Author Archive
by Columbia Marketing International (CMI)
Shipments of U.S. grown Kanzi® brand apples are peaking and over the next few weeks will set new records for retail sales performance. During the past 52 weeks, flavor-intense Kanzi® have been one of the brightest stars of the apple category, increasing in sales by over 87%.
Robb Myers, Vice President of Sales at CMI reports retail interest in Kanzi® is very high. “Kanzi apples are really turning heads at the retail level,” said Myers. “Over the past year, apple category dollars are down, yet Kanzi® is still driving incredible growth.”
Myers says that between March 15 and May 1, sales of Kanzi® apples in the U.S. peak. “This is the time for Kanzi®,” said Myers. “Kanzi® flavor develops in storage so we release it in late winter just as sales momentum in the apple category is beginning to slow.”
“There is nothing like a new item to invigorate category sales,” said Myers.
Myers added that the season for this Washington State apple extends through the end of April when imported Kanzi® arrive from New Zealand.
Steve Lutz, Vice President of Marketing for CMI, says national retail scan data results document the strong performance by Kanzi®. According to Lutz, Nielsen data reveals that over the past year, Kanzi® had the number one dollar growth rate among the 35 best-selling varieties in the U.S.
“We’re seeing Kanzi® selling successfully in nearly 3,500 stores nationally,” said Lutz. “The next six weeks are prime time for retailers to let their shoppers try this spectacular new apple.”
The USDA recently awarded $20.1 million in grants to university researchers for research and extension projects to help citrus producers fight Huanglongbing, commonly known as citrus greening disease. This funding is available through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative Citrus Disease Research & Extension Program, which was authorized by the 2014 farm bill and is administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
“Citrus greening has affected more than 75 percent of Florida citrus crops and threatens production all across the United States,” Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary, said in a press release. “The research and extension projects funded today bring us one step closer to providing growers real tools to fight this disease, from early detection to creating long-term solutions for the industry, producers and workers.”
The SCRI program addresses critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension activities that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems.
Since the SCRI CDRE program’s inception in 2014, USDA has granted $43.6 million in research dollars to combat the destructive citrus greening disease. HLB was initially detected in Florida in 2005 and has since affected the vast majority of Florida’s citrus-producing areas. It has also been detected in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas and several residential trees in California. It has also been detected in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 14 states in Mexico. A total of 15 U.S. states or territories are under full or partial quarantine due to the detected presence of the Asian citrus psyllid, a vector for HLB. Those states include Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Sweet onion shipments are lower this season from Texas and Mexico as we move closer to loadings out of Vidalia, GA. Red potatoes are picking up in one state, while showing disappointment in another.
Peruvian sweet onion imports ended in early March as imports began from Mexico. However, Mexican onion imports are lower this season and are now starting to wind down. At the same time, Texas onion shipments from the Lower Rio Grande Valley have started.
Initial reports indicate Texas acreage will be under 5,000 acres, down from the 6,000-acre industry norm. Still, Texas onion shipments are now in good volume.
However, the nation’s biggest volume sweet onions come out of the Vidalia, GA area. Vidalia onion shipments are scheduled to get underway April 25th. A near perfect growing season has been reported from Vidalia. This season, Vidalia should have production from about 11,600, down a little from a year ago, when there was over 12,000 acres.
The Vidalia region’s 65 growers in 2015, shipped 17% of Georgia onion shipments in April, 36% were moved in May, 27% in June, 16% in July and 3% in August. Total shipments of Georgia onions were about 4.2 million 40-pound cartons in 2015.
Red Potato Shipments
The Red River Valley (eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota) usually has its biggest shipments during November and December, but a bumper Wisconsin red crop and a weak Canadian dollar over-supplied a market resulting in fewer shipments. This year February and March are believed to be the two busiest months with 539,000 hundredweight (cwt.) shipped from the Valley in February, up over 13% compared to last year, and slightly more than either November or December. Some wash plants have added extra shifts to handle the demand and trucks have been in good supply thanks in part to the slowdown of the oil patch in western North Dakota.
Meanwhile, the later Florida crop is expected to be better, but who knows for sure considering the early Florida crop didn’t live up to expectations. South Florida red potato shipments are expected to increase in early April.
South Florida potatoes, tomatoes and vegetables – grossing about $2100 to New York City.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $3000 to Dallas.
Numerous new mandates for refrigerated carriers governing not only the condition and operation of equipment used transport foodstuffs but the capture and preservation of shipment temperatures, along with driver training requirements, These are due to become effective March 31.
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has new rules approved by Congress and signed into law by the president in 2011.
The mandate requires the FDA [the U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to be an enforcement agency in the food supply chain. Violations of the mandate can lead to criminal prosecution.
While shippers and receivers are primary targets of the FSMA, refrigerated carriers become involved as the new rules require detailed temperature data to be collected and maintained, while imposing equipment and driving requirements as well.
There are three main broad areas where refrigerated truckers can be affected:
(1) They would be required to develop and implement written procedures – subject to record keeping, probably for a 12 month time period – that describes how they provide temperature data;
(2) Their practices for cleaning, sanitizing, and inspecting vehicles and transportation equipment;
(3) and establish requirements for the training of carrier personnel engaged in transportation operations, including a requirement for records that document the training.
While the FDA will not be telling shippers and carriers how to deliver foodstuffs, it will be in charge of establishing the framework for what’s required to deliver such goods and enforce those requirements. Thus, the FDA now becomes an integrated part of the supply chain. In effect, the FDA will become an enforcement agency – and one of their tools will be criminal prosecution.
Refrigerated fleets will feel specific impacts in several key areas of their operations:
- It will affect trailer designs, depending on shipper requirements resulting from the new rules;
- It will tighten sanitary cleaning requirements of said trailers;
- There will be a “pre-cool” requirement for many shipments;
- Temperature tracking will be mandated;
- Data exchange and retention will be mandated;
- Driver food safety training will be required and a record of that training must be kept on file for access upon request.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc is creating hundreds of management positions as part of a new program aimed at improving the fresh food sections at its U.S. stores retailer.
Wal-Mart, the largest grocer in the United States, has already hired dozens of field managers and plans to hire hundreds more over the next three years. Their job is to train workers and take other steps to improve the fresh food offering in stores.
The move was initially disclosed at an annual private meeting of suppliers recently in Indianapolis.
Wal-Mart spokesman Lorenzo Lopez said,”to help ensure quality and consistency in our fresh operations,” managers are being hired.
Wal-Mart has placed a renewed emphasis on fresh food under the strategy of Greg Foran, head of the company’s U.S. operations. Foran sees a better fresh food offering as key to reviving sales growth.
The move to install a new layer of managers comes as Wal-Mart faces growing competition for grocery shoppers from national and regional supermarket chains like Florida-based Publix Super Markets Inc and Texas-based H-E-B.
The new managers will oversee the fresh food operations at about 10 stores each. Wal-Mart has about 4,600 stores across the United States.
By Scout Logistics
Toronto, ON – For the second consecutive year, and just five years after it delivered its first load, Scout Logistics Corporation – whose name and principles are inspired by the characters Scout and Atticus Finch from the classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird – has won recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. This prestigious award highlights the company’s tremendous growth and affirms its fresh, market-leading approach to transportation management.
“We operate on ‘Scout’s honour’,” says Lorne Swartz, founder and president of Scout Logistics, who has doubled it’s work force since 2011. “We stand by our word – we treat our customers, carrier partners and team members fairly, honestly and with integrity. Not only is it the right thing to do but we believe it is also essential to the success of our business.”
Established in 1993, Canada’s Best Managed Companies is one of the country’s leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies that have implemented world-class business practices and created value in innovative ways. Applicants are evaluated by an independent judging panel on overall business performance, including leadership, strategy, core competencies, cross-functional collaboration throughout organisation and talent.
“Best Managed companies embrace innovation, seize opportunities and inspire talent. They really set the bar high,” said Peter Brown, Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada’s Best Managed Companies program.
“I would like to recognise the entire efforts of Scout Logistics Corporation. It takes a dedicated effort from an entire team to focus on a core vision, create stakeholder value and excel in the global economy to achieve this level of success,” says Mike Runia, Ontario Managing Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada’s Best Managed Companies program.
Scout has hired and developed both a dedicated management, and talented sales team by providing team members with industry-leading compensation, and a dynamic work environment. There are no strict dress codes nor cubicles at Scout Logistics – Scout prides itself on its state-of-the-art workplace with an onsite gym, full kitchen and foot-thumping music that adds to an already energetic workday.
Scout Logistics also believes in investing in innovation. It developed proprietary systems for monitoring loads, carriers and sales – innovations that put the company ahead of its competition. In 2014 Scout upgraded its dispatch system to include cutting-edge cellular tracking technology. This system, which allows for the tracking of each and every shipment via cell towers across Canada and the United States, ensures complete client transparency throughout the supply chain.
Furthermore, in 2015, Scout launched its client-facing portal, providing real-time status locations of shipments 24/7/365.
“Earning a spot among Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the second year in a row confirms once again that we are taking the right approach and making smart investments in our people, partners and processes,” says Swartz. “We look forward to continued success in the coming years”.
by TransFresh®
Salinas, California – TransFresh Corporation, innovator and marketer of the highly regarded Tectrol® Modified Atmosphere Systems and Tectrol® Storage Solutions™, has announced that its award-winning comic strip hero, Captain Tectrol, will return in the company’s 2016 marketing campaign to once again “save the day for fresh berries.”
In the new advertising campaign launching in key trade publications recently, Captain Tectrol will bring his unique brand of superhero powers to protect fresh strawberries in transit and on-shelf against the evils of decay as well as extend the storage clock for fresh blueberries.
Captain Tectrol was first introduced almost a decade ago to offer a novel look at the features and benefits of Tectrol atmospheres and solutions. The illustrated ads were originally created for TransFresh by Full Steam Marketing and Design based in Salinas, CA and were the recipient of key marketing industry honors.
In its updated iteration, Captain Tectrol finds himself in a series of story vignettes where he brings his mighty powers to protect berry quality in a variety of situations fighting various villains, including his arch nemesis, Dr. Shrink.
TransFresh director Rich Macleod stated that Captain Tectrol’s comeback is a mix between nostalgia and taking a fresh look at how Tectrol Modified Atmosphere Solutions contribute to the marketability of fresh berry products. “We’re delighted to bring Captain Tectrol back as the 21st Century high-tech superhero who battles evil to protect the goodness of fresh berry products,” he said. “No matter how difficult the challenge, Captain Tectrol prevails to safeguard quality.”
About TransFresh®
TransFresh is a pioneering and established global entity with nearly 50 years of experience in perishables transport. Tectrol® is the trademarked brand name for the TransFresh® family of proprietary modified and controlled atmosphere systems and processes developed and owned by TransFresh. The Tectrol Service Network™ services, markets and supports the Tectrol pallet and storage systems operations and technologies. Since inception, TransFresh’s innovations in packaging, equipment and sealing processes have established Tectrol as the industry standard. For more information, please visit www.transfresh.com.
It is shaping up to be an overlap of grape shipments this spring from different parts of the world. Late season imported Chilean grapes will be overlapping imported grapes from Mexico, as well as grapes from the desert of California.
Unfavorable weather earlier in the season has made for tight supplies of red grapes coming from Chile as compared to the supply of green grapes. Chilean grapes are arriving by boat on both U.S. coasts. But that situation could flip next month, as more red grapes are expected in the U.S. market.
The supply of red grapes should pick up around late March or early April. By early May, red grapes from Mexico will be crossing the border into the U.S.
During the 2015 season 110.5 million boxes (109.3 million 19‐pound box equivalents) of California table grapes were shipped. The California grape industry surpassed the 100 million box mark for the first time in 2012. Since then, the total crop volume has seen three consecutive years over 110 million boxes.
The 2015 season total of 110.5 million boxes was the third-largest crop volume in the industry’s history, just below the 2014 total of 110.9 million. The largest crop to be shipped was in 2013 at 117.4 million boxes.
California grape shipments are available from May through January. With the 2016 season only about six weeks away, Mexican grape shipments typically start anywhere from a few days to two weeks earlier than California’s first grapes that come out of the Coachella Valley. Most Mexican grapes cross the border at Nogales.
A handful of storms that have hit drought-stricken California this winter has put a damper on overall California strawberry shipments to date.
With the week ending March 5, 6.7 million trays of strawberries had been shipped. That was down significantly from the 12.9 million trays shipped at the same time last year. However, this year’s volume for that week was about 1 million trays more than the projected.
Despite the slow shipments in January, volume is increasing fast, particularly out of Oxnard. Those Ventura County loadings should continue until about mid-May.
Ventura County celery, berries, and lettuce shipments – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
Strawberry Health Benefits Promoted
The California Strawberry Commission is promoting consumption of eight strawberries a day, citing research that finds it may aid cognitive function, among other health benefits.
The MIND diet — short for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay — lowered the risk of Alzheimer’s as much as 53% in rigorous adherents and about 35% in those who follow it moderately well, according to a Rush University Medical Center study.
Berries are the only fruit specified for inclusion in the MIND diet, and the study’s authors have noted cognitive benefits from consumption of strawberries and blueberries.
The study results were published last September in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Separately, strawberries and other berries have been named by the American Diabetes Association as among the top 10 superfoods for a diabetes meal plan because of their low-sugar, vitamin, antioxidant and fiber content.
Eight medium strawberries equal about one cup a day and total 45 calories. Vitamin C content per serving exceeds that of oranges, according to the commission, and the fruit provides folate, potassium, three grams of fiber and seven grams of sugar.
As the Yuma, AZ lettuce season winds down and Salinas prepares to gear up, use caution loading desert vegetables as quality problems are being reported.
Yuma lettuce shipments in particular are having quality issues due to higher than normal temperatures. The produce is showing some rib blight, rot and sclerotinia. This is occurring as there is up to a 20 percent increase in shipments for Easter. Easter is March 27, essentially coinciding with the start of the Salinas, CA. season for many grower-shippers. Until then, unusually warm weather in Yuma, AZ, is likely to affect quality for all lettuce items.
While Yuma, as well as the Thermal, CA area is finishing up on head and mixed lettuce, Santa Maria mixed leaf shipments have started about two weeks earlier than normal.
Salinas mixed lettuce and other vegetable shipments should get underway in light volume the week of March 28th, about a week ahead of schedule.
Huron lettuce shipments out of the San Joaquin Valley starts the last week of March and will continue for about three weeks.
The Salinas Valley has had a lot of rain recently that interrupted plantings of vegetables. Down the road apiece, this is expected to result in some shipping gaps in late May and early June.
Yuma, Iceberg, romaine, leaf, broccoli and cauliflower shipments – grossing about $5600 to New York City.
by Columbia Marketing International (CMI)
Shipments of U.S. grown Kanzi® brand apples are peaking and over the next few weeks will set new records for retail sales performance. During the past 52 weeks, flavor-intense Kanzi® have been one of the brightest stars of the apple category, increasing in sales by over 87%.
Robb Myers, Vice President of Sales at CMI reports retail interest in Kanzi® is very high. “Kanzi apples are really turning heads at the retail level,” said Myers. “Over the past year, apple category dollars are down, yet Kanzi® is still driving incredible growth.”
Myers says that between March 15 and May 1, sales of Kanzi® apples in the U.S. peak. “This is the time for Kanzi®,” said Myers. “Kanzi® flavor develops in storage so we release it in late winter just as sales momentum in the apple category is beginning to slow.”
“There is nothing like a new item to invigorate category sales,” said Myers.
Myers added that the season for this Washington State apple extends through the end of April when imported Kanzi® arrive from New Zealand.
Steve Lutz, Vice President of Marketing for CMI, says national retail scan data results document the strong performance by Kanzi®. According to Lutz, Nielsen data reveals that over the past year, Kanzi® had the number one dollar growth rate among the 35 best-selling varieties in the U.S.
“We’re seeing Kanzi® selling successfully in nearly 3,500 stores nationally,” said Lutz. “The next six weeks are prime time for retailers to let their shoppers try this spectacular new apple.”
The USDA recently awarded $20.1 million in grants to university researchers for research and extension projects to help citrus producers fight Huanglongbing, commonly known as citrus greening disease. This funding is available through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative Citrus Disease Research & Extension Program, which was authorized by the 2014 farm bill and is administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
“Citrus greening has affected more than 75 percent of Florida citrus crops and threatens production all across the United States,” Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary, said in a press release. “The research and extension projects funded today bring us one step closer to providing growers real tools to fight this disease, from early detection to creating long-term solutions for the industry, producers and workers.”
The SCRI program addresses critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension activities that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems.
Since the SCRI CDRE program’s inception in 2014, USDA has granted $43.6 million in research dollars to combat the destructive citrus greening disease. HLB was initially detected in Florida in 2005 and has since affected the vast majority of Florida’s citrus-producing areas. It has also been detected in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas and several residential trees in California. It has also been detected in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 14 states in Mexico. A total of 15 U.S. states or territories are under full or partial quarantine due to the detected presence of the Asian citrus psyllid, a vector for HLB. Those states include Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Sweet onion shipments are lower this season from Texas and Mexico as we move closer to loadings out of Vidalia, GA. Red potatoes are picking up in one state, while showing disappointment in another.
Peruvian sweet onion imports ended in early March as imports began from Mexico. However, Mexican onion imports are lower this season and are now starting to wind down. At the same time, Texas onion shipments from the Lower Rio Grande Valley have started.
Initial reports indicate Texas acreage will be under 5,000 acres, down from the 6,000-acre industry norm. Still, Texas onion shipments are now in good volume.
However, the nation’s biggest volume sweet onions come out of the Vidalia, GA area. Vidalia onion shipments are scheduled to get underway April 25th. A near perfect growing season has been reported from Vidalia. This season, Vidalia should have production from about 11,600, down a little from a year ago, when there was over 12,000 acres.
The Vidalia region’s 65 growers in 2015, shipped 17% of Georgia onion shipments in April, 36% were moved in May, 27% in June, 16% in July and 3% in August. Total shipments of Georgia onions were about 4.2 million 40-pound cartons in 2015.
Red Potato Shipments
The Red River Valley (eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota) usually has its biggest shipments during November and December, but a bumper Wisconsin red crop and a weak Canadian dollar over-supplied a market resulting in fewer shipments. This year February and March are believed to be the two busiest months with 539,000 hundredweight (cwt.) shipped from the Valley in February, up over 13% compared to last year, and slightly more than either November or December. Some wash plants have added extra shifts to handle the demand and trucks have been in good supply thanks in part to the slowdown of the oil patch in western North Dakota.
Meanwhile, the later Florida crop is expected to be better, but who knows for sure considering the early Florida crop didn’t live up to expectations. South Florida red potato shipments are expected to increase in early April.
South Florida potatoes, tomatoes and vegetables – grossing about $2100 to New York City.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $3000 to Dallas.
Numerous new mandates for refrigerated carriers governing not only the condition and operation of equipment used transport foodstuffs but the capture and preservation of shipment temperatures, along with driver training requirements, These are due to become effective March 31.
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has new rules approved by Congress and signed into law by the president in 2011.
The mandate requires the FDA [the U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to be an enforcement agency in the food supply chain. Violations of the mandate can lead to criminal prosecution.
While shippers and receivers are primary targets of the FSMA, refrigerated carriers become involved as the new rules require detailed temperature data to be collected and maintained, while imposing equipment and driving requirements as well.
There are three main broad areas where refrigerated truckers can be affected:
(1) They would be required to develop and implement written procedures – subject to record keeping, probably for a 12 month time period – that describes how they provide temperature data;
(2) Their practices for cleaning, sanitizing, and inspecting vehicles and transportation equipment;
(3) and establish requirements for the training of carrier personnel engaged in transportation operations, including a requirement for records that document the training.
While the FDA will not be telling shippers and carriers how to deliver foodstuffs, it will be in charge of establishing the framework for what’s required to deliver such goods and enforce those requirements. Thus, the FDA now becomes an integrated part of the supply chain. In effect, the FDA will become an enforcement agency – and one of their tools will be criminal prosecution.
Refrigerated fleets will feel specific impacts in several key areas of their operations:
- It will affect trailer designs, depending on shipper requirements resulting from the new rules;
- It will tighten sanitary cleaning requirements of said trailers;
- There will be a “pre-cool” requirement for many shipments;
- Temperature tracking will be mandated;
- Data exchange and retention will be mandated;
- Driver food safety training will be required and a record of that training must be kept on file for access upon request.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc is creating hundreds of management positions as part of a new program aimed at improving the fresh food sections at its U.S. stores retailer.
Wal-Mart, the largest grocer in the United States, has already hired dozens of field managers and plans to hire hundreds more over the next three years. Their job is to train workers and take other steps to improve the fresh food offering in stores.
The move was initially disclosed at an annual private meeting of suppliers recently in Indianapolis.
Wal-Mart spokesman Lorenzo Lopez said,”to help ensure quality and consistency in our fresh operations,” managers are being hired.
Wal-Mart has placed a renewed emphasis on fresh food under the strategy of Greg Foran, head of the company’s U.S. operations. Foran sees a better fresh food offering as key to reviving sales growth.
The move to install a new layer of managers comes as Wal-Mart faces growing competition for grocery shoppers from national and regional supermarket chains like Florida-based Publix Super Markets Inc and Texas-based H-E-B.
The new managers will oversee the fresh food operations at about 10 stores each. Wal-Mart has about 4,600 stores across the United States.
By Scout Logistics
Toronto, ON – For the second consecutive year, and just five years after it delivered its first load, Scout Logistics Corporation – whose name and principles are inspired by the characters Scout and Atticus Finch from the classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird – has won recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. This prestigious award highlights the company’s tremendous growth and affirms its fresh, market-leading approach to transportation management.
“We operate on ‘Scout’s honour’,” says Lorne Swartz, founder and president of Scout Logistics, who has doubled it’s work force since 2011. “We stand by our word – we treat our customers, carrier partners and team members fairly, honestly and with integrity. Not only is it the right thing to do but we believe it is also essential to the success of our business.”
Established in 1993, Canada’s Best Managed Companies is one of the country’s leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies that have implemented world-class business practices and created value in innovative ways. Applicants are evaluated by an independent judging panel on overall business performance, including leadership, strategy, core competencies, cross-functional collaboration throughout organisation and talent.
“Best Managed companies embrace innovation, seize opportunities and inspire talent. They really set the bar high,” said Peter Brown, Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada’s Best Managed Companies program.
“I would like to recognise the entire efforts of Scout Logistics Corporation. It takes a dedicated effort from an entire team to focus on a core vision, create stakeholder value and excel in the global economy to achieve this level of success,” says Mike Runia, Ontario Managing Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada’s Best Managed Companies program.
Scout has hired and developed both a dedicated management, and talented sales team by providing team members with industry-leading compensation, and a dynamic work environment. There are no strict dress codes nor cubicles at Scout Logistics – Scout prides itself on its state-of-the-art workplace with an onsite gym, full kitchen and foot-thumping music that adds to an already energetic workday.
Scout Logistics also believes in investing in innovation. It developed proprietary systems for monitoring loads, carriers and sales – innovations that put the company ahead of its competition. In 2014 Scout upgraded its dispatch system to include cutting-edge cellular tracking technology. This system, which allows for the tracking of each and every shipment via cell towers across Canada and the United States, ensures complete client transparency throughout the supply chain.
Furthermore, in 2015, Scout launched its client-facing portal, providing real-time status locations of shipments 24/7/365.
“Earning a spot among Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the second year in a row confirms once again that we are taking the right approach and making smart investments in our people, partners and processes,” says Swartz. “We look forward to continued success in the coming years”.
by TransFresh®
Salinas, California – TransFresh Corporation, innovator and marketer of the highly regarded Tectrol® Modified Atmosphere Systems and Tectrol® Storage Solutions™, has announced that its award-winning comic strip hero, Captain Tectrol, will return in the company’s 2016 marketing campaign to once again “save the day for fresh berries.”
In the new advertising campaign launching in key trade publications recently, Captain Tectrol will bring his unique brand of superhero powers to protect fresh strawberries in transit and on-shelf against the evils of decay as well as extend the storage clock for fresh blueberries.
Captain Tectrol was first introduced almost a decade ago to offer a novel look at the features and benefits of Tectrol atmospheres and solutions. The illustrated ads were originally created for TransFresh by Full Steam Marketing and Design based in Salinas, CA and were the recipient of key marketing industry honors.
In its updated iteration, Captain Tectrol finds himself in a series of story vignettes where he brings his mighty powers to protect berry quality in a variety of situations fighting various villains, including his arch nemesis, Dr. Shrink.
TransFresh director Rich Macleod stated that Captain Tectrol’s comeback is a mix between nostalgia and taking a fresh look at how Tectrol Modified Atmosphere Solutions contribute to the marketability of fresh berry products. “We’re delighted to bring Captain Tectrol back as the 21st Century high-tech superhero who battles evil to protect the goodness of fresh berry products,” he said. “No matter how difficult the challenge, Captain Tectrol prevails to safeguard quality.”
About TransFresh®
TransFresh is a pioneering and established global entity with nearly 50 years of experience in perishables transport. Tectrol® is the trademarked brand name for the TransFresh® family of proprietary modified and controlled atmosphere systems and processes developed and owned by TransFresh. The Tectrol Service Network™ services, markets and supports the Tectrol pallet and storage systems operations and technologies. Since inception, TransFresh’s innovations in packaging, equipment and sealing processes have established Tectrol as the industry standard. For more information, please visit www.transfresh.com.
It is shaping up to be an overlap of grape shipments this spring from different parts of the world. Late season imported Chilean grapes will be overlapping imported grapes from Mexico, as well as grapes from the desert of California.
Unfavorable weather earlier in the season has made for tight supplies of red grapes coming from Chile as compared to the supply of green grapes. Chilean grapes are arriving by boat on both U.S. coasts. But that situation could flip next month, as more red grapes are expected in the U.S. market.
The supply of red grapes should pick up around late March or early April. By early May, red grapes from Mexico will be crossing the border into the U.S.
During the 2015 season 110.5 million boxes (109.3 million 19‐pound box equivalents) of California table grapes were shipped. The California grape industry surpassed the 100 million box mark for the first time in 2012. Since then, the total crop volume has seen three consecutive years over 110 million boxes.
The 2015 season total of 110.5 million boxes was the third-largest crop volume in the industry’s history, just below the 2014 total of 110.9 million. The largest crop to be shipped was in 2013 at 117.4 million boxes.
California grape shipments are available from May through January. With the 2016 season only about six weeks away, Mexican grape shipments typically start anywhere from a few days to two weeks earlier than California’s first grapes that come out of the Coachella Valley. Most Mexican grapes cross the border at Nogales.
A handful of storms that have hit drought-stricken California this winter has put a damper on overall California strawberry shipments to date.
With the week ending March 5, 6.7 million trays of strawberries had been shipped. That was down significantly from the 12.9 million trays shipped at the same time last year. However, this year’s volume for that week was about 1 million trays more than the projected.
Despite the slow shipments in January, volume is increasing fast, particularly out of Oxnard. Those Ventura County loadings should continue until about mid-May.
Ventura County celery, berries, and lettuce shipments – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
Strawberry Health Benefits Promoted
The California Strawberry Commission is promoting consumption of eight strawberries a day, citing research that finds it may aid cognitive function, among other health benefits.
The MIND diet — short for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay — lowered the risk of Alzheimer’s as much as 53% in rigorous adherents and about 35% in those who follow it moderately well, according to a Rush University Medical Center study.
Berries are the only fruit specified for inclusion in the MIND diet, and the study’s authors have noted cognitive benefits from consumption of strawberries and blueberries.
The study results were published last September in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Separately, strawberries and other berries have been named by the American Diabetes Association as among the top 10 superfoods for a diabetes meal plan because of their low-sugar, vitamin, antioxidant and fiber content.
Eight medium strawberries equal about one cup a day and total 45 calories. Vitamin C content per serving exceeds that of oranges, according to the commission, and the fruit provides folate, potassium, three grams of fiber and seven grams of sugar.
As the Yuma, AZ lettuce season winds down and Salinas prepares to gear up, use caution loading desert vegetables as quality problems are being reported.
Yuma lettuce shipments in particular are having quality issues due to higher than normal temperatures. The produce is showing some rib blight, rot and sclerotinia. This is occurring as there is up to a 20 percent increase in shipments for Easter. Easter is March 27, essentially coinciding with the start of the Salinas, CA. season for many grower-shippers. Until then, unusually warm weather in Yuma, AZ, is likely to affect quality for all lettuce items.
While Yuma, as well as the Thermal, CA area is finishing up on head and mixed lettuce, Santa Maria mixed leaf shipments have started about two weeks earlier than normal.
Salinas mixed lettuce and other vegetable shipments should get underway in light volume the week of March 28th, about a week ahead of schedule.
Huron lettuce shipments out of the San Joaquin Valley starts the last week of March and will continue for about three weeks.
The Salinas Valley has had a lot of rain recently that interrupted plantings of vegetables. Down the road apiece, this is expected to result in some shipping gaps in late May and early June.
Yuma, Iceberg, romaine, leaf, broccoli and cauliflower shipments – grossing about $5600 to New York City.