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Nationally, cranberry shipments will be down this season. Meanwhile, favorable weather helps boost New Jersey to second place nationally in peach shipments.
Cranberry growers in Wisconsin are expected to have another big harvest this fall, although it will be less than last year when average yields reached an all-time high.
The USDA has released its latest forecast for the 2017 cranberry crop showing Badger State producers are projected to rake in 5.6 million barrels of the tart fruit, down nine percent from the 2016 crop.
The Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association says producers will begin harvesting their crop in late September and continue through much of October. Approximately five percent of the state’s cranberries will be sold as fresh fruit, with the remainder being frozen and stored for dried cranberries, juices, sauces and more.
Nationally, about 9.05 million barrels are forecast to be harvested, down six percent from 2016. In Massachusetts, growers will harvest less than half of Wisconsin’s total production at 2.2 million barrels. Washington producers expect 2017 to be a good year due to favorable weather conditions.
NJ Peach Shipments
by New Jersey Department of Agriculture
TRENTON) –The USDA’s August Crop Production Forecast for 2017 sees New Jersey peach shipments rising to second in the U.S. The forecast, which is based on phone calls, mail, internet, and personal interviews with farmers in New Jersey and around the country, predicts state peach farmers will produce 48 million pounds of peaches this year.
“Conditions in New Jersey have been perfect for growing peaches this season, allowing farmers to have an extremely high yield of the juicy, sweet tree fruit,” New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher said. “We want people to know Jersey Fresh peaches are plentiful and available at supermarkets, farmers markets, and roadside stands. We appreciate the work the USDA does to keep produce buyers and consumers up to date on the current trends in the industry.”
New Jersey is on track to harvest approximately eight million more pounds of peaches in 2017 than it did last year, and is behind only California in peach production. The Jersey peach season should continue through mid-September.
The USDA surveyed approximately 21,700 producers for the crop production report. The producers were asked questions about probable yield. These growers will continue to be surveyed throughout the growing season to provide indications of average yields.
The August Crop Production report also forecasted a crop of 44 million pounds of apples for the Garden State, also up from last year. New Jersey cranberry producers expect to harvest 590,000 barrels, which would rank New Jersey third in the U.S. in cranberry production.
(Editor’s Note: Both South Carolina and Georgia suffered severe crop losses this year due to a spring freeze, allowing New Jersey to come in second in peach volume. Also, virtually all of New Jersey cranberry production is for the processed market, not fresh.)
Pleasanton, CA. — DeltaTrak® recently announced the release of its new FlashLink Real-Time Monitoring Solution. This system combines the FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit Logger cloud service. The logger records temperature, humidity, shock, light and location and sends data via GSM cellular network to a web account. Reliable up-to-the-minute information is accessed with a standard web browser using a PC or any internet-ready device.
“The FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit Logger is especially beneficial to shippers because they don’t have to wait for a receiver to open vehicle doors, find the logger, download it and email the trip history report,” according to Fred Wu, President and CEO of DeltaTrak. “Information is automatically uploaded to the cloud and shared between shippers and receivers, and critical cold chain management decisions can be made right away.” The stored data is also available for traceability, audits, HACCP documentation and FSMA compliance.
Two logger configurations are available, a domestic model with a 25-day logging duration and data uploaded every 15 minutes, and an export model with a 100- day logging duration and data uploaded every hour. Shippers can customize high/low alarm settings, and alerts are automatically sent when out-of-range conditions occur. The logger also measures shock which indicates rough handling of a load, and a light sensor indicates door openings which either means a shipment arrived and is being received, or it can reveal security issues if this occurs while the shipment is still in transit.
The single use FlashLink Real-Time Logger is packaged in DeltaTrak’s unique and highly durable logger sleeve which provides protection for the device and maximizes reliable operational characteristics. Using GSM cellular data transmission technology, the FlashLink Real-Time Logger has been demonstrated to reliably transmit from within steel shipping containers and refrigerated trailers making it ideal for use in most transportation applications. The FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit Logger is a great solution for anyone that needs up to the minute information on the quality of the products being shipped.
About DeltaTrak
DeltaTrak® is a leading innovator of cold chain management, environmental monitoring and food safety solutions for the food, produce, life science, and chemical industries.Additional information can be found at www.deltatrack.com.
International Paper’s North American Container business is putting Snoopy, Charlie Brown and other Peanuts characters on bulk bins.
Two product displays with the characters are available. Both are corrugated bulk bins, with one featuring Snoopy and watermelons and the other with Snoopy, Linus and Charlie Brown under the words “it’s the great pumpkin.”
“This powerful combination is a standout, drawing customer attention and increasing sales by making shopping a fun experience,” said Scott Dillon, director of marketing, said in a news release. “Peanuts has a multi-generational appeal, and this is a solid way to capture the consumer sentiment around this iconic brand.”
The bins are available at International Paper’s five bulk facilities.
Kroger, Fresh Encounters win Marsh stores at auction
Marsh Supermarkets, at one time a leading Midwest supermarket chain based in Indiana, has recently accepted bids at auction for 26 of its remaining 44 stores. The move follows the company’s closure of 19 locations and bankruptcy filing in May.
Cincinnati-based supermarket powerhouse Kroger will acquire 11 Marsh stores for $16 million, and Fresh Encounter Inc., based in Findlay, OH, will buy 15 Marsh locations for $8 million.
Kroger currently has 2,800 stores nationwide, while Fresh Encounter operates 21 stores under the Community Markets, Great Scott Community Markets, Sack ‘N Save Supermarket and Chief banners. Earlier this year, Fresh Encounter purchased Remke Markets’ 10 stores in the Cincinnati area.
The transactions are subject to bankruptcy court approval. One possible obstacle to the sale is an objection by CVS Health, which purchased the pharmacy accounts from Marsh in April. As part of the agreement, CVS stipulated that 37 stores where Marsh operated pharmacies could not operate as pharmacies for five years.
Kroger and Fresh Encounters have said in court documents that it would proceed with the acquisition only if the restriction is removed. Marsh has countered that the agreement only bars Marsh from operating pharmacies at the stores, and that the language is not enforceable under the bankruptcy code.
The sale of the remaining locations would bring to an end Marsh’s 86 years in business. Ermal Marsh opened the first Marsh store in 1931 in Muncie, IN. The company went public in 1953, when it operated 16 stores.
The last half of summer is typically good for hauling California tomatoes as well as California table grapes.
California’s San Joaquin Valley mature green summer tomato shipments started in late July and will continue into November. About 500 truck loads of mature greens are being loaded weekly.
Caution is recommended when loading this product. There’s been some triple digit weather this season, which can stress the product and lead to quality issues. The weather is supposed to be in the mid to upper 90s this week in the Merced area, but inching towards the 100 mark by next weekend. However, in Brawley, scorching temperatures well above 100 are predicted all week.
In the San Diego and Baja California areas summer vine ripe tomatoes and romas are being shipping in a similar timeframe as those in the San Joaquin Valley. California tomato shipments have been good this summer as weather has impacted tomato seasons in Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee.
California Grape Shipments
Sun Pacific Marketing Cooperative Inc., based in Pasadena, CA is perhaps better known for its easy peel Cuties brand clementines and mandarins, as well as it Mighties brand kiwifruit.
However, it has become a significant player with table grape shipments and this season should move about 4 million cartons of grapes from the San Joaquin Valley. The company is looking to increase it grape volume by as much as 50 percent over the next few seasons.
California has steady loadings with grapes now and is averaging around 1700 truckloads per week. The vast majority of the fruit is still being shipped from the southern half of the valley, but this will gradually shift to greater tonnage coming out of more northern parts of the valley as we approach fall.
During the past decade more than two dozen grape varieties – red, green and black, have been introduced. This is leading to fruit with larger berries, more crunch and sweeter taste.
San Joaquin Valley grapes – grossing about $6200 to New York City.
By Stemilt Growers
WENATCHEE, Wash. – As the grower/marketer with the rights to University of Minnesota’s newest apple brand, Rave™, Stemilt Growers is set to harvest the apple’s first commercial crop and introduce this special early season apple to consumers in select regions come late August.
Rave™ is the brand name for the apple cultivar MN55, which is a cross between Honeycrisp and an unreleased variety called MonArk. It was first developed through natural cross-pollination 20 years ago by David Bedford as part of the apple breeding program at the University of Minnesota. Bedford is also the breeder behind the popular Honeycrisp and its successor, SweeTango® apples.
Last fall, the University of Minnesota chose Rave™ as the brand name for the apple and then Stemilt got to work on designing a logo, PLU sticker, and packaging ahead of the apple’s introductory year. The company played off people’s common use of the word rave to praise things they like and messaging “the apple you’ll rave about.” Stemilt used fun, bold colors in order to attract shoppers to the brand, and will use #RaveApples to promote social buzz around Rave™ this season and beyond.
The parentage of the apple gives Rave™ the ability to fracture when bitten, just like Honeycrisp. Rave™ has its own special flavor that’s best described as “outrageously juicy with a refreshing snappy zing.” It will also have the unique position of harvesting and going to market before any other apple variety in Washington State, due to its ability to color and ripen during the summer heat.
“Rave™ not only allows retailers to get a jumpstart on apple season each year, but do so with an apple that is stunning to look at, and incredible to eat,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt communications manager.
While volume will be limited this season, volumes are predicted to grow quickly following this introductory year as new acreage comes into production, Stemilt will be sharing Rave™ with media and social media influencers this season. The company will look to build knowledge and excitement of Rave™ through a kick-off event, on its blog, The Stem, and via its social channels with #RaveApples.
Once it hits produce shelves, Rave™ will be another chapter in Stemilt’s story of bringing innovative products to market. The company successfully introduced its signature apple Piñata!® to the marketplace back in 2009, introduced Skylar Rae® brand cherries in 2016, and also supplies the West Coast with the popular SweeTango® apple.
“The apple category is changing quickly with so many options available to consumers today. That means that each new apple must have attributes that will make it stand out. Rave™ is an apple with star power, and we are excited to start sharing it this season,” said Shales.
###
About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the nation’s largest suppliers of organic tree fruits.
A USDA crop production report predicts U.S. apple shipments will be down 7 percent compared to last season.
The apple crop (both fresh and processed uses) should total 248.6 million 42-pound cartons, off from the 268.4 million cartons in the 2016 season. year ago.
On the up side, apple shipments from the Eastern state will increase. However, a significant decline in apple volume is predicted for the Central U.S. states, while a moderate decrease is seen in Western growing regions.
The Western states, led by Washington, are projected to total 170.4 million cartons, down 9 percent from a year ago, according to the estimates. The Washington apple harvest is running a few weeks later than 2016, according to the USDA, with good quality but slightly smaller fruit expected compared with the 2016 crop.
Washington state apple shipments are pegged at 159.5 million cartons, off 9 percent from the 2016 crop of 174.3 million cartons. The state is expected tol account for 64 percent of total U.S. apple shipments in 2017, down from 65 percnt in 2016.
In Eastern U.S. states, apple loadings are forecast at 55.7 million cartons, up 8 percent from 2016. New York, accounting for half of Eastern apple shipments, has a crop of 28.5 million cartons, up slightly from 28.1 million cartons a year ago. Growers and shippers there reported localized hail damage and noted rainfall and cool temperatures could affect fruit size, according to the report.
Apple shipments in the Central U.S. is forecast at 22.5 million cartons, down 27 percent from a year ago. A freeze in early May hurt Michigan crop prospects, according to the USDA. Michigan’s crop is projected at 19 million cartons, down more than 30 percent from 2016 output of nearly 28 million cartons.
In its Agricultural Prices report, the USDA said the average grower price for apples in June was 36.3 cents per pounds, down from 38 cents per pound in June last year.
The U.S. Apple Association will release its annual crop production estimate during the Apple Crop Outlook & Marketing Conference Aug. 24-25 in Chicago
The ports of Manatee and Oakland are having record-setting years, with much of that success coming from produce imports.
Port of Manatee
The Port of Manatee’s container volume already has handled as volume in 10 has it has totaled in a record setting 12-month year..
The Florida-based port has moved 32,907 20-foot-equivalent (TEU) container units since October 1st, surpassing the full-year record of 30,431 TEUs, which was set in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2010.
A news release from Port Manatee points out the record-setting container volume represents a 47 percent increase over the first 10 months of the preceding fiscal year.
The increase is primarily attributed to Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. switching from breakbulk shipping to containers for imports of Central American pineapple and bananas, as well as to the success of World Direct’s weekly shipping service which transports refrigerated produce from Mexico.
“We are excited to have already set a new container record for Port Manatee and are further encouraged this favorable trend is anticipated to be sustained for a long time,” Carlos Buqueras, Port Manatee’s executive director, said in the release.
The port’s tonnage also increased in the first 10 months of its fiscal year, topping last fiscal year’s numbers by 17 percent.
Port of Oakland
A record for import cargo in July has been set by The Port of Oakland.
The port handled 84,835 loaded 20-foot import containers in July, which tops the previous record of 84,023 containers set in March 2015.
A press release from the California port shows import volume through the first seven months of the year was also up 3.7 percent over the same time last year.
Looking ahead, Port of Oakland leaders believey they foresee a five-year period of record cargo volume beginning in 2018.
That prediction comes from the recently released Strategic Maritime Roadmap. The roadmap forecasts a record volume of 2.4 million cargo containers in 2018.
The roadmap also predicts greater volumes arriving on larger ships driven by Northern California’s robust freight market along with new distribution and freight transfer centers. The document predicts ships will be 35 percent larger within 15 years.
“We’re serving a thriving area and developing new services for our customers,” Oakland’s maritime director John Driscoll said. “The combination should be positive for everyone who relies on the port for their business or their job.”
Salinas Valley lettuce shipments continue with less ups and down in volume. Meanwhile, San Joaquin Valley table grape shipments will enter it biggest volume period of the season starting in September.
After a rocky start last spring hauling head lettuce and leaf lettuce out of the Salinas Valley, shipments have become more reliable and steady in the second half of the season.
However, there seems to be less overall volume this year, due in part to the stormy, water deluged fields earlier this year, and the fact a number of head or Iceberg major growers reduced acreage, in part because of the weather and partly due to past low prices. Those can result from over production, but just as importantly a lot of homegrown and eastern commercial operations are in full production from the Northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada.
Salinas Iceberg shippers are averaging over 1200 truck loads of product a week, and over 900 truck loads of romaine.
Leaf Lettuce Shipments
Spring plantings of leaf lettuce were erratic in a similar fashion to head lettuce. Items such a romaine, as well green and red leaf lettuce shipments haven’t been exceptional this season out of Salinas. There are freight advantages for buyers on the East Coast sourcing product much closer to home than California. As a result, a lot of California lettuce shipments are limited to the Western U.S.
Salinas Valley lettuce shipments, as well as broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables – grossing about $4100 to Dallas, $7000 to New York City.
Grape Shipments
A generally hot weather pattern in the San Joaquin Valley since May apparently hasn’t hurt table grape quality, but if it continues could affect the quality of product being distributed around the country – particularly with red grapes and black grapes. It’s not unusual for the valley to have hot spells in summer, but not stretching out this long.
California growers are expected to ship 111.4 million 19-pound boxes of grapes this season topping last season’s nearly 109 million boxes. Over 60 percent of the volume will be shipped after September 1st.
San Joaquin Valley grapes, stone fruit and apples – grossing about $4600 to Chicago.
Wal-Mart will build a distribution center for fresh produce and other perishable items with land acquired from Port Canaveral in Florida.
Final approval of the sale of 271 acres of land to Wal-Mart Stores East LP was recently granted by the board for Florida’s Port Canaveral, according to a news release. Terms of the transaction were not revealed.
The port had acquired the land on State Road 524 near Interstate 95 in Cocoa, in December 2014 at a cost of $1.95 million, according to the release. Originally, the port had plans to develop the area into a cargo distribution complex.
However, discussions that began in 2016 between the Canaveral Port Authority and Wal-Mart Stores resulted in a change in plans.
The port will use proceeds from the sale of the acreage to reduce debt, increase monetary reserves and address capital improvements.
According to a statement released by Wal-Mart last year, the retailer planned to use the ground to open a distribution center and refrigerated warehouse complex that will store fresh produce and other perishables and staff more than 200.
“Ultimately, Port Canaveral hopes to realize some economic benefit once the distribution center is complete and operational by way of increased cargo business through the port from Wal-Mart,” Canaveral Port commission chairman Tom Weinberg said in the release. “The Port views this sale as a win-win for the region as a whole, as it stands to prosper from the distribution center, the first of several proposed development projects which could revitalize the SR 524 corridor and the surrounding communities.”
About Wal-Mart
What started small, with a single discount store and the simple idea of selling more for less, has grown over the last 50 years into the largest retailer in the world. Each week, over 260 million customers and members visit the company’s 11,695 stores under 59 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2017 revenue of $485.9 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide.
Stone or soft fruit shipments from Washington state are peaking. Meanwhile, here’s a round up mango shipments from key countries.
As the Washington state summer soft fruit shipping season enters final months, peak loadings are now underway for the next month.
For example, Stemilt Growers LLC of Wentachee, WA will be peaking with shipment of Artisan Organic peaches and nectarines that started in late July.
Based in south central Washington state, Artisan Organics peaches and nectarines are grown in arid and almost desert-like climates. These climates coincide with warm days, which allow peaches and nectarines to achieve high sugar levels and cool nights that allow the tree to rest and give stone fruit the opportunity to establish beautiful coloring. The climate combined with volcanic soils gives peaches and nectarines the necessary nutrients to flourish.
The company’s Douglas family transistioned to growing organic fruit about a decade ago.
Washington stone fruit, apples and pears – grossing about $4800 to Chicago.
Mango Update
by National Mango Board
The Mango Crop Report from the National Mango Board has been updated.
Mango volume shipped on week ending 7/29/17 was approximately 3.2 million boxes.
- During the same week last year, volume shipped was approximately 2.9 boxes.
Mexico Mango Shipments
- Mexican mango shipping season began in January and will run until October with a projection of approximately 74 million boxes.
Volume on week ending 7/29/17
- Volume shipped from Mexico was approximately 3.2 million boxes for a total of 62 million boxes for the season.
- During the same week last year, volume shipped from Mexico was approximately 2.9 million boxes for a total of 60.4 million boxes.
Haiti Mango Crop
- The Haitian season began in March and will ran until August with a projection of approximately 2.1 million boxes.
Volume on week ending 7/29/17
- Volume shipped from Haiti was approximately 5,053 boxes for a total of 2.2 million boxes for the season. During the same week last year, volume shipped from Haiti was not available.
Brazil Mango Crop
- The Brazilian season will begin in August and will run until November with a projection of 7.8 million boxes.
Please note:
- U.S. entry ports report incoming mango volume on different schedules; some report daily and some weekly. This will cause discrepancies between the volume shipped from the source and the volume arrived at the U.S. entry ports in any given week.
- Boxes are 8.8 lbs (4.0 kg). Boxes from Haiti are 9.9 lbs (4.5 kg)
Nationally, cranberry shipments will be down this season. Meanwhile, favorable weather helps boost New Jersey to second place nationally in peach shipments.
Cranberry growers in Wisconsin are expected to have another big harvest this fall, although it will be less than last year when average yields reached an all-time high.
The USDA has released its latest forecast for the 2017 cranberry crop showing Badger State producers are projected to rake in 5.6 million barrels of the tart fruit, down nine percent from the 2016 crop.
The Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association says producers will begin harvesting their crop in late September and continue through much of October. Approximately five percent of the state’s cranberries will be sold as fresh fruit, with the remainder being frozen and stored for dried cranberries, juices, sauces and more.
Nationally, about 9.05 million barrels are forecast to be harvested, down six percent from 2016. In Massachusetts, growers will harvest less than half of Wisconsin’s total production at 2.2 million barrels. Washington producers expect 2017 to be a good year due to favorable weather conditions.
NJ Peach Shipments
by New Jersey Department of Agriculture
TRENTON) –The USDA’s August Crop Production Forecast for 2017 sees New Jersey peach shipments rising to second in the U.S. The forecast, which is based on phone calls, mail, internet, and personal interviews with farmers in New Jersey and around the country, predicts state peach farmers will produce 48 million pounds of peaches this year.
“Conditions in New Jersey have been perfect for growing peaches this season, allowing farmers to have an extremely high yield of the juicy, sweet tree fruit,” New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher said. “We want people to know Jersey Fresh peaches are plentiful and available at supermarkets, farmers markets, and roadside stands. We appreciate the work the USDA does to keep produce buyers and consumers up to date on the current trends in the industry.”
New Jersey is on track to harvest approximately eight million more pounds of peaches in 2017 than it did last year, and is behind only California in peach production. The Jersey peach season should continue through mid-September.
The USDA surveyed approximately 21,700 producers for the crop production report. The producers were asked questions about probable yield. These growers will continue to be surveyed throughout the growing season to provide indications of average yields.
The August Crop Production report also forecasted a crop of 44 million pounds of apples for the Garden State, also up from last year. New Jersey cranberry producers expect to harvest 590,000 barrels, which would rank New Jersey third in the U.S. in cranberry production.
(Editor’s Note: Both South Carolina and Georgia suffered severe crop losses this year due to a spring freeze, allowing New Jersey to come in second in peach volume. Also, virtually all of New Jersey cranberry production is for the processed market, not fresh.)
Pleasanton, CA. — DeltaTrak® recently announced the release of its new FlashLink Real-Time Monitoring Solution. This system combines the FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit Logger cloud service. The logger records temperature, humidity, shock, light and location and sends data via GSM cellular network to a web account. Reliable up-to-the-minute information is accessed with a standard web browser using a PC or any internet-ready device.
“The FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit Logger is especially beneficial to shippers because they don’t have to wait for a receiver to open vehicle doors, find the logger, download it and email the trip history report,” according to Fred Wu, President and CEO of DeltaTrak. “Information is automatically uploaded to the cloud and shared between shippers and receivers, and critical cold chain management decisions can be made right away.” The stored data is also available for traceability, audits, HACCP documentation and FSMA compliance.
Two logger configurations are available, a domestic model with a 25-day logging duration and data uploaded every 15 minutes, and an export model with a 100- day logging duration and data uploaded every hour. Shippers can customize high/low alarm settings, and alerts are automatically sent when out-of-range conditions occur. The logger also measures shock which indicates rough handling of a load, and a light sensor indicates door openings which either means a shipment arrived and is being received, or it can reveal security issues if this occurs while the shipment is still in transit.
The single use FlashLink Real-Time Logger is packaged in DeltaTrak’s unique and highly durable logger sleeve which provides protection for the device and maximizes reliable operational characteristics. Using GSM cellular data transmission technology, the FlashLink Real-Time Logger has been demonstrated to reliably transmit from within steel shipping containers and refrigerated trailers making it ideal for use in most transportation applications. The FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit Logger is a great solution for anyone that needs up to the minute information on the quality of the products being shipped.
About DeltaTrak
DeltaTrak® is a leading innovator of cold chain management, environmental monitoring and food safety solutions for the food, produce, life science, and chemical industries.Additional information can be found at www.deltatrack.com.
International Paper’s North American Container business is putting Snoopy, Charlie Brown and other Peanuts characters on bulk bins.
Two product displays with the characters are available. Both are corrugated bulk bins, with one featuring Snoopy and watermelons and the other with Snoopy, Linus and Charlie Brown under the words “it’s the great pumpkin.”
“This powerful combination is a standout, drawing customer attention and increasing sales by making shopping a fun experience,” said Scott Dillon, director of marketing, said in a news release. “Peanuts has a multi-generational appeal, and this is a solid way to capture the consumer sentiment around this iconic brand.”
The bins are available at International Paper’s five bulk facilities.
Kroger, Fresh Encounters win Marsh stores at auction
Marsh Supermarkets, at one time a leading Midwest supermarket chain based in Indiana, has recently accepted bids at auction for 26 of its remaining 44 stores. The move follows the company’s closure of 19 locations and bankruptcy filing in May.
Cincinnati-based supermarket powerhouse Kroger will acquire 11 Marsh stores for $16 million, and Fresh Encounter Inc., based in Findlay, OH, will buy 15 Marsh locations for $8 million.
Kroger currently has 2,800 stores nationwide, while Fresh Encounter operates 21 stores under the Community Markets, Great Scott Community Markets, Sack ‘N Save Supermarket and Chief banners. Earlier this year, Fresh Encounter purchased Remke Markets’ 10 stores in the Cincinnati area.
The transactions are subject to bankruptcy court approval. One possible obstacle to the sale is an objection by CVS Health, which purchased the pharmacy accounts from Marsh in April. As part of the agreement, CVS stipulated that 37 stores where Marsh operated pharmacies could not operate as pharmacies for five years.
Kroger and Fresh Encounters have said in court documents that it would proceed with the acquisition only if the restriction is removed. Marsh has countered that the agreement only bars Marsh from operating pharmacies at the stores, and that the language is not enforceable under the bankruptcy code.
The sale of the remaining locations would bring to an end Marsh’s 86 years in business. Ermal Marsh opened the first Marsh store in 1931 in Muncie, IN. The company went public in 1953, when it operated 16 stores.
The last half of summer is typically good for hauling California tomatoes as well as California table grapes.
California’s San Joaquin Valley mature green summer tomato shipments started in late July and will continue into November. About 500 truck loads of mature greens are being loaded weekly.
Caution is recommended when loading this product. There’s been some triple digit weather this season, which can stress the product and lead to quality issues. The weather is supposed to be in the mid to upper 90s this week in the Merced area, but inching towards the 100 mark by next weekend. However, in Brawley, scorching temperatures well above 100 are predicted all week.
In the San Diego and Baja California areas summer vine ripe tomatoes and romas are being shipping in a similar timeframe as those in the San Joaquin Valley. California tomato shipments have been good this summer as weather has impacted tomato seasons in Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee.
California Grape Shipments
Sun Pacific Marketing Cooperative Inc., based in Pasadena, CA is perhaps better known for its easy peel Cuties brand clementines and mandarins, as well as it Mighties brand kiwifruit.
However, it has become a significant player with table grape shipments and this season should move about 4 million cartons of grapes from the San Joaquin Valley. The company is looking to increase it grape volume by as much as 50 percent over the next few seasons.
California has steady loadings with grapes now and is averaging around 1700 truckloads per week. The vast majority of the fruit is still being shipped from the southern half of the valley, but this will gradually shift to greater tonnage coming out of more northern parts of the valley as we approach fall.
During the past decade more than two dozen grape varieties – red, green and black, have been introduced. This is leading to fruit with larger berries, more crunch and sweeter taste.
San Joaquin Valley grapes – grossing about $6200 to New York City.
By Stemilt Growers
WENATCHEE, Wash. – As the grower/marketer with the rights to University of Minnesota’s newest apple brand, Rave™, Stemilt Growers is set to harvest the apple’s first commercial crop and introduce this special early season apple to consumers in select regions come late August.
Rave™ is the brand name for the apple cultivar MN55, which is a cross between Honeycrisp and an unreleased variety called MonArk. It was first developed through natural cross-pollination 20 years ago by David Bedford as part of the apple breeding program at the University of Minnesota. Bedford is also the breeder behind the popular Honeycrisp and its successor, SweeTango® apples.
Last fall, the University of Minnesota chose Rave™ as the brand name for the apple and then Stemilt got to work on designing a logo, PLU sticker, and packaging ahead of the apple’s introductory year. The company played off people’s common use of the word rave to praise things they like and messaging “the apple you’ll rave about.” Stemilt used fun, bold colors in order to attract shoppers to the brand, and will use #RaveApples to promote social buzz around Rave™ this season and beyond.
The parentage of the apple gives Rave™ the ability to fracture when bitten, just like Honeycrisp. Rave™ has its own special flavor that’s best described as “outrageously juicy with a refreshing snappy zing.” It will also have the unique position of harvesting and going to market before any other apple variety in Washington State, due to its ability to color and ripen during the summer heat.
“Rave™ not only allows retailers to get a jumpstart on apple season each year, but do so with an apple that is stunning to look at, and incredible to eat,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt communications manager.
While volume will be limited this season, volumes are predicted to grow quickly following this introductory year as new acreage comes into production, Stemilt will be sharing Rave™ with media and social media influencers this season. The company will look to build knowledge and excitement of Rave™ through a kick-off event, on its blog, The Stem, and via its social channels with #RaveApples.
Once it hits produce shelves, Rave™ will be another chapter in Stemilt’s story of bringing innovative products to market. The company successfully introduced its signature apple Piñata!® to the marketplace back in 2009, introduced Skylar Rae® brand cherries in 2016, and also supplies the West Coast with the popular SweeTango® apple.
“The apple category is changing quickly with so many options available to consumers today. That means that each new apple must have attributes that will make it stand out. Rave™ is an apple with star power, and we are excited to start sharing it this season,” said Shales.
###
About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the nation’s largest suppliers of organic tree fruits.
A USDA crop production report predicts U.S. apple shipments will be down 7 percent compared to last season.
The apple crop (both fresh and processed uses) should total 248.6 million 42-pound cartons, off from the 268.4 million cartons in the 2016 season. year ago.
On the up side, apple shipments from the Eastern state will increase. However, a significant decline in apple volume is predicted for the Central U.S. states, while a moderate decrease is seen in Western growing regions.
The Western states, led by Washington, are projected to total 170.4 million cartons, down 9 percent from a year ago, according to the estimates. The Washington apple harvest is running a few weeks later than 2016, according to the USDA, with good quality but slightly smaller fruit expected compared with the 2016 crop.
Washington state apple shipments are pegged at 159.5 million cartons, off 9 percent from the 2016 crop of 174.3 million cartons. The state is expected tol account for 64 percent of total U.S. apple shipments in 2017, down from 65 percnt in 2016.
In Eastern U.S. states, apple loadings are forecast at 55.7 million cartons, up 8 percent from 2016. New York, accounting for half of Eastern apple shipments, has a crop of 28.5 million cartons, up slightly from 28.1 million cartons a year ago. Growers and shippers there reported localized hail damage and noted rainfall and cool temperatures could affect fruit size, according to the report.
Apple shipments in the Central U.S. is forecast at 22.5 million cartons, down 27 percent from a year ago. A freeze in early May hurt Michigan crop prospects, according to the USDA. Michigan’s crop is projected at 19 million cartons, down more than 30 percent from 2016 output of nearly 28 million cartons.
In its Agricultural Prices report, the USDA said the average grower price for apples in June was 36.3 cents per pounds, down from 38 cents per pound in June last year.
The U.S. Apple Association will release its annual crop production estimate during the Apple Crop Outlook & Marketing Conference Aug. 24-25 in Chicago
The ports of Manatee and Oakland are having record-setting years, with much of that success coming from produce imports.
Port of Manatee
The Port of Manatee’s container volume already has handled as volume in 10 has it has totaled in a record setting 12-month year..
The Florida-based port has moved 32,907 20-foot-equivalent (TEU) container units since October 1st, surpassing the full-year record of 30,431 TEUs, which was set in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2010.
A news release from Port Manatee points out the record-setting container volume represents a 47 percent increase over the first 10 months of the preceding fiscal year.
The increase is primarily attributed to Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. switching from breakbulk shipping to containers for imports of Central American pineapple and bananas, as well as to the success of World Direct’s weekly shipping service which transports refrigerated produce from Mexico.
“We are excited to have already set a new container record for Port Manatee and are further encouraged this favorable trend is anticipated to be sustained for a long time,” Carlos Buqueras, Port Manatee’s executive director, said in the release.
The port’s tonnage also increased in the first 10 months of its fiscal year, topping last fiscal year’s numbers by 17 percent.
Port of Oakland
A record for import cargo in July has been set by The Port of Oakland.
The port handled 84,835 loaded 20-foot import containers in July, which tops the previous record of 84,023 containers set in March 2015.
A press release from the California port shows import volume through the first seven months of the year was also up 3.7 percent over the same time last year.
Looking ahead, Port of Oakland leaders believey they foresee a five-year period of record cargo volume beginning in 2018.
That prediction comes from the recently released Strategic Maritime Roadmap. The roadmap forecasts a record volume of 2.4 million cargo containers in 2018.
The roadmap also predicts greater volumes arriving on larger ships driven by Northern California’s robust freight market along with new distribution and freight transfer centers. The document predicts ships will be 35 percent larger within 15 years.
“We’re serving a thriving area and developing new services for our customers,” Oakland’s maritime director John Driscoll said. “The combination should be positive for everyone who relies on the port for their business or their job.”
Salinas Valley lettuce shipments continue with less ups and down in volume. Meanwhile, San Joaquin Valley table grape shipments will enter it biggest volume period of the season starting in September.
After a rocky start last spring hauling head lettuce and leaf lettuce out of the Salinas Valley, shipments have become more reliable and steady in the second half of the season.
However, there seems to be less overall volume this year, due in part to the stormy, water deluged fields earlier this year, and the fact a number of head or Iceberg major growers reduced acreage, in part because of the weather and partly due to past low prices. Those can result from over production, but just as importantly a lot of homegrown and eastern commercial operations are in full production from the Northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada.
Salinas Iceberg shippers are averaging over 1200 truck loads of product a week, and over 900 truck loads of romaine.
Leaf Lettuce Shipments
Spring plantings of leaf lettuce were erratic in a similar fashion to head lettuce. Items such a romaine, as well green and red leaf lettuce shipments haven’t been exceptional this season out of Salinas. There are freight advantages for buyers on the East Coast sourcing product much closer to home than California. As a result, a lot of California lettuce shipments are limited to the Western U.S.
Salinas Valley lettuce shipments, as well as broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables – grossing about $4100 to Dallas, $7000 to New York City.
Grape Shipments
A generally hot weather pattern in the San Joaquin Valley since May apparently hasn’t hurt table grape quality, but if it continues could affect the quality of product being distributed around the country – particularly with red grapes and black grapes. It’s not unusual for the valley to have hot spells in summer, but not stretching out this long.
California growers are expected to ship 111.4 million 19-pound boxes of grapes this season topping last season’s nearly 109 million boxes. Over 60 percent of the volume will be shipped after September 1st.
San Joaquin Valley grapes, stone fruit and apples – grossing about $4600 to Chicago.
Wal-Mart will build a distribution center for fresh produce and other perishable items with land acquired from Port Canaveral in Florida.
Final approval of the sale of 271 acres of land to Wal-Mart Stores East LP was recently granted by the board for Florida’s Port Canaveral, according to a news release. Terms of the transaction were not revealed.
The port had acquired the land on State Road 524 near Interstate 95 in Cocoa, in December 2014 at a cost of $1.95 million, according to the release. Originally, the port had plans to develop the area into a cargo distribution complex.
However, discussions that began in 2016 between the Canaveral Port Authority and Wal-Mart Stores resulted in a change in plans.
The port will use proceeds from the sale of the acreage to reduce debt, increase monetary reserves and address capital improvements.
According to a statement released by Wal-Mart last year, the retailer planned to use the ground to open a distribution center and refrigerated warehouse complex that will store fresh produce and other perishables and staff more than 200.
“Ultimately, Port Canaveral hopes to realize some economic benefit once the distribution center is complete and operational by way of increased cargo business through the port from Wal-Mart,” Canaveral Port commission chairman Tom Weinberg said in the release. “The Port views this sale as a win-win for the region as a whole, as it stands to prosper from the distribution center, the first of several proposed development projects which could revitalize the SR 524 corridor and the surrounding communities.”
About Wal-Mart
What started small, with a single discount store and the simple idea of selling more for less, has grown over the last 50 years into the largest retailer in the world. Each week, over 260 million customers and members visit the company’s 11,695 stores under 59 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2017 revenue of $485.9 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide.
Stone or soft fruit shipments from Washington state are peaking. Meanwhile, here’s a round up mango shipments from key countries.
As the Washington state summer soft fruit shipping season enters final months, peak loadings are now underway for the next month.
For example, Stemilt Growers LLC of Wentachee, WA will be peaking with shipment of Artisan Organic peaches and nectarines that started in late July.
Based in south central Washington state, Artisan Organics peaches and nectarines are grown in arid and almost desert-like climates. These climates coincide with warm days, which allow peaches and nectarines to achieve high sugar levels and cool nights that allow the tree to rest and give stone fruit the opportunity to establish beautiful coloring. The climate combined with volcanic soils gives peaches and nectarines the necessary nutrients to flourish.
The company’s Douglas family transistioned to growing organic fruit about a decade ago.
Washington stone fruit, apples and pears – grossing about $4800 to Chicago.
Mango Update
by National Mango Board
The Mango Crop Report from the National Mango Board has been updated.
Mango volume shipped on week ending 7/29/17 was approximately 3.2 million boxes.
- During the same week last year, volume shipped was approximately 2.9 boxes.
Mexico Mango Shipments
- Mexican mango shipping season began in January and will run until October with a projection of approximately 74 million boxes.
Volume on week ending 7/29/17
- Volume shipped from Mexico was approximately 3.2 million boxes for a total of 62 million boxes for the season.
- During the same week last year, volume shipped from Mexico was approximately 2.9 million boxes for a total of 60.4 million boxes.
Haiti Mango Crop
- The Haitian season began in March and will ran until August with a projection of approximately 2.1 million boxes.
Volume on week ending 7/29/17
- Volume shipped from Haiti was approximately 5,053 boxes for a total of 2.2 million boxes for the season. During the same week last year, volume shipped from Haiti was not available.
Brazil Mango Crop
- The Brazilian season will begin in August and will run until November with a projection of 7.8 million boxes.
Please note:
- U.S. entry ports report incoming mango volume on different schedules; some report daily and some weekly. This will cause discrepancies between the volume shipped from the source and the volume arrived at the U.S. entry ports in any given week.
- Boxes are 8.8 lbs (4.0 kg). Boxes from Haiti are 9.9 lbs (4.5 kg)