RIDGE SPRING, SC - Titan Farms and Harris Teeter formed a peachy partnership for the fifth year in a row, culminating their donations to Second Harvest Food Banks in Winston-Salem and Metrolina/Charlotte. This year’s donation to the Peaches with a Purpose program substantially contributed to a total of 219,000 lbs of peaches donated in the past five years.

“Five years ago, we never would have imagined the impact Peaches with a Purpose could have on these communities,” said Lori Anne Carr, Vice President of Titan Farms. “Giving back and supporting local communities has always been important to us, and we are grateful we have been able to partner with Harris Teeter to help the food impoverished for so many years in a row.”

According to a press release, the partnership began five years ago when East Coast peach grower, Titan Farms, sought out to feed the underserved through its Peaches with a Purpose program while also raising awareness around the food insecurity epidemic in the U.S. From the beginning, North Carolina-based retailer Harris Teeter jumped at the opportunity to fight hunger alongside another produce industry leader.

“On the behalf of children and families who struggle daily with hunger in our communities, we want to thank Harris Teeter and their partner Titan Farms for their commitment to help end hunger,” said Kay Carter, Executive Director for Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. “It is imperative that those living in poverty can afford and have access to healthy food options and produce. We are very grateful for this support that has made such a difference in so many lives.”

We, at AndNowUKnow, applaud the initiative taken by both Titan Farms and Harris Teeter. Stick with us for the latest in the produce biz.

Titan Farms Harris Teeter

DAVIS, CA - Engage3 has done it again! For the third year in a row, the company has snagged a spot on the prestigious Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the U.S.—an accomplishment to celebrate as only a fraction of the tens of thousands of companies that have been considered make it to the list more than once. And only 1 in 8 company ever make it on the list for three consecutive years, with Engage3 being one!

“It’s an honor to be awarded this prestigious recognition for a third year in a row. In addition to growing the company on a customer, revenue, and employee basis, we have been investing heavily in proprietary and disruptive pricing capabilities that enable retailers to measure and take control of their Price Image,” said Ken Ouimet, Engage3’s CEO and Founder. “The innovations will accelerate as we build out our Price Image Management Suite™ offerings.”

The Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at some of the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses—which over the years has included the likes of Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and more.

“We are very proud of our team for accelerating the company’s growth in the midst of closing our Series C financing, implementing and expanding programs with the world’s largest retailers, and adding disruptive capabilities to our product portfolio,” added Edris Bemanian, Engage3’s Chief Operating Officer. “We’re fortunate that our customers and partners are the industry’s thought leaders. Through these partnerships, we expect to continue our aggressive growth rate in the years to come.”

According to a press release, not only have the companies on the 2019 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists, including an astounding three-year average growth of 454 percent, and a median rate of 157 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $237.7 billion in 2018, accounting for 1,216,308 jobs over the past three years.

“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have followed so many different paths to success. There’s no single course you can follow or investment you can take that will guarantee this kind of spectacular growth. But what they have in common is persistence and seizing opportunities,” said Inc. Editor-in-Chief James Ledbetter.

Engage3 helps retailers and manufacturers manage their Price Image through accurate competitive data, data science, and Artificial Intelligence-powered software solutions.

Congratulations to Engage3 on this year’s honor!

Engage3

WASHINGTON, DC - The United Fresh Start Foundation announced the date for its 2020 FreshStart Conference, taking place January 14-16 in Tucson, Arizona. The event includes an annual conference, golf tournament, and gala dinner, all of which is aimed to increase fresh produce access for kids and their families. Industry leaders will come together for silent and live auctions that will benefit the foundation, as well as Workshops to educate and motivate attendees.

“I’m looking forward to this year’s FreshStart Conference as a way to get the industry thinking about what we can all do, both personally and professionally, to grow opportunities for kids to enjoy the healthiest foods on the planet, fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Greg Corrigan, CEO of United Vegetable Growers Cooperative, and United Fresh Chairman of the Board. “This year’s event will be at a beautiful, sunny location, and we invite the industry and our volunteer leaders to join us in supporting a great cause while we kick off the new year together!”

According to a press release, the golf tournament and auction are known to raise over $100,000 a year, all of which is contributed to United Fresh’s mission. Funds such as these aid in the movement to bring nutritious salad bars to schools that provide a variety of fruit and vegetable choices for students. The association takes additional steps to provide children with fresh produce after school, on weekends, and during the summer by partnering with like-minded stakeholders.

“The FreshStart Conference is an opportunity to empower our industry and focus attention on new and creative ways of cultivating the next generation of produce consumers,” said Phil Muir, President and CEO of Muir Copper Canyon Farms, and Chairman of the United Fresh Start Foundation Board of Trustees. “This year, I’m excited for attendees to experience a packed lineup of engaging events, networking with colleagues, and the opportunity to come together for a worthwhile cause.”

United Fresh’s 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be named at the event’s Gala Dinner in addition to traditional volunteer leader meetings. To register for the FreshStart Conference, visit www.unitedfresh.org. Admission requires a $295 fee from members of the association and a $495 fee from non-members. More details on this exciting event can be found at www.unitedfreshstart.org. Follow along with AndNowUKnow for more updates on this conference.

United Fresh

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - The Land Down Under is becoming a Costco-forward locale as the big-box retailer furthers its Australia expansion efforts. This week, Costco announced that it will be opening a new store in a seemingly untapped market for it: Perth, Australia.

“We’re looking at opening and starting negotiations with as many local suppliers as possible. Our buying teams have already been in Perth a couple of times and had some discussions with a large number of suppliers,” said Patrick Noone, Managing Director, Costco Australia, said to the The West Australian. “We already have several thousand Perth members that shop at Costco on the east coast, so we know that there’s a degree of competition that we can introduce to the market.”

The new Perth store was originally expected to open in May of 2020, but thanks to the arrival of the building firm, the location is now expected to open its doors to the public as early as March.

“The construction by Georgiou is going very quickly, very professionally. We’re very pleased with it,” Noone continued. “We’re confident our prices will be as good or better than anything else in the local retailer."

For more of the latest retail expansions as they happen across the world, stay right here with AndNowUKnow.

Costco

LOUISVILLE, KY - Beyond Meat® has been leading the plant-based pack after it went public in April of this year. Since then, the company has seen its stock prices soar in conjunction with its recent partnerships with popular fast food restaurant chains and meal kit companies. Kentucky Fried Chicken® (KFC) is the latest company to team up with Beyond Meat to test the plant-based waters, this time with Beyond Fried Chicken™—a plant-based chicken that is the first-of-its-kind in the quick service restaurant (QSR) space.

"KFC is an iconic part of American culture and a brand that I, like so many consumers, grew up with. To be able to bring Beyond Fried Chicken, in all of its KFC-inspired deliciousness to market, speaks to our collective ability to meet the consumer where they are and accompany them on their journey,” commented Ethan Brown, Founder and CEO of Beyond Meat. “My only regret is not being able to see the legendary Colonel himself enjoy this important moment.”

KFC has been mulling over the idea of testing plant-based products since May, but it seems like it is now ready to take the plunge. According to a press release, the restaurant chain will introduce Beyond Fried Chicken in Atlanta, Georgia, to start. The plant-based chicken will be served at the Cobb Parkway restaurant in Atlanta, and curious consumers can receive a complimentary sample of Beyond Fried Chicken from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm on August 27, with purchase of any KFC menu item, while supplies last. Customers who wish to go all in on the new menu option can opt for Beyond Fried Chicken nuggets or boneless wings.

"KFC Beyond Fried Chicken is so delicious, our customers will find it difficult to tell that it's plant-based," said Kevin Hochman, President and Chief Concept Officer for KFC U.S. "I think we've all heard 'it tastes like chicken'—well our customers are going to be amazed and say, 'it tastes like Kentucky Fried Chicken!'"

Will a positive response encourage KFC to roll out its Beyond Fried Chicken nationwide? And who will be the next restaurant chain to bolster is menu and sales with more of Beyond Meat’s plant-based products? AndNowUKnow will report.

Beyond Meat® Kentucky Fried Chicken®

PLANT CITY, FL - Wish Farms is following the sun with its berry program, currently in the midst of its summer program in California. The outlook is a path to increasing demand in the off months, premium flavor, and a steady market.

“We’ve had ideal weather during the planting season and expect a quality crop,” James Peterson, VP of Sales, shares, explaining California weather hasn’t dealt any blows to crop production or quality. “We began harvesting mid-August and will continue through November, projecting promotional volumes throughout September.”

In fact, James says the market’s steadiness at this time is better than he has seen in the last two years. As for the current crop, Wish Farms’ product includes both conventional and organic Monterey and Cabrillo strawberry varieties, which have higher brix and flavor profiles.

“Wish Farms is focused on flavor, and because of this, we have dedicated ourselves to growing only varieties that we would be willing to take home to our families,” he tells me, with a surprise up the team’s sleeve coming as soon as next year. “We are excited to release a new proprietary strawberry variety on a small scale with plans to ramp up in the 2020-2021 season. We made the decision a few years ago to discontinue select varieties from our program that do not meet our flavor standards. While high yield and shipability are desirable strawberry traits, we feel strongly that consumers will come back again and again for berries that taste good.”

He explains to me that strawberry demand tends to trend lower in September and October. The company believes there is a direct correlation between lower demand and strawberry varieties that lack flavor being grown in this time period.

“We hope by making growing decisions and varietal selections that focus on flavor, we can reverse this trend,” he concludes.

Wish Farms continues to invest in breeding and varietal trials across all growing regions. This coming Florida strawberry season, the company’s primary acreage will be dedicated to the consumer favorite Sweet Sensations. And with sibling varieties on the horizon that hold promise for equal popularity, the berry market seems to be in for some new trends in demand!

Wish Farms

BROOKFIELD, WI - Retailers en masse are going under the hammer to renovate, remodel, and refresh their store concepts to keep up with the new age of high-quality convenience. The latest to join the group is Sendik’s Food Market, which recently launched a $5 million expansion project to upgrade its store format with trendy new perks.

“As The Corners [of Brookfield] continues to innovate and enhance the customer experience, we’re thrilled to be taking part and elevating the shopping experience to one that has never been done before in Southeastern Wisconsin,” said Ted Balistreri, Co-Owner of Sendik’s, in a statement.

According to the journal sentinel, the project will officially be completed by mid-October, after first kicking off in January of this year. The project included expanding one of its stores from 35,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet and adding the likes of a new mezzanine lounge and in-store dining and bar offerings, including a bistro area touting fresh-squeezed cold-pressed juices and homemade smoothies, shareable plates and appetizers, craft beer and wine, espresso drinks, nitro cold brew, and more.

In addition, the store will also now include a grill station, where shoppers can order their favorite grilled items.

To stay apprised of all the latest grocery retail expansions, keep reading AndNowuKnow.

Sendik's Food Market

SALINAS, CA - Sometimes moving forward means going back to your roots. For Lisa Davis, this dream came true when she accepted the role of Senior Manager of Customer Agriculture Relations at Bonduelle Fresh Americas—Home of Ready Pac Foods (BFA). While BFA is a new company in her fresh produce career, the move will allow her to more than reminisce about her agricultural operations background and deep passion for the land.

“I am excited about this opportunity and I have already learned so much about Bonduelle that I am nothing short of amazed at what a forward-thinking and dynamic family company it is,” Lisa shares with me, adding that the real excitement is that they created this unique position that allows her to use everything she has learned in the industry to this day from marketing to retail sales and business development. “Now, I get to go back to where it all starts, and right in my backyard. I am front-facing with growers to understand and communicate what is happening in the field while also engaging with our sales team and with customers. I am enthusiastic about the synergy between sales, customer, and our Ag OPS team. I must say I love being a part of a stellar and Dynamic Ag Ops organization. With this, I can speak to our sales team and the customer on grower happenings to help understand and support them. In other words, ‘crop to customer’ is a great way to look at my new role.”

One of the exciting elements about this position for Lisa is that it will allow her room to grow and create the best opportunities for Bonduelle Fresh Americas, its customers and its grower relationships, all based out of the Salinas, California, office.

“We are very excited to welcome Lisa as a new team member joining the commercial team to amplify our status as an agricultural leader with our customers and in the ag community,” Leif Hickman, Vice President of Commercial Development, tells me. “Lisa's role is unique and will create a new dynamic to elevate our role as a trusted adviser in our relationship with our customers while expanding our relevance as a premier produce and plant-based products company.”

With Lisa’s experience in agriculture, sales and marketing, and the credibility she has already established with customers, her presence on the team will accelerate the company’s growth and continue to expand the Bonduelle Fresh Americas difference.

So what are some of the key responsibilities of Lisa’s role that will surely keep her busy? Far from few!

As Senior Manager of Customer Agriculture Relations, she will provide proactive communication on growing practices and crop expectations while coordinating and leading customer field tours in the growing regions. Additionally, she will integrate sales, marketing, and agriculture production activities into the company fold and develop and execute communication solutions that are customer- and sales-centric.

Add in her responsibility to work closely with Bonduelle's industry-leading Food Safety team to strategize, develop, and increase customer awareness of food safety practices while employing experience in negotiating value-added salad customer contracts, and Lisa's day is just beginning.

Her position will also take her through understanding the private label process in order to design contract negotiations in tandem with focusing on sales communications for key ag weather events, transition communication management, and food safety events.

“Lisa's depth of experience will also offer all of us new opportunities to learn about how we improve upon and maximize our current efforts, so it's likely her role will expand to include other aspects of commercial development in the coming weeks and months,” Leif expresses.

Congrats, Lisa, on this most recent move—it is always a joy to watch you grow and help others grow as well!

Bonduelle Fresh Americas

UNITED STATES - Is it just me or does it seem like Trader Joe’s is expanding, and at a more rapid pace than usual? The cult specialty grocer recently announced that it would be opening two new stores: one in Kansas and another in Florida. On top of that, the grocer also confirmed that it will in fact be moving forward with its first-ever Arkansas-based location, according to ABC7.

The RE Journals reported that Trader Joe’s did confirm it will be developing a store in Wichita, Kansas—news that was probably met with raucous cheers as Trader Joe’s was one of the most requested grocery stores by Wichita residents. An opening date has not yet been disclosed, but with most of Wichita claiming to be a Trader Beau, I’m sure locals won’t be out of the know for long.

According to the Miami Beach Times, Trader Joe’s second Miami Beach location will officially open its doors on Tuesday, August 27. The store was first announced in 2017, four years after the grocer debuted its first store in the area. However, the news source noted that Trader Joe’s is not the only specialty grocer laying claim to Miami Beach, with The Fresh Market, Publix, and Whole Foods Market all within range.

And, Trader Joe’s Arkansas debut is one step closer to welcoming the masses. ABC7 reported that plans for the new store were reviewed and approved, namely that of building alterations. This news comes weeks after Trader Joe’s decided on this particular location in the Natural State and months after the rumor mill first began to churn.

All in all, it truly is a Joe’s world, and the rest of us are just living in it!

To stay afloat amongst all the latest grocery retail news, keep clicking your way to ANUK.

Trader Joe's

WENATCHEE, WA - It’s that time of the year again where apple growers around the country are beginning to prep and harvest for the fall season. One apple that’s already in the harvesting stages is SweeTango®, which is grown in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and Nova Scotia, Canada—with the Western regions already harvesting and the Eastern and Midwestern regions kicking off harvesting on September 1.

“Stemilt just started harvesting its share of the SweeTango apple crop in Washington State late last week,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt Growers’ Communications Manager. “It’s looking like a beautiful crop with average sizing and great quality, and we look forward to start getting it to grocery stores shortly.”

In addition to Stemilt, other SweeTango apple growers are reporting that overall crop volume is shaping up to be higher than last year. According to a press release, this season’s fruit quality is exceptional so far, with minimal russeting. Rod Farrow, Co-Owner of New York-based Fish Creek Orchards, even went as far to describe this year’s SweeTango harvest as top notch, noting that this is the case thanks to ideal growing summer conditions that featured plenty of heat and moisture.

“We’ve had some good SweeTango crops over the past few seasons, but this one is turning out to be pretty special,” Farrow said.

Fellow New York grower, Mark Russell, Co-Owner of Two of Clubs Orchards, also confirmed that this year’s harvest will yield the larger sizes that shine at retail.

“The red color just started coming on, and my crew is rubbing their hands together waiting to get in there and start picking because, you know, that means we'll all be able to start eating them,” said Russell, explaining that harvest in Rochester will being in a matter of weeks. “But I will make them wait until that blow-you-away flavor kicks in.”

Reporting from the Midwest Region, Scott Swindeman, Owner of Applewood Fresh Growers, noted that while harvest this year for the region is kicking off a few days later than usual, “a great apple is worth waiting for.”

Jennifer Parkhill, Executive Director of the Next Big Thing grower cooperative, which managers the SweeTango apple variety, painted just as positive of a picture for the SweeTango crop on the sales side of things.

“The orchards have ripened well and the harvest is now underway. This early season apple is one of the most flavorful and stunning varieties. The new crop will be on retail shelves shortly, and consumers can look for large attractive fruit on display or smaller fruit for school lunches,” Parkhill said.

Once the SweeTango crop is harvested, the apples are then cooled to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is part of a conditioning process that locks in the apple’s sweet-tangy flavor and ensures the quality of the apple’s prized thin skin yields its delicious crunch. After this process is completed, the apples will be ready to ship, so retailers prepare yourself for a SweeTango autumn starting Labor Day!

To stay on top of the latest fresh produce news like this, keep popping back to AndNowUKnow.

SweeTango® Apples