YERINGTON, NV – As western regions calibrate from severe winter weather, companies throughout the industry are working through snow and ice to continue to supply the buy-side sectors with ample product. With structural and transportation difficulties, these occurrences have made for a tight market in the onion category.

Cindy Elrod, Sales & New Business Specialist at Peri & Sons Farms, took a moment to give me a few insights on the weather-based happenings within the industry at large, and for the company itself.

“At our facilities, we’ve experienced quite a bit of rain and some snow, but no actual damage. Our packing sheds continued to run through the storms, and production remained operational,” Cindy tells me. 

As far as the company has heard, some packaging facilities throughout the industry dealt with various levels of collapse, with their packers subsequently adjusting. Cindy says that some storage facilities were impacted as well, causing a loss of product in the industry. 

“Pricing moved higher last week, with this week starting off at higher levels as well. The market is tight due to production limitations, and customers that are trying to shift their orders to other regions,” Cindy continues. “In the long run, the higher prices on yellows will likely not last.”

As a result of this winter weather, Peri & Sons’ California crops are a couple of weeks behind schedule. However, the company is finding good news in the weather as all the rain has helped dampen the drought and provide sufficient water for the upcoming season. 

“Once the land dries out, our plan is to double-down on efficiency and fully prep the fields for the upcoming season,” Cindy finishes. 

With winter not yet over, count on AndNowUKnow to keep a finger to the pulse of crop conditions for a current read on the market.

Peri & Sons

SACRAMENTO, CA - Without further ado, the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons are finally going head-to-head this weekend, and we will all gather around delicious morsels and snacks to watch.

Super Bowl LI, touted as one of the biggest days for eating and marketing, has arrived, and the ANUK team can’t wait to see how you kick back off the ads and enjoy the day.

Will you be surrounded by painted faces, a variety of dips, or in matching family jerseys? We want to know!

Submit Your Photo!

Email in a Super Bowl Party picture of the festivities to [email protected] with the title “Super Bowl Yearbook” or post a picture on Instagram tag @andnowuknow with the hashtag #ANUKSuperBowl to be run in our yearbook next week.

Where do your loyalties lie, and who will come out on top? We’re as eager as you are to find out, so game on!

NORMAN PARK, GA – Southern Valley Fruit & Vegetable, Inc. officially turns thirty this month. The company will celebrate the close of its third decade on February 4th.

“As I look backward, I’m amazed at the obstacles we have overcome to get to where we are today,” said Kent Hamilton, one of the company’s Founders, in a press release. “Our success has been a group effort by a determined team here at Southern Valley. As I look forward, I see a thriving company achieving greater goals than any of us could imagine.”

Thirty years ago, the company’s four founders—Kent, his father, brother, and a family friend—came together with a dream and 100 acres. From those humble roots, the company has grown to span over 5,000 acres, growing year-round, in three locations.

The company’s ascent was not without hardship, though; in the first year of operation, Kirk Hamilton, the lead instigator of the operation, tragically passed away. The Hamilton family and local community rallied to support the family-owned company. Then, a couple of years later, another founding member, Benny Hamilton, passed away, as well. His wife, Wanda, inherited Benny's share of the farm and company, and she and her son went to work.

The company brought in Wanda’s sister, Valda, and Valda and her sons and husband quickly assumed an integral role in the operation. Eventually, other community members joined the team, too, and by 2000, the farm was ready to expand and become more sustainable by growing during the winter months.

The company expanded into Yucatan, Mexico, in 2003, and into Tennessee through a partnership with the Henderson family in 2009.

One thing has remained the same through the company’s extraordinary trajectory of growth; the company has remained a family-owned and operated farm with a progressive and innovative approach. Southern Valley is fully-integrated and handles all aspects of its farming operation from seed to shelf. Product begins as seed in the company’s greenhouse, is transplanted by hand in to the soil, hand-picked, then packed, sold, and shipped—all in-house, through the farm’s employees.

For more on this and other dynamic companies in the produce industry, check back with us at AndNowUKnow. 

Southern Valley Fruit & Vegetable

PHARR, TX – What does the new year hold for Triple H, the Texas-based fresh vegetable grower-shipper with strong ties to partners in Mexico? The company is optimistic and primed for a bright 2017 with expansion plans in the works.

“There is going to be an exponential growth of the entrances that are being made by this [the Texas/Mexico] border, especially in the winter season,” predicts Heriberto Vlaminck, Vice President of Operations for Triple H. “More and more people are sending more fruit on the Texas side; obviously, this comes hand in hand with the increase in cold storage facilities in the area.”

Vlaminck adds that the company saw a significant volume growth—25 percent—from 2015 to 2016. The burgeoning market for fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico in recent years has driven growth in infrastructure, and 2017 promises to continue the trend, with a construction boom and expanded capacity for imported produce feeding off each other. And construction on the Pharr Bridge, a major point of entry for the company’s supply of produce, has prompted redoubled efforts from importers and exporters in the region.

“There is a boom in the construction of cold storage facilities in the counties of Pharr, Hidalgo, San Juan and Mission; this comes hand in hand with all the construction, expansion, and improvement projects being done on the Pharr Bridge,” notes Vlaminck. “And with all the increase that is occurring in the number of cold storage facilities, there will be a very strong growth in imports of vegetables and fruits in this area.”

Vlaminck also notes that, while there has been an uptick in the building of distribution facilities in Texas near the border, there are impediments to uninhibited growth in the region. Lack of adequate storage facilities—a problem which is currently being worked on—and the capacity of bridges that carry goods across the border.

Vlaminck is also quick to point out that expanding infrastructure and developing Eagle Pass as an entrance to San Antonio, already a strategic center in produce distribution, would be beneficial to produce providers and consumers.

In the next two years, Triple H is planning to expand SmartCold, the company’s cold storage facility in Pharr, Texas, and to begin construction on a new cold storage facility in Otay, California. Additionally, the company is looking to expand into several new fruit categories—offering grapes, strawberries, and blueberries, and step up year-round supplies of many of its offerings.

“We already have roma tomato and jalapeño 365 days a year,” says Vlaminck “The next step is to have cucumbers and bell peppers year-round as well.”

We at AndNowUKnow will keep you up-to-date on this and other growing companies in this important region.

Triple H Produce

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – It’s no industry secret that consumers love the taste of a creamy avocado, but it looks as though criminals have now been added darker reasons to that appreciation list. A New York man was recently busted for smuggling cocaine in a shipping container of avocados.

The container filled with avocados originally came from the Dominican Republic, and was shipped by the now-indicted Siffredo Gonzalez. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, nestled amongst the avocados was around 183 pounds of cocaine. 

Officers discovered the odious cargo during a search at Port Everglades in Florida on December 15. News source ABC Local 10 reported that after the cocaine was seized, Gonzalez met with an undercover agent and paid him $25,000 to return to the confiscated goods. 

Since doubling down on his offenses, if convicted, Gonzalez will face a sentence of ten years and a maximum statutory sentence of life imprisonment on each of his two indictment counts. No word has yet been released on the fate of the avocados.

Will the world of fresh fruits and vegetables come out on top once again, in its ongoing action against the seedy side of society? AndNowUKnow will continue to report. 

IRVINE, CA - As America’s appetite for avocados grows every year, the arrival of Fresh California Avocados is a welcome sight for the industry.

“Seasonal and local ingredients are hot buttons for consumers when they dine, and Fresh California Avocados satisfy both requirements for foodservice operators,” said Jan DeLyser, Vice President of Marketing of the California Avocado Commission.

According to the Commission, foodservice operators count on Fresh California Avocados for their quality, consistency, Golden State origin, rich flavor, and silky texture to add seasonal appeal to traditional favorites and signature dishes.

Now is the time to showcase the taste, color, and unique essence of Fresh California Avocados. Imbuing every recipe with unique flavor; every slice, dice and cube of Fresh California Avocado offers an irresistible excuse for one more bite. From a breakfast treat like a California Avocado Chimichurri Egg Salad Toast, to a quick and satisfying Kale-California Avocado Tabouli Salad, to an elegant first course like Ensalada Aguachile with California Avocado, the Commission says that serving Fresh California Avocados makes for a sure sign of quality and care.

Browse the California Avocado Commission recipe database for more spring and summer menu solutions for all dining segments and dayparts. While visiting CaliforniaAvocado.com/Foodservice, these helpful resources can help optimize Fresh California Avocado usage: nutrition, selection, storage, and handling information.

California Avocado Commission

MONTEREY, CA - Dole is looking to offer on-the-go consumers an easy healthy snack with its newly-launched Dole® Go Berries!™

“While fruit remains America’s top daytime snack choice, there hasn’t been an easy way for shoppers to enjoy their favorite berries away from home–until now,” said CarrieAnn Arias, VP of Marketing for Dole Fresh Vegetables and Berries. “Dole Go Berries! allows busy shoppers to combine their preference for fresh strawberries with out-of-the-home snacking convenience for the first time.”

Available in three snack-size packages that snap apart, each container provides four ounces of fresh Dole strawberries designed to capitalize on the growing mobile snacking trend, according to a press release. The products will be ventilated for freshness and easy rinsing, with a proprietary package that Dole said is the first to provide “snap-rinse-go” convenience.

“We’re looking to expand how–and where–berry lovers enjoy their favorite fruit,” said Arias. “Simply snap-off one of the right-sized snack packs, rinse right in the package, and enjoy the goodness of Dole strawberries wherever you go. Go Berries! satisfies the growing preference to take berry snacking outside the home and offers a unique, fun, fresh and healthy alternative to nutrition and energy bars.”

Arias stated that, according to Dole Home Use Tests:

• 80 percent of those sampling GO Berries! would likely purchase the product
• 60 percent of berry consumers would buy GO Berries! in addition to the customary 1-pound clamshells
• Panelists cited, in addition to convenience, the perception that the snack-sized packs would keep the berries fresher than conventional packaging

Dole Go Berries! are set to begin arriving in stores in mid-February at an SRP comparable to Dole strawberries in traditional 1-pound clamshells.

Dole

DELANO, CA & FORT PIERCE, FL - Wonderful Citrus, a leading grower, shipper, and packer of fresh citrus, has announced a set of strategic acquisitions in Florida. The company has purchased DNE World Fruit and DNE International, a leading Florida citrus marketer and exporter, respectively. Additionally, the company has purchased the assets of World Pack Cold Storage, a division of DNE Imports.

“The addition of DNE and World Pack to the Wonderful Citrus family significantly enhances our ability to serve customers year-round with a variety of fresh citrus offerings,” said David Krause, President of Wonderful Citrus, according to a press release. “We’re thrilled that this makes us the top grapefruit distributor in America and allows us to serve as the exclusive marketer for all of DNE’s Florida citrus.”

Wonderful Citrus is acquiring DNE’s citrus marketing and import business, along with World Pack’s cold storage, bagging, repack, and distribution center in New Jersey. This acquisition, combined with the other strategic acquisitions such as I. Kunik Company and B&S Grupo Exportador in 2016, position Wonderful Citrus to continue climbing as a leading importer of counter-seasonal citrus products in the U.S., while doubling the company’s grapefruit position.

“Wonderful Citrus is a well-respected leader within the fresh citrus industry,” said Greg Nelson, President of DNE World Fruit, according to the statement. “The opportunity to significantly expand our sales reach and access new markets was a very attractive part of this deal. We look forward to teaming up with Wonderful to better leverage our collective strengths in the global citrus marketplace.”

DNE’s sales employees will be offered positions with Wonderful Citrus, and Greg Nelson will stay on with the company as an advisor.

Wonderful Citrus

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Jacobs Village Farm satisfied a reparation order issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).

According to a USDA press release, the Brooklyn, New York-based company can continue operating in the produce industry upon applying for and being issued a PACA license. Jacob Yusifov was listed as the Officer, Director, and Major Stockholder of the business, and may now be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee.

USDA is required to impose sanctions on a 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.

Once a reparation order is fully satisfied and it is confirmed that there are not any outstanding unpaid awards, USDA lifts the employment restrictions of the previously named, responsibly connected individuals. USDA also requires any unlicensed company that fully satisfies all unpaid reparation awards to obtain a license if it continues to operate in the industry.

In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. Its experts also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $140 million.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service

SACRAMENTO, CA - Punxsutawney Phil has spoken, and it looks like this Groundhog Day is predicting the produce industry will be seeing six more weeks of winter.

For me, Groundhog Day brings another image to mind: Bill Murray, reliving the same day over and over again, quipping and quibbling with coworkers and townsfolk (“they’re hicks, Rita”), and even asking arresting police officers “too early for flapjacks?”

In the last twenty-odd years, Harold Ramis' Groundhog Day, the 1993 feature film starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, has become a modern classic that still holds up today. The movie is about perfecting his day-to-day, hum-drum life into something magnificent.

Written, directed, acted, and produced by one of my favorite comedic authors, Harold Ramis—a real auteur, who cut his teeth at National Lampoon and SCTV. Ramis has written comedies like Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, and Stripes that, in my opinion, still hold up today. He has since cemented his place in the cannon of great comedic filmmakers.

Ramis was an extraordinary talent and Groundhog Day is a treat that bears repeat viewings. There are too many favorite moments to list in one story.

How does this relate to produce? I'm not sure, but I couldn't help myself.