MEXICO - Strawberry growers are asking for help from Michoacan state leader Silvano Aureoles Conejo and the local Congress, alleging they have fallen victim to an international fraudulent scam.

Those that were affected had to put up their combined properties valued at 400 million pesos (about $22 million), plus default interest to bring the case to court, according to news source La Voz de Michoacan, and are seeking aid from legislation to revisit the issue.

The producers said that in 2013 they came to the realization that they had “received credit” from a Guadalajara, Jalisco-based company for finances they never applied for or received, affecting their credit negatively. While the report did not say how bad the impacts were, the company growers named responsible had also allegedly allocated resources to other local fruit companies without ever actually providing funds, according to the source.

When brought to court in 2014, the judge ruled against the growers, finding insufficient evidence. Now the producers are imploring Governor Conejo to intervene on the matter, as the group had to put up their combined properties and are looking to help save not only their land and production, but their reputations as well.

AndNowUKnow will continue to report as this story develops.

VIDALIA, GA – Amidst the bustle of the PMA Fresh Summit show floor, Giro Pack, Inc. reported increased traffic to its booth as attendees collected to see the company’s ‘Ultrabagger.’ The high-tech bagger offers nine different bag styles in just one machine.

“Customers continued to ask for a machine that was versatile enough to accommodate constant changes in demand,” stated Josh Logsdon, West Coast Sales & Marketing Manager for Giro Pack. “The Giro ‘Ultrabagger’ allows packers to remain agile and respond to fluctuations in pack styles–without the capital investment of adding additional equipment.” 

The ‘Ultrabagger’ produces each of its nine bag varieties with Giro’s soft woven net and high-graphic printed film. The soft net bags offer the company’s customers high-visibility of the products encased in the bags, paired with increased breathability and improved shelf-life. 

Bags produced from the ‘Ultrabagger’ can also have handle or finger holes to make for easier handling and transportation, according to a recent press release. Each bag is also available in standard and soft versions to accommodate a diverse selection of categories and their needs, including apples, avocados, citrus, onions, potatoes, and more.

The nine different pack styles available through the versatile ‘Ultrabagger’ are as follows: 

• Ultrabag
• Ultrabag Fashioned
• GirSac
• GirSac Fashioned
• MiniBag
• GirPlus
• GirPluSac
• Window Compact
• Window Ultrabag 

The company stated that it continues to receive positive feedback regarding one of the industry’s most flexible automated bagging machines. Giro’s “9 Bags ­– 1 Machine” marketing campaign also helped drive traffic to the company’s PMA booth, which touts the machine’s flexibility. 

For more information on the ‘Ultrabagger,’ contact the Giro Pack team by reaching out to [email protected].

Giro Pack, Inc.

SALINAS, CA – The annual produce migration from California down to Yuma, Arizona, is underway. AndNowUKnow checked in with Church Brothers Farms to get an idea of what this year's transition will look like for the leafy green purveyor.

“October 24th was our first day of lettuce in Huron, with Salinas lettuce finishing up by November 4,” said Jason Lathos, Manager of Commodities for Church Brothers “Yuma will also start on the 4th, setting us up for a seamless transition.”

The Church Brothers processing plant will pack up and move on November 17th, and be set up to start shipping the brand's full line from Yuma by November 21st.

“History has shown that when it rains during the transition, the markets tend to go up. With local crops finishing for the season, we get an increase in West Coast demand,” Lathos explained. “Michigan celery is a great example, demand increased as they finished, right before the Thanksgiving holiday shipments.”

Church Brothers predicts that West Coast demand will increase on all crops due to the finish in local product creating a higher market. If the upcoming rain creates quality issues, markets may well be higher than anticipated.

For more information on the company's Salinas-Yuma transition, watch the short video above!

Church Brothers Farms

BOSTON, MA - Look out meal kit industry—Whole Foods is throwing its hat in the ring of one of food’s fastest growing industries. As part of a new pilot program with vegan meal kit company, Purple Carrot, the health-conscious retailer will now be providing Boston area stores with boxes of pre-measured ingredients and recipes.

“People might think, ‘Well why would I buy a meal kit online when I could just get it at Whole Foods?’” Andy Levitt, Founder and CEO of Purple Carrot said, according to Eater. “But the meals available online will be different than those available in-store.” Levitt said that this latest partnership will bring the company in front of “a whole new consumer who isn't really aware of how a meal kit works.”

This is Purple Carrot's first move into in-store retail stores, moving away from its e-commerce subscription model, and the first time Whole Foods has partnered with a meal kit company. Although meal selections are expected to rotate periodically, for its initial launch, meals will include cashew korma with cauliflower rice, Mongolian seitan stir fry, and pan-seared tofu and black rice noodles.

Of course, buying Purple Carrot from a Whole Foods does not require a subscription, making wary potential customers more likely to feel comfortable with the idea. Levitt referred to the move as a nice way for the company to expand, with even more potential to grow within the next two months.

“We can evaluate the volume, consumer feedback, and how it all goes, then contemplate rolling this out to other stores in the region,” he concluded.

Will shoppers be able to purchase vegan and veggie-focused meal kits in stores nationwide soon? AndNowUKnow will continue to keep our eyes on this innovative pilot.

Whole Foods Market  Purple Carrot

PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WI - Always working towards maintaining its reputation as a leading manufacturer of fresh food products and beverages in the U.S., Good Foods is looking to expand upon the high quality offerings within its company to further its dedication to delivering convenient and healthy products to consumers. 

This dedication to its customers throughout the nation extends from a focus on sustainability to developing new products as well, as Vice President of Marketing Jim Garsow recently told me. 

“At Good Foods, we’re passionate about creating quality foods to help nourish lives,” Jim says. “Our vision is to make delicious products with convenience, high quality, and mindful nutrition at the forefront. It’s our mission to ‘share the goodness.’” 

Jim tells me that Good Foods’ recipe for premium products is simple; use fresh ingredients, add a dash of culinary creativity, and use a cold pressure process to lock in the freshness, taste, and nutrition of each product.

“We constantly strive to improve traditional foods, and to create exciting new ones,” Jim explains. “We take out all added sugars, saturated fats, and excess sodium to make more room for fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.” 

Good Foods prides itself on never containing artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in its products. Jim tells me that this is due to a company-wide acknowledgement of the importance of proper nutrition both for the self, and family. 

“Good Foods is just like it sounds, something you can feel good about,” Jim says, detailing that the company takes its sustainable efforts just as seriously as its product offerings as Good Food strives towards a zero waste to landfill goal. 

Jim says that to maintain the company’s commitment to its tagline, “We’re real people, using real ingredients, to make really good foods,” Good Foods relies on product sampling, social media, and targeted coupons to differentiate its brand. These methods of special merchandising allow the company to remain connected with its customers.

“All of our products are made in our state-of-the-art production facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin,” Jim says. “Our current product line spans guacamole, Greek yogurt dips, non-dairy dips, protein salads, grain salads, dressings, and cold pressed juices.” 

This focus on keeping innovation and consistently successful is evident in the company’s latest offerings; Grab & Go Snack Packs. Available in four varieties, the snacking option is becoming a consumer favorite for an on-the-go, single-serve food full of energy containing ingredients.

Jim says the to further the push of its new Snack Packs, Good Foods launched a new website at the beginning of October, right during the lead-up to PMA Fresh Summit. 

As the company looks to launch its website and continues the development of new products, stay with AndNowUKnow for the latest.

Good Foods Group

U.S. - Watch out pumpkins, there might be a few new fresh faces representing Halloween in the holidays to come. It seems consumers have been carving into pineapples and watermelons with some fruitful results.

Tampa Bay Times reports that the move can be more cost-effective for consumers (for pineapples especially) and both are an easy vehicle to hallow.

For me, personally, those are some insides I wouldn’t mind munching on while I create a face on the outside of the fruit as well, as opposed to having to wait for seeds to dry and then bake.

When I asked Cesar Pacheco, Sales Manager for Giumarra Companies, about the concept, he commented it would be right up the company’s alley.

“That would be great for us because that’s one of our biggest harvest times of the year,” Cesar shared on the trend becoming a more frequent occurence. “I’m assuming if you do carve a watermelon you would need a big one, and we have a lot of big sizes.”

It seems size would be a benefit, browsing the different options consumers have posted, but Josh Leichter of Dulcinea shared with me that the company has seen success with mini melons as jack-o-lanterns as well.

"It’s definitely something we’ve been involved with in the past, featuring our mini PureHeart® watermelons,” Josh told me when I asked about the trend. “We’ve had some fun promotions tied into it in the past of examples of what you can do with the melons. It’s a fun thing to spur up some interest in the category around the Halloween season.”

Pineapples, on the other hand, present added spookiness with their prickly surface while wearing toothy grins with a candle behind them.

So is this a quirky spike in consumer holiday trends, or the next promotional opportunity for the produce industry? I, for one, can’t wait to find out.

SALINAS, CA - Tanimura & Antle is showcasing holiday spirit whilst upholding its commitment to quality, service, and innovation. The latest to come out of one of the industry’s leaders’ think tank? A new seasonal label and online consumer campaign for its pioneer Artisan product–Tanimura & Antle's Artisan Lettuce®.

“Research and experience with seasonal labeling shows that consumers are drawn to on-pack messaging,” Rick Antle, CEO of Tanimura & Antle, said of the new “Eat Healthy, Be Merry” label. “We’re excited to support our retail partners with this program and connect with consumers while continuing to grow our brand equity around our Artisan Lettuce.”

Recently, the company completed an independent consumer study on types of lettuce, flavor profiles, and special offers and promotions. This latest label, T&A said, is a direct reflection of those results as far as messaging deemed as most important to consumers.

The seasonal label pairs enticingly with petite Red and Green Gem, Oak, and Tango lettuces to help provide retailers with a high shelf impact.

The new snowflake of T&A’s “Eat Healthy, Be Merry” label will serve as an eye-catcher for shoppers, according to a press release, driving them to the consumer-focused www.artisanlettuce.com website. That website and social media will offer not only recipe inspiration and preparation tips for visitors to engage in, but also the chance to win one of four $500 gift cards.

With previous seasonal labels multiplying retail sales and simultaneously decreasing shrink for retailers, Tanimura & Antle’s "Eat Healthy, Be Merry" is the latest in a line of promotions that have proven successful in the past. Packed in a signature protective clamshell, the product offers consumers better value, higher yield, and longer shelf-life than bagged salad blends.

A single clamshell of Tanimura & Antle Artisan Lettuce® also makes at least eight side salads and four main dish salads, great for consumers during the entertaining season. The petite lettuce pack is described as allowing for more creative flexibility in the kitchen, as well as the texture, variety, and flavors that today’s shopper demands.

Keep your eyes peeled for this latest launch, the AndNowUKnow team certainly will.

Tanimura & Antle

WENATCHEE, WA – As the company is seeing a boost in its organic production and volume, CMI Orchards has announced that retailers will be able to increase their own sales this season with further focus on organic apples and pears. 

“The rebound from a short crop last year combined with new orchards achieving certification, increased CMI’s overall organic volume by 60%,” stated CMI Vice President of Marketing Steve Lutz. “This has really opened the door for supermarkets to aggressively merchandise, promote, and sell organic apples and pears.” 

The company stated in a press release that both its organic apple and pear production is up by 60% over last season, which has set up CMI Orchards’ retail customers to sell organics at a record pace. To further boost sales, the company suggests that retailers “build basket size” by transitioning conventional apple buyers up to organic apples as well.

CMI Orchards finds leveraging natural “entry points” for shoppers as a key opportunity to build retail organic sales, as the company has seen with its Daisy Girl Organics™ brand. 

“We know from the success of our top selling Daisy Girl Organics™ brand that when consumers make the shift from conventional to organic, they first look for the common organic version of the apple variety they currently buy,” continued Lutz. “Retailers can best leverage the organic opportunity by initially focusing sales programs on the widely popular core varieties like Gala and Red Delicious.” 

Lutz also stated that the company has seen data showing certain organic varieties to have low retail price points, which can further engage potential shoppers. This data also reflects boosted organic sales opportunities with retailers through marketing means.

“National scan data shows that organic Red Delicious have the lowest retail price point of all major organic apple varieties, even lower than conventional pricing for many niche apples,” said Lutz. “Sharp retailers are using organic Red Delicious and Gala apples to create low-price entry points to entice potential organic shoppers. This has the added benefit of building organic sales for the retailer while reinforcing a value message with consumers.” 

CMI Orchards’ Daisy Girl Organics Account Manager, Loren Foss, stated that brand now offers 19 different varieties of apple and pears to allow retailers an opportunity to implement a full organic pouch bag lineup. 

“Two pound pouches are completely changing organic apple and pear merchandising,” said Foss. “National scan data shows that two pound pouch bags are the fastest growing segment of the organic apple and pear business. It’s just a superior package for selling organics.” 

This packaging push for 2 lb pouch bags has been a huge hit thus far with consumers, said the company. 

“Daisy Girl has the #1 selling branded two pound pouch bag for organic Red Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, KIKU®, Kanzi®, and RosaLynn apples as well as Anjou, Bosc, Bartlett and Red Pears,” Foss stated. “With CMI’s big jump in organic production, we expect to deliver record sales for our retail customers.” 

As the current season progresses, keep up with AndNowUKnow for the latest in apple and pear announcements.

CMI Orchards

JACKSONVILLE, FL – As the buy-side market continues to tighten amongst competitors, Winn-Dixie is looking to make a splash with prospective remodels for its stores. Under the initiative of Southeastern Grocers CEO Ian McLeod, the store is looking at a prospective five new models for the chain. Another store has launched one of the first format prototypes in South Tampa, FL.

“In the past, Winn-Dixie wasn’t known for its cleanliness or quality,” stated McLeod, according to TBO.com. “The biggest difference in the U.S. compared to other countries is the diversity. There’s such a large spread between income levels, tastes, and ethnicities. We can’t reach them all in one way.” 

McLeod reportedly spent the first few months on the job working to improve the stores’ cleanliness, and then expanded the chain's focus to review the demographics of surrounding areas to further answer consumer needs. For South Tampa, one of these demands was an expanded produce section.

The remodeled 46,000-square-foot South Tampa store boasts a newer, cleaner, and more modern look than consumers might be used to. It also houses a kitchen, café, and expanded organic, seafood, and meat departments. These additions to the revamp are based off company research, and Southeastern Grocers customer surveys.

This store is the chain’s second for this specific prototype, with the first unveiled in February in Jacksonville, FL. McLeod stated that the new pilot stores will be reviewed and assessed as they launch in new cities, to further hone which format works best with each demographic. 

“The grocery industry is very competitive,” McLeod continued. “The only way to compete effectively is to be able to adapt and to change with the trends. A lot of the new competition coming into Florida is very niche. We offer customers a full shopping experience, and we’ve changed our product range to give them the brands and the items they want.” 

McLeod took over the Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo brands in 2015, and cultivated five store formats to attract every type of shopper the chain is looking to engage instead of settling for a one-size-fits-all format.

As Winn-Dixie continues to remodel its stores, and hone its competitive focus, AndNowUKnow will continue to have the latest on its impact in the buy-side segment.

Winn-Dixie

MCMINNVILLE, OR – As consumers begin to pen their shopping lists for holiday-themed meals, HBF International is ramping up its cranberry season to have high-quality fruit ready for increased consumer sales.

Allen Brockhoff, an HBF International grower, says that North Co Cranberries kicked off the season with one of its newer varieties, the Grygleskis, around September 20. 

“They ripen sooner. That’s one reason why we like the Grygleskis. We get better weather with them, and they’re bigger berries,” Brockhoff says of the company’s initial harvest.

From there, the company picks Stevens, and then move into McFarlins which are known for their longer shelf-life.

Allen and Nancy Devlin, also HBF International growers, have been growing and shipping cranberries since 1989. Allen says that there are two common methods for harvesting cranberries, the wet harvest method and the dry harvest method. 

“One of the benefits of the dry harvest methods is the keeping quality,” Allen says as he divulges what other benefits retailers and consumers can glean from a growers’ utilization of the dry harvest method, and the specific machinery which bolsters it. 

HBF International will be shipping its cranberries from now through the end of November.

For more information on the different methods of harvest for cranberries, and what consumers can expect from the different varieties, watch our exclusive video above!  

HBF International