United Fresh Produce Association’s Q3 2020 issue of FreshFacts on Retail reports is now available, sponsored by Mucci Farms. Mucci Farms is a leading greenhouse grower, packer, shipper, and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables with growing and distribution facilities in Canada and the United States.

The report explores consumer preferences for packaged and bulk produce. While growth in packaged produce continues to outpace bulk, this is due to retained produce buyers increasing consumption of packaged produce versus consumers shifting from bulk to packaged items.

“It may be easy to assume that the pandemic is the main driver for consumers to increase purchases of packaged produce. However, Nielsen’s data indicates that consumers are influenced by a variety of factors, such as size options, fridge-life perception, and convenience. What’s most important is that packaged produce seems to drive increased purchases and basket size.”

said Miriam Wolk, United Fresh’s Vice President of Member Services.

Q3 2020 data highlights include:

• Consumer perceptions on late summer prime seasonality drove trips and dollars for the fruit category, with a 7.8% increase in sales compared to this period last year.
• Vegetables continue to surge with a 14.4% increase in sales compared to this period last year, with corn, bell peppers, and mushrooms outperforming expectations.
• Packaged salad continues its reign as a top-selling organic produce commodity, while herbs and spices, as well as bananas and apples, showed growth in this continually growing category.
• Category spotlights explore peppers, cucumbers, and berries, with insights on how enclosed varieties are surging in popularity.
• Consumer response to value-added fruit rebounded, likely due to consumers looking for convenience solutions as schools reopened and meal preparation fatigue kicked in.

FreshFacts on Retail, produced in partnership with Nielsen Fresh and with direction from the United Fresh Retail-Foodservice Board, measures retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities as well as other value-added produce categories.

The post United Fresh Releases Q3 2020 FreshFacts on Retail Report appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Registration is now open for a new United Fresh-Cornell University External Education / eCornell certificate program Navigating Emerging Issues in the Fresh Produce Industry, a six-part workshop series to be delivered through the United Fresh LIVE! 365 platform, October 26-30, 2020.

Amanda Griffin, United Fresh’s Vice President of Education & Program Management, said:

“We’re thankful for the ongoing collaboration with Cornell University, allowing us to continue to offer strong programming, specifically for the produce industry. As we continue to work from home we’re also learning from home, and certificate programs like this allow fresh produce professionals to excel in today’s environment.”

Sessions will be led by Cornell instructors and take place on the United Fresh LIVE! 365 virtual platform during the week of October 26. The sessions will cover the following:

• Blue Ocean Strategy: Change, Disruption and Growth
• The Future of Farming and Food: Internet of Things, Blockchain and other Disrupting Technologies
• Consumer Behavior Today
• Business of Politics and the Politics of Business
• Leading Digital Transformation
• Managing Remote Teams

The post United Fresh offers Fall Cornell certificate program appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

More than 20 retailers and foodservice companies have committed to participating, including Albertsons, Allegiance Retail Services, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Big Y Foods, Blue Apron, Costco, Danaco Solutions, Diversified Restaurant Systems, FreshPoint, Grocery Outlet, Harps, Hy-Vee, Kroger, McDonalds, Meijer, Rouses, SpartanNash, Sysco, Target Corporation, Tops Friendly Market, US Foods, Wegmans Food Markets, and Whole Foods Market.

A small number of openings are now available to suppliers due to rescheduling the event from San Diego in June. The cost to participate for suppliers is $5,000 and guarantees 10 meetings over the three-day period. In addition, supplier companies can invite these buyers to visit their United Fresh LIVE! 365 booths online, where the Partner X-Change meetings will be hosted. This provides companies an easy way to demonstrate products, share videos and additional content beyond the initial 15-minute meetings.

The post United Fresh hosts Retail-Foodservice Partner X-Change on United Fresh LIVE! 365 appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Today, Representatives Darin LaHood (IL) and Jimmy Panetta (CA) introduced the Providing Liquidity for Uncollectible Sales (PLUS) Act. This legislation provides a tax credit to offset uncollectable debt incurred as a direct result of COVID shutdowns. It is supported by the United Fresh Produce Association, the International Food Distributors Association, and National Fisheries Institute.

The foodservice distribution industry collectively experienced more than $12 billion in uncollected debts as restaurants and other facilities shutdown in response to the global pandemic and were not able to pay their distributors. Seafood distributors reported approximately $2.2 billion of debt owed to them, fruit and vegetable distributors hold an additional $5 billion in such debt, and broadline foodservice distributors reported more than $5 billion of debt.

“Produce foodservice distributors absorbed a devastating blow with the spring shutdown of the restaurant and hotel industry. The impact of lost inventory and unpaid bills is not recoverable,”

said Tom Stenzel, President & CEO of United Fresh Produce Association.

“I commend Representatives LaHood (IL) and Panetta (CA) for introducing the Providing Liquidity for Uncollectible Sales (PLUS) Act, a helpful solution to an insurmountable challenge for produce foodservice distributors and the companies on both ends of their business agreements.”

Foodservice distribution is a crucial part of the food supply chain, delivering fish, fruits, vegetables, meat, and other products to restaurants, schools, hospitals and long-term care facilities. Distributors provide not only food supplies but the essential financing their customers need to purchase these products. Restaurants buy their supplies on payment terms that allow them to generate revenue before the bill comes due, normally 30-60 days after delivery. In the aftermath of the sudden and near complete closure of the food-away-from-home channel, sales plummeted, customers were unable to pay their bills and distributors were left with more than $12 billion in debt.

“Family-owned seafood businesses support restaurants by providing fish on credit, but now are stuck with billions in debt owed them by these customers,”

said John Connelly, President, National Fisheries Institute.

“This legislation will significantly help revive a complex system that brings seafood from water to table. If we don’t have functioning distributors bringing seafood to market, fish will simply rot on the dock, effecting everyone from boat owners to restaurateurs.”

While many of the provisions of the CARES Act provided critical assistance for foodservice distribution companies, it did not account for the biggest issue they face: large, unpaid debts owed to distributors for food that restaurants could not use due to COVID-related shutdown orders. Tax credits for this $12.2 billion in outstanding debts will provide the liquidity distributors need to continue to extend credit to their restaurant customers and help them get back on their feet as the economy restarts.

“The PLUS Act would provide tax credits for uncollectible accounts receivable, ensuring that distributors can continue to provide assistance to their restaurant customers,”

said Mark S. Allen, President & CEO of the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA).

“I applaud Representatives LaHood and Panetta for their commitment to the foodservice distribution industry, a vital part of our economy.”

Foodservice distributors themselves suffered more than a 50 percent decline in sales due to the global pandemic, making it difficult to provide the financing their customers depend on to run their businesses; jeopardizing restaurants’ ability to purchase food and ingredients. Without restaurants and other places where people eat out, the economy will be missing a significant part of the $1 trillion food-away-from-home economic driver. The PLUS Act provides a solution to this complicated and critical challenge for the food supply chain.

Source: United Fresh Produce Association

The post Foodservice Associations applaud Introduction of Providing Liquidity for Uncollectible Sales (PLUS) Act appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Based on attendee votes through the United Fresh LIVE! platform, we can now announce the “best of the best” in executing virtual booths on the expo floor.

The winners in each category for United Fresh LIVE! Best in Show are:

• Best Use of Graphics: Chiquita Brands LLC
• Best Use of Video: Driscoll’s
• Best Use of Downloads: Del Monte Fresh Produce, N.A., Inc.
• Best FreshMKT Booth: Pure Flavor – Pure Hothouse Foods, Inc.
• Best FreshTEC Booth: IFCO Systems, N.A.
• Best Overall Booth: Sunset/Mastronardi Produce Ltd.

“I’m blown away by the creativity of our United Fresh LIVE! virtual exhibitors,”

said John Toner, Vice President of Conventions & Industry Collaboration, United Fresh Produce Association.

“We’re grateful for all exhibitors who participated this year and are pleased to be able to honor those whose strategies took advantage of the opportunities that the platform had to offer.”

With United Fresh LIVE! online 24-7, be sure to log back in to see why these exhibits stood out for attendees, as well as explore the full virtual expo. To login, visit www.unitedfreshlive.org.

Source: United Fresh Produce Association

The post United Fresh Names Best In Show Virtual Exhibit Booth appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

School nutrition professionals are invited to participate to learn about the produce industry, explore new fruit and vegetable products and engage in educational sessions that address sourcing, serving, and promoting fresh produce to children and their families. Participating produce industry leaders will gain a better understanding of K-12 school foodservice opportunities and what schools will need from supplier partners, given the new realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lisa McNeece, Vice President of Foodservice and Industrial Sales, Grimmway Farms and Chair of the United Fresh Start Foundation said:

“I’m proud that the School Foodservice Forum has become an integral component of the foundation’s programming. If we are going to grow produce consumption, we need to ensure children can access fresh produce where they spend most of their day, and this means connecting with school administrators who are deciding what’s on the menu.”

The School Foodservice Forum schedule is as follows:

Monday, June 15 from 4:00-5:00 pm (EDT)
School Meals 101 Meets COVID-19: Opportunities for Fresh Produce in K-12 School Nutrition Programs

Tuesday, June 16 from 11:00 am-Noon (EDT)
Selling to Schools: Understanding Fruit and Vegetable Requirements in K-12 Foodservice

Wednesday, June 17 from 11:00 am-Noon (EDT)

Continuing a Culinary Focus: Prioritizing Fruits and Veggies Before, During and After COVID-19

Thursday, June 18 from 11:00 am-Noon (EDT)

School Meals During COVID-19: Creative Approaches to Ensuring Students Get Their Fresh Fruits and Veggies

Friday, June 19 from 11:00 am-Noon (EDT)

The Future of Fresh Produce in Schools: A State Agency Perspective 

“We’re looking forward to connecting with school nutrition leaders at United Fresh LIVE!, sharing information about our citrus varieties, the health benefits of our fruit, and seasonal availability, as well as learning how we can better connect with this audience that serves next generation produce consumers,”

said Christina Ward, Director of Global Brand Marketing for Sunkist Growers.

Nichole Towell, Senior Director of Marketing for Duda Farm Fresh Foods said:

“Healthy snacking is an important part of our business, and we are committed to finding creative ways to introduce celery and other vegetables to kids. Schools are a unique customer, and as we continue to innovate our retail offerings and talk with schools about their needs, we’re learning more about how to successfully get our products in front of next-generation consumers.”

Jessica Shelly, Food Service Director at the Cincinnati Public Schools said:

“The opportunity to connect with leaders in the produce industry, see new products, pack sizes, and what’s trending with fresh fruits and vegetables in commercial channels is a unique experience and not something we typically experience at school nutrition events. By providing these interactions, I can consider how to incorporate a greater variety of fresh produce into my district’s meal and snack programs, while sharing the needs of K-12 operators with the produce industry.”

Title sponsors of the School Foodservice Forum include Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Grimmway Farms, and Sunkist Growers. Additional sponsors include Del Monte Fresh Produce, N.A. Inc., DNO Produce, Mastronardi Produce, and Peterson Farms Fresh.

Registration is FREE for United Fresh LIVE! and participation in the School Foodservice Forum is available to all registered attendees. United Fresh LIVE! includes a packed schedule of general sessions, workshops, roundtable discussions, social events and a major online expo that’s scheduled throughout the week of June 15-19. Register at www.unitedfreshlive.org to be part of the action.

For additional information about the School Foodservice Forum, contact Andrew Marshall, Director of Foodservice & Foundation Partnerships, (202) 303-3407.

The post United Fresh Produce Association present new Foodservice Forum appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

“Farmers and ranchers across the country moved quickly to implement new employee safety protocols early in this crisis,”

said National Council of Agricultural Employers President and CEO Michael Marsh.

“While America was being placed on lockdown, agricultural employers were already at work trying to figure out how to best protect their employees and the public,”

Marsh continued. The letter details the collaboration between the agriculture industry, public health experts and regulatory agency officials to develop best safety practices in the field and in packing, processing and cooling facilities.

“Given the strong food safety culture within the fresh produce industry, adapting and expanding our practices to protect workers happened quickly. The industry leveraged general recommendations offered by CDC, OSHA and various state public health agencies, tailoring them to the specialty crop industry as needed to put worker safety first,”

stated United Fresh Produce Association President & CEO Tom Stenzel.

Around the country, agricultural organizations have worked with farmers and ranchers to develop industry-specific training materials and programs to educate both the employer and the employee on critical guidance related to hygiene and sanitation, social distancing and other recommendations to protect essential workers and slow the spread of COVID-19.

“Like many essential businesses, the agricultural workplace has responded in real time to evolving public health directives,” noted Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association President Mike Joyner. “Employees are the critical element to all agricultural operations, and employee safety is both a moral and financial imperative for farmers and ranchers,”

Joyner continued.

As future rounds of COVID-19 pandemic legislation are debated, the coalition letter urges congressional leaders to acknowledge the widespread employee protection protocols already in place on American farms and ranches, and to provide additional support to help agricultural employers meet the needs of their employees.

Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia said:

“Farmers and ranchers are striving daily to ensure the welfare of their employees, in order to safeguard our food supply and bolster or nation’s response to COVID-19. We are calling on Congress to extend current relief efforts for agriculture, and to  include additional funding for personal protective equipment and other measures to offset the costs of maintaining an essential workforce during the pandemic,”

Puglia continued.

Source: United Fresh Produce Association

The post U.S. Specialty Crop Industry Touts COVID-19 Employee Safety Protocols appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Dante Galeazzi, president and CEO of TIPA said:

“This has been an industry-driven, government-supported endeavor since the first days of the project. Following the outbreak in summer 2019, the largest US handlers of Mexican-grown papayas realized they needed to come together to address the issue. We had several meetings and identified an opportunity that would be both impactful and achievable in a short period of time – improving protocols and practices for the growing and handling of papayas.”

Although the papaya industry in Mexico is and was adhering to common guidelines (ie. GAPs, SENASICA’s SRRC, FDA’s Produce Safety Rule, and third-party audits) additional, commodity-specific measures were desired, similar to the approaches taken by the tomato and leafy greens industries. The idea was to create a document that aligned the entire growing and packing industry of papayas in Mexico under the same food safety protocols. And once that document was created, it would be distributed, for FREE, to that same industry.

“We knew this project required expertise in the field of food safety. That’s why we reached out to Dr. Jennifer McEntire with the United Fresh Produce Association.”

shares Galeazzi.

“It’s encouraging and motivating to be part of such a collaborative effort. To see this large, diverse group- including FDA, USDA ARS, SENASICA, industry workgroups, other trade groups,  the academics – participate in so many meetings and with a sense of urgency- it really speaks to our collective commitment to address the supply chain’s concerns and provide support by creating this document. Now, we must maintain momentum, encouraging education, implementation, and verification. Moving forward, we’ll utilize forthcoming research to  improve this manual and the effectiveness of the best practices outlined herein.”

said Dr. McEntire.

On April 14^th, 2020, TIPA and UFPA hosted a final document review with sessions in English and Spanish. Participants included Mexican and US stakeholders, Mexican and US government officials, as well as Mexican and US university researchers.

Juan Carlos Martinez, CEO of Chula Brands. Lance Peterson of SuperStarr adds explained:

“As a grower, packer, importer and distributor of papayas from Mexico, I cannot begin to state the importance we felt as an industry in getting this document together and distributed quickly. We want consumers to have confidence in our products the way we do, and we felt creating a higher standard for our industry was a necessary action. I am pleased with this document and I look forward to working with the many incredible partnerships we’ve built over the course of this project, especially as we take the next steps.”

The next step for the project will be training seminars. Educational courses on the document will be conducted in Spanish and targeted at growers and packers of papayas in Mexico. Planning and development is already underway for the education portion, and training is tentatively scheduled to begin via live virtual instruction in the next 30 to 60 days.

For more information or to access the “Food Safety Best Practices Guide for the Growing & Handling of Mexican Papaya, First Edition,” visit the TIPA (www.texipa.org) or UFPA (www.unitedfresh.org) websites, or contact either organization.

Source: Texas International Produce Association 

The post Texas International Produce Association and United Fresh Produce Association announce New Best Practices about Mexican Papaya appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.