PELION, SC – Continuing its annual partnership, WP Rawl joined with Wreaths Across America—a program honoring fallen US Veterans with holiday wreaths—in donating and delivering wreaths to the graves of vets in South Carolina.

WP Rawl and Wreaths Across America donated services to the Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia, SC, where sponsored wreathes were laid on the graves of fallen vets during an annual wreath-laying ceremony.

“We are always glad to give back to our community in any way that we can,” said Ashley Rawl, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Product Development. “Being part of Wreaths Across America is near and dear to our hearts, as many of our Rawl family members and family of employees are veterans. We are honored to be able to support a great cause and give back to those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can have the freedoms we enjoy today.”

In addition to sponsoring wreaths to be laid on the graves of vets, the company redecorated one of its dedicated 53-foot reefer trailers with the Wreaths Across America logo and a graphic of the national cemetery. The trailer journeyed from Maine, where it picked up a load of wreaths, to the Florence National Cemetery in South Carolina.

A number of WP Rawl employees also joined the ranks of volunteers across the country who participated in National Wreaths Across America Day on December 17, distributing wreaths in honor of our departed servicemen.

WP Rawl

WASHINGTON, DC - Produce Managers represent the face of the industry before the consumer. And as many retailers have told me since we began covering this amazing program, when looking at the big picture of increasing overall consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, it truly is the retail produce manager that plays that role. With time running out to submit nominations for the United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program for 2017, I thought I would speak with some of the current retail participants as they discuss the impact of the program and the essential nature of the Produce Manager. 

As Mike Orf, Assistant Vice President, Produce Operations, Hy-Vee, shares with me, the company has been honored to have had the opportunity to participate in the United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program. 

“I consider their awards program to be one of the most prestigious accomplishments a Produce Manager ever receives. The individuals who have been fortunate enough to be named a winner would tell you this is the biggest highlight of their career. It’s fantastic to see the men and women who are the face of the produce industry to be recognized and called out for their creative displays and innovative approach to increasing produce consumption in their communities,” Mike tells me. “I personally know how much pride these winning Produce Managers have in being recognized, and something they will never forget the rest of their life. It’s been an honor and a joy to be a part of the United Fresh program!”

Echoing that same sentiment is Greg Corrigan, Senior Director of Produce and Floral for Raley’s Family of Fine Stores.

“Produce Managers work incredibly hard to keep not only the produce department stocked, merchandized, and inviting for our guests, but they also keep the dialogue open with consumers and maintain the front line,” Greg says. “It’s a great opportunity for us to recognize them and honor them for selling our great products, and recognizing their commitment to fresh produce, innovative merchandising, community service, and customer satisfaction.” 

This program has grown from an initial winning class of eight winners in 2005 to the current annual 25 honorees. Nearly 300 Produce Managers have been honored since the program’s inception, representing more than 90 retail banners. Traditionally, United Fresh receives hundreds of nominations each year and are grateful to a selection committee made up of former retailers, merchandisers, and produce industry representatives who review and contrast nominations for a month to determine each years’ winners.  

Joe Turco, Senior Category Manager, Produce Business Unit for Loblaw Companies, shares that he believes that United Fresh provides an avenue to reward Produce Managers. “These individuals are the front lines to our customers, and should be recognized with a sense of self-worth for all the efforts they do day-in and day-out. It also exposes them to another side of the business they are not familiar with.”

Tops Friendly Markets has been nominating Produce Managers for a few years now. Many of those in the industry that have been around awhile can recall the Produce Manager role as a coveted position in the grocery store, as Jeff Cady, Director of Produce and Floral shares with me. Over the years, that feeling seemed to fade slightly to some, he adds. The United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program has reversed that and added credibility back to a job that truly deserves it. 

"Seeing how proud the produce managers are when they are told that they won is priceless. They stand a little taller and talk with more confidence. That is a huge impact. Not just for themselves, but their peers," Jeff tells me. "Also, when they get to go to the United Fresh Convention in June, it take those feelings to the next level. That along with the realization of just how big this industry really is." 

He adds that Produce Managers play a critical role in Tops Friendly Markets' stores. They are the presumed expert. When a customer comes in and starts asking questions about how to pick that, or how to cook this, or what does that taste like, the produce manager has to provide the answers.

"So not only do produce managers have to order product, cull through the department for 'off condition' product everyday and merchandise their departments everyday, but they also have to have some cooking knowledge, grower knowledge, and product knowledge," he says. "No one goes up to the grocery clerk and asks 'how do you pick a ripe can of pears?' or 'how is the chicken noodle soup eating this time of year?' The role of a Produce Manager is a job with many facets, and many rewards." 

Big Y Foods has been another one of the retailers deeply involved with the United Fresh Retail Produce Managers Award Program going on seven years, now. As Kevin Barry, Director of Produce and Floral says, it is a tremendous program that recognizes the importance of Produce Managers who deal directly with the end customer. Their execution at store level is essential in maintaining a strong produce industry.

“The program offers the winners the opportunity to travel to the United Fresh Convention not only to be recognized by the industry for setting the standards of excellence in their stores but it allows them to interact with members of the industry on many different levels,” Kevin shares. “Having won the award, the story of the Produce Manager and their accomplishments, are featured in one of our weekly ads. This allows our customers to view that the Produce Managers at Big Y are some of the best in the industry. It also inspires other produce managers to raise the bar in their own departments.” 

As Kevin adds, the process of selecting a manager for Big Y involves Directors in both the operations division and sales division. The Produce Director and District Directors submit the names of the Produce Managers in their areas that they feel are deserving of this award. After much discussion, a selection is made and the nomination papers are submitted.

Alfonso Cano, Director of Produce, Northgate Gonzalez, LLC understands and promotes the role of the Produce Manager and how they play such an essential role without all the praise–but praise which they definitely do deserve. 

“Produce Managers are the most essential piece of our companies fresh strategy. Buyers, merchandisers, and operators may get all the attention from the outside, but in the inside our Produce Managers execute and sell, daily,” Alfonso says. “We are behind the scenes while the Produce Manager connects and influences the real end-user and the other associates on the sales floor. This award brings positive energy while creating healthy competition within the companies produce managers. We look forward to competing every year and rewarding a deserving produce manager, if chosen.” 

It is not too late to get your nominations into United Fresh!  January 6th, 2017 is right around the corner, so click here and share your Produce Manager’s success with the industry today.

United Fresh Produce Association

SANTA PAULA, CA - It’s been a big and bountiful quarter for Calavo Growers. In the company’s latest FY and Q4 2016 financial report, Calavo revealed it has nearly doubled its net income over last year, with plans to again increase revenues by double digits in the year to come.

“It is extremely gratifying that Calavo registered such a strong performance in the fourth quarter to cap yet another record-breaking year,” shared Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lee E. Cole upon the results. “Our fourth-quarter operating results helped propel full-year revenues, gross margin, net income, and EPS to new record levels, including double-digit growth of those latter three metrics. In the final quarter, the company achieved solid revenue increases in each of the company’s three business segments: Fresh, Renaissance Foods Group (RFG), and Calavo Foods.”

As a result of these big income increases, Calavo’s stock shot up substantially. As of December 20 at 4:30 PM EST, Calavo’s stock was up 15.75%, the highest the company has reached in the past one month.

In total, net income for the quarter grew 93% to reach $9.2 million, equal to $0.53 per diluted share. Quarterly revenues increased over 19 percent to reach $247.7 million, a record for the company’s yearly final quarter, up from $208.0 million in last year’s fourth quarter. Fiscal year 2016 brought net income soaring by nearly 40%, reaching a record of record $38.0 million, approximating $2.18 per diluted share. Full-year revenues increased to a record $935.7 million, a 9 percent increase from fiscal 2015.

“Our nearly 40 percent increase in full-year net income is an even more impressive achievement when placed into the context of expenses Calavo absorbed in fiscal 2016 related to growth initiatives across our company,” Cole continued. “We intend to build upon this success and expect fiscal 2017 to be yet another record breaking year for Calavo. Growth initiatives put in motion over the past 18 months will help propel continued growth in revenue and net income for Calavo in 2017.”

In Calavo’s full fiscal report, other highlights for Q4 included:

• Diluted EPS Rises to 53 Cents Versus 28 Cents in the Prior Year
• Gross Margin Jumps 34 Percent to $27.1 Million from $20.2 Million
• Fresh business segment revenues rose to $143.4 million, a 24 percent increase
• RFG business segment revenues rose to $87.9 million, a 14 percent increase

As we look to fiscal year 2017, AndNowUKnow will continue to share all the latest industry financial news straight to your inbox.

Calavo Growers

SALINAS, CA - Holiday merriment and marketing are both making themselves known with the latest from the Mann Packing team, with both an engaging blooper reel and the latest launch of the company’s Girlfriends Guide for Moms.

“Moms and millennials alike will be pleasantly surprised to find how convenient these veggies are to prepare and how easy it is to add them to traditional recipes,” said Gina Nucci, Director of Corporate Marketing, about the new holiday edition.

The release showcases do-it-yourself, delicious seasonal recipes using the company’s innovative Culinary Cuts® line of specialty vegetables, according to a press release.

The guide includes pre-packaged and ready-to-eat Culinary Cuts like:

• Sweet Potato Ribbons
• Butternut Squash Zig Zags
• Cauliflower Cauliettes™
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli Clovers

“We want people to think differently about eating healthy during the holidays, and with our Culinary Cuts and new Girlfriends Guide of select recipes, consumers get meal solutions when they need it most,” Nucci added.

Or should we say Gina Broccolini? The Director of Corporate Marketing turns Veggie News Anchor in Mann Packing’s promotional videos, the most recent being a hilarious composite of bloopers.

But please, don’t take my word for it. Watch for yourself in the clip below.

Once done with your morning, mid-week chuckle, you can check out the holiday edition of Girlfriends Guide for Moms, available free on the Mann’s website here.

Recently, Mann Packing also teamed up with social media influencers Simply Stacie and Ginger Casa in hosting a healthy holiday cooking-themed Twitter party, as well as having ran a Pin-to-Win contest with more than 1,400 participants and an Instagram contest.

You can access all online promotions for Culinary Cuts via the company’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, as well as by using the hashtag #CulinaryCuts.

Mann Packing

AUSTIN, TX - Hot on the heels of its recent expansion in North Texas, H-E-B has purchased a 17.2-acre plot in the Del Valle area of Austin, Texas—an area poised for rapid growth.

“As we review our long-term planning options it often makes sense to purchase property in advance of our current real estate needs,” said Leslie Sweet, H-E-B’s Director of Public Affairs for Central Texas, according to Austin-based news source Statesmen. “Development in Southeast Austin and Del Valle has been encouraging and it made sense to invest in this land. We have a network of stores in East Austin, and we remain interested in this community and look forward to watching it grow and develop.”

The purchase is part of a 390-acre swath called “Velocity Crossing,” zoned for mixed-use projects. The Crossing, annexed by the city in October of 2013, is the proposed site of an ambitious development project, and landowners Karl Koebel, Doug Lanius, and George Robinson III are hoping H-E-B will provide an anchor around which other businesses will congregate.

The area is primed for rapid growth, with 55,916 homes planned for the area according to Metrostudy, a service that tracks the Austin-area housing market.

“We believe a sale to a major grocery store ratifies the strength of the location, and is a precursor for additional retail services within the Velocity Crossing mixed use development,” Koebel said. “The area is undergoing significant growth and we are pleased to be a catalyst of the rapidly expanding market.”

Ultimately, Velocity’s Crossing is expected to include retail, office, local arts and entertainment, apartment, hotel, and industrial spaces.

H-E-B has yet to develop a concrete development plan for the site, but the expanding San Antonio-based grocer is almost certainly planning to grow its already imposing presence in Austin. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for developments as they occur.

H-E-B

DETROIT, MI – Ah, Detroit. Bustling metropolitan of my home state and also the birthplace of Motown, the Tigers, and…pickle thievery? This looks to be the case in the latest round of food-focused news coming out of Motor City. Some innovative bandits of a new sort have apparently absconded with $13,867 worth of products from artisan pickle maker McClure’s.

“I have done a lot of things in my 18 years as a police officer, but didn’t think I would be setting aside other work to be out looking for a pickle bandit,” Detroit Detective Mike Pacteles told The Detroit News. 

Our pickled tale first starts with the illicit nabbing itself. McClure’s employees alerted authorities to the uncommon crime after noticing a substantial amount of product missing from its St. Aubin warehouse.

After inspecting its inventory, the company accounted for the following transformed cucumber products that were nabbed from its operations: 

• 14 five-gallon pickle containers
• 18 one-gallon pickle containers
• 58 cases of pickle chips
• Bloody Mary mix

Fast-forward and more pickle debauchery is unveiled with company employees seeing the aforementioned McClure’s products at stores that the company does not distribute to. Five stores were found selling the pickles in question at equally as questionable “bargain prices.” For instance, jars that normally retail for $9-10 per jar were being offered for $3-4 a jar.

The pickle plot continues to thicken as any stores as Dectective Pacteles stated that stores selling the improperly procured products could face felony charges for receiving and concealing stolen property. If convicted, store managers or owners could face weighty fines and prison time.

“We assume that this is an inside job involving employees or former employees, and will be able to eventually identify the person or persons involved, and they could be facing theft and embezzlement charges,” he stated, asserting several suspects have already been produced in the investigation, and the stores selling these products may be facing inspections.

Will the pickle thieves be fully revealed, returning my favorite briny treats to their rightful place? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow to find out.

WENATCHEE, WA - Though the winter months typically see pear sales slightly less strong than the fall, CMI Orchards’ Vice President of Marketing Steve Lutz has some advice for retailers looking to boost pear sales this winter.

The key for retailers wanting to maintain pear category performance, according to Lutz, is to pivot quickly to winter pear varieties while leveraging the emerging opportunities in new pear packaging.

“We’re entering the months where retailers can really drive incremental consumer purchases of winter pears, especially if they leverage the smaller, high-quality, two-pound pouches. Last year we saw Best in Class retailers driving up to 25% of their total Anjou sales in these smaller pouch bags,” Lutz said, in a company press release.

During the winter, a significant shift in pear varieties and packaging occurs as retailers transition from focusing primarily on Bartlett pears to selling winter varieties.

“Winter marks the major category transition from Bartlett’s to Anjou and Bosc,” said Lutz. “National retail performance data reveals that while pear category dollars decline only slightly (- 7%) between Q4 and Q1, Bartlett sales drop by nearly 50% while Anjou dollars soar by 83%. Getting this product transition right in terms of displays and packaging is the key for supermarkets to maintain pear category performance.”

Lutz remarked the emergence of new pear packaging as a factor in changing how retailers build pear displays and drive overall category growth. Over the past few years, retailers have discovered that high graphic two-pound pear pouch bags drive sales—in fact, Lutz noted, they have been among the fastest growing segments in the pear category.

“When we look at Best in Class pear retailers in the United States, two trends jump out,” said Lutz. “The Best in Class retailers are growing their pear category much faster than competitors. Secondly, they dominate by merchandising two-pound pouch bags without damaging sales in the profitable bulk pear segment. These top retailers sell more bulk pears to drive category dollars but shift consumers away from larger value bags into higher priced two-pound pouches.”

For more strategies to improve category sales, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.

CMI Orchards

AVONDALE, PA - In the company’s continued crusade to share its internal culture with the outside world, To-Jo Mushrooms has extended a helping hand in support of the 3rd annual Toys for Eli Tour. To-Jo has partnered with the Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation, together gathering and donating over 1,000 toys for the A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, DE.  

“To-Jo is proud to support the 2016 Toys for Eli Tour,” shared To-Jo’s President, Anthony D’Amico. “Partnering with Paul and the team from the Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation this holiday season was an idea brought to my attention from one of our employees. Everyone rallied around the campaign, as it really extended our internal culture out into the community. Seeing the reaction from the hospital staff when we delivered the toys was just amazing.”

During the entire month of December, To-Jo placed collection bins throughout its facility and, in total, was able to collect 100s of items in support of the cause. The campaign was supported in a partnership between To-Jo and dozens of other area businesses. As explained by the company’s press release, the Toys for Eli Tour is one more example of local partnerships coming together to support the community in a big way during the holidays. 

Over the past 3 years, the Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation has donated both time and resources in efforts to improve children’s lives in memory of Eli Matthews. Eli’s father, Paul Matthews, and Bryan Blittersdorf started the Toys for Eli Tour in 2014 in hopes of delivering toys to one floor in one hospital on Christmas morning, and after its resounding success, now delivers toys to the A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, John Hopkins Cancer Center, and the Solca Loja Hospital in Ecuador. 

Much appreciation to the whole To-Jo team for continuing to keep the spirit of the holidays alive!

To-Jo Mushrooms

DEERFIELD, IL & CAMP HILL, PA - It seems, despite much whisper and rumor, neither Kroger nor Albertsons will be buying up hundreds of Rite Aids as the chain looks to be acquired by Walgreens Boots Alliance.

865 stores are being sold to drug store chain Fred's Inc. for $950 million as Walgreens looks to attain the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) blessing for its grander purchase of the entire Rite Aid banner for upwards of $9.4 billion.

"With this agreement, we are moving ahead with important work necessary to obtain approval of our acquisition of Rite Aid,” said Walgreens Boots Alliance’s Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Stefano Pessina, in a press release. “We look forward to continuing to provide our customers and patients with the highest level of care and attention."

As we reported previously, both Kroger and Albertsons were speculated to be in the running for the several hundred stores as each looks to expand further. These speculative expansions for the retailers were based upon the geographical possibilities presented by the Rite Aid stores.

In the end, however, Pessina said that the company as pleased to find an “experienced pharmacy operator," for the stores sold.

Walgreens noted that it is actively engaged in discussions with the FTC regarding the transaction and working toward a close of the Rite Aid acquisition. Should all go through smoothly, the deal is expected to close in early calendar 2017.

In total, Rite Aid has about 4,500 locations (minus those just sold) to add to Walgreens’ current count of 8,137 stores in the U.S.

Stay tuned as we embark on a new year with new opportunities for growth in retail and beyond.

Walgreens

ROTTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS – In a wave of produce-focused drama, authorities recently swarmed and scoured 150 containers of fruit in the Port of Rotterdam after suspicious activity. Such instincts were well-founded as officials uncovered cocaine hidden within the containers, hailing from Panama. 

Officials were first alerted to illicit activities after intruders were spotted within the Port’s ECT Delta Terminal. At this point, due to a heightened rate of drug activity lately within the Port, authorities blocked the section that contained over 300 containers so they could begin their search. 

According to news source RTV Rijnmond, over 600 pounds of cocaine were found throughout the Port as part of a massive authority sweep. From this rubble of nefarious drugs, over 55 pounds (or 25 kilos) were pulled specifically from their resting place nestled amongst fruit, although conflicting reports do have that number pegged as much higher. 

"It looks like we are heading for a white Christmas," said Press Officer Ernst Pols. "The drug flow is too great, and that we must reduce. That means, in the future, we will increase our alertness." 

The Port was host to all sorts of sketchy behavior during the bust, as authorities have noted a recent rise in drug activity in the Port. Amongst the searched containers, whose true contents were revealed by drug dogs, officials also reported apprehended men cutting open containers to possibly search for more drugs. More opened and missing containers were reported as well, which could signify the removal of cocaine from the Port before authorities were alerted. 

As Netherlands Customs, HARC team, and other authorities coordinate together to make arrests and clamp down on drug-filled fruit behavior, The Telegraph NL reported that over 27,500 pounds (12,500 kilos) of cocaine have been legally thwarted this year alone, which is several thousand more than average.

What strange pairing will fruit, veg, and the underworld make next? AndNowUKnow will be here to apprise you.