FreshEdge, a family of fresh food distribution companies backed by Wind Point Partners, has acquired Testa Produce, a produce and specialty food company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

For more than 110 years, Testa Produce and the Testa family have been serving customers in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, distributing fresh fruits and vegetables, including an array of fresh-cut offerings, dairy, meats, seafoods and specialty foods.

Testa Produce is LEED Platinum Certified and operates out of a state-of-the-art, 91,300-square-foot facility that features the most up to date green technologies to utilize energy generation and water conservation.

The acquisition enhances FreshEdge’s density in the Midwest and provides additional space and logistical support to better serve its customer base. Testa Produce joins a growing family that includes Piazza Produce & Specialty Foods, Indianapolis Fruit, Get Fresh Produce, City Produce, McCartney Produce, Monteverde’s, Valley Produce, Vine Line, Garden Cut, CIBUS Fresh and Papania’s.

FreshEdge operates 899,800 square feet of warehouse space across 26 facilities with a fleet of more than 920 trucks and more than 2,000 employees.

“We welcome Peter Testa and his awesome team to the FreshEdge family of companies,” said Steve Grinstead, CEO of FreshEdge. “Testa Produce will be a great addition to our expanding group of ‘best-in-class’ fresh food distribution companies.”

“We are thrilled for Testa to join FreshEdge,” said Greg Corsaro, president and COO of FreshEdge. “We look forward to working together with all of the great people at Testa to continue to provide unprecedented service to all FreshEdge customers.”

Terms of the deal, which closed on April 29, were not disclosed. The transaction strengthens the combined business’s presence in Chicago and enables continued expansion across the Midwest. 

“Our Testa Produce team is excited to join the FreshEdge family,” said Peter Testa, president of Testa Produce. “We look forward to this new era of opportunity and growth for Testa.”

FreshEdge is backed by Wind Point Partners, a Chicago-based private equity investment firm. Testa Produce represents FreshEdge’s first acquisition since Wind Point’s initial investment. Together, Wind Point and FreshEdge intend to continue growing FreshEdge by welcoming more fresh food distribution companies into the group – all focused on quality produce and specialty food products, along with exceptional service – to create a unique group of complementary entities.

FreshEdge was formed in 2019 through the combination of Get Fresh Produce (founded 1982), Indianapolis Fruit (founded 1947) and Piazza Produce (founded 1970). McCartney Produce (Paris, Tennessee) joined FreshEdge in November 2020, followed by Valley Produce (Knoxville, Tennessee) in June 2021, Vine Line (Grand Rapids, Michigan) in October 2021, Monteverde’s (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) in November 2021, and CityProduce (Fort Walton Beach, Florida) in May 2022.

FreshEdge includes a collection of Garden Cut branded fresh-cut processing facilities (Bartlett, Fort Walton Beach, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh); a tomato re-packer; a USDA fresh kitchen (CIBUS Fresh); and two transportation companies. FreshEdge’s footprint spans 21 states throughout the Midwest and southeastern United States.

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Since partnering with Stop & Shop in 2021, more than 30,000 shoppers across the Northeast have used Flashfood, resulting in nearly $500,000 in grocery savings and 233,280 pounds of food being saved from ending up in landfills.

With 60 Stop & Shop’s New York stores across Long Island, New York City, Westchester County and the Hudson Valley offering Flashfood, sales through the app will further decrease food waste throughout the Northeast while adding to the 70 million pounds of food across the U.S. and Canada that has been diverted from landfills.

With Flashfood, shoppers save up to 50 percent off items nearing their best-by date, such as meats, dairy, seafood, fresh produce and baked goods. Shoppers browse and buy discounted items through the Flashfood app on their mobile phones and pick up their orders from the Flashfood Zone located inside their participating store.

“Providing value and variety to our customers with a focus on reducing our carbon footprint is at the forefront of what we do,” said Tarik Stewart, regional VP of operations for Stop & Shop. “We’re proud to now offer the Flashfood marketplace to our New York customers to help offer sustainable shopping options with ways to also save significantly on groceries.”

Stop & Shop’s partnership with Flashfood began in 2021 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Flashfood has expanded to 170 Stop & Shop stores in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

“Our mission has always been to reduce food waste, while helping families eat healthy food at an affordable price,” said Josh Domingues, founder and CEO, Flashfood.

“With one in 10 New York residents facing food insecurity, our expansion across over 60 Stop & Shop locations will be an incredible resource to New Yorkers, bringing more fresh options to dinner tables across the region.”

Stop & Shop’s expansion throughout New York is part of the grocer’s 2023 rollout plans to make Flashfood available at more than 300 Stop & Shop locations across the Northeast. To learn about the grocer’s community efforts, visit stopandshop.com/pages/our-purpose.

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Plant City, Florida-based Wish Farms recently completed a giveback campaign on Instagram by promoting local businesses while simultaneously supporting children in need.

The campaign, named “Buy Local. Spread Happiness,” encouraged users to nominate their favorite local businesses by tagging them in comments on various Wish Farms posts. This automatically added the businesses to a random raffle drawing where ten winners were selected.

Wish Farms purchased $500 gift cards from each winner and donated them to One More Child, a non-profit organization that provides shelter, services and supplies to children and families in need.

“This was a special campaign for us that truly ran full circle,” said Marketing Coordinator Hailey Clark. “It feels good to have found a way that we can both support the businesses we love and spread happiness by donating to those who need it most in our community.”

The 10 winners were all Florida-based businesses and have all been adversely affected by the ongoing pandemic: from Plant City—The Corner Store, Krazy Kup, Raok and Tub Treats; from Brandon—Stein & Vine; from Jacksonville—Smartbox Company; from Lakeland—Born and Bread and Black and Brew; from Winter Haven—Gourmet Goodies; and from Tampa—Carrollwood Florist.

The campaign ran from April 20-30, reaching nearly 13,000 users and 20,000 impressions across the popular social media platform.

“We hope it helped raise awareness about giving back in this uncertain time,” said Clark. “Wish Farms is dedicated to our brand promise and will always look for creative ways to lift up those around us.”

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United Fresh Start Foundation starts Covid-19 donation program to help kids, families

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the United Fresh Start Foundation is offering a new grant program— Covid-19 Rapid Response Fresh Grants—to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables for children and families in need, while also creating opportunities for foodservice distributors who face the loss of markets due to the restaurant and hospitality industry shutdown.  “These are two pressing needs facing our country today that are interconnected,” said United Fresh Start Foundation Chair Lisa McNeece, VP of foodservice and industrial sales for Grimmway Enterprises Inc. “Kids are out of school and families are out of work. We need to make sure they have access to fresh produce through remote feeding sites or community programs. And at the same time, our foodservice distributors have been devasted by the immediate shutdown of their markets. This is an attempt to inspire our greater industry to recognize both needs and do what we can to help.”

The United Fresh Start Foundation will fund (25) $1,000 grants to produce companies and foodservice distributors who can provide fresh fruits and vegetables to schools, community groups and other emergency feeding sites for those in need. If a distributor can donate at least $1,000 worth of produce, or more, the Foundation will reimburse them $1,000. The goal is to break down the barriers that impact access to fresh produce and bring community members and the supply chain together during this extraordinary time.

The first grant was used to support a donation of 1,000 3-pound bags of apples by Lancaster Foods to the ALIVE community feeding program in Alexandria, Virginia, on Saturday, April 4. Lancaster Foods President John Gates joined United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel in delivering the fresh produce to ALIVE for distribution to needy residents in the community.

“I thank John and the Lancaster team for going above and beyond to help our community,” Stenzel said. “And, for me personally, this feeds my own neighbors in need.”

This program is funded by those individuals who have agreed to donate their prepaid registration fees for the United Fresh 2020 Convention in San Diego to the United Fresh Start Foundation.

“I want to thank each of those individuals for inspiring us with their generosity and making this program possible,” McNeece said. “In addition, we encourage individuals to consider making a tax-deductible donation directly to the United Fresh Start Foundation so we can continue to serve kids everywhere as best we can. And, of course, company contributions are welcome! Make your donation here to ensure kids are growing up fresh!”

Interested produce distributors should complete this simple form to request a grant from the United Fresh Start Foundation. United Fresh asks that produce distributors immediately implement community feeding programs and it will get back to them on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funds are available.

National supply chain threatened by lack of new truck drivers

In response to Covid-19, as of April 7, 27 states have closed their state driver licensing agencies (SDLA), while the remaining 23 states operate on a limited basis. With the trucking industry accountable for moving 71 percent of all freight across the country, the supply chain relies upon new commercial drivers.

According to Don Lefeve, president of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA)—the nation’s largest association of commercial truck driving schools—the closure of these agencies leaves many future drivers unable to obtain commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). Abruptly halting the process of getting 25,000-40,000 new truck drivers trained, licensed and on the road impacts a number of significant industries and the nation’s supply chain. 

In efforts to raise legislative awareness, CVTA led a coalition of Fortune 500 corporations, major associations and commercial driving schools in sending letters to state governors and congressional leaders highlighting the growing problem of SDLA closures and the impact this has on the supply chain as a whole. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-issued guidance officially deems transportation workers to be a critical workforce—including “employees supporting or enabling transportation functions, including truck drivers, bus drivers…,” Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) employees…” and those involved in “credentialing, vetting and licensing operations” for this industry. While this seems like it should have provided clarification that agencies responsible for the issuance of CLPs and CDLs would be considered a part of this, states appear to have conflicting opinions when it comes to considering these national guidelines. With over half of the country’s SDLAs closed and potentially more to come, Lefeve said it is crucial for governors to understand that these decisions don’t just impact an individual state, but the entirety of the nation.

“Commercial driver training schools are working together with participants across the supply chain to facilitate Americans’ access to needed goods and services, including food and critical supplies (like prescription medications) during this pandemic,” Lefeve said. “To avoid truck driver shortages, which are critical to our nation’s response and recovery, it is imperative that state and federal governments work together so CDL schools and SDLAs can remain open to train, test and license new commercial drivers.” 

The coalition is proposing that governors need to enact executive orders to recognize CDL training schools and SDLAs as “essential services” while also granting the Secretary of Transportation temporary authority to also administer CLP or CDL testing due to SDLA closure. Timely action on these two requests will help avoid an even larger shortage of critically needed commercial truck drivers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s imperative that individual states recognize the national impact of their decisions to shut down CDL training schools and SDLAs. We need them to specifically recognize that CDL training schools and SDLAs are essential services,” Lefeve said. “Equally important is appealing to Congress to give the Secretary of Transportation the temporary authority to create a pathway for the supply chain to continue. This starts with commercial driver training and licensing.”

CVTA members represent over 225 schools in 43 states and collectively train nearly 60,000 commercial drivers annually. CVTA’s primary mission is to advance and support the commercial driver training industry through advocacy, education programs and certification programs to help members produce the safest drivers possible.

Kraft Heinz Co. provides business update relating to Covid-19 outbreak

As communities around the world struggle to cope with the real-life implications of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Kraft Heinz Co. is providing an update on its response to the pandemic, the rescheduling of its upcoming Investor Day and business impacts to date, ahead of its first quarter 2020 earnings call later this month.

“Right now, our mission as a company has never been clearer: We have a huge responsibility to keep feeding the world,” said CEO Miguel Patricio. “Each leader on our team is focused on making the company and our global business as flexible and agile as possible to meet demand forecasts that are changing daily—and sometimes, hour by hour. We are inspired by our employees on the front lines—in our manufacturing plants and distribution centers, which all remain operational, and our in-store sales teams—who are working tirelessly each day to meet the demand and make sure consumers have the food and nourishment they need during these uncertain times.”

As announced on March 20, Kraft Heinz is donating $12 million globally to ensure people across the world have the food they need during this challenging time. As part of this commitment, the company is making a donation valued at $6.6 million to Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger relief organization in the United States, to help support food banks located near Kraft Heinz offices and plants. The Feeding America donation consists of $1.9 million in cash and $4.7 million in products like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

As the Covid-19 situation evolves, Kraft Heinz leadership will continue to evaluate and adapt as needed to ensure the health and safety of its employees and support for our consumers.

Rescheduling Investor Day

The company is postponing its in-person Investor Day planned for early May to support safe, social-distancing initiatives and will reschedule it at an appropriate time and place—ideally in the second half of 2020 once travel and meeting restrictions are lifted.

At this event, senior leaders from the company plan to share their long-term vision and priorities for the business in-person with analysts, investors and media, and unveil in more detail the new strategic plan and go-to market structure for the business that is currently being put into place.

“We have been developing a powerful new strategy, transforming our capabilities and making needed investments in the business for months,” Patricio said. “Our strong execution in the face of this crisis reflects the exceptional progress our people have been making. We have also been looking forward to sharing our new vision and long-term growth framework in-person with investors and all our external stakeholders. But given the current, unprecedented Covid-19 challenge, we believe it is better for Kraft Heinz, our shareholders and our customers that we continue our single-minded focus on getting our products from our plants to stores and onto consumers’ tables.”

Business impact and Q1 2020 earnings

The company’s growth has accelerated in the wake of very strong consumer demand for its products and brands, despite significant declines in foodservice-related sales around the world. Net sales are now expected to increase approximately 3 percent and Organic Net Sales are expected to increase approximately 6 percent. The difference between expected net sales and Organic Net Sales is primarily attributable to prior year divestitures and currency impacts. This compares to previous expectations for a low single-digit rate of decline in Organic Net Sales versus the prior year.

At the same time, the company does not expect the full benefit from incremental sales in the quarter to flow through to net income/(loss) from continuing operations, Adjusted EBITDA, or earnings per share due to added expenses to meet this accelerated growth in addition to headwinds previously disclosed on its February earnings call.

The company expects to release its first quarter 2020 financial results on Thursday, April 30, before the market opens.

Kraft Heinz management will host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time that day to review and discuss its results, offer a brief preview of the topics that will be unveiled during its Investor Day and conduct a question-and-answer session with analysts.

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The new licensees include Anthony Vineyards Inc. for grapes produced in California’s Coachella Valley and Illume Ag Sales LLC (formerly known as Fabbri Group LLC) in the state’s San Joaquin Valley, as well as Divine Flavor LLC of Mexico for grapes produced in Sonora and Jalisco, Mexico. The newly appointed licensed distributors join Dayka & Hackett in Mexico; Richard Bagdasarian, Inc., Famous Vineyards LLC and Sun Pacific Marketing Cooperative Inc. in the Coachella Valley as well as Dayka & Hackett, Sun Pacific, Famous Vineyards and Sunlight International Sales Inc. (Pretty Lady) in the San Joaquin Valley.

Anthony Vineyards is a family-owned and operated, multi-generational California produce farming and marketing company led by Domenick and Robert Bianco. Dayka & Hackett is a vertically integrated farming and sales entity based in Reedley, California, that was granted marketer licenses for California and Mexico in 2019 and that also holds a North American import license for Sun World grapes grown in and sourced from South America and South Africa. Divine Flavor, part of Mexico’s Grupo Alta and a longstanding Sun World licensed producer in Sonora, Mexico, is one of the country’s foremost produce firms; they also hold a North American import license for Sun World grapes imported from South America and South Africa. Illume Agriculture, launched by an existing Sun World licensed grower and California farm management firm, Fabbri Ag Investments, is a vertically integrated company with a new sales arm led by veteran David Clyde and vineyard operations overseen by longstanding Sun World grower Kevin Andrew.

“Demand for our new grape varieties and brands continues to grow—not just in North America but increasingly in key global markets. These new appointments, along with the support and commitment of our existing licensees, ensure that major retailers and more consumers will continue to have access to great tasting Sun World grapes from California and Mexico,” Swinburn said.

Sun World grapes are marketed under various varietal brands such as Autumcrisp, Midnight Beauty, Sable Seedless, Adora Seedless, Scarlotta Seedless, Sophia Seedless and Superior Seedless.

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The California Avocado Commission (CAC) has unveiled a new advertising campaign and marketing program to support this season’s California avocado crop. CAC’s new advertising campaign began in March with a combination of traditional and digital media in the West and a focus on California.

“The commission’s new advertising campaign theme is ‘The best avocados have California in them,’” said Jan DeLyser, CAC VP of marketing. “Each consumer ad features the word ‘avocados’ with the ‘CA’ creatively transformed into an iconic representation of the best the Golden State has to offer. We’re making certain our targeted consumers can’t un-see California when they look at the word avocados.”

Variations of the new ads fill in the blank in an expanded phrase, “The best avocados have California _______ in them,” including freshness, summer, dreams, sunshine, love, vibes, coasts and Zen. The artwork is bold and playful and some is animated for digital media. In addition to partnering with illustrators, CAC teamed up with California-based shoe and clothing retailer Vans. The Vans brand represents effortless California cool and with their partnership the commission made the iconic checkerboard slip-on shoe a key element of the California avocado “vibes” artwork.

In 2020, CAC’s public relations activities again are designed to encourage consumers to purchase California avocados in-season. There are programs with top-tier artisan chefs and Influential bloggers who are contributing to CAC’s The Scoop blog and to their own channels.

To help publicize California avocado season, this year the commission is a sponsor of several well-known foodie events where targeted consumers and influencers are participating. CAC was a local San Francisco sponsor of the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America national tour, presented by Capital One. Highlights from the sponsorship included a Raising the Bar event on March 5, where California Avocado Zen Cocktails were served and the Taste America gala on March 6, where James Beard Award-winning chef Charleen Badman, a CAC spokesperson, provided samples of her Savory Avocado Tart recipe to 450 influential guests.

Created in 1978, the CAC strives to enhance the premium positioning of California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities. California avocados are cultivated by more than 3,500 growers in the Golden State. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry.

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In the Southeast, Publix is giving its small business tenants in its shopping centers a rent relief package, while the Southeast Produce Council hosted a drive-thru produce distribution event and Southern Distilling Co. is switching its focus to producing hand sanitizer. Perdue Farms announced it enacted its pandemic response protocols when one of its associates at a Perry, Georgia, facility tested positive for Covid-19.

Publix offering rent relief in Publix-owned shopping centers

Businesses operating in Publix-owned shopping centers that have closed due to the coronavirus pandemic are getting some relief from their landlord. Publix is offering a rent relief package that includes waiving rent for two months, as well as waiving payments for common area maintenance fees and taxes, regardless of the tenant’s access to other relief or assistance.

“As a company that started as a small business 90 years ago, Publix wants to help businesses renting from us survive the economic impact of these unexpected closures,” said Publix Director of Communications Maria Brous.

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 200,000 associates, currently operates 1,243 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

SEPC reduces food waste while helping others

In an effort to help alleviate the backlog of foodservice produce inventory as well as the strain on local retailers and community members, the Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) distributed free produce on Friday, March 27, to those within the Jenkins County area in Georgia.

SEPC members packed, shipped, unloaded, re-packed and distributed more than 15,000 pounds of fresh produce via a drive-thru format in order to maintain social distancing and serve as many as possible—almost 600 families.

SEPC officials expressed their gratitude to US Foods, Nickey Gregory Co. and Shuman Farms for their donations and to Millen Baptist Church, Millen community leaders and community volunteers for their donation of time, energy and resources in order to distribute fresh produce safely and effectively.

“There is an industry estimate of at least $1 billion of perishable commodities without a dedicated destination as a result of the unanticipated closure of foodservice establishments, including restaurants, hotels, schools and universities,” said SEPC President and CEO David Sherrod. “Through the SEPC Cares initiative that the council has in place, we felt that this would be an ideal time to give back to our own community. We know that families are hurting right outside our office door, and in working with our produce partners and our local community leaders we were able to create a quick turnaround to get this product into consumers’ hands in a timely manner. Not only are we able to reduce food waste from the effects of the situation we’re in, but we are also able to extend a helping hand to people in need.”

Based in Millen, Georgia, SEPC is a member-driven, non-profit association of more than 2,500 leaders from all facets of the produce industry. It was formed more than 20 years ago to promote the value of fresh fruits and vegetables in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia through networking, innovation, community, and education.

Southern Distilling Co. implements large-scale hand sanitizer production

Statesville, North Carolina-based Southern Distilling Company, one of the nation’s largest craft distillers, has temporarily shifted its focus from alcoholic beverages to producing hand sanitizer in quantities aimed to address the current product shortage precipitated by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The state-of-the-art distillery possesses the facility and warehousing capacity to manufacture significant quantities of hand sanitizer for distribution to first responders, health care facilities, essential businesses and other agencies in need of the product at this time, focusing first on the demand within its home state of North Carolina.

With the temporary closing of local restaurants and bars, including its own tasting room, the distillery’s manufacturing shift also has created new jobs for displaced service industry workers.

The initial manufacturing run consists of hand sanitizer refills in 32-oz. HDPE bottles. Containing 80 percent alcohol and manufactured to the approved World Health Organization (WHO) hand sanitizer formula, the product is priced at a standard pre-shortage rate of $14.99 per bottle for commercial use only (not for resale).

Southern Distilling is accepting case orders online through its website store at SouthernDistilling.com and also taking inquiries by phone at 704-978-7175. Standard shipping is provided by FedEx package or freight service at the shipper’s rates.

The distillery will weigh requests for alternative packaging sizes, remaining nimble to tackle shifting needs. Bulk 55-gallon drums are available for $2,970 each, as well as 270-gallon IBC totes.

“We hope that our efforts and those of other distilleries across the country to be part of the solution to this hand sanitizer shortage will help meet the current needs of our local communities and beyond,” stated co-owner Pete Barger. “We are all in this fight together.”

Southern Distilling Co. is owned by spouses Pete and Vienna Barger.

Perdue Farms confirms positive case of Covid-19 at Georgia facility

Perdue Farms learned March 28 that an associate at its Perry, Georgia, further processing facility, who had not been to work for more than a week, tested positive for Covid-19.

“We are unable to disclose additional details around this individual in accordance with privacy laws,” the company stated in a press release.

Upon receiving this notification, Perdue Farms says it immediately enacted its pandemic response protocols, which follow strict guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including:

• Notifying and coordinating response procedures with all pertinent parties (local health officials, onsite USDA inspector, Perdue HR and wellness staff, coronavirus response leader and facility director of operations); 
• Interviewing the affected associate to determine movements and contact with others; 
• Checking recordings from internal cameras to see who the associate may have been in close contact with (within six feet and longer than 10 minutes); 
• Thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing the entire facility beyond the full sanitation that all of the company’s facilities undergo every 24 hours, and with additional sanitization conducted in areas accessed by the affected associate during the prior 14 days. These procedures strictly follow the CDC guidelines for this process; and
• Notifying associates who were potentially exposed to the affected associate and providing them with guidance for conducting a risk assessment of their potential exposure using CDC guidelines.

The affected associate is in quarantine for 14 days while still receiving pay and no attendance penalty and may return to work when approved to do so by a healthcare provider.

Perdue Farms says it is continuing the incremental preventative measures at all of its facilities that were implemented in early March to protect the health of associates, including increased sanitation and cleaning (above and beyond the full sanitization that all facilities receive every 24 hours), and extended the hours of many of the onsite Wellness Centers at facilities, which are available to all associates and their families free of charge. Additionally, the company is implementing temperature checking across all facilities and reminding associates to follow the CDC guidelines for proper hygiene.

“Our greatest concern is for the health and safety of our associates,” said Perdue Farms Chairman Jim Perdue. “We are committed to supporting them as they remain dedicated to their roles as essential personnel during this uncharted time.”

Per the CDC, Covid-19 is not known to be a food-borne pathogen and, “because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient, refrigerated or frozen temperatures.”

Perdue continues to regulate strict preventive safety and sanitation standards in all its facilities. All Perdue products continue to be USDA inspected.

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NGA, United Fresh Produce Association partner on produce procurement efforts

The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade association representing the independent supermarket, and the United Fresh Produce Association have partnered to connect produce distributors to retailers.

“The entire food industry has come together incredibly during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, ensuring that Americans across the country have access to affordable and nutritious food,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO. “Our collaboration with United Fresh will improve upon what has already been accomplished, keeping independent grocers stocked with fresh produce.”

NGA and United Fresh are connecting produce distributors who can deliver fresh produce and other items with independent supermarkets on a store-door basis. United Fresh and NGA will work with companies to assess their retail needs, as well as foodservice distribution communities and provide an opportunity for companies to network on business solutions.
“The fresh produce industry is committed to continuing to feed America. Foodservice distributors and processors have strong capabilities to deliver product, transportation and supply chain solutions in these unprecedented times,” said Tom Stenzel, United Fresh president and CEO. “We’re pleased to partner with NGA, working in tandem to get more fresh, healthy produce items in the hands of consumers.”

Bacardi diverts global production to increase hand sanitizer supply for local communities

Family-owned Bacardi has expanded its commitment across countries and brands to help produce more than 267,000 gallons (1.1 million liters) of hand sanitizer, as worldwide demand continues to exceed supply in efforts to reduce the risk of Covid-19. This week, eight Bacardi-owned manufacturing sites across the United States, Mexico, France, England, Italy and Scotland are joining the efforts, following last week’s announcement that Bacardi in Puerto Rico would supply alcohol to make hand sanitizers.

Across the sites, Bacardi is diverting its global production power, resources and processes to supply the much-needed alcohol essential for the increased production of hand sanitizers.

Bacardi also is playing a part in donating these products to local organizations and emergency responders, as well as its employees and contractors. In addition, the company is providing alcohol at cost to select partner companies looking to ramp up their production of hand sanitizers for commercial sale. These temporary, emergency actions at all locations will not disrupt the supply of brands in the Bacardi portfolio.

“Over our 158-year history, we have risen to many challenges and we are doing the same again in response to Covid-19,” said Jean-Marc Lambert, SVP of global operations for Bacardi. “All our brands and partners involved in this initiative will help people most in need benefit from the supply of these hand sanitizers. Our goal is to make a very real difference in the fight against Covid-19.”

The current list of sites providing support either immediately or in the coming week are:

• Bacardi rum in Puerto Rico partnered with Puerto Rico-based manufacturer Olein Refinery to provide raw materials that will enable the production of more than 1.7 million units of 10-oz. (300 ml) hand sanitizers. Donated product to local USPS, firefighters, police and non-profit Somos Unidos (United Way);
• Bacardi Bottling Corp. in Jacksonville, Florida is planning to help produce approximately 23,000 gallons (87,000 liters) to make 120,000 units of 25-oz. (750 ml) bottles of hand sanitizer for donation to local hospitals, firefighters and police. In addition, the team will supply 7,600 gallons (29,000 liters) to nearby manufacturers;
• Bacardi rum in Tultitlán, Mexico is supplying more than 5,200 gallons (20,000 liters) of alcohol to nearby manufacturer, Grupo Sterk, to help increase production of hand sanitizer by approximately 6,300 gallons (24,000 liters), of which 2,100 gallons (8,000 liters) will be donated by Bacardi to local communities in Tultitlán, Arandas and Atotonilco;
• Grey Goose vodka in Cognac, France, will supply 7,600 gallons (29,000 liters) of alcohol per day to French companies to increase supply of hand sanitizers by 9,500 gallons (36,000 liters) for local pharmacies, hospitals and the emergency services;
• Bombay Sapphire gin in Hampshire, England, is helping to produce a small quantity of hand sanitizers that will be donated to local doctors, chemists and care homes;
• Martini in Pessione, Italy is supplying alcohol for the production of 1,000 7-oz. (200ml) hand sanitizers for the local community, Red Cross and local emergency services;
• Dewar’s Blended Scotch Whisky in Aberfeldy, Scotland, is helping to produce a small quantity of hand sanitizers for the Scottish Ambulance Association among other local community groups;
• Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon in Louisville, Kentucky, is supplying nearly 1,000 gallons (3,800 liters) of alcohol to create approximately 16,000 8-oz. (250 ml) bottles of free hand sanitizers for first responders and healthcare professionals.

All hand sanitizers produced in collaboration with Bacardi contain more than the minimum alcohol content recommended by the World Health Organization for containing the spread of the virus.

Founded more than 158 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, the family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 7,000, operates production facilities in 11 countries and sells its brands in more than 170 countries.

Facteus launches consumer economic impact report

Facteus (formerly ARM Insight), a provider of actionable insights from financial data, has launched the Facteus Insight Report on Consumer Spending and Transactions (FIRST). The report provides a critical lens into consumer behaviors and economic trends derived from financial transaction data covering more than 1,600 companies and 430 publicly traded stock tickers, the company says.

FIRST is based on millions of regulatory-compliant consumer transactions that are sourced directly from financial institutions, fintechs and payments companies. Business and investment analysts using Facteus data gain a granular understanding of consumer behavior trends at the industry level (retail, entertainment, hospitality, etc.) or at the specific company level. This insight is increasingly valuable as the economic landscape shifts with the evolving conditions created by the Covid-19 global pandemic, the company says. The initial report may be found here.

“The world we now live in is changing rapidly, and it will be difficult to understand the impact on our communities and the economy for some time, as official statistics and survey reports are typically published with a multiple week lag time,” said Randy Koch, CEO of Facteus (formerly ARM Insight). “Our business is focused on understanding the world through the lens of financial transaction data and our data is updated daily, which allows us to provide business leaders and analysts near real-time visibility into what is going on in the economy. We understand the economic landscape is very fluid right now, and we will be regularly sharing more insights in the coming weeks as it relates to the impacts on consumer spending. Our intent is to help businesses, governments and economists have a current, accurate view of the COVID-19 data, so that they can make informed and timely decisions.”

FIRST will be updated weekly with metrics and data points as a resource for those seeking to make strategic decisions throughout the course of the COVID-19 epidemic and to track the economic rebound once the curve of infection is reduced.

Highlights from FIRST that quantitatively measure the effects of the changes in consumer behavior over the past few weeks include:

• During the week of March 9, consumer spending at supermarkets surged 43 percent year-over-year, before decelerating to 29 percent the week of March 16;
• Consumer spending at drug stAs Covid-19 continues to spread across the globe, businesses and associations are working to find ways to contribute to the fight against the pandemic.ores and pharmacies was up 22 percent year-over-year for the week of March 9, and 15 percent the week of March 16, well above trend for the year;
• Liquor, beer and wine stores sold 20 percent more in the week of March 9 than the preceding year and surged 60 percent in the week of March 16;
• Customers of wholesale clubs increased spending 26 percent year-over-year the week of March 2, and 54 percent the following week, but decelerated their purchases sharply in the week of March 16, with spending growing 20 percent;
• Spending at discount stores and dollar store transactions grew 30 percent and 47 percent, respectively, but decelerated their purchases sharply in the week of March 16, with spending growing 20 percent; and
• Spending at movie theaters was down over 90 percent year-over-year in the week of March 16 and spending at amusement parks fell over 80 percent in the same period.

Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Facteus works with more than 1,000 financial institutions and payments companies.

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“This acquisition will help us scale to serve our customers better by bringing more fresh and healthy, locally grown carrots to them in the Southwest,” said Bolthouse Farms CEO Jeff Dunn. “We’ve had a longstanding relationship with the Rousseau family and are committed to partnering with companies that share our core values of sustainability, product quality and customer service. We look forward to continuing to grow our businesses and support the industry together.” 

From a strategic standpoint, the acquisition will allow Bolthouse Farms to focus on providing customers more locally grown carrots as part of its regional strategy and “four corners” growing approach—Washington, Georgia, Eastern Canada and now Arizona, in addition to California. It also will bolster Bolthouse Farms’ plans for innovation in the carrot space.

While the company is already equipped when it comes to automation, processing and packing advancements, it plans to refine the product, introduce new varieties and optimize the growth cycle and supply chain. 

Bolthouse Farms and Rousseau Farming Co. both share rich histories in farming. The Bolthouse family started carrot farming in 1915 in Grant, Michigan, and by 1950 established itself as a leading supplier in the Midwest. Today, Bolthouse Farms is one of the top carrot producers in the U.S.

Similarly, the Rousseau family has been putting fresh produce on tables since 1892 and remains committed to providing consumers with locally grown produce more than 120 years later. 

Will Rousseau, owner of Rousseau Farming Co. and a fourth generation Salt River Valley farmer, said, “My family has focused on providing fresh produce for the American table for more than 125 years, and I believe partnerships like this are what will help us continue to evolve and certainly see us through another 100 years.”

Rousseau Farming Co.’s name for carrot operations is not expected to change as a result of the acquisition. Additionally, Rousseau Farming Co. will retain ownership of all other produce operations. The terms of the deal, which has been in development for the past few months, are not disclosed, as both companies are privately held. 

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Gold Coast Packing, a grower, shipper and processor of fresh produce, has launched its first after-school program, Fantastic Fridays, to bring fresh vegetables to children throughout the Santa Maria Valley in California.

On Fantastic Fridays, Gold Coast personally delivers on average 200 to 250 pounds of fresh produce to schools in the Santa Maria Bonita School District and the Guadalupe Union School District. Along with leaving enough produce for the children to take home, Gold Coast shares vegetable trivia to educate the students on how crops such as broccoli and cauliflower are grown locally in the Santa Maria area.

“Our goal for this program is to get fresh vegetables directly into kid’s hands, and we wanted to do it before the weekend to ensure they could take product home and share with their family,” said Crystal Chavez, marketing coordinator at Gold Coast Packing. “We understand not every child has access to fresh produce at home, so we hope that through Fantastic Fridays, we are able to give kids healthy options that will lead to a healthier lifestyle as they grow.”

With support from the local YMCA and Boys & Girls Club, Gold Coast has visited nine school sites within the two school districts, donated 1,434 pounds of fresh vegetables and shared fresh produce education with nearly 800 students since the Fantastic Fridays program began in November 2019. 

“It is great to see the kids so excited to learn about the products that are grown right here in Santa Maria,” said Chavez. “They see the fields all across the valley, so to be able to educate students about how the most common produce items are grown and how it gets from the field to their school salad bar or their own dinner table is awesome!”

While only four months into the after-school program, Gold Coast plans to continue Fantastic Fridays for years to come and roll out several programs with the local Boys & Girls Club and YMCA during the summer months.

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