SALINAS, CA – Looking to bolster its operations even further to aid in the company’s core strengths, Tanimura & Antle has announced Jeff Jackson as its new Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. 

Jeff brings more than 34 years of produce knowledge to the T&A team. As a member of its leadership, the company stated in a press release that Jeff will assist T&A in a new and exciting time, while leveraging the company’s values to drive further commitment to quality, service, and innovation.

“Like a shark, if a company is not moving forward, it dies. With that said, I am very pleased to announce Jeff Jackson as the newest addition to our team. Jeff will be an outstanding asset to our existing leadership and will assist us with becoming even more customer centric, providing solutions to customer’s every need,” stated Rick Antle, CEO & President.

In his new role, Jeff will help T&A seek and secure new growth opportunities, and work with the existing sales team in order to further bolster the company’s success as a world-class organization. 

The company also stated that Jeff will be stepping into the shoes of Mike Antle with this appointment. Mike will still continue with T&A as an Executive Director of the Board for the company. 

Jeff first began a long and well-decorated career in produce in 1983, with the then-newly developing Fresh Express. From there, Jeff moved into a position as Cincinnati’s Club Chef’s President, before spending 20 years with Chiquita in various global Senior Management roles. Jeff also spent 8 years as the CEO of the Moraitis Company, one of Australia’s largest fresh produce companies, which owned and operated farming, processing, and wholesale businesses throughout the country.

After wishing to move back to the U.S. to be closer to his family, Jeff found himself in his most recent position with Earthbound Farm as its Vice President & General Manager. T&A continued to emphasize that Jeff’s professional expertise aligns with the company’s culture of employees with Attitude, Ownership, and Accountability.

Congratulations on the new appointment, Jeff, and we here at AndNowUKnow can’t wait to see you flourish with the T&A team! 

Tanimura & Antle

LEAMINGTON, ON - In addition to its product portfolio and greenhouse innovations, Westmoreland-TopLine Farms has even more to offer its customers and the industry at large; commitment to sustainability. At the forefront of this company initiative is an intensive solar panel installation. 

This project, as Jimmy Coppola, Account Marketing Manager at Westmoreland-TopLine Farms, recently told me, was a big one to undergo, but a decision easily made. 

“Going solar fits perfectly into our company’s sustainability initiatives, and helps us offset the energy we consume by generating excess that others around us can utilize,” Jimmy says of the recent installation. “Solar panels also help us continue to reduce our carbon footprint, and ensures that we continue to do so well into the future.”

Westmoreland-TopLine Farms will collect 770 MWh of power each year through the installed 2,325 solar panels. Collected from the rooftop of its Leamington facility, Jimmy says the power will provide for the company’s local grid; including the facility itself, as well as the closest homes, greenhouses, and businesses surrounding it.

“Solar panels will simultaneously increase our efficiencies for energy consumption, and also further reduce waste as we’re now able to fully monitor the input and output of energy, and identify where needless waste is occurring,” Jimmy continues, stating that the panels will also allow for less power to be lost in transmission than traditional power delivery.

Beyond saving 532 tons of carbon emissions per year, roughly equivalent to planting 13,390 trees, with the new solar panels adorning its roof, Westmoreland-TopLine Farms has its eyes set even further than just the solar horizon. 

“At the very least, we hope our customers and consumers of our products are aware of our efforts to better ourselves and the operations we run through safe and healthy energy choices,” Jimmy tells me. 

From greenhouses with solar curtains, water treated with UV to minimize water and fertilizer loss, to packing facilities with energy-conserving LEDs and packaging with less plastics and more compostable and recyclable elements, Westmoreland-TopLine Farms has more plans in place to function sustainably. 

“A project like solar, or any that can generate renewable energy, benefits not only our industry but every industry. These actions ensure future generations have an environment they can enjoy as we have, and that natural resources are conserved,” Jimmy says of the forerunning industry initiative.

And as the company continues its 20-year commitment to giving sustainability an important place at its table of business, we can’t wait to see where Westmoreland-TopLine Farms heads next.

TopLine Farms

AUSTIN, TX - Could Whole Foods be exploring a sale? Reports have surfaced of the possibility, which is being pushed by one of the chain’s largest shareholders. The proposal comes among plans to make “sweeping changes” to Whole Foods' strategy, Bloomberg reported.

“Whole Foods Market values the strong and open relationships we have with our shareholders,” Brooke Buchanan, Vice President of Communications & Government Affairs for Whole Foods, said in an e-mail to Bloomberg. “As discussed on Wednesday’s earnings call, we are focused on pursuing the right strategies to position the company to produce strong results and returns for our shareholders over the long term.”

According to the report, the shareholder in question has met with potential activist investors to address the restructuring. Further changes on the table besides selling, people familiar with the matter told the news source, include possibly replacing management.

As we previously reported, last week's earnings call also revealed a changeup in leadership, removing the Co-CEO structure that has governed the retailer thus far. This included Walter Robb stepping down from his position.

The shareholder was not named in the report, only that it is in Whole Foods’ top ten, and several investors that wished to remain anonymous confirmed to the news source that they were both aware of the suggestion and “are studying Whole Foods carefully.”

Currently, Whole Foods has a market value of about $8.9 billion. AndNowUKnow will continue to report on this story as further details develop.

Whole Foods Market

ROSEMONT, IL - US Foods Holding Corp. announced results for the third quarter of fiscal 2016 yesterday, November 8.

“Our third quarter results reflected strong performance in many areas, including volume growth and improved profitability,” said President and CEO Pietro Satriano, according to a press release. “Top line momentum and margin expansion, despite deflationary pressures, continue to demonstrate that our Great Food. Made Easy. strategy is resonating with independent restaurants and other customers. Our M&A pipeline remains strong, with two new acquisitions closed since the beginning of the fourth quarter.”

US Foods saw short term growth across a variety of categories. Third quarter highlights included:

• Total case volume growth of 4% and Independent Restaurant volume rose 5.5%
• A net sales increase of 0.8%, up to $5.8 billion
• Gross profit of $1.0 billion, up 2%
• A $42 million increase in operating income to $115 million
• A net income increase from $128 million to $133 million
• An Adjusted EBITDA increase of 8.4% to $244 million

Satriano added, “With the successful rollout of our new field operating model now substantially complete, we have launched two new initiatives that will contribute to EBITDA margin expansion. As a result of our strong year-to-date performance, we have increased our outlook for full year Adjusted EBITDA growth to 9-10%.”

As a result of this report, the company has modified its projections for fiscal 2016, and has raised expections, though fourth quarter results are expected to be slightly down, year over year, because of a 53rd week, which occurred in 2015 but will not take place in 2016. 

For more updates on the current state and fiscal future of foodservice companies, check back in with AndNowUKnow.

US Foods

HAMMONTON, NJ - At Frank Donio, Inc., sustainability is at the forefront of company’s overall mission for success. Operating a business that utilizes the land means sustainability is not only beneficial to the quality of the products, but also part of a larger responsibility to be good stewards of the land.

In the U.S. alone, it is estimated that more than 30 percent of edible food goes to waste. Food waste contributes the largest volume of material in the U.S. landfills, making up to 21 percent of the waste stream. Donio’s is committed to not only reducing this negative impact on the land but to also replenish it using recycled food waste.

From practices including traditional composting methods and vermicomposting, to encouraging food waste prevention in the office and partnering with local businesses throughout the community, sustainability is a part of everyday life at Donio’s. Waste is transformed using the same processes that occur in nature into a nutrient-rich product used to replenish the soil.

Sustainability for Frank Donio, Inc. is about maintaining the balance between People, Planet, and Profit. All three sides win when healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables are responsibly grown. Reducing waste, creating natural fertilizers, reducing the use of artificial fertilizers, and replenishing the earth with essential nutrients results in products with the highest quality and value.

Consumers today are increasingly more concerned with how and from where their food is sourced, and the practices of the companies they buy from. With Donio’s, both the retailer and the consumer can rest assured that their fresh food is grown and handled in safe and natural ways, guided by sustainability.

Frank Donio Inc.

CINCINNATI, OH - As retailers across the buy-side board bolster their team members with holiday hires, Kroger is looking to make more permanent moves with hiring events to be held at every location. The store will be hiring veterans, their family members, and non-veterans alike. 

First up, Kroger announced a veteran-focused hiring event will be going on at all locations this Wednesday, November 9.

"Kroger is deeply committed to the nation's veterans and their families, and providing opportunities to advance along a variety of career paths is one way we show our support," said Tim Massa, Kroger's Group Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations. "Kroger is a place where you can come for a job and stay for a career." 

Potential candidates can apply in-store on Wednesday from 11 am to 4 pm without an appointment, online, or on a mobile device. According to a press release, this nationwide hiring boost is open to all veterans and their family members. Sources such as WBIR.com noted that many locations, such as those in East Tennessee, will be accepting non-veteran affiliated applications during the hiring event, as well. 

In addition to its veteran focus, news source AL.com stated that Kroger will also be holding interviews for 700 full-time and part-time positions in its locations throughout Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. From the looks of the company’s current job board, it has no plans to stop there. 

Kroger currently employs over 431,000 associates in its more than 2,781 locations throughout the nation.

This event marks the third, and last, of one-day hiring events for Kroger this year. During May, Kroger hired more than 11,496 associates, with 12,500 team members joining the team during its August event. The company emphasized that around 70 percent of Kroger’s managers once started as part-time clerks. 

Could this move be indication of further growth for Kroger? AndNowUKnow will keep an eye on the buy-side sector as the industry moves through the holidays and beyond.

Kroger Co. 

SALINAS, CA - In most cases, the industry transition from California Northern growing regions down to the desert in Yuma, AZ, has passed the halfway mark and is nearing completion. I touched base with Tanimura & Antle’s Anthony Mazzuca, Director of Commodity Management, to understand what is on the horizon for the final stretch in leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and celery.

“Growers have experienced a handful of rains in Salinas which can create quality issues in product. Late season crops are typically the most sensitive to fluctuations in weather, which makes harvest estimates increasingly unpredictable,” Mazzuca explained.

Despite the rains, the current outlook does not indicate there will be any gap in supply, though the weather did create a short-lived firmness in the markets. As Thanksgiving draws near, demand will continue to increase and likely result in some higher prices. Mazzuca did note that the celery market has continued to be strong, with industry volumes looking a little short for the upcoming holiday pull. Additionally, the broccoli market is continuing to show some strength.

The company reports that cauliflower and broccoli, currently coming out of Salinas, will begin production from Yuma as early as November 12th. Following that, the majority of lettuce varieties will shift from Huron to Yuma on November 19th. The transition will end with Tanimura & Antle Artisan® Romaine and Tanimura & Antle Artisan® Lettuce joining up the first few weeks of December, with celery crossing the finish line from Oxnard to Yuma at the end of the year.

Tanimura & Antle

PASADENA, CA - It’s a brand that you just can’t take your eyes off of. Maybe it’s because I love kiwifruit, or maybe it is simply because this eye-catching, fun-filled program from the grower of Cuties® has its finger on the pulse of today’s consumer.

Now in its third year, Sun Pacific’s Mighties® program is bolstering sales in the kiwifruit category, Victoria Nuevo-Celeste, VP of Marketing, tells me, and drawing new purchasers across generations and demographics.

“Retailers participating in the Mighties program report category sales increases of more than 25 percent year over year since Mighties launched, and this is a testament to the efforts we are making on the marketing front and the support of the brand by our retailer partners,” Victoria says. “With our marketing solutions and educational outreach, we are creating a destination at retail and are bringing kiwifruit further into the mainstream.”

With California Mighties season about to begin, the best way to drive impulse sales for the category is to display Mighties in a visible area, next to your most popular fast moving items, such as Cuties®, Victoria shares. Sun Pacific offers impactful high-graphic display shippers and other point-of-sale materials that catch consumers’ attention in the produce section. Mighties clamshells trade up shoppers to a higher ring, driving increased consumption and repeat purchases of its ripe and ready-to-eat kiwi. 

So what is next for Sun Pacific? Growth, of course.

“Sun Pacific is the largest grower of kiwifruit in North America, and we are planning to triple our supply by 2025. We will also be adding organic Mighties to our portfolio for the 2017 season,” Victoria adds.

Currently, Mighties are available in one-, two-, three-, and four-pound clamshells, and are verified non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project.

Sun Pacific

YUCATAN, MX – Despite a challenging autumn, Southern Valley has set its sights on the promise of product coming out of its Yucatan farm.

Kent Hamilton, President and Co-Owner of Southern Valley, recently returned from Southern Valley Yucatan, said in a press release, “The crops look the best they have in a long time and the season is off to a great start.”

“Our early Mexico crops look great!” said Dug Schwalls, Director of Sales, echoing Hamilton’s optimism. “We are excited about getting started with our winter time production and being able to provide a Mexican product solution with East Coast loading for all of our existing and potential customers.”

In 2003, after over fifteen years of successful operation in Georgia, Southern Valley ventured into Yucatan to better supply its customers with winter produce. In the thirteen ensuing years, despite turbulence, the company established itself a successful farming operation in Mexico and closed the seasonal gaps they had experienced in the early-2000s.

"Unlike many farms in Mexico, our farm is actually owned, farmed, and operated by Southern Valley," explained Jon Schwalls, Director of Operations. "We do not contract out to a grower in Mexico. We are not buying from a supplier. We are the farmer, supplier, packer, and shipper. Southern Valley de Yucatan is Southern Valley. This makes our farm American-owned and operated unlike many farms in Mexico, which only serve as suppliers to an American distributor."

Jon continued, "We are not simply a farming operation that has invested money into the soil of another company. Instead we are a company that actually owns the soil we farm. We don’t have to assume what is taking place on the farm in Mexico: we know. Because we are the ones who bought the land, prepped the soil, and built the packing houses. We designed and built Southern Valley de Yucatan from the ground up–literally."

The company sows and germinates its renowned Pole-Grown cucumbers, among other categories, in greenhouses on its Yucatan farm. The cucumbers and other items are then hand-transplanted into the soil. The Yucatan farm supplies Southern Valley with several categories from mid-November through mid-May, filling in the gap between fall and spring produce grown in Georgia. Other offerings grown in Mexico this winter include:

• Pickles
• Eggplant
• Yellow squash
• Zucchini
• Hard squash
• Green beans

Expect delicious produce this winter to bolster Southern Valley’s sales going into next year.

Southern Valley

KNOXVILLE, MD - Behold—if you’ve never seen an over 3-foot-long cucumber you are certainly in for a treat. This colossal cuke comes courtesy of 72-year-old, Knoxville, Maryland native, Butch Taulton, whose 43-inch monstrosity has newly broken the Guinness World Record for longest cucumber.

Much to the chagrin of professional growers across the world, the record-breaking retiree grew the cuke right on his 3-acre home garden with seeds he purchased from his local Home Depot. According to The World Record Academy, Taulton’s 43-inch triumph has unseated former holder of the longest cuke title, Ian Neale of Wales in the United Kingdom, who presented his veg in September of 2011. 

"I just kept watering it and it kept growing," Taulton told the Record Academy. "The packet of seeds from Home Depot said they would grow between 32 to 36 inches long—they weren't supposed to get this big.”

It looks like Taulton won't exactly be enjoying the fruits of his labor, however. Taulton says although the “exotic cucumber” variety is “sweet, tender, and tasty,” he doesn't have the time it would take to consume the entire giant. The grower spends much of his time since retiring from road construction just growing his garden and tending to his goats.

Mother Nature willing, there will be more bizarre, misshapen, and particularly lengthy produce stories in our future, so stay tuned.