Posts Tagged “feature”
LOS ANGELES – The Giumarra Companies announces its exclusive, domestic Lemonade apple volume will increase to promotable levels this fall. The vibrant, yellow apple sensation will see a dramatic increase in production in the state of Washington, complemented by more availability in Pennsylvania.
“We are excited to share that we have expanded our offering of exclusive Lemonade apples in collaboration with Apple King from Washington state and Rice Fruit Company from Pennsylvania,” said Jason Bushong, Wenatchee Division Manager for the Giumarra Companies. “Our increased supply will help us meet the soaring consumer demand for this distinctive variety.”
The Lemonade variety was developed in New Zealand. Bushong noted the importance of Giumarra’s grower partners in expanding domestic acreage of Lemonade, which has been in commercial development in the U.S. for five years. The Keller family has been growing apples in the Yakima Valley since 1914. This multigenerational grower family is recognized globally under their distinguished brand name, Apple King. Founded in 1913, the Rice Fruit Company is a family-run fruit packing business located in the heart of Pennsylvania’s apple country.
Promotable volumes of Lemonade apples will begin shipping in late October, continuing through January. The fruit will be available in bulk cartons and multiple bag options.
“Word of mouth has been a powerful tool in generating consumer excitement for our brand,” said Bushong. “Consumers are captivated by the apple’s visually appealing yellow hue, invigorating tang, and satisfying crunch.”
About the Giumarra Companies
The Giumarra Companies is a leading international network of fresh produce growers, distributors, and marketers that encompasses a world of flavor and freshness. Since its inception in 1922, the company has taken pride in a longstanding commitment to quality, service, and industry leadership.
DENVER – Every year, neighborhoods across America embrace their favorite Halloween traditions. But in recent years, families are jumping on new trends that bring an element of surprise to our beloved traditions with potatoes.
That’s right, Potatoes USA is reporting that America’s favorite vegetable has expanded its spooky season repertoire with crafts, games and some very excited trick-or-treaters.
Potatoes or Candy?
Want to surprise and delight your trick-or-treaters? Offer them a potato! Revelers nationwide have begun offering spuds as a fun alternative to candy. “It honestly started as a joke,” explained Pat Foy, a self-employed contractor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “I thought, if I’m going to give something out to kids on Halloween, I don’t want to just give them something that makes them go nuts. I’m of Irish descent, so potatoes made sense. I gave away big baking potatoes, and before I knew it, it took on a life of its own. Who would’ve thought?”
And Foy isn’t the only one mixing things up for Halloween. Families are exploring spooky spud crafts that provide new and old twists on Halloween activities.
Potatoes – The Original Jack-o’-Lantern!
It’s not Halloween without a jack-o’-lantern. But did you know this tradition started with potatoes? The Irish would carve spooky faces into spuds to scare away an evil spirit called Stingy Jack.
Modern Halloween lovers are bringing back this historic trend, sharing their favorite potato jack-o’-lanterns or jack-o’-taters. In addition to being adorable, they know that potatoes are easy to carve and affordable – so it’s easy to have a few extra on hand in case you need a redo. Like pumpkins, the potato’s long shelf-life makes it ideal for displaying your family’s carved creations. And no need to toss the potato insides! Carved out potato can be cut into small pieces for Fall Harvest Mashed Potatoes or other delicious dishes.
Spooky Spud Stamps
Because of their hardy texture, raw potatoes are an ideal craft tool for making spooky spud stamps. While adults carve the potatoes, younger artists can add their own spin to these handmade stamps by choosing designs and acting as the master painter.
“There’s always an element of child-like delight on Halloween. We want to be amazed and see things we don’t expect. Traditions like trick-or-treating for candy bars and carving pumpkins aren’t going anywhere. But it’s really fun to experiment with unexpected twists that can catch people by surprise,” said Marisa Stein, marketing director, Potatoes USA. “Potatoes and Halloween go far back historically, so it’s really cool to see them come back together, and for our traditions to come full circle.”
Families can also create delicious, nutritious Halloween recipes with extra potatoes, like Boo! Pumpkin and Potato Stew, Baked Jack-O’-Lantern Potatoes and Roasted Pumpkin And Potato Soup.
An all-star vegetable, a 5.3 oz skin-on potatoes bring to the table the highest potassium among top 20 most eaten vegetables, nearly one-third of the vitamin C we need each day and 3 grams of plant-based protein, making it an easy choice for families reaching for healthy dishes to balance out the post-Halloween candy hoard.
Be sure to visit PotatoGoodness.com to learn more about the many health benefits of potatoes and find some delicious Halloween or fall recipes.
If you participate in #JackOTater or #Trick-or-Tater, tag @PotatoGoodness on Facebook or Instagram for a chance to win Potato Goodness Swag!
About Potatoes USA
Potatoes USA is the national marketing and promotion board representing U.S. growers and importers. Potatoes USA, the largest vegetable commodity board, was established in 1971 by potato farmers to promote the benefits of eating potatoes. For more information on Potatoes USA’s mission to “Strengthen Demand for Potatoes,” visit PotatoesUSA.com.
Unprecedented rainfall and an invasion of tiny insects known as thrips are being blamed for an expected decrease in California citrus shipments this season.
The weather phenomenon disrupted typical citrus thrips timing in orchards and led to uncontrollable conditions in the fields, according to a California Citrus Mutual press release.
“It’s been an extremely challenging pest season for citrus growers,” says CCM President, Casey Creamer. “The industry did its absolute best in trying to control this unprecedented thrips season. Growers bear that cost while also facing the reality that the pest pressure will result in decreased returns in the marketplace.”
Reports from the California Citrus Mutual (CCM) Pest and Disease Task Force indicate some growers have experienced exterior fruit scarring on as much as 80% of the fruit on individual blocks, primarily affecting navels but with varying impacts to mandarins, lemons, and other citrus varieties.
The CCM Marketing Committee estimates 30% of the navel crop has thrips scarring and the utilized volume will be 8% to 15% under the previous season’s production due to thrips. The Committee also estimates the mandarin and lemon crops will also be down 5% compared to the previous season’s production.O
Visual effects from thrips have no effect on the interior fruit quality, taste, or texture. Consumers can still expect the same exceptional eating experience they are used to with California citrus with higher volumes of choice fruit. Fancy fruit, with minimal external scarring or damage, will be a premium commodity this season.
“Despite these challenges, our growers remain optimistic about the fruit quality on the tree this season. The overabundance of water has reservoirs full and has reinvigorated the groves after three years of extreme drought conditions,” says Creamer.
Bard Valley Natural Delights Medjool Dates co-op of Yuma, AZ and its 14 growers completed harvesting of dates in late September, a few weeks later than normal due to temperatures that were slightly cooler in Yuma.
The growers grow conventional and organic medjool, while others also grow deglet noors outside of the co-op. The co-op also imports other varieties.
The winter holidays and the months leading up to Ramadan are peak shipping periods for date.
Dates are known for health benefits, which include fiber, potassium, antioxidants and many other vitamins and minerals.
Although dates are sweet because of their high fiber content, they are low on the glycemic index, which allows the body to burn the sugar much more slowly.
- Deglet Noor dates are smaller and lighter in color, more amber than brown, and they are semi-dry in texture, making them soft but firm. Medjool dates are larger and have a soft, chewy texture and a sweet, caramel-like flavor.
- Deglet dates are less sweet than Medjool, and also have a slightly nutty taste to them similar to browned butter or cashews.
- Medjool dates are usually sold with the pit still within the fruit, whereas Deglet Noor dates are commonly sold pitted, with the seed being removed.
U.S. strawberry growers are increasing organic production faster than conventional with imported berries.
Those are two observations from a new report from the USDA.
“The Changing Landscape of U.S. Strawberry and Blueberry Markets: Production, Trade, and Challenges from 2000 to 2020,” a 38-page report from the USDA Economic Research Service, examines changes in domestic production, consumption, prices and trade for strawberries and blueberries over two decades.
“This study helps explain how the major berry markets evolved in a short time and examines opportunities and challenges these markets face,” the authors said.
The study found:
- In California, which grows more than 75% of the domestic organic production, organic strawberry acreage tripled from 2008 to 2019.
- Imports of fresh highbush blueberries increased from 44 million pounds in 2000-02 to 450 million pounds in 2018-20, which accounted for about 62% of the domestic fresh blueberry disappearance.
- The development and adoption of high-yielding strawberry varieties led to an increase in total domestic production with less acreage.
- Fresh strawberry imports increased significantly in the last two decades, particularly from Mexico. Fresh strawberries imported from Mexico reached a record high of 431 million pounds in 2020. While Mexican strawberries have an almost year-round presence in the U.S. market, approximately 85% of Mexico’s U.S.-bound shipments enter the market during the winter and spring months.
- Most strawberry exports from the U.S. are for fresh-market consumption and are shipped to Canada. Fresh strawberry exports increased 94% in volume during 2018-20 compared with 2000-20.
Naturipe Farms of Estero, FL is projecting a record fall season for raspberry shipments from Mexico.
Originating out of the central Mexico growing region, another year of exponential growth in the 2023-24 season is expected, according to a news release.
Naturipe Farms’ 100% proprietary raspberry program features varieties that have been selectively bred for their flavor, color and overall eating experience, the release said. Naturipe Farms’ growers in central Mexico and Baja offer several varieties, including the Centennial, which boasts the true raspberry-red hue and equally tart and sweet taste that raspberry consumers know and love, the release said.
“At Naturipe Farms, we’re excited to see the fruits of our labor, both figuratively and literally, result in another expansive growing season that will allow us to offer even larger volumes of our raspberries to our customers,” Fernando Aguiar, director of business development for Naturipe Farms, said in the release. “Our growers are working hard year-round to produce the best raspberries with flavor that will keep consumers coming back for more.”
Naturipe Farms will offer raspberries in all standard pack sizes, as well as a couple new sizes and styles, according to the release.
Average consumer expenditures experienced big increases in 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. Higher costs were highlighted by a 12.7% increase in food purchases.
The Consumer Expenditures report said that average annual expenditures for all consumer units in 2022 were $72,967, a 9% increase from 2021.
Overall, the report said expenditures increased faster than income in 2022. Average annual income before taxes rose 7.5% in 2022, while expenditures increased 9%.
The rise in consumer expenditures exceeds the government’s inflation measure for 2022. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 8% in 2022.
The average annual expenditures for 2022 were broken down into 14 major components, according to the report.
Overall, housing accounted for the largest share (33.3%) of expenditures, followed by transportation (16.8%), food (12.8%), personal insurance and pensions (12%), and health care (8%), the report said. Each of the remaining categories contributed less than 5% of total expenditures.
The report said that among the 14 major components of household spending, the largest percent increase in expenditures was in cash contributions (up 14.1%). The next largest increase was in food (up 12.7%), followed closely by a 12.3% rise in personal care products and services spending, and a 12.2% increase in transportation spending. The only major component to decrease from 2021 to 2022 was entertainment (down 3.1%), according to the report.
The report said spending on food increased 12.7% in 2022, compared to an increase of 13.4% in 2021. The increase was driven by food-away-from-home (restaurant) spending, up 20.1%, accompanied by an increase in food-at-home spending (grocery), up 8.4%.
“Expenditures for food away from home in 2022 exceeded 2019 levels, marking the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that this has happened,” the report said.
Average consumer spending on fresh fruit in 2022 was $406, up 7.4% from $378 in 2021, according to the report. For fresh vegetables, average expenditures in 2022 were $352, 7.3% above $328 in 2021.
Despite a slightly delayed harvest because of winter and spring rainfall and some cooler-than-usual temperatures good volume shipments appear to be coming for pistachios, almonds and walnuts in California.
Wonderful brand pistachios was delayed about two weeks and harvest will peak in late September and conclude in October. The company represents 300 growers.
The American Pistachio Growers of Fresno, CA reports industrywide, California pistachio growers are expected to ship 1.3 billion pounds of the nuts this year.
Pistachios are an alternate-bearing crop, and 2023 will be an on year. Because of new acreage, the state’s pistachio production is expected to reach 2 billion pounds by 2030. About 70% of the crop is exported, largely to the European Union and China.
The almond harvest is in full swing at Mariani Nut Co., Winters, CA and harvest should continue through October.
California’s walnut production for 2023 is forecast at 790,000 tons, an increase of 5% from the 752,000 tons produced in 2022, according to an early September estimate from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The forecast is based on 385,000 bearing acres — a 4% drop from 2022’s estimated 400,000 bearing acres.
Mariani’s walnut harvest should run from September to November, and the company will harvest California pecans in November.
NASS estimated that California’s 2023 almond crop will come in at 2.6 billion meat pounds, 1% above last year’s 2.57 billion pounds.
Imports of Peruvian onions by Bland Farmsof Greenville, GA are seasonally increasing.
Hot weather in Peru affected sizing and yields from early fields resulting in the crop being a little heavier on mediums than normal, with limited supplies of the big, colossal onions.
Bland Farms finished its Vidalia onion shipments in late August and expects to carry Peruvian onions until February, when the company will start its Mexican crop.
The grower/shipper who has its own farms in Peru, expects a shorter-than-normal season out of Peru due to reduced yields and disease problems in some fields.
Another issue is there have been a few delays in moving Peruvian ocean container shipments through the Panama Canal because of a freight backlog there.
Bland Farms has been sourcing onions from Peru for at least three decades to find the complement its Vidalia onions. After being sized in packing sheds, Peruvian onions grown by Bland Farms are shipped to the U.S. in 50-pound bags, loaded in ocean containers for transport. Upon arrival in the U.S., they are sorted, graded and packed for customers.
Packing the onions in the U.S. allows Bland Farms to put a “second eye” on the crop and make sure that any issues such as moisture or mold are dealt with before they are shipped.
Bland Farms typically brings about 1,200 to 1,500 containers of Peruvian onions annually to the U.S. market. Last season, volume was cut a bit because of high ocean freight.
By Ken Cavallaro Jr., ALC Boston
Pixar Animation Studios brought mental health to the big screen with its award-winning Inside Out, a movie highlighting the conflicting emotions humans face during major life events. These warring emotions can be especially difficult for truck drivers. Tasked with driving an 80,000-pound vehicle loaded with potentially over $250,000 worth of product through endless stretches of road and frustrating traffic snares for twelve hours a day is further complicated by carriers missing quality time with family and friends, disrupted sleep patterns, and often a less than stellar diet.
A survey by the National Library of Medicine shows almost 28% of truckers surveyed reported suffering from loneliness on the road, while 27% reported depression, 21% reported chronic sleep disturbances, 14.5% reported anxiety, and 13% reported other emotional difficulties. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “truckers experience higher rates of obesity, diabetes, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, divorce, drug use, and suicide.” After celebrating Truck Driver Appreciation Week last month, it’s important that we continue recognizing and advocating for these essential workers who contribute to making our day-to-day lives possible.
Ronald Allen of Points West Express, a second-generation truck driver, has traversed the country for the past 49 years. According to Ronald, missing family events caused the greatest stress during his lengthy driving career. He also attributes difficulty finding time to sleep as contributing to his high-stress level.
“Following what my father did, this is all I knew, which was the best way to provide for my family, and what got me through the day was knowing they were financially ok,” said Ronald.
At Allen Lund Company, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional service to shippers and growers nationwide. Supporting truck drivers that help us achieve this goal – hard-working people like Ronald – is a top priority at our company. As logistics specialists, it is important to remember the challenges drivers face and be sensitive to their struggles so we can help them feel like the respected and valuable members of the supply chain that they are. We might not be able to control their diet, exercise, or sleep habits, but we can listen attentively, share kind words, and practice patience.
Everyone should take a few extra minutes to engage with drivers and ask about their day. In the long run, our extra effort to treat a driver as a person and not just a load number will also benefit our customers. A driver who feels respected will most likely be calmer, more attentive, and ultimately deliver a load with more care. We might not be trained psychologists specializing in mental health, but kindness and sensitivity can go a long way to easing the emotional burdens of our drivers. Knowing we value the person behind the wheel as more than just another load might just be what a driver needs to settle those shifting emotions and safely deliver on time.
*****
Kenneth Cavallaro, Jr. is a carrier manager in the Boston office. He began his career at the Allen Lund Company in February of 2019. Kenneth has been in the transportation industry since May of 1999. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Salem State University.
kenneth.cavallaro@allenlund.com