SACRAMENTO, CA - California’s rainy season looks to be off to a good start, with not one, but two storms headed its way. Forecasters predict Northern California could receive more than eight inches of rain throughout the mountains, signaling a healthy beginning to our fight against the drought.

According to the Sacramento Bee, the state will see the first of the dual storms beginning Thursday, heading in from the tropical Pacific Ocean. Along with a substantial amount of rain, Northern California, Oregon, and Washington will be experiencing several wind storms as well.

The Sacramento Valley, where our own ANUK offices are, will see about 1 to 3 inches of rain, while further north will likely see much more. According to the Bee, the area surrounding the state’s largest reservoir, Lake Shasta, could be hit with at least 6 inches of moisture. Shasta is currently at about 60 percent of capacity, but the paper reports that this downpour could raise the level of the lake by as much as half a foot.

“It will be rather juicy, I think, when it does arrive to the north part of the state,” Maury Roos, Chief Hydrologist with the state Department of Water Resources, told the Bee.

With many of the state’s reservoirs not yet at capacity and with the drought making soil particulary absorbent, there should be is a very low risk of flooding below Shasta and other Central Valley dams.

“The ground is very dry so we expect much of the precipitation to soak into the ground from the first few storms,” Spokesman for the Bureau of Reclamation, Shane Hunt, told The Sacramento Bee. “We are hopeful that this is the start to a good rain/snow season. We have been reducing releases lately from Shasta and Folsom to conserve storage in the meantime just in case it remains dry.”

We’ll keep our eyes on the state’s reservoirs as the storm blows through, so stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.

LINDSAY, CA - With demand increasing and retail growth, LoBue Citrus announced excitedly that Heritage Reserve Navel Oranges will be back to the U.S. for a limited time beginning February, 2017, for select retailers.

“We continue to receive many wonderful compliments each year from our customers telling us how much they love Heritage Reserve Navel oranges and raving that they are the best-eating navel they have ever eaten,” Joe LoBue, Vice President of Sales at LoBue Citrus, said. “This wonderful flavor is a testament of our growers’ commitment to keep these original groves productive for over 100 years.”

This newest season will mark the product’s sixth, according to a press release, and the company reported that participating retailers have seen postive consumer response and a substantial boost for the naval category.

Grown within a subsection of California's Central Valley citrus-growing region, Heritage Reserve Navel Oranges were first planted with the original Washington-variety budwood between 1898 and 1960, and have not been replanted since.

The program comes fully supported at retail, including:

• High-graphic packaging
• Point-of-sale materials
• Merchandise bins
• Blogger partnerships
• Social media

LoBue Citrus also offers a free downloadable e-cookbook, available here, as well as a Facebook page. The company’s Heritage Reserve Navel oranges Facebook page will be available from February to May, 2017.

LoBue Citrus

BENTONVILLE, AR - Walmart has raised its salaries for entry-level managers, bumping up its average from $45,000 to $48,500 annually. The retail giant is the largest private employer in the United States, with 1.5 million workers, Reuters reports. 

In tandem with its second quarter bonuses of more than $201 million for meeting its service targets, the raises went into effect in September of this year. This is on top of an increase of the company’s entry level wages to $10 an hour in December of last year—$2.75 an hour above the federal minimum wage. As we reported back then, Walmart announced it would be investing $2.7 billion in employee compensation and training over a two year period.

So, why the increase? Analysts at Reuters have tied it to the upcoming new overtime rule, which extends mandatory overtime pay to more than 4 million of the country’s workers. Set to begin this upcoming December 1, the new rule will require employers to pay overtime to salaried workers earning less than $47,500 a year—double the current threshold of $23,660.

"We think the starting rate of $48,500 a year...would make a lot of business sense for our company,” Director of National Media Relations, Randy Hargrove, told Reuters.

However, this law may be in limbo for some time, it seems. In September, officials from 21 U.S. states filed a lawsuit claiming the new overtime rule will “place a heavy burden on state budgets,” according to Reuters, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups filing a separate challenge. Additionally, business groups have said the rule may lead to employers demoting some salaried management workers to hourly positions, creating part-time jobs that do not offer benefits.

Will other major retailers follow suit as the law inches closer? Keep watching AndNowUKnow for updates on this, and other wage rulings affecting the industry.

Walmart

ORLANDO, FL – Welcome to What’s In Store.

With 67 years of business success under our garlic belts, at Spice World we pride ourselves on our state-of-the-art operations, from the beginning soil level to the end store level, providing America with its favorite quality garlic products year-round.

Currently in the midst of harvesting our 2016 crop from California, Spice World garlic is grown in the San Joaquin Valley to offer consumers both conventional and organic selection throughout the seasons.

Spice World is able to retain a supply of premium garlic by properly storing it in our leading-edge coolers, specially designed for the exact storage specifications that garlic needs.

These fresh selections from California are supplemented throughout the year with imported crops from around the globe to ensure our customers receive the freshest crops whenever they need.

Our offices and distribution centers span the length of the country from coast to coast, to better offer a range of Spice World products to display at the retail level. 

Have your consumers craving to spice up their lives with selections extending beyond just our fresh garlic. Whether you like it jarred, peeled, or squeezed, answer your garlic needs with our range of products including specialty products, shallots, and squeezed ginger. 

With three generations of family owned and operated garlic affairs, you can trust Spice World to continuously fulfill your every flavor demand. 

Thank you for watching What’s In Store.

Spice World

SANTA PAULA, CA - Eerie events seem to have struck at Limoneira’s Oliveland’s Ranch, spooking, and perhaps even swooping, a few of its team members.

Has a crop circle been imprinted into the company’s pumpkin patch?

“We don’t know how it got there or what it may mean, but like making lemonade with lemons, we decided to use it for a fundraiser for many local Santa Paula charity organizations including Rotary, The Boys and Girls Club, Optimists and others,” said Harold Edwards, Limoneira CEO.

Director of Southern Farming Gus Gunderson stated that the team would not have noticed if not for aerial photos.

“Limoneira has been growing here for 124 years and we’ve never seen anything like it,” Gunderson said.

The phenomenon has stumped members, according to a press release, who said that unidentified forces have apparently cut a pumpkin pattern in a cornfield on the Limoneira Ranch.

“It’s quite an amazing sight to see,” said John Carter, Limoneira Director of Global Sales. “We’re still trying to figure out how they knew it was almost Halloween.”

Surrounded by historic buildings, and framed by both lemon and avocado groves, it might present a tempting destination for local thrill seekers, though Director of Human Resources Kathleen Thompson noted that several employees have entered the corn maze and have not reported back.

“We were using dogs to track them, but they became unexplainably spooked and wouldn’t stop barking,” Thompson said.

The strange occurrences have not deterred the company, however, who you will still see this weekend at PMA Fresh Summit.

“Limoneira is getting ready for PMA in Orlando, so please stop by booth #1643 so team members can share the latest news and updates,” said John Chamberlain, Director of Marketing. “We’ll have the latest intel, and please pardon the aluminum foil hats.”

For all the latest, and strangest, industry news, keep checking in with AndNowUKnow.

Limoneira

PHILADELPHIA, PA - In the midst of a promising cherry season, with Chilean production expected to be up 35 percent over last year, Forever Fresh has launched a new controlled atmosphere 1 lb top seal clamshell in addition to its traditional stand-up pouches.

“We are excited about our new top sealed clamshells,” said Evan Myers, General Manager of Forever Fresh. “Extensive testing proves that this new packaging provides a tremendous opportunity to improve quality by extending shelf-life and reducing shrink at retail.”

This development means that the 23 million 5-kg cases of cherries that Forever Fresh’s growers are estimating that Chile will produce, will be able to survive longer on supermarket shelves. Forever Fresh expects to market more than 400,000 cases of fresh Red and Rainier cherries in North America alone.

New this season, Forever Fresh will also be offering air Cherries from Argentina with arrivals starting Mid-February through the first week of March. Forever Fresh has the ability to repack cherries using state-of-the-art cherry repacking lines on both the East and West coasts to ensure the some of the highest quality cherries on the market.

The Chilean season will kick off with air freight arrivals in early November, with additional vessel arrivals continuing through the end of January.

“The Chilean growing season has been near perfect. We’ve had a perfect winter that has provided significant chill hours for high cherry production,” Myers continued. “A moderate frost during the first week of September did change original estimates with the central region estimating a 10 percent reduction with Curico and southern regions estimating a 20 percent reduction in volumes.

Along with its strong cherry season, Peru is projecting a mid-October harvest on grapes and estimates of 38 million cases this season versus 35 million last year, with roughly 15 million cases of seedless grape varieties available this season while a variety shift is underway.  

Myers noted, “The Peruvian grape production is currently shifting with grape production growing, but we are seeing the ratio of red globes versus seedless grapes shrinking with more hectares (9,289) of seedless varieties planted, versus 7,850 hectares of Red Globes. Forever Fresh expects North American arrivals beginning in mid-November."

As for stone fruit and grape volumes from Chile, it’s still too early to know what the overall volumes are to be, but Forever Fresh reports that the frost that occurred in early September did have some negative effects on the plum crop.   

As seasons and harvesting areas transition throughout each category, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest updates.

Forever Fresh 

DALLAS, TX - Have you started mapping out your 2017 marketing plans yet? This weekend may be the perfect time to start, with DMA Solutions offering fresh produce companies the opportunity for free consultations at Fresh Summit. The offer is available through October 13, or until spots are full.

“Fresh Summit is an ideal time to have the face-to-face conversations with other marketers, which is why we’re offering this complimentary session,” said Dan’l Mackey Almy, President and CEO of DMA Solutions, Inc. “We aim to help fresh produce marketers find nimble and feasible solutions to their everyday and annual marketing challenges so they are put in a position to win with the turn of the New Year.”

Sign Up Here

According to a press release, a consultation with DMA Solutions might be right for you if: 

• You are a marketer preparing your plan for 2017
• You are lacking the time and resources it takes to take your brand to the next-level
• You are considering hiring an agency to help you meet and exceed your goals

For nearly 15 years, DMA Solutions has been dedicated to delivering a wide array of marketing services and have achieved measurable results. The company’s will have its team of specialized marketers at the ready during Fresh Summit to help navigate through 2017 planning, with the goal of helping brands identify pain points and discuss potential solutions for the New Year.

To request a personal meeting with DMA Solutions, Inc. at Fresh Summit, visit http://info.dma-solutions.com/2016-free-marketing-consultation-0, and check out The Core Blog to learn even more about the company’s expertise.

DMA Solutions

IMMOKALEE, FL – Bringing further innovation to the tomato category, Lipman Produce has announced that it is extending the popularity of its Crimson Queen by adding the tomato's most popular attributes to all its tomato varieties. In tandem with this announcement, the company is launching the "Crimson Campaign" to highlight this advancement.

“Our customers love the Crimson Queen, which is our largest-volume fresh market product,” said Darren Micelle, Chief Operating Officer for Lipman. “Because of Crimson’s popularity with our clients, as well as the benefits of lycopene, we decided to add the characteristics into all of our tomatoes.” 

Lipman stated in a press release that all of the company’s varieties will be infused with the deep color which gives the Crimson Queen its rich hue. This characteristic also raises the levels of lycopene in tomatoes, which also boasts health benefits, increases flavor, and extends shelf-life.

The company is able to undergo this task because of its robust research and development team, Micelle asserted. This team constantly analyzes feedback from customers and consumers, and subsequently develops products in order to meet their needs.

The addition of these attributes to the company’s round, roma, grape, and heirloom tomatoes will be further aided by the launch of the “Crimson Campaign,” kicking off at PMA Fresh Summit. The campaign will further position the company as “The Crimson Tomato People,” and highlight the announcement through web pages, ads, grapics, and packaging. 

Learn more about the “Crimson Campaign” and the newly-extended Crimson varieties at Lipman Produce’s booth #2155 this weekend.

Lipman Produce

ELGIN, MN – With PMA Fresh Summit right around the corner, Honeybear Brands is gearing up for an exciting event by unveiling a sneak preview of next year’s varieties for this year’s attendees. 

Honeybear will be sampling varieties with an emphasis on flavor and texture from its different genetic programs across the globe. As we previously reported, the company has close to 100 varieties in pre-production and multiple stages of viability testing. 

To flush out its PMA offerings even further, Honeybear will also be sampling its star variety, Pazazz, which is currently in its second year of commercial production. The Pazazz apple will be further highlighted by the unveiling of its new, clear 2 lb grab-and-go pouch bag, cultivated from retail demand. 

“We like how we are now positioned with Pazazz,” said Don Roper, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Honeybear Brands, in a press release. “It has the broad consumer appeal of a national apple but we have been able to diversify production into areas and regions where many of our retailers are based. This allows us to offer the benefits of local production for some retail partners and that geographic diversification also helps us mitigate the impact of inconsistent weather during the growing season.” 

Due to strong production volumes, fast increases of acreage, and more retailers selling the brand, Honeybear has high expectations for the apple to become the next true North American variety. 

The new Pazazz packaging will also feature important updates from Honeybear’s TruEarth program, which has been adopted by 100 percent of the company’s Minnesota and Wisconsin growers as of this season. 

“Honeybear is about true partnership from grower to retailer to customer,” Roper added. “We’ve put into place grower protocols through our TruEarth program that not only protect the environment but also create sustainable economics for our local grower communities to continue to thrive. And we work closely with our retailers on the other end of the chain to give them the kinds of premium, market-leader varieties, customer-friendly packing and POS to drive sales and loyalty.”

The TruEarth program is an environmental protocol developed to safeguard the land, guarantee healthy and tasty fruit, and provide consumer peace of mind. The Midwest-based program was created in part with the Integrated Pest Management Institute of North America (IPM). 

Learn more about the TruEarth program, Pazazz variety, and upcoming Honeybear Brands apples by visiting the company’s booth #1249 at PMA Fresh Summit.

Honeybear Brands

HOUSTON, TX – Foodservice giant Sysco has named its 2016 Sysco Supplier Excellence Awards, selecting several recognizable produce companies for some of its top spots. Just a few winners were picked from the more than 1,300 suppliers worldwide, and announced at the company’s annual industry dinner in Houston. 

So who walked away with the top spot? Sysco named foodservice company Michael Foods Inc. as its 2016 Supplier of the Year. The Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company is a provider of potatoes and eggs, among other foodservice solutions. 

Mann Packing was another of the produce industry’s big winners for the night. Not only did the Salinas, CA, company walk away with a Silver Supplier Award, but it also was selected for the Heritage Award for Diversity. The winner of this award is selected for meeting and exceeding Sysco’s expectations set forth for minority, women-owned, and diverse supplier partners.

Other winners in Sysco’s produce category included the following companies:

Produce Gold Supplier Award recipients

• The Garlic Company

Produce Bronze Supplier Award recipients

• Tanimura & Antle
• Potandon Produce
• Church Brothers Farms

According to a press release, the awards are designed to recognize the commitment, support, and partnership of suppliers by category and area of accomplishment. Sysco says winners were selected based on key business performance measures as prescribed by Sysco's U.S.-based distribution companies and the company’s corporate Merchandising, Quality Assurance, and Supply Chain departments.

To view the full list of winners, visit Sysco’s website here.

Sysco