VACAVILLE, Calif. — Mariani Packing Company, the world’s largest independent family-owned producer of dried fruit, announced they are continuing their rich history of innovation by launching new Probiotic Single-Serve Packs. Based on the success of their best-selling Probiotic Dried Fruit line and consumer demand for on-the-go packaging, the new Probiotic Single-Serve Packs will come in a weekly 7-day supply carton, in two fruit varieties: Probiotic Apricots and Probiotic Prunes, in 1.4 oz each pack.
Mariani’s dried apricots and dried prunes contain soluble fiber, acting as a prebiotic, that may be a fuel source for probiotics to thrive. They are also naturally sweet, with no sugar added, and a good source of antioxidant vitamins A and E, vitamins B6, B12, potassium, and iron.
The GanedenBC30® probiotic active cultures in Mariani’s Probiotic Apricots and Probiotic Prunes are 10x more effective than yogurt cultures in surviving the transit through the harsh stomach environment into the gut. Just 1 serving per day may safely support your digestive health and immune system. GanedenBC30 is recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA, as well as vegan, gluten-free, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, and Halal certified.
“Today’s consumers are looking for convenient, healthy and on-the-go solutions that are nutritious and delicious. The new Mariani Probiotic Single-Serve Packs combine the natural prebiotics found in fruit with GanedenBC30 Bacillus Coagulans GBI-30, 6086® probiotics to help boost immune and digestive wellness anywhere they are; at home, work, school, or travel,” states Bob Hyland, VP, Global CPG Sales & Marketing.
These new Probiotic Single-Serve Packs are the latest in Mariani’s full line of Probiotic dried fruit including Probiotic Cranberries, Raisins, Apricots, Berries & Plums and Prunes, available nationwide at Albertsons/Safeway, Walmart and most major retail grocery stores or online at www.mariani.com
About Mariani Packing Company Mariani Packing Company, Inc. is the world’s largest independently and family-owned producer of dried fruits. Since 1906, the Mariani family has been providing premium quality dried fruit to consumers and customers all over the world. The Mariani family of products can be found in over 40,000 retail outlets in the United States and in over 65 countries worldwide.
The nation’s leading apple shipper, Washington state, is experiencing lower than normal exports of apples, which is resulting in more product being shipped to domestic markets.
Strong Washington State summer apple shipments indicate potentially record demand for apples that will be harvested in the coming weeks. Since June 1, Washington State apple shipments have eclipsed 2018 by a whopping 29 percent, and 2017 by 30 percent. There have been more than 10 straight weeks of +2 million-box shipments
In a typical year, roughly a third of the state’s apple crop is exported. At the end of the current shipping season, which concludes in early September, that share could be as low as 26 percent. The primary reason is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made it difficult to predict domestic volume and exports.
Mexico and India currently are the top importers of Washington apples. But stay-at-home orders, particularly in India, where the virus has seen a surge, has kept consumers out of markets and stores and has contributed to a reduction in demand.
It’s the middle of
summer and 97° here in Virginia and throughout the country. The summer demand
for refrigerated fresh products under tight deadlines is at its peak. Allen
Lund Company specializes in moving this type of product, successfully
transporting thousands of produce loads a year. But, what happens when your
load is rejected? This is one of the most frustrating challenges in
refrigerated transportation. Rejected loads can lead to insurance claims,
contract loss, and a damaged reputation.
How can we prevent
avoidable cases of rejected loads and the claims associated with them?
Vet the carriers and
drivers moving the loads. Allen Lund Company’s database employs a rigorous
vetting process. There is a wealth of resources available when choosing a carrier
to represent you.
Verify that the chosen
carrier has reefer breakdown AND spoilage coverage on their policy.
Seek product
exclusions from the carrier’s insurance company.
Refer to internal
notes regarding the carrier’s communication practices, past performance, and
on-time percentage. A late perishable load rarely works out well.
Consider known history
the carrier has moving refrigerated product.
Ask the potential
carrier/driver the right questions. Verify that they are experienced in moving
temperature-sensitive products.
Trust but verify. You
will come across the good, the bad, and the ugly. Take it all into account when
considering whether to do business with a carrier.
In addition to ensuring that you entrust your load with the right carrier, it is also important to prevent hot loads before they get on the truck as well as avoid equipment failure and human error. On Tuesday, August 4 in Keeping it Fresh article, we will continue to discuss the best ways to avoid these problems and guarantee your refrigerated load makes it to the final destination unharmed.
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Jennifer Brearley began working for the Allen Lund Company in February of 2019 as a transportation broker. She joined the company with five years of domestic and international shipping experience. Brearley attended Western Governors University and received a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Fellsmere, Fla. – As COVID-19 concerns escalate around the country, consumers are seeking immunity-boosting ingredients to incorporate in their diets. While it may be common knowledge that leafy greens are an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients, there is a lesser known variety that reigns supreme when it comes to health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranks watercress at the top of their list of Powerhouse Fruits and Veggies, the foods most strongly associated with reduced chronic disease risk.
B&W Quality Growers watercress is revered by health experts and
restaurant chefs for its health benefits and flavor, but home chefs have yet to
realize its full potential. Watercress boasts
many healthy features, including anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and
anti-bacterial properties, 28 vitamins, minerals and compounds, and it provides
a great source of Vitamin C, proven to reduce cold and flu symptoms.
The vibrant green
watercress from B&W Quality Growers, the world’s largest grower of
distinctive baby leaves, is versatile and adds a peppery crunch to many dishes.
It can be used in salads, smoothies, appetizers, entrees, and more.
“Self-care has become so important these days, and what better way to
take care of you and your family than to feed them the most nutritionally-dense
food on the planet,” says Mark DeLeo, CEO,
B&W Quality Growers. “Not only is watercress packed with vitamins and
minerals, it is deliciously versatile enough for chefs to create memorable takeout dishes and home cooks to spice up family favorites.”
About B&W Quality Growers For 150 years B&W Quality Growers has produced distinctive
baby leaves® with unique flavor profiles including green
watercress, exclusive red watercress, baby arugula, red kale, and baby spinach.
With year-round availability from seasonal farms spanning eight states, B&W
grows, packs and ships premium quality leaves to retail, wholesale, foodservice
and specialty customers across North America and Europe. B&W’s products are
certified Kosher, food safety compliant and naturally packed for maximum
freshness. Learn more about B&W at www.bwqualitygrowers.com.
Based on average annual per captia consumption, raspberries and blackberries were the fastest-growing fruit categories in the produce department during the period from 2006-08 to 2016-18.
This is according to Roland Fumasi, vice president and senior analyst for RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness, Fresno, CA. This was part of a presentation he gave to the North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association of Pittsboro, NC recently.
Conventional raspberry shipments rose from 216.5 million pounds in 2018 to 236.4 million pounds in 2019, according to the USDA.
Blackberry volume was down slightly year over year from 174.4 million pounds in 2018 to 168.3 million pounds in 2019.
Most fresh-market raspberries come out of California. Fresh-market blackberries are grown primarily in California and from such states as Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Ohio.
Volume of berries for Naturipe Farms LLC of Estero, FL is about the same as last year and currently has good volumes of blackberries and raspberries along with blueberries and strawberries.
Well-Pict Inc. of Watsonville, CA now is shipping raspberries from the Salinas/Watsonville area. Heaviest volume is expected to continue through October and possibly November.
For Main Street Produce Inc of Santa Maria, CA, this is the third year to be shipping raspberries. Volume is increasing 30 percent a year and will continue until November.
HBF International LLC of McMinnville, OR started shipping blackberries in mid-June and will continue into September.
Ample volume for the summer berries is seen by growers and shippers, despite some weather issues, for a few growing areas, but on the whole, shipments of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries look promising for the next few months.
Last year, U.S. blueberry growers shipped 1.2 billion pounds of wild and highbush blueberries.
Gourmet Trading Co. of Los Angeles report blueberries will be shipping out of several areas, including Georgia, North Carolina, California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Michigan and New Jersey, between now and fall.
Peruvian blueberry exports have started earlier than in other years, as the harvest got undereway in June with volume slowly increasing.
Larger volumes of blueberries from Peru should be available in the U.S. starting in late July and going into August and September.
The North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association of Pittsboro, N.C. reports most fresh-market summer raspberries are shipped from California.
Fresh-market blackberries are grown primarily in California and a few other states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Ohio.
Raspberries had a 15.4 percent compounded annual growth rate in U.S. per capita consumption from 2006-08 to 2016-18. Blackberries had a growth rate of 11.6 percent.
Demand for conventional raspberries rose from 216.5 million pounds in 2018 to about 236.4 million pounds in 2019.
Blackberry movement was down slightly, from 174.4 million pounds in 2018 to 168.3 million pounds in 2019.
Exports of citrus from Chile should have a 4 percent increase over last year totalling 347,000 metric tons (MT).
The boost is coming primarily from higher easy peeler volumes, with navel volume slightly lower than last year and lemon volume about the same.
North America continues to lead as Chile’s primary export market for citrus. Chile has been meeting strong market demand for clementines, with exports through June, an impressive 38 percent ahead of the same time last season.
Good volumes of easy peelers will be available through October. Clementine shipments have recently wrapped up, and mandarin shipments started in mid June.
U.S. retail grocery prices increased 0.8 percent in May and are running nearly 5 percent above a year ago, according to the USDA.
The USDA’s June Food Price report said retail grocery prices were increasing faster than prices for food sold at restaurants. Prices for food sold at restaurants increased by 0.4 percent from April to May, and stood 2.9 percent higher than May 2019. For food sold at grocery stores, prices jumped 0.8 percent from April to May. Compared with a year ago, retail grocery prices in May were 4.8 percent higher than a year ago.
For all of 2020, the USDA now predicts retail grocery prices will increase 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent. Restaurant food prices are projected to increase in a range from 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent in 2020, according to the agency.
Inflation for fruits and vegetables increased 0.7 percent from April 2020 to May 2020 and is up 1.5 percent compared with a year ago. The USDA said labor costs have risen because of COVID-19.
“With some exceptions, most fresh-market vegetable growers rely on human labor to produce and place a crop into supply channels,” the USDA report said. “It is anticipated that skilled labor will be scarcer and procedural changes to comply with recommended social distancing may reduce productivity.” Inflation for fresh vegetables rose 0.9 percent from April to May, while fresh fruit increased 0.2 percent.
For the year, retail inflation for fruits and vegetables is projected to increase as much as 1 percent, according to the report.
Nearly 4,000 tons of South African fresh fruit recently arrived at the Port of Philadelphia, which officially kicked of exports to the U.S.
The June 19 arrival included 3,800 pallets of clementines and navel oranges, according to a news release.
The ship, Everest Bay, arrived at the port’s Gloucester Marine Terminal in Gloucester City, N.J.
“We are proud to continue this fruitful partnership with summer citrus providers in South Africa,” Leo Holt, president and CEO of Holt Logistics, which operates Gloucester Terminals, LLC, said. “Keeping our food supply chain robust and intact is of the highest concern for our staff and many partners.”
The ship left the port of Cape Town on May 31. Ships containing citrus from South Africa will arrive weekly until October, the end of the summer citrus growing season.
Associated Wholesale Grocers of Kansas City, KS plans to complete a new distribution hub in Hernando, MS., in 2023.
AWG decided to undertake the project following a review of the company’s growth trajectory and the capabilities and sustainability of its current facilities, according to a news release.
“Our industry is ever-changing, and it is our mission to provide our member-retailers all of the products, services and tools they need to compete favorably in all markets served, all at the best possible cost,” CEO David Smith said in the release. “This new facility has capabilities that checks all of those boxes. We are excited to be able to significantly expand what we stock and ship to our member stores while becoming more efficient and cost-effective in our operations.
“This new facility will be a critical component in our plan to build a safer, better and more efficient supply chain,” Smith said. “In addition to becoming the primary supply source for the region, we will also leverage this new operation as an expanded variety source to all of our facilities and member stores. This will create more value throughout the supply chain for AWG and our members.”
Operations from two distribution centers in the area — in Memphis, TN., and in Southaven, MS. — will eventually be consolidated into the new facility.
The plans are subject to incentives approval, which is being finalized with local and state leaders.
AWG has partnered with Witron, which specializes in creating food warehouse automation and order picking systems, on the project.
“The Witron system is integrated into every area of the new facility; the handling of case and pallet goods, ambient temperature, refrigerated perishables and frozen foods, as well as the handling of individual unit products,” AWG wrote. “This will increase throughput of products, increase efficiencies, improve accuracy and reduce loss due to damaged goods.”
“This in turn will allow AWG and member stores to realize savings across transportation, inventory management, as well as experience enhanced pick accuracy and lower salvage rates,” AWG wrote. “All of this will result in cost savings for AWG members while still maximizing the integrity and safety of the food supply chain.”
