RIVERHEAD, NY - It is that time of year again when Fresh from the Start is gearing up for its Maine Broccoli season—the company’s largest program of the year.

Fresh from the Start expects to start shipping in mid-July and the company anticipates another great crop this year. Eric Scannelli, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing gives us some insights on this years’ crop and their Maine Broccoli program.

Q: What makes Maine broccoli unique and what are the benefits?

Northern Maine has cool nights, warm days, and clean, fresh water which are optimal conditions for broccoli farming. 

Maine broccoli is also fresher for our customers on the East Coast. Our product is picked, packed, and shipped all in the same day, resulting in ultimate freshness for our East Coast customers.

Q: Tell us about the process from the field to shipping.

Once our broccoli is ready to be harvested, it is boxed and packed in the field. The box is then pre-cooled with a Slush Ice Injection System and then it’s ready for shipping. In-house inspectors are on-site to inspect each load. There is limited to no storage time on our end, the broccoli is harvested, iced, and shipped in the same day. Additionally, 80% of the Maine broccoli is Asian Cut Crowns, available in 14ct. with 18ct. bunches also available.

Q: Hapco Farms has been shipping broccoli for over 20 years, has the demand for broccoli increased over the years?

Yes, definitely. First off, more people are eating broccoli today than they were 20 years ago. This is driving the demand up at the retail level. Also, production of Maine broccoli has increased due to consistent variety testing resulting in better quality product over the years. The popularity of “locally-grown” produce also has helped drive demand on the East Coast. 

Q: When does the Maine broccoli season officially start?

We begin shipping in mid-July and we ship through October. But for us, the season never stops. In the winter we are researching seed varieties, options in shipping boxes, as well as innovations in traceability and food safety initiatives. Prior to seeding, there is also field preparation and crop rotation. We are involved throughout the entire process, which is a full year cycle. 

We ship broccoli year-round with our Western program and Maine program, making it seamless for our customers.

As the Maine broccoli season gets underway, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more industry updates and news from across the category.

Fresh From the Start

DUBLIN, OH – Further exemplifying the chain’s commitment to utilizing only the freshest ingredients, Wendy’s has announced that the restaurant will feature blackberries for a limited-time in its Summer Berry Chicken Salad.

“After years of planning and hard work, we are proud to serve fresh blackberries at the peak of their season—something no other national QSR [quick-service restaurant] is able to deliver—and continue to pioneer for quality and freshness in the food industry,” stated Carl Loredo, VP of Brand Marketing at Wendy’s. “Our new Summer Berry Chicken Salad is an incredible example of how Wendy’s allows customers to enjoy ingredients fresh from the farm, literally.” 

Wendy’s stated in a press release that this effort to bring blackberries fresh to consumers began two years ago. The result is bursting berries from qualified growers, to be highlighted only throughout blackberries’ peak season; when the berries are gone, the offering will end.

Wendy’s stated that by keeping Founder Dave Thomas’ mission, “Quality is Our Recipe®” at the forefront of its culinary innovations, it is now the first national QSR to feature blackberries in its products. 

“At Wendy’s, fresh is not just a word but a personal challenge to which we are dedicated,” finished Loredo. 

To further engage consumers with its commitment to freshness, Wendy’s has released a video outlining its dedication to quality. See for yourself below. 

Wendy’s stated that the entire salad, like of all its fresh offerings, exemplifies its “Fresh from the Farm,” and “Only the Best” policies. As we previously reported, Church Brothers Farms was recently featured in a Wendy’s spotlight for its role in contributing to fresh QSR food for consumers.

The Summer Berry Chicken Salad pairs fresh blackberries with strawberries and crunch red apple chips, on a bed of fresh-cut lettuce, topped with feta. Featuring freshly grilled chicken and a light blackberry vinaigrette, Wendy’s stated that this 390-calorie salad will make any consumer feel summer-ready as long as the berries last.

As Wendy’s continues to put blackberries and other forms of fresh produce at the forefront of its consumer offerings, stay with AndNowUKnow as we report on innovations in the QSR realm.

Wendy's

BENTONVILLE, AR – Walmart is cutting the ribbon on one of its biggest investments in the state of North Carolina–a $100 million refrigerated distribution center.

Located in Mebane and measuring at 450,000-square-foot, the facility is due to open tomorrow, July 13th, and is expected to create more than 550 jobs in the area, according to the Triangle Business Journal.

The project was initially projected to open August of this year when it went under way a few years ago, with an estimated 400 new jobs or so, and the boost in both the timeline and the workforce look to be well received in the area.

As it currently stands, Walmart will receive a $1.1 million incentive grant from the state, The Triangle reports, as well as $4.4 million in local town and county incentives, contingent on meeting its hiring goals.

According to Walmart’s website, it currently has upwards of 160 distribution centers (this will make the fourth in North Carolina) with about one million-square-feet of facility space for more than 5.5 billion cases of merchandise.

This latest addition to that production reach is in what could be a burgeoning retail hub, with Lidl having slated its regional headquarters and distribution center in the same city.

The new refrigerated Mebane distribution center will be used for both storage and distribution of the retailer’s perishable food products going to Walmart stores in both North Carolina and Virginia.

Walmart

SALINAS, CA – Building on the company’s chopped salad kit line, Taylor Farms is now expanding into the organic salad segment with the introduction of Organic Chopped Salad Kits. Available this summer, the company will be debuting their organic options at the Organic Produce Summit on July 13-14, 2016 in Monterey, CA.

“Taylor Farms brought the original chopped salad kits to market in 2012. The innovation generated a new sub-segment within the salad kit category now valued over $400 million,” said Bryan Jaynes, Vice President of Product Management, Taylor Farms Retail. “The time is right to bring this growth-generating product line into the organic segment. Taylor Farms chopped salad kits have been selling faster than any other brand in the market – and chopped kits now represent more than a third of the salad kit segment.”

Taylor Farms’ new line offers a convenient and healthy, multi-serve solution for busy families looking for an organic option. The Organic Chopped Salad line consists of three premium chopped salad kits:

• Organic Toasted Sesame Chopped Salad
• Organic Sriracha Ranch Chopped Salad
• Organic Asian Ginger Chopped Salad

These kits include fresh vegetables such as broccoli, celery, carrots, cabbage, and romaine. The salad kits also include organic toppings such as quinoa crisps, pita chips, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and pepitas, along with dressings unique to each salad. 

Taylor Farms is a co-founding sponsor of the Organic Produce Summit, where the company will be debuting the line. For more information on these products and more, check out www.taylorfarms.com.

Taylor Farms

FRESNO, CA - A new lawsuit has been filed by the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority and Westlands Water District, stating the U.S. government had failed to effectively examine the effects of existing measures before restricting water pumps at the bottom of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Last Friday’s lawsuit, filed by the Water Authority, alleges that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation failed to seek alternatives to cutting water supplies when adopting its operations plans for the Central Valley Project in 2008 and 2009. Those plans were based on biological opinions issued under the Endangered Species Act, according to the Porterville Recorder.

The lawsuit seeks to compel Reclamation to perform a new environmental analysis. If successful, this may ultimately result in new measures that will effect water usage and potentially millions of Californians in the Central Valley.

Jason Peltier, the Authority’s Executive Director, told the Sacramento Bee that in spite of the pumping restrictions, fish populations continue to decline sharply.

The Central Valley Project includes both the Shasta and Folsom lakes and a federal pumping station near Tracy, the Bee reports. Delta water is then channeled along canals to over 2 million acres of farmland in the western San Joaquin Valley, and to urban water districts in San Benito and Santa Clara counties.

Shane Hunt, a spokesman for U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, said the agency declined to comment on pending litigation.

WENATCHEE, WA - If numbers speak volumes then this latest Nielsen Fresh Facts data, analyzed by Stemilt Growers, has the popularity of Lil Snappers® Apples going through the roof! For those unfamiliar with the snacking line, Lil Snappers are kid-sized apples in convenient, 3lb. pouch bags. Grown by Stemilt in Washington State, Lil Snappers come in a range of varieties and flavors from super sweet Fuji and tart Granny Smith to Gala, Honeycrisp, Piñata!®, Pink Lady® and more.

Just to give you an idea of the growth of the Lil Snappers® apple brand, year over year:

• Volume is up 131.1%
• Dollars are up 123%
• Distribution points (total weeks available in unique store count) are up 194%

“Lil Snappers have truly taken off at retail due to their convenience, kid’s size serving-size, high-graphic grab-and-go bags, and playful theme,” Marketing Director, Roger Pepperl tells me. “These are incredible numbers and with the brand still building, this is a trajectory I expect to continue."

So, what is on the horizon for Lil Snappers® Apple products? This fall, Stemilt will be launching a complete organic apple line of Lil Snappers® Apple products available in 3# bags. This size keeps the purchase size and the ring high for the best produce shoppers that enter the department. 

“Why minimize your best shoppers with less pounds and dollars?” Roger asks. “We designed these specs specifically to benefit the retailer and the consumer, and to create a destination in the produce department.”

On the pear front, Roger notes, Stemilt is adding an early season variety, Tosca pears, which is a great summer fruit available in Lil Snappers® bags and will be available as soon as the first week in August, with Concorde pears also to be welcomed to the mix. The Concorde variety is a great pear for kids with its super sweet flavor combined with a crunchy and crisp eating experience.

As retailers look to best utilize this innovative snacking opportunity, Stemilt will be offering a new Lil Snappers Lane Stand that allows one box displays of Lil Snappers® to be set up at the cash registers or unique cross merchandising opportunities. These will be free to partners and features super-easy one piece pop-ups.

With a new website remodel upcoming for Lil Snappers, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for continued updates on Stemilt and its growing Washington State produce program.

Stemilt 

WATSONVILLE, CA - Time is running out to donate to Tour de Fresh. With $91,000 left to raise for this year's goal of $175,000, and only two weeks before the event on July 26-28, the team is encouraging participants, sponsors, and industry members to reach out for fundraising support.

“Each year, we’ve been able to pull through for the schools where we’ve promised salad bars, and I don’t expect this year to be any different because of the tremendous industry support for this cause,” said Cindy Jewell, Vice President of Marketing for California Giant Berry Farms. “However, with only two weeks left and more than $90,000 to collect, we’re very appreciative of the friends, families, and companies who support our riders in their last leg of fundraising.”

Presented by The California Giant Foundation, Tour de Fresh is a three-day cycling event that raises funds to benefit the Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign. Some ways to support friends and colleagues riding in this year’s Tour de Fresh include: 

• Reaching out to friends and family by asking personally, and posting on social media using this link: http://www.tourdefresh.com/riders.php.
• Implementing company incentives. Offer raffles, prizes, team lunches, time off, etc. for those who donate.
• Utilizing industry partnerships, by asking for support from buyers, importers, retailers, etc.
• Forming business partnerships by asking local businesses to donate tax-free.

Through July 22nd, Tour de Fresh is offering multiple incentives to support these additional fundraising efforts. Any individual who donates to a rider will automatically be entered into a raffle for the chance to win one of two prizes - a Blendtec® Blender, or a baseball signed by San Francisco Giants Brandon Crawford. Additionally, the rider who raises the most money within that time period will automatically win a Blendtec® Blender.

Riders have already placed 27 salad bars in schools through this year’s fundraising efforts. These salad bars will allow students to enjoy fresh and nutritious produce as they return to school in the fall, and schools still on the waitlist are relying on Tour de Fresh riders for the same exciting opportunity. 

In it’s first two years (2014-2015), Tour de Fresh received over $300,000 in donations to support the placement of more than 100 salad bars in schools across the country. At a cost of $3,125 per salad bar per school, sponsors and participants alike strongly believe that providing healthy eating opportunities for school children should be a requirement.

Tour De Fresh

NEW YORK, NY - D’Arrigo Bros. of New York, Inc. is not wasting time in their pursuit of sustainability. The company has been recognized by New York City for its participation in the Mayor’s Zero Waste Challenge, part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s comprehensive OneNYC plan to send Zero Waste to landfills by 2030.

“D’Arrigo Brothers is committed to New York City’s Green Mission,” said Matthew D’Arrigo, Vice President of D’Arrigo Brothers, in a press release. “Participating in the Mayor’s Zero Waste Challenge was a natural partnership. We were able to strengthen our sustainability efforts as we strive to divert waste through reusing, donating, composting, and recycling.”

To successfully complete the challenge, D’Arrigo Bros. and more than thirty other participants committed to divert at least 50 percent of their waste from landfill and incineration. The company donated 216.13 tons of produce to NYC Parks, City Harvest, Food Bank of NYC, and others.

At the beginning of the challenge, the D’Arrigo Bros. diversion rate was roughly 85 percent, today it exceeds 95 percent. To do this it changed existing processes; the company implemented a strategy that integrates waste removal throughout all employees’ routine tasks, rather than waiting until the end of the day to have a few individuals take care of waste.

“The Zero Waste Challenge allowed D’Arrigo Brothers to help NYC meet the goal of reducing carbon emissions, producing less waste and donating food to those in need,” said Matthew D’Arrigo. “I believe that our participation can serve as a role model for others looking to comply with the city's recycling laws and help New York City achieve its zero waste goal."

This Zero Waste Challenge comes ahead of the new commercial organics law, which will require certain subsets of businesses to source separate food scraps and other organic material for beneficial use in 2017, as well as new commercial recycling rules that simplify the city’s current commercial recycling rules, making them easier for businesses to follow.

As more companies continue to focus on reducing waste, stay with AndNowUKnow as we report on their progress.

D’Arrigo Bros. of New York, Inc.

SAN ANTONIO, TX - As San Antonio, Texas, continues to grow as a retail hub, H-E-B has announced growing its own footprint in the market as well. The chain is planning two new stores in the town to open in 2017, one in the west area of the city, and one in the northeast.

The west-area location will be on a 6.27-acre plot H-E-B purchased in 2012, currently valued at $4.74 million. The second location is a retail center currently under way with local firm Fulcrum Development.

Director of Governmental and Public Affairs at H-E-B, Dya Campos, did confirm the two new locations in an email to news source My San Antonio, but the retailer declined to share too many details about the stores or confirm specific open dates.

It’s the latest in a few moves for growth from H-E-B, who recently added more land to its reach, now owning 20 pieces of land total in Texas’ Dallas, Collin, and Tarrant counties, as well as about 48 acres at a northwest corner of San Antonio valued at $9.9 million. This particular plot, however, Campos declined would become a new store, according to the report.

And the retailer has extended its e-commerce reach as well, having launched a curbside pilot several months ago to enhance its consumers’ experience.

What additional moves towards growth can we expect over the coming year? Continue to follow AndNowUKnow as we keep our finger on the pulse of the fluctuating retail market.

H-E-B

TAMPA, FL - Harvest CROO Robotics, the company behind the creation of a strawberry harvesting robot, has achieved its first U.S. Patent approval. The bot uses a device called “the Pitzer Wheel,”  an autonomous and continuous picking wheel on the apparatus named after company Co-Founder and inventor Bob Pitzer.

“Our biggest differentiator has always been that growers will not have to change the way they currently grow strawberries,” explained Gary Wishnatzki, Co-Founder of Harvest CROO and Owner of Wish Farms. “Now, with the patent of the Pitzer Wheel, what I believe to be the heart of the invention, we have another strong distinguishing factor.”   

Look below to watch a video of the Pitzer Wheel in action:

Different perhaps than some other harvest robots that you might see on the market, Harvest CROO’s picking wheel uses conservation of motion as opposed to a “pick and move” motion.  According to a press release, the bot picks the initial berry, then rotates to expose the next claw to pick another berry at a rapid rate. Once a strawberry is picked by one of the six food-grade silicon claws, it is rotated to the top of the wheel. After that, the berry is carefully placed into a cup that will then be transferred to a central location on the machine, to be inspected for a second time, before being placed into consumer packs. All of these steps are done without human intervention.

“By reaching this milestone to protect the intellectual property of one of the key components of our machine, we are steps closer in our mission to revolutionizing the ag-tech industry,” added Wishnatzki.

Harvest CROO has filed a total of six patents since the company began its project, including the following: 

• GPS navigation techniques
• An altitude control system
• Leaf manipulation concepts for harvest

The company noted that its vision technology, used to identify ripe berries, is being held as a trade secret, and that it is currently fundraising in preparation for the next round of prototypes. 

To learn more about Harvest CROO, including investment opportunities, contact [email protected].

Harvest CROO Robotics Wish Farms