BREWSTER, WA - Are cherries a big winner in your produce department? Then I have some great news for you! Honeybear Brands® announced it will begin shipping cherries from Washington to retailers ahead of normal. Thanks to an earlier bloom, dark sweets will be in market in early June quickly followed by Rainiers.

“Cherry sales are critical for successful summertime produce sales. Our expanded capabilities in Washington allows us to provide cherries at strong volumes and deliver a premier cherry eating experience for our retail partners’ consumers,” said Don Roper, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “A great cherry eating experience coupled with the right promotional activity sets the tone for summer cherry sell through and produce department success. So far, Mother Nature has us profiled for an early start and strong season.”

Honeybear is partnering with retail customers for key summer promotions and sales events to support shopper demand for this highly anticipated sweet and juicy fruit, a press release stated. Buyers will be well positioned to offer these coveted summertime snacks, matching promotions to holiday time frames.

Retailers can expect to receive packed-to-order fresh fruit handled with the precision and white glove service Honeybear prides itself on. With flexible packing capabilities at its expanded cherry packing facility in Pateros, Washington, Honeybear can accommodate nearly all retailer packaging configurations, the release noted.

For more updates like this, keep coming back to ANUK.

SANTA PAULA, CA - Less than a week ago, we reported on Limoneira completing Phase 2 of its latest venture, Harvest at Limoneira, a master-planned community in Santa Paula. Recent news from the company stated that the proposal brought forward by its real estate development joint venture with The Lewis Group of Companies to increase the number of entitled lots at Harvest at Limoneira from 1,500 dwelling units to 2,050 dwelling units was approved.

“We appreciate the Santa Paula City Council’s continued support of what we are trying to achieve at Harvest and believe their approval to increase the total number of units speaks to the excellent value our development project brings to the city,” remarked Harold Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We honor our tradition of being great stewards, not only to the land we cultivate but also to our community and believe this is the reason we have been one of only two real estate development projects in Ventura County to receive approval via a SOAR vote. We plan to provide an update to our anticipated cash flow projections for Harvest at Limoneira when we release our second quarter financial results in June.”

A press release noted that the 550-unit increase will provide 250 additional single family for-sale homesites within Phase 3 of Harvest.

In partnership with Lewis, Limoneira plans to construct 300 multi-family rental homes on a mixed-use portion of the project.

As we reported before, Harvest at Limoneira is a well-balanced, comprehensively designed community providing a range of new housing options near the Pacific Ocean.

ANUK will be here to share the latest on ventures within the produce business.

SANTA BARBARA, CA - The latest launch from Apeel Sciences is designed to enhance the fresh produce supply chain even further. Dubbed "The Apeel Leverage," the initiative wields Apeel’s innovative, plant-based technology to transform operational efficiencies, expand market reach, and maximize both product quality and retail performance. The initiative kicks off with its first of four pillars, “Expand Offerings with Confidence.”

"We’ve listened to our customers and have responded by making our innovations integrate seamlessly into existing operations while also enhancing them significantly,” said Denise Junqueiro, Vice President, Commercial and Marketing. “'The Apeel Leverage' is our commitment to enhancing the produce supply chain in a more sustainable way, empowering our partners with tools that reduce their shrink, extend produce freshness with confidence for those trickier markets, and ultimately improve their economic outcomes."

By extending the freshness of produce, Apeel enables suppliers and retailers to deliver products to market in optimal condition, enhancing the seasonality of offerings and maintaining superior quality upon arrival. A press release explained that this capability significantly reduces spoilage and the need for overpacking, helping minimize waste and optimize operations while ensuring products meet market demands with consistency and high quality.

"As we roll out 'The Apeel Leverage', our goal is to communicate how we can support produce industry supply chains, making sustainable practices easier to adopt without additional cost affecting our customers’ bottom line," Junqueiro added. "By partnering with us, our customers are experiencing cost reductions in their supply chain while increasing their sustainability initiatives. We’re passionate about delivering solutions that not only benefit our direct partners but also create ripple effects that positively impact the entire agricultural sector and the environment."

This first pillar is a cornerstone of "The Apeel Leverage" campaign, which will include additional focuses to be unveiled in subsequent announcements. Each pillar of the campaign is designed to address specific challenges within the produce supply chain, ensuring Apeel's partners can leverage cutting-edge technology to achieve remarkable results.

To learn more about the Apeel Leverage, click here, and stick with ANUK for more produce news.

SACRAMENTO, CA - Brunch reservations? Check. Wine tasting appointment? Check. Elaborate plan to spoil mom on her special day? Check! No matter what you’re doing to make her feel loved this Sunday, we want to rejoice with you in the splendor that is Mother’s Day. That’s why we’re asking you, our industry friends, to submit photos of your Mother’s Day celebrations for our annual yearbook!

Maybe you are a mother yourself, or paying respect to your own mom, or maybe both! Either way, we want to share a window into your own Mother’s Day celebrations this coming weekend. So, grab a camera (or phone), snap a pic, and send it on over to your friends at ANUK.

Show off those beautiful Mother’s Day bouquets, your favorite produce items from the celebration, or simply cuddle up with mom and snap a selfie. All we ask is that photo submissions are sent to [email protected] with a brief description of the photo and the names of everyone featured.

Please share your submissions by Tuesday, May 14, to be sure you have a spot in our Mother’s Day yearbook.

And with that, we wish you all a very happy Mother’s Day!

SALINAS, CA - You can put all the care, time, and data in the world toward your latest launch, but nothing is a sure thing once it's outside the confines of your company. It is especially gratifying, then, when that launch stands out among hundreds.

Such is the grand beginning for Taylor Farms’ new Snack Packs line, which walked away with the Best Snackable Product Award for CPMA 2024 before the ribbon was even cut.

“We are thrilled for Snack Packs to have won this award,” said Amanda Knauff, Vice President of Sales–Canada/Northeast U.S. “Consumers are more often eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of the traditional meal occasions, so we wanted to offer a healthy solution to support their on-the-go lifestyles.”

Launched in six flavors to start with a soft rollout in February 2024, Amanda explained that there is already a lot of interest on top of the warm reception at the show.

“Dill Pickle flavor profile in particular is really sought after in Canada,” Amanda said when trying to pick a favorite. “But all are really great options to reach any consumer to hit their health goals.”

In addition to the Dill Pickle Snack Pack, other flavors include: Almonds and Cheese; Apples and Cheese; Snap Peas and Dip; Veggies and Dip; and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.

Brian Modena, Director of Product Management, had a strong hand in the line’s development and gave a bit more insight while teasing more on the horizon.

“By working closely with our suppliers and retail partners, we’re bringing new flavors to the healthy snacking category,” Brian said. “We look forward to continuing innovating with new fresh snacking concepts for the Canadian marketplace.”

Additionally, the product line seeks to offer retailers a solution for any strain felt on in-store programs.

“Shifts in labor at retail have created demand for fresh-cut, value-add, and salad bar support that Taylor Farms is answering,” Amanda said. “We are happy to help assist in all areas of retail with the new Snack Packs line.”

Congratulations to the Taylor Farms team on this latest accolade!