ATHENS, GA – As North American wireless carriers move to phase out 3G service, Carrier Transicold is introducing a program to help trucking fleets upgrade telematics technology on their refrigerated trucks and trailers. New eSolutions™ bundled subscriptions eliminate large upfront hardware costs by packaging equipment fees and airtime service into an affordable monthly plan.
“Regardless of the 3G telematics equipment currently being used on a fleet’s Carrier Transicold refrigeration units, fleet managers now have the advantage of upgrading to our eSolutions 4G LTE equipment without a major capital investment up front,” said David Brondum, Director of Telematics, Carrier Transicold.
“A bundled subscription ensures reliable equipment performance with full warranty support for the life of the contract, and it provides protection against obsolescence as cellular networks sunset earlier technologies in favor of newer generation telecommunications.”
Program features include: • A competitive and predictable monthly fee that covers the hardware, software and airtime service subscription, allowing fleets to convert a capital outlay to an operating expense.
• 3- and 5-year contract options for budgeting flexibility.
• Guaranteed equipment performance, including parts and labor warranty coverage, for the life of the contract.
• Installation and equipment commissioning by authorized Carrier Transicold dealers, which assures proper operation and warranty. Hardware includes the transceiver module, antenna and wiring harness as well as optional peripheral components such as fuel sensors, temperature probes and door switches, as required by specific customer needs.
Three airtime service plans are available: 1) Monitor, 2) Two-way Monitor and Control and 3) Monitor and Enhanced Control, adding capabilities for data downloads, remote software updates and adjustments to Carrier Transicold IntelliSet™ control configurations. Carrier Transicold’s innovative eSolutions platform and web-based interface provides continuous visibility of cold chain assets via a centralized data stream that shows trailer temperatures, location and movement.
The platform can also enable remote control of refrigeration units along with other features to optimize refrigeration equipment usage, improve fleet efficiency and help manage service and maintenance. For additional details about the eSolutions platform and bundled subscriptions, turn to the experts in Carrier Transicold’s North America dealer network.
About Carrier Transicold
Carrier Transicold helps improve transport and shipping of temperature-controlled cargoes with a complete line of equipment and services for refrigerated transport and cold chain visibility. For more than 50 years, Carrier Transicold has been an industry leader, providing customers around the world with advanced, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable container refrigeration systems and generator sets, direct-drive and diesel truck units, and trailer refrigeration systems.
Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. For more information, visit transicold.carrier.com. Follow Carrier on Twitter: @SmartColdChain, on Facebook at Carrier Transicold Truck/Trailer U.S. & Canada and on LinkedIn at Carrier Transicold Truck Trailer Refrigeration.
Fresno, CA – A new clinical study published in the scientific journal Nutrients found that consuming grapes significantly increased the diversity of bacteria in the gut which is considered essential to good health overall. Additionally, consuming grapes significantly decreased cholesterol levels, as well as bile acids which play an integral role in cholesterol metabolism. The findings suggest a promising new role for grapes in gut health and reinforce the benefits of grapes on heart health.
In the intervention study[1], conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, and led by principal investigator Zhaoping Li, M.D., Ph.D., healthy subjects consumed the equivalent of 1.5 cups of grapes[2] per day – for four weeks. The subjects consumed a low fiber/low polyphenol diet throughout the study. After four weeks of grape consumption there was an increase in microbial diversity as measured by the Shannon index, a commonly used tool for measuring diversity of species. Among the beneficial bacteria that increased was Akkermansia, a bacteria of keen interest for its beneficial effect on glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as on the integrity of the intestinal lining. Additionally, a decrease in blood cholesterols was observed including total cholesterol by 6.1% and LDL cholesterol by 5.9%. Bile acids, which are linked to cholesterol metabolism, were decreased by 40.9%.
“We found that grapes have a beneficial effect on gut bacteria, which is great news, since a healthy gut is critical to good health,” said Dr. Li. “This study deepens our knowledge and expands the range of health benefits for grapes, even as the study reinforces the heart health benefits of grapes with lowered cholesterol.”
Chile has exported 708,741 tons of fresh fruit, showing an increase of 7.85 percent when compared to the same period last year, according to the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile (ASOEX) in the current shipping season of 2021-2022 (September 1, 2021 – January 11, 2022).
The Far East is the main destination to date, with 301,181 tons received, but it represents a decrease of 4.75 percent compared to the previous season, as reported by Simfruit.
The Far East is the main destination to date, with 301,181 tons received, but it represents a decrease of 4.75 percent compared to the previous season, as reported by Simfruit.
The U.S. has received 177,642 tons, reflecting a significant increase of 54.6 percent.
Following the U.S. is Latin America with 114,936 tons (+10.45 percent), Europe with 106,849 tons (+21.35 percent), Canada with 6,354 tons (-19 percent), and the Middle East with 1,142 tons (+92 percent).
In terms of participation, the Middle East received 43 percent of all Chilean fruit exported to date, followed by the U.S. with 25 percent, Latin America with 16 percent, and Europe with 15 percent.
The main fruits exported to date are cherries (291,503 tons), avocados (97,188 tons), mandarins (87,869 tons), apples (97,188 tons), blueberries (55,371 tons), oranges (25,696 tons), and table grapes (17,373 tons).
Honeybear Brands of Elgin, MN, a leading grower and marketer of premium apples, pears and cherries continues to grow its direct winter cherry program for retailers. The companies’ dual-hemisphere cherry program provides quality fruit available during winter, direct from Chile, and summer months, domestically from Washington and California.
Chilean Cherries are available late December through February and domestic cherries are available May through August.
Honeybear Brands has more than 25 years of experience growing and importing premium apples and pears in Chile through is growing partner Frusan. This partnership has created a seamless opportunity to provide a premier cherry supply to our retailers as Frusan continues to expand their cherry production.
“Imported cherries require detailed attention to successfully get into the customers shopping basket, and we’re proud of the supply chain we have built ensuring our customers get the freshest, most flavorful fruit from Chile driving repeat sales,” says Don Roper, vice president sales and marketing, Honeybear Brands.
“Grower partnerships in the Southern Hemisphere allow us to provide some of the highest-quality fruit in the world. We are dedicated to take that privilege and help retailers avoid shrink, drive high sales and gain repeat customers,” continues Roper.
About Honeybear Brands
Honeybear is a leading grower and developer of premium apple varieties. Family owned and operated for more than 45 years, the company is a leading vertically integrated, dual hemisphere grower, packer, and shipper. Honeybear offers supply of premium apples, pears and cherries on a year-round basis. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wescott Agri Products. For more information about Honeybear, visit www.honeybearbrands.com.
Chile is expected to ship 220,000 tons of avocados during the 2021-22 season, reflecting a whopping 57 percent increase over 140,000 tons during the 2020-21 year.
Chilean avocado exports are primarily to the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The 2020-21 season’s production was plagued by an early frost and drought conditions.
In 2020, the avocado plating area reached over 74,132 acres with 89 percent consisting of the Hass variety. Valparaiso is the main production region with 49,421 acres, representing 67 percent of the total planted area, followed by the Metropolitan and Coquimbo regions.
The strong domestic and international demand for avocados has raised prices the past two years. In the 2021-22 marketing year, domestic consumption will reach 100,000 tons representing almost 46 percent of production.
From January to May 2021, the average price for avocado increased significantly due to the seasonality of Chilean production and lower domestic supply as a result from reduced production in the 2020-21 marketing year.
Chilean avocado exports decreased by 58 percent in volume year-on-year totaling 16,400 tons and by 50 percent in value totaling $442.8 million.
Photographs of mangos as big as soccer balls that were harvested in the department of Santander, Colombia went viral last week.
A local news source said that Liliana Garnica Ruíz has the giant mango crops on her farm and that the fruit was from organic crops that use a process based on soil improvement.
“These mangoes have been a blessing, they are not only healthy, but they are also large,” she said. Her farm also produces lemons, tangerines and oranges.
Garnica entered the agricultural world only five years ago when she bought land and completed a three year apprenticeship. The other two years she has been collecting the fruits of her efforts that have good quality and are based on clean production.
Last year, Colombia reached a new record by registering the world’s heaviest mango in the ‘Guinness World Records’, which was grown in Boyacá and weighed 4.25 kilograms, or about 9.4 pounds.
“I know my mango surpasses that record which surprised me and I wanted to register it, but I stopped myself. I first want to see how these fruits reach maturity and what their flavor is like,” she said.
“These mangos still need time to ripen because they were cut early, so now I’ll wait to see and let them ripen without the tree’s nutrition.”
“Organic fruit is much better than conventional agriculture and my trees are fortified with minerals and many nutrients.”
Garnica said that if she continues her production techniques and the results are the same, next year she can decide to apply and achieve that worldwide recognition. “I would be proud as a Colombian.”
Miami, FL – Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, distributors and marketers of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, is currently harvesting a variety of melons including cantaloupe, honeydew, specialty Harper and Tara melons and watermelon just in time for prime melon season. Once harvested, the produce giant ships the melons using its six recently purchased energy-efficient container vessels, which will help streamline delivery amid the global supply chain issues.
“At Fresh Del Monte, we will not let global supply chain issues stand in the way of delivering the freshest produce on the planet and this is especially true from our North American ports,” said Ana Cristina Fonseca, Vice President – Product Management (North America), Fresh Del Monte. “With melon season underway and supply chain shortages intensifying, Fresh Del Monte believes the use of our six additional container vessels has been invaluable in offering transportation solutions during these unprecedented times. We want to ensure customers receive the freshest products despite global shipping backlogs. As many produce authorities and retailers struggle to secure shipping container vessels to reduce product shortages, Fresh Del Monte’s container vessels have offered a helping hand to not only Fresh Del Monte, but to their competitors seeking help amidst the crisis.”
Fresh Del Monte continues to invest significant resources in research and development to expand the melon category and continuously offer products that meet consumer’s evolving needs. Since melons are grown in temperate locations and have a relatively short growing cycle, the brand can provide North American customers with not only in-season melons supplies, but year-round.
Fresh Del Monte has purchased six energy-efficient container vessels, which have offered a solution amidst supply chain issues. Used to help transport melons amongst other produce, the container vessels depart from ports in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Guatemala to help secure consistent service to customers and provide delivery to retailers at four ports in Manatee, Gloucester, Galveston and Hueneme across the United States. Given the perishable nature of fresh fruits and vegetables, each container vessel is air-cooled to maintain the cargo at specified temperatures, traveling in reefer mode with multiple temperature variants from -25C to 40C.
Fresh Del Monte melon varieties are shipped to select retailers nationwide.
Fresh Del Monte has been a market leader in growing and shipping premium quality fresh produce for several decades and a recognized authority in the fruit industry.
ABOUT FRESH DEL MONTE
Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, as well as a leading producer and distributor of prepared food in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Fresh Del Monte markets its products worldwide under the DEL MONTE® brand (under license from Del Monte Foods, Inc.), a symbol of product innovation, quality, freshness and reliability for over 135 years. The Company also markets its products under the MANN™ brand and other related trademarks. Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is not affiliated with certain other Del Monte companies around the world, including Del Monte Foods, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Limited, Del Monte Canada, or Del Monte Asia Pte. Ltd. Fresh Del Monte is the first global marketer of fruits and vegetables to commit to the “Science Based Targets” initiative. Fresh Del Monte Produce is traded on the NYSE under the symbol FDP.
Former New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees will star in Avocados From Mexico in the National Football League’s biggest game of the year on February 13th at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles. The group’s 30-second television spot and play the feature role in consumer retail promotions.
After its absence from Super Bowl ads for 2021, Avocados From Mexico has announced it again will be a part of the select group of advertisers for the Super Bowl in February 2022.
The brand, which has previously had six “Big Game” television advertising campaigns, will produce a 30-second spot on advertising’s biggest night and execute a 360-degree integrated campaign to support the No. 1 consumption period for avocados, according to a news release.
With nearly 2.5 billion avocados imported from Mexico every year, the Super Bowl remains the No. 1 occasion for avocados and guacamole, according to the release. During the Feb. 12-13 Super Bowl weekend, AFM is responsible for 95% of avocado sales in the U.S., according to the group.
“The Big Game has always been an effective way for us to connect with avocado-obsessed consumers,” AFM president and CEO Alvaro Luque said in the release.
“Not only did we first introduce our brand seven years ago at the Big Game, but we’ve innovated year after year to continue to engage and excite avocado fans.”
For this year’s Super Bowl, Luque said AFM will launch what is expected to be the most sales-effective campaign ever from the group. The campaign will integrate shoppers, digital and the brand, he said.
“I’m proud of the brand we’ve built from the ground up – a highly visible brand in a brandless category,” Luque said in the release.
“This next ‘Always Good’ evolution will allow us to take the brand even farther – driving even more innovation, more digital focus and more ways to truly connect with consumers’ hearts and minds, because AFM really does spark good times all the time.”
Along with a highly visible TV ad and breakthrough digital execution, AFM said the integrated campaign will include a national shopper program featuring Brees to get fans ready for the ultimate “Guac Zone.”
With the promotion, consumers can connect directly with Brees when they scan the QR code on the Avocados From Mexico Big Game displays, according to the release.
Beginning in January, the QR code will lead consumers to the “Get in the Guac Zone” digital landing page where they have the chance to win a $100,000 Smart Home Makeover and get a digital selfie with Brees.
Brees said Nov. 3 that his family loves avocados.
“We use (them) for a lot of different things as we cook and prepare meals around the house, and we always trusted avocados from Mexico,” he said. Brees said he has always been a big fan of the Avocados From Mexico brand.
“When the opportunity came to work with them, I was really excited about that,” he said, promising great consumer promotions and incentives for retailers with the Super Bowl campaign.
In just seven years, AFM has doubled the volume of Mexican avocados imported to the U.S., more than doubled the brand preference during the same time period, and the brand is on track to continue this impact, according to the release.
This year’s decision to return to the Super Bowl comes as AFM announces some big, bold brand updates, alongside a digital overhaul of the brand look and feel with a refreshed brand logo and even a new avocado color.
With recognizable brand assets such as the memorable jingle, “Avocados From Mexico” – AFM has now added “Always Good” to its logo and revamped its look, according to the release.
The brand has created its very own color – “avocado glow” — a unique yellow-green gradient color consumers see when they open a perfectly ripe avocado.
AFM will now showcase how the fruit is “Always Good.” Avocados boast great taste, nutrition (good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals) and fun times, the release said.
Potato shipments from the Red River Valley of North Dakota and western Minnesota are down 15 to 20 percent this season, with loadings expected to continue until June.
The Northern Plains Potato Association of East Grand Forks, MN reports the major varieties for the fresh market are Red and Dark Red Norland, and for the frozen processing market the Russet Burbank and Umatilla are popular. The favored chipping varieties are Cascade and Dakota Pearl, while seed potatoes are very diversified.
The NPPA notes yellow potatoes have been increasing for a decade, without any signs of a slow down. While yellow acreage has increased an estimated 8 percent, red acreage is off 1-2 percent. However, red potatoes are still the dominant variety for the region.
The Red River Valley is one of the nation’s top-10 potato growing areas — and it is the largest producer of red potatoes in the United States and one of the top-five yellow potato production areas.
While some potato shed have rail sidings, arrivals of rails cars are often a week or more late in arriving.
Strong winter strawberry shipments, led by its Florida and Mexico growing regions, is predicted by California Giant Berry Farms, headquartered in Watsonville, CA.
The company reports its 2021-2022 Florida strawberry season started strong, with the long term weather outlook appearing to be better than a year ago. Florida strawberry shipments got underway in time for Christmas and peak shipments are expected in mid-February – around Valentine’s Day.
The strong forecast comes at a critical time for California Giant, as strawberry volumes are tight, following heavy rains in October that ended much of the Watsonville/Salinas growing season. Concurrently, the Santa Maria fall crop finished, as colder temperatures and wet weather becomes more frequent.
In addition to the strong Florida crop forecast, California Giant’s strawberry production shipments from Central Mexico are expected to continually increase in the coming months, with the growing regions season in its early stages. The region, known for its traditionally strong winter harvest is on track to produce as expected.
Florida strawberries and vegetables – grossing $4000 and more to New York City.
