DELTA, BC - With the tagline “Mastery Under Glass,” Houweling’s is continuing in its efforts to innovate the greenhouse tomato category by offering consistent high flavor varieties, including the company’s premium Strawberry Vined Tomato. Joining the likes of Houweling’s new Tomazing cherry tomato and Sweetoms grape tomato, Houweling’s Strawberry Tomatoes will be featured in the company’s premium tier line of offerings, Signature Selection.

Brand Manager Lindsay Martinez, took a few minutes out of her day to chat with me about the Sunstream variety, and how retailers can take advantage of the unique profile in produce departments.

“Our Strawberry Vined Tomato is a superior snacking tomato that delivers the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity,” Lindsay tells me. “With a deep red color and firm and juicy texture, this variety will not only make an impact in the greenhouse tomato category as a result of its aesthetic appeal, but for the intense tomato flavor that it also delivers.”

This incredibly versatile tomato is delicious as a snack on its own, halved into a fresh salad, or roasted to intensify the flavor profile. As a quick tip, Lindsay shares that strawberry tomatoes are great on the BBQ… Just skewer lengthwise, as many tomatoes as will fit. Then place them on the top rack of your grill when cooking your proteins or other vegetables, and rotate occasionally when you see the skin splitting. Serve warm on a salad or as a side.

“Retailers who consistently carry our Strawberry Tomatoes have reported frequent repeat purchases from loyal customers,” she adds. “The year-round California advantage allows us to build a customer base that can rely on consistent flavor and quality 365 days a year.”

Houweling’s Premium Strawberry Vined tomatoes come in 12, 9 oz. clamshells, with 120 cases per pallet. Houweling’s Signature Selection standards dictate strict criteria for packing, ensuring a consistent premium profile.

Houweling's

LOS ALAMITOS, CA – As the glamorous veggie prepares to make its debut leap into retail, Frieda’s Specialty Produce has announced a new package for its watermelon radishes. 

“Our pouch showcases what these gorgeous radishes look like on the inside, which not only attracts the attention of shoppers, it also educates them about the product with serving suggestions on the back,” said Karen Caplan, President and CEO of Frieda’s Specialty Produce. 

The 1 lb., stand-up pouches put the vibrant internal color of the watermelon radish at the forefront of the consumer's gaze, and also provide consumers with recipe ideas to cultivate the perfect watermelon radish dish, stated the company in a press release.

The new package also helps eliminate PLU confusion, extends shelf-life, and will move more radishes off the shelf. The package and Frieda’s signature branding also makes the watermelon radishes easy to merchandise in the refrigerated rack.

“The watermelon radish is truly a hidden gem of the produce department—most shoppers don’t know about its beautiful color on the inside just from looking at it on the shelf,” finished Caplan.

Retailers can take advantage of buy-side watermelon radishes in procuring them from Frieda’s in 12/1-lb. pouches, and in 10-lb. bulk. 

Watermelon radishes have already been making a lasting impact in the foodservice realm, as restaurants and food blogger have been utilizing its taste and color for salad shavings and pickled flavor, such as vegan/vegetarian grain bowls, poke (Hawaiian fish and rice bowls), and bahn mi (Vietnamese sandwiches). 

The company stated that the watermelon radish is the perfect forward-thinking selection, as radishes are currently trending. The Huffington Post Food section recently featured radish recipes including pickled and roasted radishes.

For the latest in new and lasting trends, continue to check in with AndNowUKnow.

Frieda's Specialty Produce

TAMPA BAY, FL - As part of its strong commitment to its headquarter’s home of Tampa Bay, Florida, IFCO North America has partnered with the Feeding Tampa Bay food bank, helping to sort 11,308 pounds of food and creating 9,423 meals for distribution. This volunteer experience was part of IFCO’s annual management meeting in Tampa, Florida.

“Feeding Tampa Bay serves 10 counties in the Tampa area. The group effort was well organized by the food bank team – they kept us on task sorting many different types of goods. And we were very happy to help,” explained Daniel Walsh, President of IFCO Systems North America. 

“There are few things more rewarding than working to help those who struggle with hunger,” Walsh continued, adding that IFCO is delighted to have the chance to contribute and to have its entire management team participate in the effort. 

“Feeding Tampa Bay provides food to more than 700,000 hungry in the 10-county area of West Central Florida,” commented Megan Carlson, Volunteer Services Manager at Feeding Tampa Bay. “We are very grateful to companies like IFCO who work hard to help us fulfill our mission.” 

In the same vein of charitable giving, IFCO Systems announced earlier this year that it has donated a total of 200,000 RPCs to organizations such as food banks since its inception. 

“IFCO’s business aligns well with the missions of Feeding America affiliates across the United States,” concluded Walsh. “Our business is supplying Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) for the fresh food industry. Gathering around the table to share food is a universal human experience, and we were humbled and proud to be part of the effort here in Tampa.”

To learn more about IFCO Systems and its North American division, visit www.IFCO.com.

IFCO

SEATTLE, WA - Just over a year after revealing plans to bring a drive-thru grocery store format to the weary shoppers of the world, Amazon looks to be adding a third location in none other than trend hub Seattle, WA.

According to GeekWire, the new location will join the ranks of its previously announced Sunnyvale and San Carlos, California, drive thrus, allowing consumers to place their grocery orders online and pick them up at a drive-up window. GeekWire reportedly uncovered Amazon’s written plans for the new project, which are apparently secret enough to warrant a “Project X” nickname for its mentions within the document.

 

A photo posted by Amazon (@amazon) on May 6, 2016 at 3:43pm PDT

As we mentioned in a prior article, the first location in Sunnvale was designed in a 11,600-square-foot building and grocery pick-up area. So far, no details have been revealed about the sizing of the additional locations

While this will be Amazon’s first major attempt to take on brick and mortar grocery stores, it’s not yet clear if this will a serious threat to existing retailers. Amazon also has its AmazonFresh program, which allows you to have your groceries delivered right to your door. However, according to a report by Brick Meets Click, nearly 60% of U.S. consumers who've never shopped online for groceries refuse to do so simply because they’d like to select their own fruits and vegetables. 

Is physically driving to pick up your groceries and having someone else fill your basket the missing link? Amazon seems to think so.

There are currently no details available on when consumers will be able to start getting their groceries via drive thru, but AndNowUKnow will keep updating you with the latest.

Amazon

CHINA – If you think you’ve been upping your productivity game lately, this new watermelon variety is begging to give you a run for your accomplishments with its latest award. The single plant was recently awarded a Guinness World Record title after yielding an impressive 131 full-sized fruits.

This new prospective “super plant” variety was developed by researcher Zhu Xuegang and his research team in Xizheng, China. The plant is different than its varietal brethren as it brings all of its watermelon seedlings to term, instead of terminating most of the fruits in order to boost the strength and quality of just a few. 

According to Oddity Central, this plant, currently named the Tianlong 1508, not only brings a shocking amount of watermelons into the world, but develops them with a typical average weight of 22 lbs. The smallest watermelon produced from the plant weighed in at 11 lbs., with the largest producing a shocking heft of 41 lbs. 

The research team, from the Zhengzhou Research Seedling Technology Co., Ltd., also said the Tianlong 1508 boasts a high resistance to disease, as well as the ability to thrive in sandy soil. 

Xuegang divulged that the key to the productivity of the melon lay in the temperature used to nuture the plant. Instead of using cold water, his team installed water tanks on the site so they could monitor the temperature of the water which was mixed into the fertilizer.

The most work Xugang and his team had to do to aid in the plant’s growth once it flowered? Untangle the vines every morning for proper watermelon development.

Check out the video above to see more of the infamous plant. 

The plant was grown on a 100-square-meter plot, and produced the record amount of watermelon over a mere 90 day period. Xuegang has not yet stated whether the most productive watermelon plant on Earth will be developed for commercial use. 

My favorite part of the plant? Extending its lanky arms to let its vines cover the entirety of the surrounding area, the scene seems to combine two great passions of mine; science fiction and tasty watermelon. 

As science and fresh produce continue to merge, stick with AndNowUKnow for the latest results.

STOCKTON, MO - It’s not easy to make it 70 years in the produce industry, but the family behind Hammons Products Company was definitely up for the challenge. Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, the company is honoring its family-owned, family-run roots from its home base in Stockton, Missouri.

"The Hammons family is so proud to be stewards of the Black Walnut industry and to play a role in keeping these wild nuts as part of our American culture," shared CEO, Brian Hammons. "The fall harvest and Black Walnuts in cooking and ice cream are all woven into the fabric of our heritage. And we at Hammons are excited to see a whole new generation of chefs and cooks discover the rich, bold taste."

Wild, all-natural, hand-foraged, locally-sourced, non-GMO, and sustainable, Hammons Black Walnuts stem all the way back to a small grocery store owner with a good idea. In 1946, Ralph Hammons witnessed the abundance of Black Walnuts that grew wildly around the Ozarks and Midwest, bought a nut-cracking machine, and the rest was history. 

According to a press release, just during that first year, Ralph Hammons bought and cracked 100,000 pounds of Black Walnuts, launching the “Missouri Dandy” brand in the late 1940s and early 1950s. With a redesigned cracking machine and new Stockton-based plant in tow, the Hammons company was poised for growth.

In the 1970s as Ralph's son, Dwain Hammons assumed leadership of the company, Dwain's wife Donna launched the Missouri Dandy Pantry retail brand. In 1997, the company's leadership role was again passed to their son, Brian Hammons, who remains CEO today.

Now a primary processor, distributor, and marketer of Black Walnuts in the United States, the company has expanded to nationwide distribution while remaining dedicated to its original harvesting and hulling techniques. Hammons says it purchases wild, hand-harvested nuts through 215 hulling stations across 11 states, cracking and shelling nearly 25 million pounds of Black Walnuts each year.

Consumers can find nutritious, bold "Hammons" brand nutmeats in an array of specialty foods, from ice cream and fudge, to nut breads and encrusted fish. The company provides many recipe ideas, as well as information about Hammons Products Company and the growing and harvesting of Black Walnuts at www.black-walnuts.com.

Hammons Products Company

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - As consumers flood store shelves with back-to-school purchases and holiday themed plans, Fresh Solutions Network is increasing retail potato sales with three seasonal Side Delights® promotions.

“The carefree days of summer are just a memory now. Autumn brings with it a return to routine, and the start of the holiday season,” said Kathleen Triou, President and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. “That’s why our autumn promotions feature quick to cook, tasty, creative, crowd pleaser potato recipe ideas.”

Fresh Solutions Network stated in a press release that its Side Delights® promotional theme for September, “Dinner in 23 Minutes,” was cultivated to fit into the shorter time needed by consumers to make tasty and healthy choices for busy families.

October’s Halloween parties can get that extra shocking boost they deserve with the Side Delights® promotional series of “So Good… It’s Scary!” This promotion’s merchandising and point-of-purchase signage offers consumers a QR code recipe to make the fun potato skins recipe “Zombie Skins.” The company stated that as 68 percent of Americans plan to engage in the holiday, with one third counting on a Halloween party, this recipe can round out any celebration.

Thanksgiving is the spotlight of November’s Side Delights® campaign, placing mashed potatoes in the center of the table. The “Mash It Like You Mean It!” promotion will offer several QR Code recipes to appeal to the traditionalist, diplomat, hedonist, procrastinator, and health nut in every home. 

The monthly themed merchandisers and point-of-purchase signs were designed specifically to attract shoppers, fit tasty and healthy potato options into every busy family’s schedule, and increase ring at the register, in addition to boosting the potato segment as a whole.

As the industry prepares for consumer-driven autumn purchases, AndNowUKnow will have the latest in innovative campaigns and promotional announcements.

Fresh Solutions Network

KINGSBURG, CA - As August nears to its close, King Fresh is preparing for a holiday push for grapes, and moving quickly into pomegranates, with good demand across the board. So how is the company planning to meet rising demand, and where will the market sit for these segments? 

Keith Wilson, President of King Fresh Produce LLC, recently joined me along with his daughter Paige Wilson, who is interning this summer in the company’s marketing department. The two divulged where King Fresh is currently sitting in its segment seasons, and where the company is heading next.

“We are currently finishing up with Flames, and we’ve finished with our Ivory green seedless variety. Our season this year will go all the way through December,” Keith tells me of the company’s current California grape selections.

“Quality has been great on all varieties, and the next red and green seedless varieties which are packing right now, Summer Royal, Magenta, V Red, and Crimson. These varieties all look to be well sized with exceptional flavor,” Keith says, adding that the industry experienced smaller berry size to its Flame crop, which was most likely due to spring weather.

King Fresh has seen heightened demand on extra-large grapes, and Keith expects returns for extra-large fruit to be better than last year. Retailers should promote grapes of all colors for the upcoming holidays.

“The crop looks good from here forward, so retailers should promote all the way through Thanksgiving, if not Christmas also,” Paige says. 

From its California grape program, King Fresh is launching straight into its California pomegranate program. The company just started packing its Granada variety last week. 

“We move into the Smith variety in one week, then Foothills, and then into the Wonderful variety in late September,” Keith outlines. 

King Fresh is experiencing increased volume to its pomegranate program as the company took on more growers this year. 

“The quality looks great this year, and we’re optimistic about the market,” Keith says. “I expect the prices to be better than last year because pomegranate acreage is is diminishing.” 

Keith expects prices to be in the $30 range for larger size two-layer boxes which he says should be promotable by the end of August all the way through November. The company projects that 40 percent of its crop will be exported to match the growing demand in Asian markets. 

“Retailers need to get on board early this year to increase pomegranate sales, starting with the varieties that will come in prior to Wonderfuls,” Paige divulges. 

So what’s next in the King Fresh pipeline?

“We’re looking at importing more grapes from Peru to expand our current programs,” Keith says. “And we’re very excited about our Chilean grapes, which are grown and packed year-round.”

King Fresh is also expecting to pack its California winter citrus in November, starting with Navel oranges, and expects the program to close out sometime in April.

King Fresh Produce, the marketing arm of Wilson Farms, is now in its third generation of Wilsons spearheading the company. Wilson Farms was founded by Keith’s father, Woodrow Wilson, following in the farming tradition of Keith’s grandfather. Keith himself heads King Fresh, where his children are now beginning to break into the family business.

As the King Fresh family continues to grow, with the Wilson family tie at its base, AndNowUKnow will have our ear to the ground for company expansions to its growing programs and offered segments.

King Fresh Produce, LLC

SOUTHEAST of MIAMI - A new storm system has appeared on the horizon, and weather experts have already started predicting it may reach hurricane status and potentially impact south Florida.

Currently located about 1,600 miles southeast of Miami, the system, thus far known as “99L,” has the potential to bring gusty winds, showers, and thunderstorms to Florida by Sunday and Monday. On its way west-northwest through Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, 99L could gain enough strength to first become Tropical Depression Eight, Tropical Storm Hermine, and even potentially a hurricane by the end of the week.

The National Hurricane Center reports that this system has “a medium to high chance” of developing into at least a tropical depression or tropical storm over the next 2 to 5 days.

"99L has the potential to become very well-organized over the Bahamas, just east of Florida this weekend," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.

Provided 99L keeps some distance north of Hispaniola, there is the potential for significant strengthening, perhaps to a hurricane this weekend.

While the intensity of the storm will depend on how quickly 99L strengthens, according to AccuWeather, gusty showers, thunderstorms, and rough seas will continue spreading northwestward as it travels towards Florida.

AccuWeather warns that people along the southeast coast of Florida and the Florida Keys should be prepared for thunderstorms and rough seas and surf. With Kottlowski adding, “All people living and having interests in and around the Bahamas, Cuba, and Florida should closely monitor the movement of this evolving tropical system.”

AndNowUKnow will be keeping a keen eye on 99L over the next few days as it continues to develop, so stay tune for more on how this may affect Florida’s produce business.

MENLO PARK, CA – With a gentle pluck here and a speedy suction there, this latest robotics innovation is looking to streamline the apple industry by removing ripe fruit from trees at the stunning rate of one apple per second.

Easily manipulating its arm-like body around the branches of trees, Dan Steere, CEO and Co-Founder of creating startup Abundant Robotics, told Tech Crunch that the automated machines were designed to be able to remove fruit with lightning speed and ease, while still maintaining the delicate requirements of the fruit. 

“Seeing fruit and picking it without damaging it is the big engineering challenge. If you bruise or cut the fruit it loses its value,” stated Steere. 

The robots use computer vision to view and mark apples on a branch that are ready to be harvested. Then, using a retractable vacuum, the yet nameless robot uses a vacuum to gently remove the apples from the tree. Abundant Robotics stated that the robots are powered by plugging into small tractors which are already widely used by fruit farmers. To see the robots in action, view the video below.

Responsible for bringing the ag robots to apple orchards, SRI Ventures, a development arm of SRI International, recently invested in Abundant Robotics Inc. to allow it to spin off and bring these robots to life. SRI Ventures stated that most of the intellectual property of the project was created at SRI, supplemented by a partnership with the robotics lab at Carnegie Mellon University. 

“You direct this robot to go someplace, see and pick an apple, and go again. It’s a very non-trivial engineering challenge,” said SRI Ventures President Manish Kothari. “To detect apples very precisely you have to see down at the millimeter level in real time. That requires software, and on the hardware side, chips that allow you to do real time image processing on the fly.” 

Kothari also stated that this apple-sucking robot only became a reality recently, due to recent technological breakthroughs in computer vision and image processing. To see more footage of how the robots work, watch the video below.

Abundant Robotics was founded by Steere and the company's other partners a year ago, after recognizing the sizeable market opportunities in agriculture, particularly that of the apple segment.

Abundant Robotics plans to have its robotic pickers in orchards within the next two years, in addition to expanding the company’s 8-person team even further. The company has already completed field trials with Washington and Australian orchards, with plans to conduct more. 

TechCrunch reported that Abundant Robotics did not disclose how much funding it has raised, but Kothari and Steere both confirmed that the company has closed an equity seed round in addition to grant funding. 

Will the industry soon see a pair of robotic arms to pair with its human pickers in the orchard? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated as the news ripens.