BENTONVILLE, AR - Wal-Mart has annouced that it is adding fresh produce to its Savings Catcher price match program. Now just like with general merchandise, customers can use the receipt number from a recent purchase on Wal-Mart's website to compare the prices of the produce they purchased with that of Wal-Mart's competitors. According to WRAL, if the system finds that the shopper could have saved more money elsewhere, an eGift Card for the balance is issued to the customer.

When Wal-Mart first rolled out its Savings Catcher program, Duncan Mac Naughton, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer for Walmart U.S., told investors in a press release that “our customers are savvier than ever when it comes to finding the best deals – they are using technology to do their research and spending hours clipping coupons. We knew there had to be an easier way. Savings Catcher offers customers yet another reason to trust us when it comes to helping them save. It brings greater price transparency to the market and gives our customers confidence that they are finding some of the best deals available in retail.”

Adding produce to this already impressive program just underscores Wal-Mart's commitment to offering the lowest price point on the market.

It is also a nod to the increasing importance that the produce aisle is playing in the retail game. American consumers want to eat healthier and are turning more and more each year to fresh fruits and vegetables to feed their families.

AndNowUKnow previously covered how Wal-Mart implemented its Savings Catcher program to combat increasing pressure from competitors. This pressure has only increased since Dollar Tree and Family Dollar announced their merger. Wal-Mart executives are confident however that their company has what it takes to retain its spot atop the retail market and produce could be paving the way.

Wal-Mart

Baloian Farms' patriarch, Ed Baloian, has passed away at the age of 92.  Even despite health issues over the last few years, he was a constant presence at the office every day until the last few weeks.

A family friend and past employee said of Ed, “If I could use one word to describe Ed, it would be genuine.  This humble man did things because he cared.  To see his beaming smile when he shared his history, his beliefs, or his family was contagious.  He was a man who looked you in the eye, told you what he thought and would always stand by your side if you asked.”

Ed was a second generation farmer and understood the value of hard work.  He worked side-by-side with his father growing and distributing fruit and vegetables throughout the Fresno area.

After serving in World War II, Ed returned home to Fresno to continue his family business, the Charles Baloian Company.  In 1965, he created Pam-Pak Distributors to represent grower products throughout the U.S. and Canada, and in 1986, Ed and his son Tim started Baloian Farms which has grown into one of the largest pepper and vegetable production companies on the west coast.

Tim Baloian, Ed’s son and current President of Baloian Farms said, “My Dad had an enthusiasm for life and a respect for people that he instilled in us as a family and within our business.  Our business is an extension of his passion – the idea of doing something good and meaningful that helps others is what farming is about – we grow healthy food that helps people.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to work side-by-side with a man rooted in faith that showed me through his actions, the importance of honesty, hard work, and generosity.”

Visitation will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns, & Blair Funeral Home on Friday August 8, 2014 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm and a Memorial Service will be held at G.L. Johnson Chapel at the People’s Church on Saturday, August 9, 2014 at 11 am.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Fresno Rescue Mission: PO Bo 1422; Fresno, CA 93716 or Seeds in His Garden; PO Box 919; Seaside, CA 93955.

AndNowUKnow would like to offer its deepest condolences to Ed’s family and friends.

SALINAS, CA - As Kale grows in popularity, this leafy green is taking up more acreage in California’s Salinas Valley.

This superfood is showing up everywhere.  There are now kale smoothies, kale chips, kale martinis and even kale nail polish lines.  Kale is also making its way to Hollywood with celebrity chefs and endorsements from Gwyneth Paltrow.

In a recent ABC News video, Church Brothers Produce Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, Ernst van Eeghen, is Hollywood-ready as he offers a tour of the company’s kale fields in the video below.

Church Brothers has a 10-acre ranch in Salinas Valley that grows about 80,000 pounds of kale, and the company is planting six times the amount of kale than it did three years ago.  “That’s how much people like it,” van Eeghen told ABC News.

Mentions of kale on American restaurant menus have increased 233% over the past two years according to Technomic.  Whole Foods reports that it sells more than 22,000 bunches of kale per day in its stores.

As ABC News suggests, kale’s biggest marketing ploy is most likely its health benefits and not its celebrity status.  Kale has the maximum amount of vitamins, nutrients and minerals in a single food, alongside Swiss chard, watercress and collard greens, according to the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) Scoring System.

Brad Gruno, Founder and CEO of Brad’s Raw Foods, also spoke to ABC about his business.  He estimates his company will bring in an estimated $20 million this year, with 70% of that from kale products.

From produce aisles to the White House garden to Hollywood, what might be kales next big move?  Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to cover this leafy green.

Church Brothers Produce

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – C.H. Robinson has been named the #1 3PL by the readers of ‘Inbound Logistics’ magazine for the fourth consecutive year.

“C.H. Robinson’s responsive, evolving strategy helps create and maintain strong relationships with customers in all corners of the globe.  Through these connections, C.H. Robinson provides customers with adaptable business processes and strategic solutions,” said Felecia Stratton, Editor of Inbound Logistics.

The annual Top 10 3PL Excellence Awards are an opportunity for supply chain professionals to commend the logistics providers they believe offer the best service, reliability and communication, according to a press release.  C.H. Robinson has been included in the list each year since the survey launched in 1998.

“At C.H. Robinson, our people have always been one of our strongest competitive advantages,” said Ronnie Davis, Director of Account Management at C.H. Robinson.  “Being named the #1 3PL, for the fourth consecutive year, shows that our customers, contract carriers and suppliers consistently recognize our people and their dedication and commitment to them.”

C.H. Robinson invests in finding and building talent throughout the organization and around the world to provide customers with support and expertise through single points of contact, according to a press release.  The company’s new tagline, Accelerate Your Advantage®, reinforces the dedication of its employees and showcases the benefits of working with C.H. Robinson.

Congratulations on this honor!

C.H. Robinson 

SOUTH KOREA - Could South Korean dock workers become a real life Iron Man? The question sounds silly, but after reading about the technology that is already being used by these workers, it might not be so outlandish.

Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering has engineered a robotic exoskeleton suit that allows workers to comfortably lift and walk around with objects up to 30 kilograms, or 66lbs, in weight, regardless of their strength or endurance.

Although 66lbs might not seem so impressive to many in the produce industry who could probably comfortably lift that much themselves without the aid of external machinery, Gilwhoan Chu, Daewoo's Lead Engineer for Research and Development, stresses that this version is only an early prototype.

"We've been developing and applying robots and automation in shipbuilding for more than a decade,” he told New Scientist. “Our current research target of the lifting capacity is about 100 kilograms.”

That's over 220lbs for our American readers!

Daewoo is already using this technology to build enormous shipping vessels according to New Technology. Daewoo currently has a $1.9 billion contract from the shipping titan Maersk to build ten 55,000 ton container ships, each 400 meters in length. These ships would be able to hold a record setting 18,000 containers each!

The uses of the exoskeletons are not just limited to the shipyard either. Imagine the implications of a superpowered workforce that could lift weights of that amount without tiring quickly or needing bulky machinery for retail. Retail warehouses could one day say goodbye to forklifts and hello to Daewoo exoskeleton suits.

If Chu has anything to say about it, that kind of future could be closer than we think.

Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering

LAKELAND, FL – In the second quarter of 2014, Publix saw profits and sales increase.

The company earned $404.1 million during the quarter, which was up 0.8% from last year, according to the company’s financial report.  Sales saw an increase of 6.6% on an annual basis to $7.5 billion.

Publix also saw same-store sales grow 6.3%.  Same-store sales are an important indicator of a retailer’s health since they measure sales activity at locations open at least a year.

The St. Augustine Record reports that Publix’s second quarter earnings per share came to 52 cents, which is up from 51 cents last year.  Publix stock also increased to $33.85 per share, up $1.35, or 4.2%, from the last pricing in May.

“This is our eighth consecutive quarter with an increase in our stock price,” said Publix CEO Ed Crenshaw in a statement.  “Our associate owners deserve the credit for continuing to make us a leader in our industry.

According to the Record, Publix is also continuing to expand.  It has opened five stores in North Carolina and plans to open nine additional locations by the end of next year. 

Publix

SACRAMENTO, CA - In the midst of a crippling drought, California is now experiencing rain. Although light, the fact that rain is falling at all is setting new records across Southern California, according to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. Slate reported that this year's August 3rd broke new rainfall records across counties in the LA region and was even the first time rain was ever experienced on that day in Woodland since records began being kept in 1949.

In Northern California light rain is also being felt. In fact, on the way to our office in Sacramento, AndNowUKnow reporters looked up in semi-shock at the light drizzle being felt on our faces.

This recent weather comes against a backdrop which is starkly different. The U.S. Drought Monitor says that 80% of California is currently experiencing “extreme drought” and 58% of the state is in “exceptional drought” and yet we see the approach of rain. What does this mean?

The honest answer is probably very little. Current weather forecasts do not project this brand of unusual weather to continue beyond the very immediate future although it may serve as a reminder that help could be on the way if the El Nino conditions predicted for this fall do develop to their full potential.

AndNowUKnow reported earlier this summer that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was predicting a 82% chance of El Nino weather patterns developing in California this coming fall. A strong El Nino season almost always bring heavy rainfall to California, although the weak to moderate El Nino weather patterns then predicted by Bill Patzert, a research scientist and oceanographer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, only bring rainy weather about half the time.

These light summer showers may not have much predictive power in and of themselves for future weather patterns, but they may offer California growers some much needed hope that more rain is on the way.

LINDSAY, CA – LoBue is celebrating a milestone this year: its 80^th anniversary.

“From the beginning, LoBue Citrus has focused on the land and the trees. That with the 80-year knowledge of farming, LoBue Citrus continues to grow great tasting citrus for our customers. We look forward to celebrating many more milestones at LoBue Citrus,” said Norm Gatineau, LoBue’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

To celebrate this event at the retail level, the company will feature specially-marked LoBue Family Legacy branded point of sale signage, video and social media, according to a press release.

LoBue started when Philip LoBue, a native of Sicily, made a down payment on a 40-acre farm in Lindsay, California in 1934.  He turned the property over to his sons shortly after due to illness.  The brothers then purchased packing equipment and started on-site crop packing.

Today, LoBue Citrus is one of the largest independent commercial packer and marketer of citrus in the industry, according to a press release.  The company’s products now reach markets in North America, the Pacific Rim, Australia, Korea and many other locations.

Congratulations on your 80^th anniversary!

LoBue Citrus

Robert Victor (Bob) Antle, Salinas patriarch and industry leader, has passed away.  He was born on November 10, 1935, in Watsonville, California.

"There is a lot to this business," Bob told me in a recent interview. "The people, the partnerships, and all the deals you make along the way. I have lived on multiple coasts. New York, California, Mexico... they all have a different story.”

While he was in school, Bob began working on his father’s lettuce farm as a loader in 1949.  His first job after graduating from Stanford was directing the Company’s carrot business “Antle Carrots.”  Over time, he worked his way through the company into Sales and Marketing and eventually became the General Sales Manager.

In 1966, he made the move to the East Coast to develop the House of Bud, a wholesaler of fruits and vegetables.  Under Bob’s leadership the House of Bud opened facilities in New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Brussells, Belgium.

When his father unexpectedly passed away at the age of 58, Bob took on the role of CEO for all Antle activities.  Under his leadership, he merged the Bud Antle companies with Castle & Cooke, Inc. (now Dole Foods Company, Inc.) and joined its senior management, serving on its Board of Directors until he helped form Tanimura & Antle in 1982.

His whole career, Bob was passionate about the industry. “If you don’t really like what you are doing, don’t do it,” he once told me.  This is not an industry for the faint of heart. 

Bob recently received the Grower-Shipper Association’s E.E. (Gene) Harden Award for Lifetime Achievement in Central Coast Agriculture to celebrate his significant and lasting contributions to agriculture and his extensive and longtime generosity to philanthropic and educational institutions.

He is survived by:  his beautiful and adoring wife, Sue Antle; his brother, Kenneth Antle, Tucson, Arizona; his sons, Rick L. (Tonya) Antle, Mike V. (Cass) Antle; and his twin daughters, Kathy (Vince Ciolino) Della-Rose, Karen (Joseph) Hebl of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; along with his 21 grandchildren and a great-grandson. 



A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held on Monday August 11, 2014 at five o clock in the afternoon at the CSUMB World Theater.   In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests that donations be made directly to one of Bob's favorite charities/organizations: The Bob Antle Scholarship Fund, c/o CSUMB 100 Campus Center, Seaside CA 93955, The Salvation Army of Monterey, 1491 Contra Costa St, Seaside, California 93955 or the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, 100 Campus Center, Building 86E, CSUMB, Seaside, California 93955.

Bob’s influence can be seen throughout the industry.  He personally touched many of us here at AndNowUKnow. We would like to offer our deepest condolences to Bob’s family and friends.