seaside will be designated as the "United States Army Private First Class Conrado D. Javier Memorial Highway."

"Our family is proud to see this effort launch to install these highway signs that will honor my son and other Monterey County veterans who were killed in action," said Ricardo Cerros, Sr., Father of U.S. Army Ranger Ricardo Cerros, Jr. "We feel supported knowing our local communities have not forgotten their sacrifice and that we will have help to raise these necessary funds."

To commemorate the gesture, John D’Arrigo and his wife Sandy D’Arrigo presented a check to support the Fallen Heroes Highway Memorial Project to Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo. If you would like to donate, visit the Go Fund Me site and search Fallen Heroes Highway Memorial Project.

D'Arrigo California

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - GrubMarket is once again widening the net it's cast over the California market. This time around the company has completed the acquisitions of Golden Greek Fresh and Happy Farm Produce, two prominent California-based wholesalers with a penchant for fresh produce. Both companies have carved out quite the niche in their respective markets of California and are excited about the growth opportunities available to them under the wings of GrubMarket.

"We specialize in sourcing a wide variety of fresh produce from numerous California Central Valley farms, and we take great pride in supporting these farmers,” said Leon To, CEO of Happy Farm Produce. “We were thrilled to learn that GrubMarket shares this same mission of providing support and dedication to its farmers, and we sincerely look forward to joining the GrubMarket Team."

Happy Farm Produce sources fresh vegetables and fruits from the California Central Valley, exclusively for grocery stores of all sizes across the San Francisco Bay Area. Golden Greek Fresh, on the other hand, is a family-owned wholesaler with a portfolio of over 60 restaurant clients across the Southern California region.

"At Golden Greek Fresh, we consider our clients to be family first, and customers second,” Nick Kontes, CEO of Golden Greek Fresh, added. “We've worked with many of our clients for a very long time, and our mentality of treating them like family is exactly what our business was founded on."

According to a press release, Golden Greek Fresh will now be able to utilize GrubMarket's robust produce supply chain network and proprietary cutting-edge software technologies to quickly expand its offerings to even more restaurants across the West Coast. Despite its new ownership, the wholesaler’s headquarters will remain in Southern California, with Kontes and his wife, Christina—who have led Golden Greek Fresh for over 15 years—remaining at the head of the company.

The acquisition will also transition both wholesalers’ technology foundations onto WholeSaleWare, GrubMarket’s Software-as-a-Service platform. This platform provides the following services—all of which will allow both companies to maximize their corporate efficiencies while doubling down on expansion across the West Coast—to food industry suppliers and vendors:

• seamless financial management
• easy-to-use online ordering and sales
• precise inventory management
• engaging CRM tools

For more exciting acquisitions like this, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.

GrubMarket

VENTURA, CA - The countdown to PMA Fresh Summit has begun, signifying another hot ticket event just around the corner. Whether you are a buyer, retailer, or foodservice operator in our industry, if you want to succeed in your sustainability ventures the best place to glean the most valuable insights is at this year’s exclusive 2019 California Central Coast Sustainability Exchange (CCCSE) on October 15 and 16. One of the elements of this coveted schedule is the Supply Chain Sustainability Panel during the CCCSE event and invite-only opportunity. Founder of Measure to Improve and the mind behind the CCCSE has just a few seats left for this special occasion.

“Our goal for the Supply Chain Sustainability Panel is to drive home the fact that the only way to accomplish our sustainability goals in a timely manner is by working collaboratively,” Nikki tells me. “There are many parallels across the entire industry. We all want to save money. We’re all looking to take responsibility for our environmental impact—after all, that’s what customers, consumers, and government regulators are demanding. As an industry, we are facing continuous pressure to implement more effective and broad sustainability practices. The need to fast track our efforts and take a proactive approach in the area of sustainability is profound. Implementing sustainability practices can no longer be ignored or disregarded as a secondary issue.”

Panelists included:

• Tom Stenzel, President and CEO, United Fresh Produce Association
• Ed Treacy, Vice President of Supply Chain and Sustainability, PMA
• Chris White, Managing Director, Fruitnet Media International
• Alex Teague, Senior VP and COO, Limoneira
• Mimmo Franzone, Director of Produce and Floral, Longo’s

Lori Taylor, CEO and Founder of The Produce Moms, will moderate the panel.

“Sustainability has become a driving force for the produce industry and affects our members in so many ways,” Tom Stenzel shares. “From packaging and materials management to enhancing energy efficiency and preventing food waste and more, we’re working with members to find solutions that benefit the planet, our associates and customers, and our overall profitability. This event is a great opportunity to continue the discussion.”

Through the CCCSE, the intention of this panel is to begin the conversation around sustainability and find ways to work collaboratively supply-chain-wide. By sharing and understanding different strategies, attendees may reduce duplicate work, find efficiencies, and potentially create more substantial partnerships or programs shared between companies along the supply chain, Nikki adds.

Immediately following the panel, the group will hear from "pop-up speakers," who represent some of the sustainability solution providers in our industry. These speakers will remain in the audience and speak for three to five minutes on their potential solution. Pop-up speakers include:

• Dana Gunders, Principal, Next Course - Theme: Food Waste and Food Loss
• Jim Knutzon, Vice President, SCS Global Services - Theme: Sustainable Sourcing and Certification
• Bob Daviduk, Co-CEO, rPlanetEarth - Theme: Sustainable Packaging
• Chuck Bates, Market Segment Leader, Netafim - Theme: Circular Economy

“There is an enormous amount of potential to impact the collective carbon footprint of today’s industries through the fresh produce sector. I am excited to join the dialogue at the CCCSE with our own vision and business model,” Co-Founder of rPlanet Earth Bob Daviduk tells me. “We manufacture and sell our branded EnviroPET Sheet and Thermoformed containers made from 100 percent post-consumer PET plastic for various packaging applications which are now being sold into a number of U.S. retail grocery chains. The transition to a more sustainable packaging program is where we can create synergies with the fresh produce industry and our competitive pricing lowers that barrier to entry even more for companies interested in truly having an impact on their stewardship of the land and Earth.”

Dana Gunders, Principal of Next Course, a national expert and strategic advisor for food waste reduction, also shared her thoughts about the event.

"Agriculture has the potential to be a huge solution to climate change and other sustainability challenges, but everyone throughout the supply chain needs to get onboard. It's great to see growers and buyers taking time out together to manifest this vision,” Dana says. “Our team focuses on the solutions that prevent surplus food from occurring, as those are the solutions with the highest financial and environmental return. At the end of the day, we know that the good of the business needs to balance with the good to the Earth and we are here to help that conversation occur."

This panel will help the industry take a step in the right direction towards increased sustainability action across the produce supply chain.

“The panel will bring together representatives and solution providers from varying aspects of the produce value chain,” Nikki adds. “It will be a great opportunity to showcase multiple perspectives on sustainability issues and provide a starting point to create more meaningful partnerships that bring cost savings, and improved environmental and social impacts along the way.”

Along with the opportunity to listen and share sustainability experiences at this intimate event at Limoneira Ranch in Ventura, California, there will be an opportunity to tour the latest sustainability innovations at Limoneira and Calavo, along with a farm-to-table dinner, specialty cocktails, and more—courtesy of the sponsors: Limoneira, Calavo, San Miguel Produce, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Measure to Improve, and AndNowUKnow.

For more information about how you can get a seat at the table, contact Nikki Rodoni at [email protected]

I hope your minds and bellies are ready for a few courses of insight and delight and we will see you all there!

California Central Coast Sustainability Exchange

ELGIN, MN - PMA Fresh Summit is just around the corner, and the entire industry is gearing up for a memorable and productive show. Honeybear Brands is ready to turn heads this year, showcasing several of the company’s show-stopping varieties, products, and developments. Looking forward to the professional and personal connections forged during the event, Honeybear Brands views the opportunity as an idea incubator, where produce mavens from all walks of life can gather and elevate the entire industry.

“The show is the catalyst for bringing the industry together and showcasing the important and exciting ways companies throughout the supply chain work to put fresh, healthy food in the hands of a global population,” commented Don Roper, VP Sales and Marketing. “It’s good to feel like you are part of something as big and critical as providing nutritious sustenance. At the same time, it challenges us as suppliers to keep innovating.”

When it comes to showcasing product, Honeybear Brands will be featuring its newest variety of apple—Pazazz. The new variety has been on the market for the last three years, and with its Honeycrisp heritage, Pazazz is heating up the category with its fantastic crunch and exceptional sweetness.

“Pazazz is a flavor standout,” Don mentioned. “It’s bold, bright, and incredibly juicy. There is complexity in the flavor that is both tart and sweet. Folks tell me all the time it tastes like a Jolly Rancher candy. What sets it apart is the fact that it holds its flavor so well—it tastes great from November all the way through August!”

And Honeybear Brands has kept a close eye on retail marketing for the new variety with its Life Gets More Flavorful with Pazazz social media campaign that encourages consumers to share their love of the new variety. The company is also offering retailers a set of in-store tools to coordinate with social media ads.

There will be two other new varieties that Honeybear Brands plans to feature at PMA Fresh Summit, including the company’s Pink Lady/Honeycrisp cross and unique Butter Cream Yellow variety that sports tropical fruit and nutty flavors. But Don explained that with new varieties come different retail challenges.

“For new varieties, the key point we stress and support with our retail partners is product trial. For these new varieties, price is very important to help drive trials,” he said. “Price the apple at a good entry point, sample aggressively, and drive multiple impressions at the consumer level—those are all key. It’s also important to keep the new variety on the deck for extended periods of time to create the consumer exposure in order to gain trial and adoption.”

Honeybear Brands will also showcase its latest packaging line extensions—the Honey Cubbies pouch. The new pouches have been so well received that the company is offering its apple varieties in three-pound pouches.

“The Cubbie and Organic Pouches ‘wear the bear.’ Customers and consumers alike know that they are getting an exceptional piece of fruit when it comes in a Honeybear bag. Providing that uncompromising, premium experience is what we have built our business on,” Don said.

With the evolution of the apple category moving at full speed, getting consumers on board can sometimes be tricky. For Honeybear Brands, it’s all about working closely with suppliers and retailers to reshape consumer perception—and what better place to do that than at PMA Fresh Summit?

“Changing consumer behavior to adopt new products is perhaps the single hardest thing to do in the produce aisle,” Don stressed. “This takes concerted efforts by both supply partners and retailers—it is also a huge opportunity for all stakeholders. We will see big changes in the apple category in the next several years. Many of the legacy mainline varieties are not meeting the new flavor demands of our consumers in the stores today—they are switching apples out for other commodities. There is a very simple reason why—we are pushing too many varieties that don’t meet their expectations, so they walk away. As an industry, we are all working to bend this curve and it starts with providing a product that gives them a great eating experience and matches their pocketbook spend. At Honeybear, we are doing that today and are excited about changing the trend line we see today.”

Curious about Honeybear Brands’ exciting new varieties and offerings? Swing by booth #3957 to learn more about what the company has in store.

Keep reading AndNowUKnow for exclusive produce industry event content.

Honeybear Brands

ATLANTA, GA - Meijer is no stranger to bold moves and innovation, as the retailer has experimented with new concepts, new markets, and new technologies to better enhance its customers’ shopping experience and boost its bottom line. Now the retailer is turning to the tech world to bring its distribution operations and capabilities to new heights, recently inking a deal with Dematic for a micro-fulfillment solution.

“We're driven to make shopping at Meijer easy and convenient, so micro-fulfillment is another way our company is leaning into the future of retail,” said Sid Handa, Director of Strategic Supply Chain Initiatives for Meijer. “This micro-fulfillment technology will allow us to maximize space in our stores, help us expand our online shopping options, and ultimately keep pace with consumer demand for personalized shopping solutions that puts their shopping preferences first.”

Dematic’s new micro-fulfillment technology is designed to help retailers respond to increased consumer demand for rapid online order fulfillment, while taking up a smaller amount of space than traditional fulfillment centers. A combination of automated technology and proprietary Dematic iQ software, the tech company’s new offering allows retailers to maximize space, advancing its omni-channel distribution strategy to achieve one-hour order fulfillment.

The new micro-fulfillment solution can be built and installed in as little as 12 weeks and is designed to fit into footprints as small as 10,000 square feet, making it perfect for fitting into the back of stores or in a nearby dark store or urban fulfillment center.

There are other factors that differentiate the new solution, including:

• Cold zone environment capabilities with ambient, chilled, and frozen temperature zones
• A global footprint that enables implementation at scale, making it possible for customers to install multiple micro-fulfillment solutions at once, at locations worldwide
• Unmatched 24x7x365 customer service with local operations in over 25 countries, supporting scale at speed

“Dematic has been leading intralogistics innovation and invention for 200 years. We’ve helped automate some of the world’s biggest distribution centers, and now we have a creative solution that truly optimizes the smaller footprints found in the backs of retail stores—our expertise in automation and our scale gives us a real advantage,” said Hasan Dandashly, CEO, Dematic. “The global effort to bring a Dematic micro-fulfillment solution to life in less than six months is proof of that. Micro-fulfillment is a demonstration of our mission to power the future of commerce, and we aim to set a new standard for order fulfillment, together with our customers.”

Meijer is leading the pack in technology with the implementation of this new micro-fulfillment solution. The retailer has already initiated a deal with Dematic, and the new installation is already under way.

Will this new tech direction put Meijer ahead of the curve? Which other retailers will jump on Dematic’s new offering? AndNowUKnow will report.

Meijer Dematic

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.

PALMETTO/RUSKIN SAW HEAVY RAIN YESTERDAY

This Floridian fall tomato growing region saw heavy rain yesterday. The unexpected storm dropped over 3” of rain in less than three hours last night. There was no wind associated with this storm. Please check with tomato shippers in the area to see if rain caused any issues to the upcoming crop.

Approximately 100 miles south, in the growing region of Immokalee, they received some rain last night, but not nearly as much as in Palmetto.

COOL DOWN COMING TO CALIFORNIA TOMATO GROWING REGIONS

The mature green tomato growing regions of California will experience some cold nights later this week into next. The SJ Valley regions of Tracy, Newman, and Firebaugh along with the coastal regions of Hollister and Soledad will all see minimum temperatures drop into the mid 40°s starting this Thursday and lasting at least through Tuesday of next week. Firebaugh will see the coldest nights of all locations with minimum temperatures dropping down to 42° this Thursday.

Expect volumes to slow down toward the end of the week. With this region still being the biggest shipping point of mature greens in the nation, be aware that overall volumes may tighten next week as a result of cooldown.

REMAINDER OF COUNTRY EXPERIENCING AVERAGE TEMPERATURES

There is not much else to report around the country today. All other major growing regions appear to be experiencing normal weather conditions for this time of year.

HURRICANE CENTRAL

There is some unsettled weather in the Atlantic just off the coast of Florida, as well as Georgia, causing some sporadic showers, but nothing major enough to report.

In the Pacific, there is no activity at this time, at least for the next 48 hours.

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

Weathermelon

ISSAQUAH, WA - I can remember the time my parents first got a Costco membership card, even the detail of my mother not looking properly into the camera. For those who count themselves among Costco’s members, it’s easy to tout the benefits of being one. As the retailer relayed in its latest earnings call to discuss Q4 2019 results, membership is at an all-time high—denoting how popular shopping with the wholesaler really is.

"In terms of renewal rates, at Q4 end, our U.S. and Canada membership renewal rate came in at 90.9 percent, up 0.2 percent from 90.7 percent as of the end of the last quarter," said CFO Richard Galanti during the call. “And worldwide, the renewal rate was 88.4 percent, up from 88.3 percent a quarter ago, both of these figures all-time highs."

According to Galanti, the company ended its fourth quarter with 20.8 million executive memberships—an uptick of 362,000 over last quarter. Costco also saw increases in the use of its digital membership card, which it debuted in July of this year. Since then, Costco has experienced 2.5 million activations.

While its membership continues to rise, will there be enough storefronts to keep up? Galanti teased the opening of 20 or more units in the next year, so it seems likely there will be more than enough Costcos to go around.

As we plot the ins and outs of the retail landscape, stick with AndNowUKnow for the latest updates.

Costco