Earthbound Farm has expanded its popular line of kale-based Deep Green Blends with the addition of Kale Italia, a zesty mix of baby kale, Italian greens, arugula and radicchio.  Kale Italia has a pleasant crunch and a robust flavor profile.  Even beyond delicious salad, this blend is great for pastas, risottos, sautés and more. 

“The love of kale is here to stay,” said Nathalie Fontanilla, Vice President of Product Innovation at Earthbound Farm. “Baby kale is so versatile that it satisfies that desire for an all-purpose green that works in smoothies, cooked recipes, and salads equally deliciously. And combined with the Italian greens in this blend, we think consumers will rave about Kale Italia. Retailers will be pleased with the incremental sales this item will generate.”

“Kale Italia has the versatility and freshness consumers want at a price they can afford,” she added. “And the fact that it’s so nutrient-dense is a driving factor of its popularity.”

According to a press release, Kale Italia is available in a 5 oz clamshell, and its launch is supported with eye-catching point-of-sale material.  It is shipping now with a suggested retail price (SRP) of $4.99.

Earthbound Farm

WENATCHEE, WA – Columbia Marketing International (CMI) has been honored as a finalist in the 2014 PMA Impact Awards in Excellence in Packaging for its innovative single-serve cherry packaging design on its Go-Go Fresh line.

“More and more consumers are shopping convenience stores looking for fresh fruit options,” Steve Lutz, Vice President of Marketing for CMI explained. “The conventional grocery store 2 lb. cherry bags are far too large for convenience stores so fresh cherries were rarely seen in this channel despite the fact that cherries are a high demand and high impulse product. The new CMI Go-Go Fresh single serve bag really opened the convenience store channel for the first time.”

According to a press release, so far the Go-Go Fresh line of cherries has been a big hit with customers. Lutz credits much of this success to the eye-catching retro graphics that help the product draw consumers' attention, while reminding them of the countless health benefits cherries offer.

“Our consumer research showed that the displaying of nutritional information and fiber content are important purchasing factors for many consumers. We used the new packaging to call out these benefits as well as highlight that our cherries are GMO free,” Lutz said. “We look forward to an expanded roll out of the CMI single serving cherry packaging during the 2015 season.”

If this first year of success is any indication of what is to come, I'd say Lutz's optimism is well justified.

According to a press release, 56 different companies entered 67 products for consideration in the PMA Impact Awards in Excellence in Packaging. Only twenty submissions, including CMI's own, were selected as finalists.

Congratulations on the honor CMI!

CMI

CALIFORNIA - California business leaders are speaking out against AB 1897, a labor union-supported bill that the California Senate will vote on this week. 

The Business Journal, or TBJ Now, reports that local business leaders gathered yesterday to urge the California Senate to vote against an Assembly Bill that would hold companies accountable for a subcontractor’s treatment of its employees.  The bill is authored by Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina.

Fresno Chamber of Commerce President Al Smith said that the bill is unnecessary because there are already laws in place to discourage companies from hiring subcontractors who violate employees’ rights or commit wage theft, according to TBJ Now.  “It [would] be burdensome for the original company,” he added.

“I absolutely oppose this process,” added Manuel Cunha, President of the Nisei Farmers League in Fresno.  “The amount of wage-theft is so minute, it’s really just one or two bad apples.”

Barry Bedwell, President of the California Fresh Fruit Association said the law would be broad and affect most industries in California, according to TBJ Now.  “This is truly a job killer,” he said.  “I fail to see the benefit, particularly of this law.”

Business leaders also voiced concern that the bill would also exempt local and state government bodies and only apply to the private sector.

Western Growers is also urging Californians to contact their Senator to urge them to vote against this bill.  In the Action Center on its website, the company states, “It is simply unfair to impose significant liability against an innocent third party for the wrongful acts of another, especially when the third party cannot prevent those wrongful acts. I urge you to VOTE NO on AB 1897.”

This is definitely an important issue for the produce industry.  Please contact your local Senator here and let your voice be heard.

Nisei Farmers League

California Fresh Fruit Association 

Western Growers

DALLAS, TX - cycleWood Solutions has an answer for retailers looking to meet increasing customer expectations for more environmentally friendly products with its new innovative line of Xylobags. Made from lignin, a byproduct of the manufacturing process in modern papermills, cycleWood has engineered this plastic bag alternative which while being comparable in strength to traditional plastics is also fully compostable.

“Xylobags are the perfect option for the environmentally conscious consumer who nonetheless doesn't want to give up the dependability and strength that traditional plastics have historically offered,” Vice President of Business Development, Louis Darrouzet told AndNowUKnow. “By making our product from lignin our manufacturing process does not require additional trees to be cut down. Our Xylobags are strong, do not dissolve in water, but are still fully compostable.”

Louis went on to explain that Xylobags are unique because they are the only plastic alternative currently on the market that are made from the byproduct of a current industrial process.

In addition thanks to a growing number of compost facilities and a vertically integrated supply chain, cycleWood Solutions is able to offer its next generation compostable products at the lowest price point on the market.

Louis tells me that so far the reception for his company's products have been outstanding.

“The city of Houston has just recently approved Xylobags for use in its municipal lawn and leaf collection program,” he explained. “Right now we are being setup as vendors for several major retailers in the Houston market. Our Xylobags should be on the shelves by late September or early October.”

Xylobags will be available in three different formats. There are the 13 gallon kitchen bags, 33 gallon lawn and leaf bags, 45 gallon trash liners.

Personally, having spoken at length with cycleWood about its business during the formation of this article, I'm excited about the potential for this product. Innovative products like the Xylobag are what make our industry great after all.

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more innovative product releases and produce industry news!

cycleWood Solutions

DES MOINES, IOWA – Hy-Vee is continuing its Midwest expansion plans with the announcements of two new stores in the twin cities area.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports that Hy-Vee confirmed the locations of its third and fourth metro grocery stores in the twin cities.  The company plans to open a 90,000 square feet store in the Lakeville area, which will feature a pharmacy, gas station and convenience store.  The grocer also said that it has submitted preliminary plans for a Maple Grove store at The Point at Arbor Lakes.

Hy-Vee spokeswoman Tara Deering-Hansen said that it will take several months for construction to begin in Lakeville and Maple Grove, and no opening date has been announced for either store, according to the Business Journal.

These new store announcements come just one month after Hy-Vee announced plans to expand into the twin cities.  For more information on that announcement, check out our previous articles by clicking here and here.

These expansion plans come during a strong time for Hy-Vee in which the retailer was recently named as the 'First-Ever Regional Grocery Store Brand of the Year' by a Harris Poll of American consumers. Hy-Vee polled first among Midwestern retail chains because it “has strong Purchase Consideration scores and very 'connected consumers,' meaning they have strong feelings for the brand and believe it's a good fit for them," said Michael Treboni, Executive Vice President of Retail Professional Services at Nielsen.

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for any further updates on Hy-Vee's Midwestern expansion plans.

Hy-Vee

ROSEMONT, IL - Reinhart Foodservice has announced that it is adding its own brand to the produce marketplace: Good Roots Produce. With the brand promise, “Good Roots: Versatile, wholesome produce solutions…from the ground up” Goot Roots Produce comes from Reinhart Foodservice's conviction to deliver “exceptional, high-quality products, personal service and value through a flexible, versatile produce offering.”

“Here at Reinhart, we're all very excited about the exceptional value Good Roots offers our partners in the produce community as well as the American consumer. We're currently focusing on repack, providing our divisions and customers a value added solution while still maintaining strict FSQA standards,” Rob Ondrus, Produce Category Director for Reinhart Foodservice, told AndNowUKnow. “With close to 20% of all produce cases being repack product, we wanted to have our own brand in the marketplace, one that operators could rely on consistently, both in terms of quality and customer service.”

Right now, Reinhart has 35 key volume items in its Good Roots line. It is supported by 8 suppliers, allowing Reinhart to cover the entirety of its 31 divisions without overextending its supply chain.

To Rob, the future looks bright for Good Roots.

“Moving forward, we're evaluating the next phase of Good Roots repack, as well as future growth plans in other produce categories,” he shared.

Having worked with Reinhart Foodservice extensively in writing up our feature story for the company in ANUK's latest edition of our print publication, The Snack, I am excited to see what this company has in store for the produce industry with the latest release.

If you'd like to learn even more about Reinhart Foodservice, check out that Snack article here.

Congratulations on this exciting brand release Reinhart!

Reinhart Foodservice

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market (PWPM) is fielding a team of bicyclists to ride in this year’s Bike MS: City to Shore event to help fight Multiple Sclerosis.

This year’s event will take place September 27, 2014 and features a route of about 100 miles from Cherry Hill, NJ to Ocean City, NJ, according to a press release.

The Produce Pedalers are welcoming friends, family and colleagues of the PWPM to join in the trip through beautiful Southern NJ all while helping to fight MS.

PWPM will cover the registration costs, a $65 fee, of the first 25 riders who sign up as well as providing jerseys for all of the riders, according to a press release.  Each team member raises a minimum of $300 for the MS Society.

If you cannot attend the event, you can still support the team by going directly to the Produce Pedaler page by clicking here.

Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market

DEARBORN, MI – It might not seem like tomatoes and cars have much in common, but Ford Motor Company and Heinz are working together to develop sustainable materials for vehicles.

Heinz researchers have been looking for innovative ways to recycle and repurpose peels, stems and seeds from the more than two million tons of tomatoes it uses to make Heinz Ketchup.

“We are delighted that the technology has been validated,” said Vidhu Nagpal, Associate Director, Packaging R&D for Heinz. “Although we are in the very early stages of research, and many questions remain, we are excited about the possibilities this could produce for both Heinz and Ford, and the advancement of sustainable 100% plant-based plastics.”

“We are exploring whether this food processing byproduct makes sense for an automotive application,” said Ellen Lee, Plastics Research Technical Specialist for Ford.  “Our goal is to develop a strong, lightweight material that meets our vehicle requirements, while at the same time reducing our overall environmental impact.”

The tomato refuse could be used to make lighter plastics than what is currently available.  To get the fruit’s refuse ready for molding, the fibers are ground and dried.  Then molten plastic is added as a binder. 

Even with current samples containing about 20% tomato, Debbie Mielewski, a leader in the R&D team, tells Smithsonian.com, “We’re still talking about a ton of value, because millions of applications for this could pop up.” 

This isn’t the first use of renewable plastic used by the company.  Smithsonian.com reports that the lab’s first renewable plastic launched on the 2008 Mustang using a soy-based polyurethane foam in the seat cushion and headrest.  Ford says that all of its domestic vehicles use the foam in the seat cushions now and 75% of them have it in the headrest.

For now, the lab is putting the tomato-infused plastic to the test to ensure it will meet current vehicle safety requirements.  After testing, it would go through product development and be worked into Ford’s supply chain.

Heinz

Ford 

SELMA, CA - Jim Pandol & Company has announced that it is launching Certified Organic Sweet Babies grapes as a companion to its conventional offerings.

These grapes offer a unique look and flavor and will be packaged in beautiful packaging designed to be attractive to both shoppers and children.  The packaging also features a QR code that directs to the teacher tour website which explains the product more fully and Jim’s signature to take personal responsibility for the product.

With a focus on staying natural, the variety that the company uses to produce the Sweet Babies is the Thompson seedless. This variety exists from nature and was not created in a breeding program.

Both of Jim Pandol’s conventional and organic Sweet Babies are grown without growth hormones. Though small in size, the flavor of the grape is concentrated and intensified in the sweet little berry.

Jim Pandol & Company 

ORLANDO, FL - The National Mango Board has some great tips for its retail partners this August, with back-to-school recipes, a mango ripening webinar, and some great promotional tips among other resources.

Mango and Onion Cross Marketing

The National Mango Board has a whole host of recipes to help creative cooks get more comfortable cooking with mangos in the kitchen. My personal favorite was the Island Style Skewers, which pair two unlikely partners together in a dish that the NMB says is “a great way to squeeze the last bit of YUM out of the summer season. The delicious sweetness of mango pairs perfectly with the onions, peppers, chicken and shrimp in this easy grilling recipe. Your display with onions and mangos will be sure to get the creative juices flowing! ”

Promoting this recipe in store is a great opportunity for some innovative cross marketing promotions. I know I'd be sure to check this display out.

If you'd like to check out the full recipe, click here.

Back-To-School 

Mangos aren't commonly thought of as a big back-to-school produce category, but the NMB is looking to change that this season with another innovative recipe. I might be a bit past my high school years, but I think I'm going to have to give this Mango and Maple Oatmeal To Go recipe a shot sometime soon.

According to a press release, the NMB also has a series of header cards and tearpad's available for its retail partners.

It says these POS materials are a great way to make customers look at mangos in new ways at the retail aisle.

Mango University & the Mango Ripening Webinar

The National Mango Board is offering retailers these two great resources to help teach employees and retail managers the best practice tools for handling mangos.

In Mango University, the NMB says that “the zany Professor Mango will quickly teach them everything they need to know to ramp up mango sales.” Click here to check it out.

Held on August 20th at 4pm EDT, the Mango Webinar is a free resource for produce professionals looking to get up-to-date information on the best handling & ripening protocols in the industry. Interested parties can register here.

Also for more on the Webinar check out ANUK's previous story on the topic here.

Fresh Summit & New England Produce Council Expo

The National Mango Board will have a booth (booth 316) at the New England Produce Council Expo on September 11^th, at the Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel and Spa in Newport, RI.

In addition they will be taking part in the The Mango Industry Reception at Fresh Summit on Saturday, October 18th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. They will be on the second floor of the Hilton Anaheim, adjacent to the convention center.  

National Mango Board