WENATCHEE, WA – Stemilt’s innovative new management program Fruit Tracker™ has launched Fast Facts—a new video series that shares analysis of retail scan data with retailers.

“Our Fruit Tracker program has provided retailers with category analysis for 12 years, and this new video series is a modern way for us to break down hard-to-understand data into key takeaways. The Fast Facts video series will be quick to watch and timely so that retailers can react to the news of the data and make positive changes to a particular category in the months ahead,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt Communications Manager.

The first episode of Fast Facts looks at apple category performance from September 2016—a time in which year over year dollar sales increased 3.2 percent from 2015.

The East Coast led all other regions with a 9.1 percent increase in dollars, according to a press release, in large part because bags were unavailable due to a late apple harvest on the East Coast. As a result, retailers purchased more apples in bulk from national providers.

Bulk apples saw a 4.2 percent increase in volume sold in September, while bagged apples decreased by 5.2 percent. Bulk apples made up 66.2 percent of apples sales, while bags took the leftover 33.8 percent. Average bulk sale was $0.30 more per pound than bags at $1.72.

“Bulk apples are the backbone of every high-performing apple category, and September was a great start to the season for apples at retail across the country. As retailers look ahead in their apple planning, it’s important to keep the emphasis on bulk with multi-variety promotions at least once a month,” said Shales.

Gala apples were the most popular variety of apple this September, Stemilt noted, making up 32.9 percent of the category by volume. Honeycrisp took a distant second with 13.7 percent, but they had the highest average retail price at $2.69 per pound. Fuji and Red Delicious tied in fourth with 11.2 percent of the category each.

Shales added, “The data in September reaffirmed that apples are a vital part of the produce department throughout the year, and that will continue to be true in the coming winter and spring months. We just wrapped harvest in Washington State and have great supplies of high-quality bulk apples to continue to bolster apple sales in the months to come.”

Apples made up 6.4 percent of produce department sales nationally, with the Central region leading other areas at 8 percent.

The data for the September 2016 video was provided by Nielsen. For more on apples and data-driven solutions to produce needs, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.

Stemilt Growers

DELAWARE - Aldi is making good on its plan for more U.S. states, cracking into the Delaware market with two premier stores. Tomorrow, Nov. 17th, the German based retailer will cut ribbons on both stores, simultaneously, at 8:45 a.m. local time.

"We are pleased to bring our first stores to Delaware to help customers get high-quality products at everyday low prices," said Bob Grammer, Aldi Vice President, in a statement, according to news source Delaware Online. This latest move makes for the retailer’s 35th state in the nation.

This is the latest in a string moves for growth Aldi has made over the last year, who just announced several new stores in New Jersey.

Previously, the chain debuted in California, and expanded its store count in Texas as it looks to layout its strategy for 500 new stores total by 2018.

The normally discount-style retailer also launched a new format in Virginia that revealed a bigger focus on fresh.

According to the report, the retailer is bringing a taste of its German roots with cart use for 25 cents and the encouragement of bringing your own bags. The formats will remain smaller, both less than 18,000-square-feet in size.

It all starts tomorrow at 8:45 a.m., as Aldi offers with golden tickets containing a gift card to the store with various amounts up to $100 for each of its first 100 shoppers in the state.

What is the next move as the retailers continues to seek a stronger fold both here and across the pond? AndNowUKnow will be sure to keep you in the loop.

Aldi

ROANOKE COUNTY, VA - A tractor-trailer turnover recently sent cucumbers sprawling across I-81, wreaking havoc on early-morning commuters as cleanup crews struggled to clear jostled gourds and truck wreckage for several hours. 

Virginia State Police say the accident occurred at 11:41 pm, in the late hours of October 17th. A tractor-trailer carrying the cukes jumped a guardrail and, according to local NBC News affiliate, WSLS10, the truck then slid, straddling the median for two-tenths of a mile. Finally, the vehicle toppled over into oncoming traffic, spilling its cargo across the interstate.

There was no evidence to suggest the driver was under the influence of alcohol, he reported to police that he had simply fallen asleep at the wheel. He was taken to a local hospital, treated for superficial injuries, and released early the following Tuesday morning. 

No other injuries were reported, though cucumber enthusiasts in the county may suffer in the short term. 

Check with AndNowUKnow for up-to-date info on all things produce.

NEW YORK, NY - With a focus on growth in its organics sector, to a continued strengthening of its logistics and inventory management operations, we’re heading into another exciting year of change for D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New York. For the Bronx-based full-service wholesaler, it's about building a company that can serve as a kind of one-stop-shop for its customers at Hunts Point Market.

“Terminal market companies need to specialize in being the ‘jack of all trades,’ as backwards as that sounds,” Gabriela D’Arrigo, Director of Marketing and Buyer for Organic Produce for the company, explains to me. “Offering organic products is no exception, and the organic segment plays a significant role in our growth plans.”

D’Arrigo Bros. NY has spent the past year or so focused on widening of its offerings, particularly the types of products millennials crave—organics, specialty, and value-added products.

“Buyers should increase their organic offerings because they need to,” Gabriela stresses. “More and more consumers of the coming generations are looking for it, and if you don't have it, they will go somewhere else. That, along with specialty and value-added products, are things that are really appealing to millennials right now.”

Beyond the company’s push into new sectors, D’Arrigo NY is also doubling down on its already strong inventory management and logistics operations. Providing its customers with great inventory management is something Gabriela says is a high priority for the company, telling me the extra help in a daily operation runs smoothly thanks to all of those little things being done correctly without you ever having to think about it. And in conjunction with D’Arrigo’s logistics program, Gabriela tells me it's easier than ever for the company to meet its customers' needs as a full-service wholesaler.

“On average, we receive roughly 65 loads of fresh produce a week coming from all over the country,” she continues. “We are delivering majority of that product on our 31 delivery vehicles across the Northeast. Our system allows us to have mapped out routes and GPS with each driver so we know where a truck is at any given time.”

After a year of growth and new ventures for the company, it seems even more big plans are on the horizon for D’Arrigo NY. Stay tuned as we head into another exciting year for the full-service wholesaler.

D'Arrigo Bros. of NY

REIDSVILLE, GA - As demand for sweet onions continues to rise across produce departments during the holiday push, Shuman Produce is delighting shoppers with high-quality Peruvian sweets to fill the consumer basket.

President John Shuman joined me recently to talk about the popular produce category, and what we can expect as we get into the thick of fall.

“Our supply of high quality, premium Peruvian sweet onions remains steady with containers being imported through the Port of Savannah every week,” John shared as we spoke about the market. “Demand remains high as sweet onions continue to help drive the overall onion category. We maintain a full-time staff in Peru that allows us to maintain a safe and efficient supply chain to better serve our retail partners with a premium sweet onion during the fall and winter months.”

With tremendous versatility and a mild, sweet flavor profile, Shuman anticipates increased demand of the company’s premium sweet onions this holiday season. John adds that supplies should remain steady throughout the rest of 2016 and into 2017.

“Sweet onions are a staple in consumers’ kitchens and continue to drive the category,” John told me as we addressed differentiation in the produce department. “Retailers can capitalize on sweet onions by keeping a premium product on shelves all year long. By placing RealSweet® Peruvian sweet onions in the center of the produce department, retailers can capitalize on sales. Research shows that baskets containing sweet onions are roughly 40% larger than those that do not, raising the ring at the register.”

To help further create that destination at retail, Shuman provides bags, bins, and boxes that work to compliment each other. John recommends that retail partners stock both bagged and bulk product to customize offerings to consumer demand. Shuman Produce provides all RealSweet® brand sweet onions in a variety of packs and sizes to meet the needs of all demographics. Bagged products are an effective merchandising tool with high quality graphic product imagery and great seasonal recipes.

As for Mother Nature’s impact on the region so far, John shared the latest with me, fingers-crossed.

“The weather conditions in Peru this growing and harvesting season have yielded an extremely high quality crop and I believe our Peruvian sweet onions are top-notch,” John shared, adding, “we continue to have a good mix of product ranging in size from medium to jumbo to colossal.”

As I look to build my holiday spread, I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on the sweet onion category to see what delicious offerings reach my neck of the woods.

Shuman Produce

ROSEMONT, IL - In October, Reinhart Foodservice entered into an agreement with Earth Brothers, Ltd. to purchase, substantially, all assets of the Black River Produce distribution business.

AndNowUKnow is following Reinhart to determine what is on the horizon for the distributor in the New England region, and the company had the following to say about the acquisition.

“Black River Produce is a great company with strong management focused on delivering the highest quality local products and service to its customers. The Black River culture, product strategy, as well as the proximity of its territory to key Reinhart markets, makes this acquisition a strong fit for both companies. We look forward to working with the team at Black River Produce to grow the business in the New England area and beyond,” said Jeff King, President and Chief Operating Officer of Reinhart, according to a statement.

The acquisition brought all Black River Produce employees into the fold, and for the time being the company is conducting business as usual. Black River Produce has served more than 2,000 accounts across Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and New York. According to Reinhart, the Black River Produce sourcing expertise in the region complements the national scale and customer commitment that Reinhart currently delivers.  

“Since we founded Black River Produce in 1978, we’ve prided ourselves on being the fresh connection for our customers across the markets we serve,” said Mark Curran and Steve Birge, Co-Founders of Black River Produce. 

The two leaders continued, “We are fully committed to our customers’ needs and providing them with the best locally-sourced products they can find. We are proud to join our operations with Reinhart so that we can combine their national leverage, supply chain expertise and operator solutions with our passion and focus on local solutions for our growing customer base.”

The acquisition further marks Reinhart’s commitment to the Vermont market following the opening of a new distribution center in Essex, Vermont, in 2014, and strengthens Reinhart’s position in the New England distribution area.

Stay tuned with AndNowUKnow as we continue to cover the changing landscape of the fresh produce industry.

WASHINGTON D.C. - For his contributions to the produce industry, former Seald Sweet President Bruce McEvoy will be honored with the United Fresh Produce Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be bestowed at the 2017 Produce Legends Dinner, held January 10 at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans in New Orleans, LA.

McEvoy recently celebrated 50 years in the produce industry. Over the course of his long and storied career, which included stints at the USDA and Sunkist before Seald Sweet, he received a number of accolades, both professionally and personally, including:

• The Special Achievement Award for Produce Export Expansion from the Secretary of Agriculture
• A Special Achievement Award from the Foreign Agricultural Service
• The Packer Man of Year award for 2000

Additionally, McEvoy was appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to the Industry Biotechnology Committee, served on the United Fresh Board of Directors for seven years, and was Chairman of the Hunt’s Point Committee, according to a press release. His efforts on the part of the Farm Worker Relief Program following hurricanes in 1994 generated nearly $1.5 million for homeless.

“Bruce’s career has been pivotal in advancing the produce industry on a global scale,” said Tony Freytag, Crunch Pak Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing and Chairman of the United Fresh Board of Directors. “From his early work at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in international trade to his career spanning some of the most iconic companies in the produce industry, Bruce has been instrumental in driving growth for our industry.”

United Fresh’s Lifetime Achievement Award caps fifty years of exceptional work on McEvoy’s part. Past recipients of United Fresh’s Lifetime Achievement Award include key influencers like:

• Rick and Tonya Antle
• Mike Cavallero
• Joe Procacci
• Frieda Caplan
• Reggie Griffin
• Bob Grimm

“This dinner both honors a great individual and supports a great cause,” added United Fresh President & CEO Tom Stenzel. “Friends of Bruce from around the world will want to join in his honor, while making a commitment to increasing kids access to fresh produce. From donating thousands of salad bars to needy schools to training foodservice directors on handling fresh produce to maintain quality, the United Fresh Start Foundation is making a difference just as Bruce has made such a difference in his career.”

McEvoy’s career began with the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service in Europe and Thailand. He was then assigned to the U.S. Embassy in London where he worked in export expansion.

From there, McEvoy went on to join Sunkist, DuPont’s Biotech division, and helped to commercialize products from Fresh World Farms and Intermountain Canola—two companies for which he also served as President.

McEvoy joined Seald Sweet International in 1994 as the company President. He worked to transform the regional Florida citrus cooperative into the global produce company it is today. Though he retired as company President in 2004, McEvoy still serves Seald Sweet and its parent company Greenyard as a government relations consultant.

McEvoy has been married to his wife Ann for 44 years. They have two sons. In addition to his work in the produce industry, McEvoy serves as Board Chair of his local Alzheimer/Parkinson’s Association chapter; since being diagnosed with the disease in 2008, McEvoy has become a champion of the cause, advocating for increased research in Congress. 

We here at AndNowUKnow congratulate McEvoy and wish him the best in all his future endeavors.

Seald Sweet United Fresh Produce Association

ORLANDO, FL - If I were to pull a single word to describe Seald Sweet’s whirlwind 2016, that word would certainly be “growth.” After a merger between Seald Sweet sister company, Univeg, and Greenyard Foods in May of last year, and the addition of new Sales Director Stu Monaghan, Greenyard and Seald Sweet announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art packing and cold storage facility. I joined Marketing Director Kim Flores, who gave me a run down on what retailers and Seald Sweet’s partners can expect as the building is set to open this spring.

“It will help us to be a better value to our customers and to be a better partner. It’ll give us the ability to have more services and it’ll expand our portfolio, and it’ll allow us to do more things like value-adding,” Kim explains to me from PMA Fresh Summit’s show floor. “Overall, it gives us a better position to our customers in the industry. It really means furthering what we can do, and how we can serve our customers better.” 

The new facility will be 152,200-square-feet, and as we previously reported, is expected to increase the company’s overall volume and production capability, even quadrupling its current operational square footage and capacity. Greenyard said the new facility will help it expand in the following specific areas:  

• Value-add packing
• Consolidation
• Controlled atmosphere storage
• Service providing opportunities

To learn even more about Seald Sweet’s growth and what the horizon looks like for the new facility, watch my full interview with Kim above. 

Seald Sweet

AUSTIN, TX - The plans for Whole Foods’ future are continuing to build momentum, with whispers solidifying that the retailer could be shopping quietly for a buyer.

Last week, sources close to the company told Reuters that one of its top shareholders was looking to make big changes, including a new management team and new ownership.

To see our previous coverage, click here.

Sources close to ANUK share that Whole Foods is actively consolidating shippers, and minimizing its local sourcing program–a move that makes Whole Foods more attractive to potential buyers.

Kroger is one buyer that was brought up weeks back in the industry’s rumor mill as a possible party to move in, a decision which could give the Ohio-based retailer a stronger foothold on the West Coast.

While many analysts responded to the rumor with skepticism, the leak appeared in the media weeks before big changes were announced for Whole Foods like the stepping down of Co-CEO Walter Robb and the elimination of its current leadership structure.

Announcements of both the shakeup in leadership as Co-Founder John Mackey stepped in as solo CEO and the news that one of the top ten shareholders (which remained anonymous in reports) resulted in significant boosts in the retailer’s stock.

Will we soon see Whole Foods added to Kroger, which was recently named a top retailer alongside Walmart in Kantar Retail’s 2016 US PoweRanking® survey for the successful execution of its growth strategy?

Keep an eye on AndNowUKnow as we report further details on this developing story.

Whole Foods Kroger Co.

SAN DIEGO, CA – Working to ensure the continued success of the produce industry and keep kids healthy and well fed, Organics Unlimited’s GROW Fund has partnered with Produce for Kids on an important pledge drive.

“As a company that grows and sells organic bananas, we provide healthier eating options for individuals and families,” said Mayra Velazquez de León, President of Organics Unlimited and GROW, in a press release. “We are proud to partner with Produce for Kids and take part in the Power Your Lunchbox campaign, giving our support to children’s health initiatives.”

The Power Your Lunchbox campaign took place from August 8 to September 23, 2016, by soliciting pledges through social media, parent and food bloggers, e-newsletters, media placements and a NatureFresh Greenhouse Tour that visited 36 grocery stores and nine schools in order to raise awareness and encourage parents to sign the pledge.

The campaign collected 21,674 pledges from families promising to pack healthier lunches this back-to-school season. This far exceeded the partnership’s goal of 20,000 pledges, and for each of these pledges, the partners and other sponsors collectively donated one dollar to Feeding America to provide for families in need. Produce for Kids was able to provide 238,414 meals.

All told, the campaign had a total reach of 145 million impressions.

Organics Unlimited participated to the campaign through Facebook and Twitter. The #PowerYourLunchbox Twitter Party, held on August 17, promoted healthy recipes, spread nutritional facts, and gave the organization and sponsors an opportunity to interact with parents and inform them about healthy lunches and lifestyles. The Twitter Party had over 3,761 tweets and more than 14 million impressions—2,500 alone for Organics Unlimited.

For more on Produce for Kids, Organics Unlimited’s GROW Fund, and other innovative campaigns promoting produce, check back with AndNowUKnow.

Produce for Kids Organics Unlimited