FRESNO, CA - The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) is welcoming Cal Poly grad Ian F. LeMay as its new Director of Member Relations and Communications. In his new position, he will be responsible for membership recruitment and retainment, along with a multitude of legislative concerns for Association members at both the state and federal levels.

"I have had the pleasure of working with Ian for a number of years in his role with the Congressman, and I have always found him to be an articulate and vocal advocate for California agriculture,” shared CFFA President Barry Bedwell. “We believe he is a natural fit along with our current staff to continue to enthusiastically represent our members."

"We are very pleased that Ian has agreed to become part of the team at CFFA,” agreed Family Tree Farms' David Jackson, Chairman of the CFFA. “His background and education, as well as working agricultural issues for Congressman Costa, should translate into real value for our membership."

Before signing up with the CFFA, LeMay served as District Director for Congressman Jim Costa, working on a variety of constituent and agricultural issues, including water supply and availability.

He received his education at Cal Poly where he studied agricultural business with a concentration in marketing. He lives in Fresno, California with his wife, Molly, and their newborn baby. 

California Fresh Fruit Association

CHARLOTTE, NC – 3D printing is here, but what could it mean for the industry?

Mike Nagle, Business Development Manager for Advanced Technology Systems will be a speaker at PMA’s upcoming technology event, Tech Talks, in Charlotte, North Carolina on February 4, 2015. He recently shared some of his insights with PMA’s Ashley Boucher about this emerging technology and its applications for the fresh produce industry. 

“The 3D concept is there, and I actually think there is some opportunity for the produce world to learn from 3D printing, and I also think there’s an opportunity for 3D printing to learn form the produce industry,” he said.

Mike worked with a number of farm and food related companies, both from the farm and equipment side. He also worked for companies that are manufacturing seed-making equipment and automation companies making food, giving him a unique perspective on the industry.

He said that the industry is already using 3D printing for packaging in the prototyping and production phases of making the packaging itself. Speaking about the benefits 3D printing can give to companies, Mike says, “If there are design changes, if they want it to be greener with their design process and use the least amount of material as possible, 3D printing allows them to make a cheap tool and then be able to make a custom part based on the demand of the customer.”

Looking forward, Mike thinks that 3D printing will help lead to greater transparency, where there has previously been a bit of mystery surrounding the manufacturing processes. It will also allow for companies to receive immediate feedback from consumers and to make modifications and changes based on that information.

In his presentation at Tech Talks, Mike says that he wants to show attendees how companies are using the technology today and how it is helping them, because that is the key.

The PMA Tech Talks sets the stage for innovative thinking and groundbreaking ideas. It’s been designed to develop conversation and connections through powerful videos and presentations. For more information on the event, click here. 

PMA

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved a Modified Final Order pertaining to Bi-Lo Holding's $265 million acquisition of 154 Delhaize America locations. Under the new agreement, Bi-Lo is no longer required to divest three of the stores which it had originally been ordered to by the FTC.

After reviewing charges that the acquisition would damage competition in markets in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, the FTC had previously ordered Bi-Lo to sell 12 of the to-be acquired locations to a predetermined set of buyers. One of these buyers, Rowe's IGA, later decided against purchasing the four Sweetbay stores it was allocated in the FTC's original order. Because Bi-Lo was unable to find a new buyer for three of the four locations, the FTC was required to issue a Modified Order.

According to the Imperial Valley News, the Modified Order says:

• Bi-Lo is freed of its obligation to divest the four locations to Rowe's IGA
• Bi-Lo is required to divest its store in Wauchula to Sunripe Market within 30 days of the finalization of the Modified Order.

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to monitor Bi-Lo's merger negotiations with the FTC.

Bi-Lo Holdings

SANDPOINT, ID - Litehouse Foods is expanding its Instantly Fresh™ herbs line with a new flavor: Mint.

Instantly Fresh™ herbs make a great complement to sweet and savory meals. Stacey Miller, Senior Brand Manager at Litehouse Foods, tells AndNowUKnow, “They make an excellent alternative to fresh herbs by offering convenience without sacrificing taste, while also providing shoppers a way to spice up dishes without adding extra salt or calories.”

Instantly Fresh™ is:

• Non-GMO
• Salt-free
• Preservative-free
• Additive-free
• Only made of one ingredient: the mint itself

Litehouse recommends retailers merchandise Instantly Fresh™ products in the refrigerated section of the produce department in order to offer shoppers a direct choice between them and fresh herbs. Another key place to merchandise is on the top shelf of displays/racks next to fresh vegetables. Litehouse herbs are freeze-fried, preserving the flavor of the product.

Litehouse Foods

WASHINGTON D.C. - Four PACA violators in New York, Florida, Illinois and California have been restricted from operating in the produce industry, according to a USDA press release.

Joseph Aiello & Sons Inc., a Albany, New York-based company, failed to pay a $7,747 award in favor of a Minnesota seller. Joseph J. Aiello Jr. was listed as the Officer, Director, and major stockholder of the business.

Vegfruitworld Corp., a Opa Locka, Florida-based company, failed to pay a $5,184 award in favor of a Georgia seller. Hugo T. Coral, Jose J. Quezada and Levy P. Zapata were listed as Officers, Directors, and/or major stockholders of the business.

Nico Mexi Foods Inc., a Chicago, Illinois-based company, failed to pay a $7,547 award in favor of an Illinois seller. Nicolas Ibarra was listed as the Officer, Director, and major stockholder of the business.

Campesinos International Trading Inc., a Ventura, California-based company, failed to pay a $16,040 award in favor of a California seller. Arturo Hernandez, La Esperanza Farms Inc. and Carlos Tapia were listed as the Officers, Directors, and/or major stockholders of the business.

In the past three years, the USDA resolved approximately 4,600 claims under the PACA involving more than $87 million. Individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, Managers, Officers, Directors, or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without the approval of the USDA. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses operating subject to PACA.

Agricultural Marketing Service

MEXICO - Controladora Comercial Mexicana SAB is reportedly nearing an agreement to unload a package of 160 stores to rival retailer, Organizacion Soriana SAB, in a package valued at $3 billion (44 billion pesos).

Late last year, AndNowUKnow reported on similar rumors centered around a possible deal between Controladora Comercial Mexicana and Grupo Comercial Chedraui. That deal would have sent over the majority of Controladora Comercial Mexicana's 200 retail locations to Grupo Comercial Chedraui for over $4 billion. Importantly, it would have allowed Controladora Comercial Mexicana to retain ownership of the real estate associated with those stores. Instead, the real estate would be leased to Grupo Comercial Chedraui for its use in running its retail operations.

The new agreement stands in contrast to these previous rumors, according to Bloomberg. Sources close to Controladora Comercial Mexicana report that the current deal would include full ownership of all real estate associated with the stores.

So far, Controladora Comercial Mexicana has declined to comment on these ongoing negotiations beyond sharing that it's “continuing the process of analyzing strategic alternatives.” Bloomberg, however, reports that a deal is expected to be finished by the end of January.

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track the progress of these important negotiations.  

Controladora Comercial Mexicana

Organizacion Soriana SAB

Grupo Comercial Chedraui

NETHERLANDS – Even though it’s 2015 and we don’t have flying cars or vacation homes on Mars, we do have some pretty cool advancement in robotics.

The European research project, Clever Robots for Crops (CROPS), has created the world’s first working sweet-pepper harvesting robot. According to CROPS, the robot was developed in Wageningen and is able to locate, to approach, to hold, to detach and to collect ripe fruits.

The project has been coordinated by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture and was co-funded by the Dutch Horticultural Product Board. The four-year research project had 13 partners from 10 different countries and led to the creation of a universal robotic platform for producing and harvesting high volume crops.

The robot works autonomously and uses 3-D cameras to evaluate the size, color development and ripeness of the peppers to ensure they are ready for harvest.

While it is not commercially viable yet, its experiments in the commercial greenhouse have yielded valuable data and information to continue to build from.

According to physics.org, a new European research project has been awarded to Wageningen UR for a three-year period. This project will specifically focus on the further development of the pepper harvest robot.

CROPS

OXNARD, CA - With Chinese New Year fast approaching, Asian greens are top of mind for those companies looking to capitalize on the latest Asian produce trends and the growing popularity of this holiday within the mainstream. It also doesn’t hurt that Chinese New Year falls on February 19th, while New Year’s resolutions for healthier eating habits are still in full effect.

Trending this year are top sellers that include:

• Baby Shanghai Bok Choy
• Baby Bok Choy
• Gai Lan

Garrett Nishimori, Marketing Manager and Corporate Chef, at San Miguel Produce, tells me, "Asian greens are easy to cook, trendy and offer consumers a way to maintain a healthy diet without sacrificing flavor and variety."

“The demand for Asian vegetables is rapidly increasing in the U.S. because of several factors, including burgeoning ethnic diversity in the population, increasing popularity of Asian cuisines, more emphasis on healthy foods, desire for more variety in the diet and increasing familiarity with their culinary use,” Garrett notes.

Some of the lesser known produce items that could make an impact this year are Yu Choy and Snow Pea Shoots, Garrett tells me, and San Miguel is tapping into the season’s promotional opportunities. During the weeks prior to the holiday, San Miguel will be offering promotions on both its bulk Asian greens and value-added Jade Asian greens program through a consumer e-mail campaign that should increase traffic for well-stocked retailers.

Let’s talk about health benefits. Bok Choy is currently ranked right behind Kale on the ANDI scoring system which has helped catapult the category to where it is today. Overall, many Asian greens rank high on the ANDI scale, making them the perfect addition to produce departments as consumers continue to look for versatility and great taste.

ANDI, or the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index, is a new and popular scoring system that rates foods on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. These scores take into consideration the item's range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities…all of which can be found in Asian greens.

San Miguel Produce

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Tom Lange Family of Companies hosted a company-wide employee challenge to raise money for charity over the holiday season.

That challenge was to see which Tom Lange office could raise the highest amount of money per capita. The winning location would be eligible to pick any national charity to receive the donation. 

According to a press release, the company surpassed the $10,000 mark in total donations from employees coast to coast. M&M Marketing and Lange Logistics in St. Louis, MO was the winning location.

The office decided to donate the total amount to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Jesse Stuart, Account Manager at Lange Logistics, St. Louis, said, “When there is genuine excitement and competitive spirit amongst each other to raise money for charity, that is confirmation that you work with an amazing group of people.”

In addition to this charitable competition, Tom Lange Corporate also donated toys to its local Toys for Tots program and filled two large bins. The next event for the Tom Lange Charitable Foundation is the 25^th Annual Charity Classic golf outing on June 27, 2015.

Tom Lange

ZAANDAM, NETHERLANDS - Ahold's Netherlands-based Albert Heijin retail network made headlines this week after CEO Sander van der Laan announced his departure from the company. In his place, Ahold has named Executive Vice President of Specialty Stores and New Markets Wouter Kolk as the new acting CEO.

"On behalf of our Executive Committee, I would like to thank Sander for his outstanding service and greatly valued contributions to our company,” shared Dick Boer, Ahold CEO. “Under his leadership, Albert Heijn introduced iconic and award-winning commercial campaigns that were much appreciated by our customers. In addition, Albert Heijn developed into a multi-channel brand, and successfully expanded into new geographies. We wish Sander all the very best for the future."

"I am very grateful to Ahold for all of the professional opportunities offered to me over the years,” Van der Laan responded. “It has been a true privilege to work for this great company, with its highly motivated associates and strong customer base. I wish Wouter, the company and its associates all the very best."

"On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to sincerely thank Sander for all his efforts and the strong contribution he has made to Ahold," added Rob van den Bergh, Chairman of Ahold's Supervisory Board. "We wish him well. Additionally, I would like to wish Wouter every success. We are confident that his skills, knowledge and expertise will be of great benefit to the company in the years to come."

Wouter takes his new position during a time of strength for Ahold. On the back of strong same-store performances from its United States Stop & Shop and Giant retail chains, Ahold enjoyed a 7.9% gain in Q4 net sales to $9.5 billion. According to Reuters, this performance exceeded the expectations of Wall Street investors who had only forcasted $9.30 billion for the retailer.

“In the United States, we were pleased with the progress of our program to improve our customer proposition, which was deployed to 523 stores by the end of the year,” the company shared in its release.

Some highlights from Ahold's financial report include:

• Net sales of €8.06 billion ($9.5 billion) compared to €7.47 billion from the same period last year.
• A 0.3% increase in same-store sales in U.S. stores, compared to a 0.2% decline from the same quarter last year.
• A 0.5% decline in net sales for Ahold's U.S. operations (after taking changing exchange rates into account).
• A 4.5% increase in sales for Ahold's Netherlands operations, fronted by Albert Heijin.

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track Ahold's retail operations, both in the United States and throughout the rest of the globe.

Ahold USA