Archive For The “News” Category
So many fields of new almond trees have been planted in Central California in recent years that production has reached a point where prices are beginning to slide.
Almonds have taken an image hit in the last few years in part due to publicity about how much water in drought stricken California is needed to produce a crop. A gradual loss in value has been taking place.
The price per pound of the nut has declined about 20 percent since late 2014.
That 20 percent price decline due to over supply translates into a loss of about $1.8 billion to farmers. A lot of new almond trees have been planted over the last three years.
When the price of almonds rose from around $2.50 per pound three years ago to over $4 per pound in 2014, farmers became over zealous and many replaced their lower-priced crops, like grapes or cotton, with fields of almonds. That flooded the market, and the price dropped to around $3 per pound.
Adding to the problem was the strength of the dollar in 2015. It began to cost more for places like China and India to buy almonds. In turn, Asian markets are shelling out less cash for the crop.
It killed off demand as fewer almonds were purchased.
Potatoes remain a staple in the American diet, wpotatoes account for 15 percent of all consumed vegetables.
A very sophisticated crime ring or perhaps even several crime rings out of the Los Angeles area are stealing truckloads of California tree nuts, worth as much as $500,000, according to statements from the Agricultural Processors Association.
The Department of Transportation’s shipping database has been hacked by thieves, who obtain information from shipping and trucking companies’ Facebook pages so they can identify drivers, and they’re forging documents. This research makes them appear very legitimate when they come to pick up a load of almonds, pistachios, or walnuts.
Many times forged documents will include “burner” cell phone numbers. When a processor or shipper calls the number, they’re talking to one of the thieves posing as a legitimate driver, but by the time they realize the load has been stolen, that phone and number have been discarded without a trace.
In other instances, thieves pretend to be the nut processor and call the drivers who legitimately picked up loads. They tell the driver they discovered a problem with the load and ask him to drop it off at another facility for inspection. The driver does as he’s told, and three days later the company finds out the load never made it to its final destination.
In the rare instances where product has been found, it’s been in locations all across the country, and even in Eastern Europe. By then, it is too late to capture them.
Tree nut thefts have picked up in the last six months. Nuts have become very expensive, makng them a prime target. But a big part of the problem is that there’s little punishment for those responsible for committing crimes of this nature. In 2014, California passed Proposition 47, which classifies “non-serious, nonviolent crimes” as misdemeanors instead of felonies, as long as the defendant doesn’t have prior serious convictions.
Additionally, when an empty trailer is found in Los Angeles, the crime is considered to have taken place there. In Los Angeles, something like nut theft falls pretty low on the list of priorities when it comes to prosecuting criminals.
To make matter worse, insurance isn’t covering these thefts. Because the criminals are picking up the loads illegitimately but without any violence, it’s considered the processor’s negligence. Specific policies have to be purchased for this type of theft.
Although all California-grown tree nuts have been targeted, pistachios have taken the biggest hit. One truckload can be worth as much as $500,000. Even cashews imported to California and processed in the state have been stolen.
Mandarins lead all citrus categories in dollar sales at retail and are up 17.3 percent, representing almost 37 percent of all citrus sales for the last year, according to recent IRI Worldwide data. Mandarins also lead in pound sales, up just over 19 percent.
“The rise in popularity of mandarins follows along with consumer demand for healthy, convenient snacks,” Joan Wickham, manager of advertising and public relations for Sunkist, said in a press release. “Easy to peel and high in Vitamin C, mandarins fit the bill for healthy snacking and they are also juicy, sweet and delicious.”
Sunkist offers retailers multiple packaging and point-of-sale options to help retailers merchandise mandarins to continue driving sales and educate consumers about specialty mandarins varieties.
“Providing flavor profiles, nutrition information, recipes and usage tips encourages consumers to experiment and enjoy mandarins in multiple ways,” Julie DeWolf, director of retail marketing, said in the release.
Mandarins are also trending in foodservice channels, with operators showcasing the versatility of easy-peelers in applications such as adult beverages, salads, desserts and seafood appetizers. Clementines have shown a particularly strong increase on menus, with a nearly 40 percent spike over the past year, driven mainly by increased use in beverages.
“Mandarins are great for snacking, but they’re also wonderful as an ingredient — and increasing foodservice usage across meal parts demonstrates this,” added Wickham.
Sunkist offers Satsuma, Clementine, Royal, W. Murcott and Gold Nugget mandarin varieties from late October through June with multiple packaging options, including the beloved Sunkist Smiles brand.
By Tozer Seeds
SANTA MARIA, CALIF. —Kalettes®, the kale and brussels sprouts hybrid, recently received the 2015 StarChefs Innovator Award at the 10th Annual International Chefs Congress (ICC) for bringing the most exciting new product to market in the food and beverage category.
The ICC is a three-day, industry-only culinary symposium with some of the best food and drink in the country hosted by StarChefs.com, a magazine for culinary insiders serving the restaurant industry since 1995. As much as ICC is about the people, talent, and ideas, it also recognizes innovative products that facilitate so much creativity. In the food and beverage category, Kalettes was awarded by ICC vendors for bringing a product that stirs the imagination and excites the palate.
“We are thrilled to receive this award and feel honored that we can inspire chefs across the country with our new product,” said Kraig Kuykendall, sales manager of Tozer Seeds America, the company behind Kalettes. “Kalettes are the product of 15 years of hard work and dedication so seeing both foodservice professionals and consumers get excited about them is the greatest payoff.”
Kalettes are the product of more than a decade of research by Tozer Seeds, the largest family-owned vegetable breeding company in England. The kale and brussels sprout hybrid offers a fresh fusion of sweet and nutty, combining the best traits of each of its parent vegetables. Kalettes are not genetically modified and were developed by cross-pollinating brussels sprouts with kale through traditional methods.
Tozer Seeds has exclusive marketing agreements with select companies to grow and market Kalettes to create a consistent name and brand identity, which would allow consumers to easily recognize this new vegetable. The companies who have entered into the marketing agreement with Tozer for Kalettes are 4Earth Farms, Classic Salads, Mann Packing, Ocean Mist Farms, Southern Specialties and WP Rawl. As part of the agreement, Kalettes seeds will be sold by Johnny’s Selected Seeds to small farmers and home growers.
Kalettes are available to both retailers and food service distributors directly through the companies. For more information on Kalettes, including recipes, visit www.kalettes.com
The US population continues to consume more and more avocados. Consumption is driven by increased media attention as well as in-store promotions. “This year, a record-shipment of 139 million lbs. is expected to come in from Mexico to be consumed in the run up to and on the day of the Big Game,” said Maggie Bezart Hall with Avocados from Mexico. “This would be a 13 percent increase compared to last year,” she added.
139 million lbs. of avocados equals 278 million individual avocados. This is just for Super Bowl Sunday and the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. “US avocado consumption during the Big Game is enough to fill a football field end zone to end zone more than 53 ft. deep,” shared Bezart Hall. On Super Bowl Sunday, look for the avocado commercial during the first commercial break segment.The majority of avocados being consumed in the US end up in guacamole. Eating avocados on a sandwich is second most popular, followed by salads and avocados consumed by themselves.
Meanwhile, it’s the Denver Broncos vs. the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50!
By Allen Lund Company
La Cañada Flintridge Calif. – The Allen Lund Company (ALC) is proud to announce its 40th anniversary. In 1976, the Allen Lund Company opened its doors with a handful of employees. Now, the company boasts over 400 employees which span across the country. The company has always maintained an exceptional reputation amongst shippers and carriers, and consistently earns a Four-X rating with Blue Book and a Four-Star rating with Red Book Credit Services. Throughout the years, ALC has started and maintained key relationships with top customers like: Costco, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Ahold USA to name a few, which are still going strong to this day.
Allen Lund, President and CEO, stated “Like I’ve always said, I have had the privilege of living the American dream. Celebrating 40 years is a dream come true to me which has been made possible by the hard working people in this industry. Being a part of this industry which thrives on trust has been amazing. I don’t know how anyone could have lived a better life. Working with my family and wonderful employees has been a dream. I’m so proud of this company, its carriers, shippers, and employees.”
Steve Doerfler, Vice President Chief Financial Officer, added “It is remarkable to celebrate the 40 year anniversary of Allen Lund Company. This is a testament to the principles of honesty and integrity that Allen founded the company on and are lived out daily by its employees. We are blessed to have the best employees in the industry supported by a true family environment.”
About Allen Lund Company:
Specializing as a national third-party transportation broker with nationwide offices and over 400 employees, the Allen Lund Company works with shippers and carriers across the nation to transport dry, refrigerated (specializing in produce), and flatbed freight; additionally, the Allen Lund Company has a logistics and software division, ALC Logistics, and an International Division licensed by the FMC as an OTI-NVOCC #019872NF..
Established in 1976, the Allen Lund Company was selected as a 2015 Top Private Company by Los Angeles Business Journal, a 2015 Top 100 Logistics IT Provider by Inbound Logistics, a 2014 Supply & Demand Chain Executive 100, a 2014 Great Supply Chain Partner, and was placed in Transport Topics’ “2014 Top 25 Freight Brokerage Firms.” The company managed over 300,000 shipments in 2014, and received the 2013 “Best in Cargo Security Award.” In 2011 the company received the TIA 3PL Samaritan Award, and the NASTC (National Association of Small Trucking Companies) named Allen Lund Company the 2010 Best Broker of the Year. More information is available at www.allenlund.com.
‘The Minight Moon purple potato is now being packed for its first year of fresh market commercial production. This new-to-the-market, all-purpose variety is a result of 15 years of development at Colorado State University.
After five additional years of seed development there is now sufficient volume for distribution. In 2015 the Midnight Moon seed was purchased for development by Gunrock Management, a group of three growers in Colorado who source and grow specialty potatoes for fresh market. They also bought exclusive rights for the Masquerade potato back in 2014.
Midnight Moon and Masquerade are both packed in Mosca, CO in 50-pound bulk cases with GTIN identification codes. Midnight Moon scores high for an all-purpose potato. The clean non-russeted skin cooks up clean and is thick enough to scoop and stuff for potato skins. The interior color is a brilliant yellow.
Slightly more waxy than starchy the Midnight Moon will make a fine baked potato. Great in soups, salads, or casseroles these potatoes do not fall apart when cooked. The flavor of the Midnight Moon is strong. This is not a bland potato; this big flavor is possibly best represented when making mashed potatoes. The result is a thick firm potato that has no lumps. The color is not at all lost through any of the cooking procedures and its purple and yellow contrast make a plate stand out.
The Midnight Moon will go into trial production in California in the late winter of 2016. This will fill the gap in May when current supply is expected to expire. California will handle distribution through October when the Colorado season begins again. Initial distribution for retail and wholesale suppliers will begin in the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic. Distribution became nationwide at the first of the year.
DALLAS – Building on the momentum generated last February, when it became the first fresh produce brand to broadcast an ad during the most-watched television program in the United States, Avocados From Mexico (AFM) is following up with another multi-dimensional campaign for the 2016 Super Bowl, airing on Sunday, February 7, on CBS.
The number-one selling avocado in the U.S. with more than 75 percent of the market, AFM plans to debut this years’ experience during the first break of the game. Last year’s AFM Big Game campaign, “First Draft Ever,” also created by GSD&M, included a TV spot, teaser and social media war room during the game, boosting attention with collaborative support from PR, social and digital media. AFM avocado consumption grew 35% in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, and the airing of “First Draft Ever” was a key element contributing to the growth percentage.
The humorous spot which depicted Mexico’s choice of the avocado during a pre-historic, football-styled “draft” of plants and animals, earned widespread acclaim and consumer engagement, which set the brand up for success and increased demand in the month of February, historically a slower month for avocado consumption. Because of their ability to successfully bring brands to life on a big stage, Austin-based advertising agency GSD&M was chosen once again for creative strategy and production of the Big Game multi-dimensional campaign for Avocados From Mexico.
As it did for 2015, Havas Media will be handling the buying and execution of the Big Game spot, along with supporting CBS properties to surround its debut. “Last year’s groundbreaking Big Game experience was an overwhelming success, as it showcased the origin of the number-one selling avocado in the U.S., taking brand awareness of Avocados From Mexico to the next level,” said Alvaro Luque, president of Avocados From Mexico.
In February 2015, AFM’s Big Game campaign was seen by more than 114 million U.S. viewers, and – coupled with social media and PR support – generated more than 1.6 billion earned and paid media impressions in one week. Engagement for all social media platforms was up 5,400 percent and #FirstDraftEver trended in 27 cities nationwide. “Last year, our Big Game ad and social media support helped fuel the growth of Avocados From Mexico to new heights, and we’re confident this year will do the same,” noted Luque. “More Americans than ever are embracing the many nutritional benefits of this “superfruit,” making this an ideal time to educate consumers that you can buy fresh Mexican avocados 365 days of the year
Avocados From Mexico (AFM) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA), formed for the purpose of advertising, promotion, public relations and research for all stakeholders of Avocados From Mexico.
Nearly 60 percent of the fresh produce imported from Mexico crosses the City of Pharr (TX) International Bridge.
Being the only full service commercial bridge in the region, means more and better services, infrastructure and technology to get produce loads processed at point of entry, before being unloaded at one of dozens of warehouses in the area.
The Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge is one of the most important U.S.-Mexican border ports of entry and is experiencing phoenominal growth in traffic. No end to growth is in sight.
The City of Pharr has a project that is still in the design phase known as the Border Safety Inspection Facility Connector (BSIF). This project will allow certified companies, vetted by the federal government, along with empty trucks, to bypass the importation process. The goal is to be more efficient by reducing wait times and speed up the inspection process. The project is expected to be completed late this year.
Mondays and Fridays are the busiest, and most congested days, at the Pharr Bridge.
The Pharr Bridge ranks number one in volume for truck loads of avocados and number two in tomatoes for Mexican produce to be distributed mostly throughout the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada.
Due to the new Mazatlan-Matamoros super highway, also dubbed Supervía, travel for trucks hauling produce and entering the Pharr port of entry can save as much as 600 to 700 miles of travel when delivering to Midwest and eastern U.S. and Canadian markets. Connecting Mazatlán and Sinaloa, Mexico to Pharr, Texas, this new route for produce transportation provides a more direct route to receivers. It also saves $1000 to $3000 in fuel costs, depending on the price of diesel, and nearly 16 hours in travel time round-trip.
The state of Sinaloa is what some call the breadbasket of Mexico with about 70 to 80 percent of Mexican fruits and vegetables originating from this state. Pharr, Tx has seen a significant rise in the number of importers and brokers who are based in Arizona, but are opening satellite facilities in Texas.
Lower Rio Grande Valley citrus and Mexican produce crossing the border – grossing about $2400 to Atlanta.