pma fresh magazine

freshO C TO B E R 2015

NOW TRENDINGTHE LATEST BUZZ IN THE INDUSTRY

Sunkist is a registered trademark of Sunkist Growers Inc., USA. ©2015

To squeeze the most out of citrus sales opportunities, contact Sunkist sales: [email protected].

fresh October 2015 Edition 1

fresh

contentsO C TO B E R 2015

5 WELCOME LETTER PMA Board of Directors 2014-2015 Chairman Kevin Fiori shares highlights from this issue of fresh

8 FLORAL Fresh Connections: Floral

10 GLOBAL CONNECTIONS PMA Fruittrade: Why Chile Is the Place to Be

12 GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Move Over, Millennials — Meet Generation Z

20 GLOBAL CONNECTIONS 5 Things Not to Miss at Fresh Summit

24 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Advocating for Sound L. monocytogenes Regulatory Policy

26 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Listeria Monocytogenes: The Resident or Transient Variety, Who Can Tell?

28 INDUSTRY TALENT Rising Star Corey Williams: His Career Path to Produce

40 8

continued

FEATURES

32 NOW TRENDING34 Convenience Is Key to Upping

Fresh Produce Consumption

40 Tap Creative Spirit to Win Over Millennials

42 Location Can Be a Marketing Opportunity No Matter Where You Are

44 Incorporating Tech Into People Management Will Push Companies Into the Future

48 eat brighter!™: A RETAILER’S POINT OF VIEW

20

Sunkist is a registered trademark of Sunkist Growers Inc., USA. ©2015

To squeeze the most out of citrus sales opportunities, contact Sunkist sales: [email protected].

2 fresh October 2015 Edition

contents

51 MEMBER PROFILE Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Service

53 MEMBER PROFILE Cocanmex

54 MEMBER PROFILE Fairtrade America

56 MEMBER PROFILE Danziger Farms

58 MEMBER PROFILE Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers

62 ANNUAL PARTNER PROFILE Sunlight International

64 WELCOME NEW PMA MEMBERS

66 PMA GOLD CIRCLE CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS

68 UPCOMING PMA AND PMA FOUNDATION EVENTS Save the date!

62

For subscriptions and address changes, call +1 (302) 738-7100.

To view past issues, visit the fresh Magazine page under About PMA

at pma.com.

Editorial offices: [email protected]

Advertising offices: [email protected]

Member services: [email protected]

© 2015 by Produce Marketing Association.

All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced or translated without permission.

Executive Editor Elizabeth Rich

Managing Editor Danielle Vickery

Art Director Marilyn Steranko

Design Director Kelly Carter

Production Manager Jennifer Rodgers

Copy Editor Toni Eaton

Advertising Sales Manager Robyn Florio

Contributing Writers Jennifer Marangos Jenna Rittenhouse

Elissa Vallano

fresh

Visit us atPMA Fresh Summit

Booth #3434!

Smart describes the precision mandrel-forming technology from WestRock. Whether it’s our high performance Meta® Tray 8 – which outperforms any other tray in the produce market – or our 2-piece telescoping case design,

the Meta® System is versatile to meet the needs of your operation.

To learn more about our precision mandrel-forming technology, contact WestRock Automated Packaging Systems at 407.843.1300.

© 2015 WestRock Company. All rights reserved. WESTROCK, the WestRock logo, and META are trademarks of WestRock Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates.

SMART & VERSATILE

Visit us atPMA Fresh Summit

Booth #3434!

Smart describes the precision mandrel-forming technology from WestRock. Whether it’s our high performance Meta® Tray 8 – which outperforms any other tray in the produce market – or our 2-piece telescoping case design,

the Meta® System is versatile to meet the needs of your operation.

To learn more about our precision mandrel-forming technology, contact WestRock Automated Packaging Systems at 407.843.1300.

© 2015 WestRock Company. All rights reserved. WESTROCK, the WestRock logo, and META are trademarks of WestRock Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates.

SMART & VERSATILE


welcome

Kevin Fiori

If I had to sum up my year as PMA Board of Directors chairman around a single goal, it would be encouraging PMA members to engage with the board, committees and staff. After all, I believe it’s the job of chairman to ensure the association represents its members. And for PMA to give all member companies the greatest value, people need to get involved.

More than just volunteer leadership positions, involvement represents many things. You’ll find this edi-tion of fresh, packed with examples of PMA members engaging their association. Members connecting to the right people, information and tools they need to grow their business.

Engagement bridges the gap between people and possibilities, something you’ll notice throughout articles covering:

• Five things not to miss at this year’s Fresh Summit in Atlanta

• How fresh produce companies can use storytelling

• How urbanization creates an opportunity for potted plants

I thank PMA members worldwide for their support during my time as chairman. I’ve learned a lot listening to your concerns, challenges, interests and ideas. As I prepare to hand the chairmanship over to PMA Chairman-Elect Russel Mounce of Sam’s Club, please remember that this is your PMA. We want to hear from you.

By engaging in the process, you help guide the direction of PMA and make sure it delivers what you need to increase fresh produce consumption and floral demand around the globe.

See you in Atlanta!

Kevin FioriVice President Sales & Marketing, Sunkist Growers PMA Board of Directors 2014-2015 Chairman

Re-assignment of Price Look-up Codes

market to consumers. IFPS has also eliminated the stipulation that patented items were ineligible.

Though the ‘8’ prefix (83000–84999) was once reserved for GMO produce items, the prefix was never used at retail. Stripping the prefix of this par-ticular designation will yield 1,000 additional PLU numbers to be used in future years. This will not in any way impact the current use of the ‘9’ prefix (93000–94999), which will continue to be used to indicate organic produce items.

It is important that we make the industry aware of this re-assignment of the ‘8’ prefix well in ad-vance. There is more demand for conventional produce PLU numbers and we’ve exhausted ev-ery attempt to secure additional number ranges to use. To date, we have never seen the 8 prefix used at retail. This is not a statement on the social or scientific acceptance of GMO items; it is simply that methods other than PLUs are being used to communicate regulatory and other information to consumers.

The IFPS does not anticipate issuing PLUs in the newly released 83000-84999 series for some time but it is important for the industry to understand the change that will occur in the future.

For more information about the use of PLU codes, please visit ifpsglobal.com/PLU or email [email protected].

To keep members informed, we at PMA are committed to bringing you the latest news sur-rounding issues we’re working on that affect the global fresh produce and floral industries most. One of those issues, pertaining to supply chain standards, is stemming from the increasing adop-tion of price look-up codes (PLUs).

As International Federation for Produce Stan-dards (IFPS), for which I volunteer as Chairman of the Board, reported this summer, IFPS committed to transitioning the previously unused “8” prefix to accommodate an increase in varieties of fresh produce items as they enter the market. The tran-sition comes at a time when the demand for the voluntary codes, used for price identification in re-tail, is increasing in North America, Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand and more recent-ly, Mexico. In addition, it is anticipated that South Africa and Brazil will be implementing the usage of the IFPS codes at retail in the near future.

The voluntary PLU system has been utilized by retailers since 1990 for pricing, inventory control and sales data. A change in the criteria used by IFPS to determine PLU code eligibility has made acquir-ing the unique codes somewhat easier — gener-ally speaking, the main requirement is based on ensuring the item is a unique variety and is readily available for multiple companies to produce and

I S S U E S L E A D E R S H I P

fresh October 2015 Edition6

by Ed TreacyPMA Vice President, Supply Chain Efficiencies and IFPS Chairman of the Board

MAKING A DIFFERENCEin Attracting, Developing and Retaining Top Talent

Together, we are

“PMA Foundation is of great value to us. They offer great training and skill enhancement for the various levels of people in our company. Hands down

they have helped us create better talent for our future and that is invaluable.”- Victor Smith, JV Smith Companies

Since being established in 2005, every Career Pathways, webinar and leadership development program we offer is powered by contributions from individuals and companies.

Please contribute today at pmafoundation.com.

Contribute today!

Over 1,200 industry professionals

have participated in our leadership

development programs.

Additionally,

over 3,500 have attended our networking programs and

webinars.

Career Pathways programs place

61% or more of participants into

their first job or internship.

A sold-out gathering of more than 140 attendees — representing the full range of the fresh floral supply chain from six countries — attended Fresh Connections: Floral in Miami. Attendees took advantage of a focus on millennials, spotting the next big thing, understanding social media, and business-building networking. Find more of PMA’s floral portfolio offerings at pma.com/topics/floral.


Fresh Connections: Floral

F LO R A L


G LO B A L CO N N E C T I O N S

PMA Fruittrade: Why Chile is the Place to Be

Industry leaders, retailers, producers, exporters, marketing experts, transportation experts, suppli-ers, pioneers in technology and more are coming to the second annual PMA Fruittrade Latin Ameri-ca, a two-day conference, exposition, and business

roundtable Nov. 11-12, in Santiago, Chile.Why is Chile THE place to be?Chile has a strong and vibrant produce indus-

try — its growers and exporters are respected around the world, and Chile has one of the stron-gest and most stable economies in Latin America. PMA Fruittrade is the largest event dedicated to the produce industry in South America, with more than 2,500 attendees and 175 exhibiting companies.

November is a key time for global buyers to visit the area to talk with growers and exporters to plan the season.

PMA Fruittrade is a partnership between Produce Marketing Association, Chilean grower association Fedefruta and media organization Yentzen Group. This collaboration connects PMA’s extensive net-work of global buyers and outreach to the full sup-ply chain with Fedefruta’s depth in Chile’s growers and suppliers and Yentzen Group’s media coverage through their Spanish, English and Chinese portals.

The exposition is the place to see new prod-ucts, learn about new technologies and meet the people you need to do business with. The busi-

by Nancy Tucker PMA Vice President of Global Business Development


ness roundtable offers a unique opportunity to set up meetings between buyers and sellers. The convention’s educational sessions bring together global and local experts to share the latest trends, ideas and innovations.

PMA Fruittrade greatly appreciates the ex-

tensive support of ProChile and of its sponsors, Broom Logistics, Global Reefers, Driscoll’s, Duda, Giumarra, Naturipe, Planttrade, Rabobank, and Santa Maria.

Find sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities, register, and find a full schedule of speakers and events at pmafruittrade.com.



Move Over, Millennials – Meet Generation Z

Over the last few years, brands have been dedi-cated to nurturing the coming of the millennials. Marketers across all business sectors have been en-thusiastically researching and exploring new market-ing techniques to captivate this generation’s atten-tion. Their non-traditional, unique ‘façon’ has been a challenging re-education in business marketing and the lesson is far from over. In fact, forward-thinking marketers are now racing to learn more about the

new kids on the block to stay relevant in the ever-evolving game of consumer cycles. Members of Gen Z are still being born, and we have already begun evaluating their future buying power. As business owners, it can seem almost impossible to keep up with the constant changing of rules. Nevertheless, businesses need to endure the training pains and ex-plore the purchasing preferences of these individu-als to ensure they have the strength to win in the

by Renée Harrison, Marketing Commu-nications Manager, Produce Marketing Association Australia-New Zealand

PHO

TOG

RAPH

BY

MO

NKE

YBU

SIN

ESSI

MA

GES

/ISTO

CK.C

OM

MOBILE APPNOW

AVAILABLE!

Featured

DetailsPreviews

Related

Featured

INSTALL

Rely on Blue Book Services for Real Time Business Information That’s Critical to Your Success.

www.ProduceBlueBook.com • 630.668.3500

• Manage Business Risk

• Market Your Business

• Grow Sales

• Resolve Disputes

Visit Us at PMA Fresh Summit Booth 2735


market now and into the future. So who are Gen Z and why do we need to

know more about them? Gen Z, born from the mid-90s and not yet even 20, are the most hyper-connected cohort our world has ever seen. They don’t remember a time before the Internet, mo-bile phones or social media and spend much of their time ‘onscreen’. They are digital natives, their options are endless and they are well-known for having (very) short attention spans. In fact, re-search is showing that marketers will have an av-erage of eight seconds to generate a connection with Gen Zs before an ‘in-built preference filter’ wipes you off their radar. When you consider the information-rich, opportunity-dense digital world they were born into, you might wonder how else they would make decisions if it weren’t for a super-sophisticated filtering tool designed to separate the important from the not-so-important. The challenge therefore falls to us to learn more about

what this generation wants and how to effectively market products to them. As we continue to see a rapid growth of births in Australia with more than 300,000 Gen Zs being born every year, researchers predict that by the year 2020, they will account for 40 percent of our total consumer market.

Research has begun to decipher how much this generation is worth in the market and where they are likely to spend their money. Gen Z already in-fluences around $600 billion dollars a year in family expenditure and it’s becoming apparent that they are a health conscious bunch, mindful of business ethics and keen on sustainable practices. This is where Gen Z starts getting interesting for the fresh produce industry. Nielsen found that Gen Z and mil-lennials are more willing to pay a premium for fresh produce than any other generation. This is backed by a report conducted by VISA that showed that teen Zs and young adults spend an average of 36 percent of their income on food and drink. The mil-lennial’s eating habits have been the driving force behind this movement toward fresh, healthy and natural foods, but Gen Z is changing the way this food trend is going to look.

It all started with the rise of millennials, who are well known for their exaggerated uniqueness. They aspire to set new social trends, which has led to tat-too sleeves, the invention of the hipster and fash-ionable facial hair. They exude unconventionality and express social superiority in their style, accom-plishments and even food choices. This generation set in motion an unparalleled food craze of ‘super-food’ consumption. Choosing to eat healthy was not enough for millennials. Instead they opt for raw, vegan and organic acai bowls or coconut oil and kale-infused 95-percent-cocoa avocado mousse. The interesting twist on all of this is that while Gen Z is proving to be more health aware than our over-enthusiastic millennial friends, they desire simplicity. Gen Z views the millennial buzz as contrived and superficial, which has prompted the emergence of a new counter-trend dubbed the ‘Normovore’. A PH

OTO

GRA

PH B

Y BO

NCH

AN

/ISTO

CK.C

OM

Millennials set in motion an unparalleled food craze of “super-food” consumption.

Improve the performance of your chlorine-based process control systems with the Precision Chlorine Sensor Calibrator and Chlorine Standard Testing Solution by SmartWash® Solutions. Using the Precision Chlorine Sensor Calibrator and Standard Testing Solution ensures a consistent baseline to calibrate and verify the accuracy of your chlorine sensors. Our advanced technology yields faster results and is proven to be more accurate than legacy manual calibration methods, saving time, labor and money.

Setup, testing and calibration are faster and easier than alternative methods and require less training for calibration. Permanent installation is not required and one or two portable Precision Chlorine Sensor Calibrators can maintain the accuracy of wash control systems in an entire processing plant.

Bypassing the turbid water in a production wash system with the Chlorine Standard Testing Solution ensures accuracy and repeatability of chlorine sensor calibration.

Test, calibrate and verify chlorine sensors in minutes without the need to shut down the line. Increased accuracy and repeatability reduces testing and unnecessary calibration due to inconsistent test results. One staff member can verify the performance for an entire production plant. The need for constant water checks is eliminated!

.

Easy, Accurate and Efficient! Call 831.676.9750 today or visit www.smartwashsolutions.com

The patent pending Precision Chlorine Sensor Calibration System saves time, labor and money, and is compatible with

all chlorine process control automation systems.

©2015 SmartWash® Solutions, LLC. All rights reserved.

Accurate Chlorine Calibration Saves.

APPROVED

VERIFIEDPERFORMANCE

“THERE’S A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK WITH PEOPLE WITHIN THE FRESH PRODUCE INDUSTRY, AND PMA HELPS FORM THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.”

MATT MIDDLETONVice President of Retail Branded SalesVentura Foods | Business Solutions Provider | USA

See his PMA story at pma.com/stories/MattM

Salad dressing has to go on something. So Ventura Foods, the makers of Marie’s® Dressing, turns to PMA to connect them with partners across the global fresh produce industry. Building partnerships helps Ventura Foods work for the good of retailers and consumers alike.

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS—THAT’S THE PMA ADVANTAGE.What’s your business challenge? We can help. CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION. Paula Gonzalez, Director, Member Relations: +1 (302) 738-7100 | [email protected]

MEET THE CREAM OF THE CROP.

150253_PMA_8.5x10_MM.indd 1 3/24/15 3:48 PM

1/2 page AD

Call 1-800-344-4333 or visit CaliforniaAvocado.com/A-Look-Behind-The-Label to learn more. Produce of U.S.A.

© 2015 California Avocado Commission. All rights reserved.

First to marketsecond to noneFresh California Avocados are local, fresh and fast to market delivering American grown taste with quality second to none.

new kind of consumer who yearns for ‘normal’ fresh, natural and homemade food. Think: Grandma’s vegetable stew or good old-fashioned apple pie.

Making an effort to understand how to connect with Gen Z can help your brand produce profits and succeed in the next decade and beyond. Gen Z is the ultimate consumer of ‘snack-media’ and is uniquely visual. Traditional marketing methods won’t work on this tech-savvy group. Brand mar-keting and storytelling needs to be five-screen compatible and accessible on computers, phones, tablets, TVs and wearables. Brand engagement will blossom via digital channels such as live video streaming and social media. You must be on-point and concise in your messaging (remember you have only eight seconds to create a connection).

Gen Z is also becoming known as the do-good-

er generation. They want to impact positively on both humanity and global issues, which means purchasing what they perceive as ethically sourced and sustainably produced products will be key. An-other interesting finding has been Gen Z’s belief in celebrity endorsement. In fact, Gen Zs are 7 percent more likely than millennials to trust an advertise-ment endorsed by a celebrity or athlete.

Brand reputation is essential for marketers want-ing to nurture Gen Z into customers. When trusted ambassadors recommend a brand, it increases the marques’ credibility. However, signing a celebrity ambassador is not an easy feat, nor is it always cost-effective. Collaboration and cross-sector alliances are becoming the way of the future for leveraging both pooled assets and collective networks.

Forward-thinking business owners realise

the potential power of collaboration as a cen-tral theme to innovation and progression into the Gen Z market. This is why so many fresh produce brands have joined forces with PMA Australia-New Zealand to support and leverage off the ‘Pick Right. Feel Bright!’ campaign. A leadership movement designed to teach consumers about the benefits and importance of eating more fresh fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy and balanced diet. ‘Pick Right. Feel Bright!’ is ideally positioned to grab the attention of Gen Z through its do-good ap-proach and pulling power to attract celebrity en-dorsement. Already, this campaign has signed the iconic Australian entertainers, The Wiggles. As a fresh produce business, you can connect with Gen Z’s natural philanthropic instincts and leverage off the celebrity endorsement to build a stronger, more

sustainable marketing strategy ensuring your suc-cess through the next generational leap.

Although millennials are still demanding the attention of marketers across multiple industries and we continue to examine this niche market, our sights should now begin to focus on the next group of young consumers. Gen Z is open-minded and adaptable with little tolerance for inflexibility or lim-ited options. To stay ahead in an oversaturated world of products and services, we must continue to play the game and train relentlessly in the face of evolu-tion and change. Never before has the fresh produce industry had such relevance and potential pulling power to connect to a single consumer group. Make the most of the advantage and start scoring points on the board by getting to know this diverse, pro-gressive and challenging new demographic.

Your customers want

READY TO EATNOT READY IN A WEEK.

* Source: 2014 Fresh Pears Usage and Attitude Study shows over 50% of consumers want to eat their pear within two days of purchase. Retailer sales data showing sales increase with conditioned pears was for 9 weeks period ending April 2012.Brought to you by Pear Bureau NorthwestBrought to you by Pear Bureau Northwest

USApears.org/conditioningUSApears.org/conditioning

Your customers eat pears within two days of purchase. They expect them to be ripe, juicy and ready-to-eat. In fact, a recent study confi rms that promoting conditioned pears increases sales by 19.5%. If you're ready for results like this, we're ready to help you. Contact us today.

USAPearAD_PMA_HalfPg.indd 1 9/4/15 9:13 PM

12



5 Things Not to Miss at Fresh Summit

NETWORK LIKE A PROConnect with future partners, and rekindle old

relationships. Learn which product innovations and trends will most impact your business. Ramp up your networking efforts by connecting to one or more of the Communities of Interest – Global Con-nections, Science & Technology, Industry Talent, Is-sues Leadership and Floral – that most closely align

with your business goals. Learn more at freshsum-mit.com/mycommunity.

FEEL THE ELECTRICITYWhen you step foot on the Expo floor, you can

feel the excitement. With more than 1,000 exhibitors, including a sold-out Floral Pavilion, you come face-to-face with the latest technologies, products and

DRIVENTO SELLRIGHT

PRODUCE & FLORAL

The JOH Produce & Floral Division is committed to delivering excellent service along the East Coast, Pittsburgh/Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Our team is comprised of seasoned and talented professionals who focus solely on fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, packaged produce, produce commodities and floral industries.

We are look forward to seeing you at the PMA Fresh Summit.

Call today to learn how JOH Produce & Floral can drive results for you.

Tom Casey, EVP, Regional Director, Produce & Floral 978.663.9000

[email protected]

3

4

5


services from around the world. Make the most of your Expo experience by planning in advance. Use our new My Expo Plan tool to create and print a personalized list of exhibitors to visit. Or, access your customized list and the show floor plan on the Fresh Summit Mobile App to make connecting to the right suppliers easier than ever. For more information, visit freshsummit.com/myexpoplan or freshsummit.com/mobileapp.

CATEGORY MARKETING IN ACTIONPMA, Partnership for a Healthier America and

Sesame Workshop have joined forces to create the eat brighter!™ movement, an unbeatable opportu-nity to include select Sesame Street character im-ages on your marketing plans and help increase sales. Find out how eat brighter! can help your busi-ness by contacting us at +1 (302) 738-7100 or visit-ing us at the PMA Center on the show floor.

Pledge to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables with the star power that’s already signed on to Team FNV — folks like Jessica Alba, Steph Curry, Cam Newton and Kristen Bell. The power we hold as the industry responsible for producing the healthy products we know and love is unparalleled.

INNOVATION @ WORK RETURNSBack by popular demand, Innovation @ Work re-

turns for another year of groundbreaking ideas and leading products. It’s your destination for the latest innovations in technology, packaging, merchandis-ing and so much more. Explore the Just 4 Kids and On-the-Go sections of the Fresh Ideas Showcase and browse the winners and finalists for PMA’s Im-pact Award: Excellence in Packaging and the Sen-sory Experience Contest.

STRONG FOUNDATIONSSpecial programs from the PMA Foundation for

Industry Talent, including Career Pathways, the 5K Race for Talent and the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Leadership Breakfast, help you build partnerships and bolster careers across the industry.

TM/©

Ses

ame

PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATIONpma.com/eatbrighter • #eatbrighter

Small investment,MONSTER RETURNS.Join eat brighter!™

*Not a member? You can still join the movement! Contact us for details.

The eat brighter!™ movement is your opportunity to use the Sesame Street brand and character images to engage children as you promote and sell your produce—all royalty-free!

Using well-known licensed character images in your marketing e� orts can typically cost millions of dollars. As a PMA member, you have a chance to use all of the program assets for a one-time fee of less than $1,000!*

Current eat brighter! participants have recently reported an average 3 percent sales increase! Now is a great time to join the fun!

Strengthen your marketing plan with the in� uence of an internationally recognized and trusted brand! The low cost and high bene� ts

of eat brighter! are unheard of in the industry. Applying is easy. Just choose one of the following:

Call our Solution Center: +1 (302) 738-7100

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up to learn more: pma.com/eatbrighter

Don’t wait! Take advantage of this incredible opportunity today! #eatbrighter

2

3

1


Advocating for Sound L. monocytogenes Regulatory Policy

potentially result in the product being considered adulterated and possibly trigger a product recall, if the product had been shipped. An excellent review of the “seek and destroy” process can be found in Malley et al, 2015 (Journal of Food Protection 78(2) 436-445) and J. Butts Food Safety Magazine April/May 2003 foodsafetymagazine.com.

A regulatory environment that encourages ag-gressive environmental monitoring for Listeria indi-cators is what is required to facilitate the use of sci-ence-based preventive control strategies to control Lm in ready-to-eat foods such as fresh produce. At PMA, we believe in, and are advocating for, sound public policy that encourages food facilities to be able to proactively seek out and correct potential Lm harborages on food contact surfaces and non-product contact surfaces.

One such regulatory model PMA has encour-aged FDA to consider is the United States Depart-ment of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) “Compliance Guidelines to control Listeria monocytogenes in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.” The aforementioned draft USDA FSIS policy guidance provides industry with regulatory flexibility that en-courages the use of the “seek and destroy” strategy when transient positive detections of Listeria spe-cies or Listeria-like organisms occur. Additionally, it would be beneficial to the food industry if FDA and

Recent produce associated foodborne illness outbreaks and product recalls have made the pro-duce industry acutely aware of the potential ad-verse public health consequences that can be as-sociated with Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and fresh produce. Fresh produce poses a unique challenge among U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated foods in that the occasional detection of transient Lm in low numbers on fresh produce raw agricultural commodities (RACs) and food contact surfaces, where fresh produce is handled, is to be expected and must be considered and addressed during development of an environmental monitor-ing program for Lm.

Recent data from FDA cantaloupe packing as-signment survey provides evidence to support this assertion. In 17 packinghouses surveyed, eight were found to have environmental and/or produce samples that were found to have non-pathogenic Listeria species only. Additionally, FDA noted that occasional findings of Listeria species are not un-common even in well-controlled food processing environments.

FDA’s current draft Lm guidance to industry, however, has the unintended consequence of dis-incentivizing the use of the “seek and destroy” environmental monitoring strategy. Consider how the act of simply finding a single positive test for an indicator organism on a food contact surface would

S C I E N C E & T E C H N O LO G Y

by Dr. Jim Gorny PMA Vice President of Food Safety & Technology

USDA FSIS had consistent approaches to environ-mental testing for Listeria especially in dual jurisdic-tion food facilities.

PMA has been working in a coalition of trade organizations called the Alliance for Listeriosis Prevention to advocate for sound Lm regulatory policy. In addition to PMA, coalition members in-clude: the American Frozen Food Institute, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Food Marketing Insti-tute, International Dairy Foods Association, North American Meat Institute and United Fresh. On Aug. 19, the Alliance for Listeriosis Prevention provided

comments to USDA FSIS expressing support for the USDA FSIS approach as set forth in final guid-ance to industry for Lm in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products. A significant element of this approach is the ability of industry to “seek and destroy” Lm through environmental monitoring as a verification measure.

PMA will continue to work in this broad food in-dustry coalition and independently to advocate for sound produce safety public policy that is practica-ble for our industry members to implement and that assures consumer confidence in the food supply.

Patented, tamper-resistant lid for VISIBLE SECURITY

Crystal-clear, rib-free design for maximum SHELF APPEAL

Variety of SIZES & FOOTPRINTS for fresh or dry foods

Sabert®

Cold CollectionCold Collection

1-800-SABERT (722-3781) www.sabert.com

Patented, Tamper-Resistant Packaging

with the FeatureSureStrip™

STOP BY BOOTH #2518 • PMA Fresh Summit Atlanta, GA • October 23—25

Clearly FreshVisibly Secure


Listeria Monocytogenes: The Resident or Transient Variety, Who Can Tell?

ism that is routinely found in the outdoor environ-ment and its occasional transient detection on raw produce in low prevalence and numbers does not necessarily indicate poor practices or that a con-tamination event has occurred due to insanitary conditions or practices.

Recently a paper entitled “Whole Genome Se-quencing Allows for Improved Identification of Persistent Listeria monocytogenes in Food Associ-ated Environments” by Stasiewicz et al in Applied and Environmental Microbiology 81(17): 6024-6037; (aem.asm.org/content/81/17/6024.short) pro-vided some keen insights on this issue.

Using the powerful new tool of whole genome sequencing (WGS) on 188 samples collected from retail delis, these researchers concluded that:

Consistent with other research, it is unlikely that there is an individual gene or genes responsible for Lm persistence in a food associated environment. This means it is unlikely that any one or portfolio of genes could be used as markers to differentiate between resident (or persistent) and transient Lm.

By comparing the number of Single Nucleo-tide Polymorphisms (SNPs), which are a single base pair mutations in the whole genome sequence of Lm isolates, they found that they were able to dif-ferentiate between Lm isolates that all came from a single particular deli versus similar Lm isolates of the same subtype from other delis, in that the Lm

One challenge for produce facility operators is to be able to differentiate between resident (or persis-tent) and transient low levels of Listeria monocyto-genes (Lm) that may be repeatedly introduced from incoming raw agricultural commodities. Resident (or persistent) Lm describes Lm of a specific sub-type, that exhibits long term survival in a food envi-ronment, such as food processing plant or produce packing house. While transient Lm are those that may be brought in once or repeatedly, into a food processing plant or produce packing facility by the raw agricultural commodities or other means.

Fresh produce poses a unique challenge among FDA regulated foods in that Lm is a microorgan-

S C I E N C E & T E C H N O LO G Y

by Dr. Jim Gorny PMA Vice President of Food Safety & Technology

PHO

TOG

RAPH

BY

ALE

XRAT

HS/

ISTO

CK.C

OM

isolates from the single particular deli had fewer SNP’s. This means that WGS may possibly be used to differentiate between resident (or persistent) Lm strains and transient Lm subtype strains.

Some additional findings and caveats regarding this research are as follows:

• Whole genome sequencing could not differenti-ate between resident (or persistent Lm) and Lm that is consistently introduced from an external source.

• SNP’s can and do arise in Lm over time in a labora-tory setting, albeit at a slow rate.

• While whole genome sequencing is an powerful new tool that can be used to determine possible

food vehicles involved in a foodborne illness out-break, whole genome sequencing is of limited discriminatory power and any such food associa-tions must be coupled with epidemiological data and other contextual data, as almost identical Lm whole genome sequences (0-1 SNP differences) can be found in multiple food associated environ-ments that are geographically disparate locals (i.e. multiple states).

• The story of how WGS will change produce safety will continue to evolve and this research is an ex-cellent example of the promise and limitations of this technology. Kudos to the researchers: Drs. Sta-siewicz, Oliver, Wiedmann and den Bakker for their diligent and extraordinary research efforts.

Rising Star Corey Williams: His Career Path to Produce

Through the industry connections he developed during the program, Williams had his pick of sum-mer internships — and 13 job offers lined up after graduation.

“Produce is a large industry but a small industry at the same time,” Williams said. “Everyone knows everyone. It’s important to never break ties, to keep all ends tightened. This is one of the few industries that still thrives off relationships.”

Williams spent the summer of 2013 interning at C.H. Robinson’s Chicago office. After graduation, he took a step away from fresh produce and accepted a position at PepsiCo. Williams still stayed in touch with the people he met during the program — in-cluding Tommy Rowlands, vice president of sales at R.S. Hanline, and Cody Granneman, chief operating officer at R.S. Hanline. They remained dedicated mentors during his time at PepsiCo, and that sup-port helped Williams realize where he wanted to focus his career.

“It comes back to the relationships,” Williams said. “Tommy and Cody believed in me. When things weren’t going the best for me personally at PepsiCo, I reached out to them, and they acted as leaders and mentors even after I declined a job offer from them. They still took me back because of what they saw in me, the trust they had in me.”

In July 2014, Williams joined R.S. Hanline in Shelby, Ohio. It’s a move he chalks up to “the per-sonal touch.”

“At any time, I can walk into the owner of the

Talk to anyone in fresh produce, and you’ll hear a different story about how they ended up in the in-dustry. For Corey Williams, Sales Account Manager at R.S. Hanline & Company, his journey began in 2012 with the Pack Family Career Pathways program.

Created in 2004 by Jay Pack and Produce Mar-keting Association (PMA), the Pack Family Career Pathways program invites students and faculty members from universities across the country to attend PMA’s Fresh Summit for a firsthand intro-duction to the fresh produce industry. They can participate in career panel discussions, field tours, educational workshops, social events — as well as walk the show floor with a Career Ambassador.

Williams was a junior Food Industry Manage-ment major at Michigan State University when he was selected by faculty member Larry Zink to par-ticipate in the program. Initially set on a career in logistics, he declined the invitation but was even-tually persuaded by a classmate who was also se-lected to participate in the program.

“I never thought I’d deal with fruits and veg-etables,” Williams said. “But it’s mind-boggling how invested in the industry I am now.”

That passion took root at the 2012 Fresh Sum-mit in Anaheim, California. Career Ambassador Rich Dachman, Vice President of Produce at Sysco Corporation, served as Williams’ industry mentor. With Dachman as his guide, Williams immersed himself in the world of fresh produce and explored the many career possibilities within the industry.

I N D U S T RY TA L E N T

by Elissa Vallano

It’s important to never break ties, to keep all ends tightened. This is one of the few industries that still thrives off relationships.”


“

Visit www.AgCareers.com

[email protected] • 1.800.929.8975

YOUR ONLINE CONNECTION TO THE

BEST IN THE FIELD

AgCareers.com is the leading online job board

and human resource services provider for

agriculture and food, offering job opportunities

in a variety of industry-specific sectors, including

produce, and career types from sales to

production, finance to research and more.

AgCareers.com is truly a niche community of

employers and job seekers.

If you aren’t a part of the unique AgCareers.com

following, you simply aren’t using all of your

recruiting tools!

$50 OFF a Single Job Posting

NOW THROUGH 12/11/15

PROUD TO POWER THE PMA FOUNDATION CAREER BANK

Promo Code: FRESH15. Or contact AgCareers.com and reference this ad. One offer per employer.

f t p l y r

Month

Jan.

Feb.

March

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

let HBF International be your year-round source for fresh berries, including blueberries, blackberries, red currants, kiwi berries and cranberries.

503.843.6302 Phone hursts-berry.com Web

Mark your calendar

Hbf International providing: premium quality fresh berries year round!

company’s office and have a sit-down conversa-tion of how things are going, what I need to im-prove, what I’m doing great at,” Williams said. “That personal touch brought me back to the industry. And I firmly believe, once you’re in, you’re in. There’s no going back.”

After his success with the Pack Family Career Pathways program, Williams continued his profes-sional development by participating in PMA Foun-dation’s Emerging Leaders program. The program helped him learn how to stay connected to the pulse of his business and use strategic-level think-ing to move R.S. Hanline forward. Williams is set to graduate from the program, along with 35 other

young industry professionals, in October at Fresh Summit in Atlanta, Georgia.

“I’m looking to keep growing with our company, to keep evolving, keep using the tools I’ve been given to succeed,” Williams said. “I think the oppor-tunities are endless.”

As for current college students thinking — or not thinking — about a career in fresh produce, Wil-liams hopes they keep an open mind and see all of the possibilities the industry has to offer.

“If there’s one piece of advice I could give them, it’s to take the risk. There’s no going back once you get in because of how great this industry is,” Wil-liams said.

Thank you PMA Foundation contributors for making this possible.

Career Pathways programs continue to

educate over 150 young people yearly about produce and floral career opportunities.


There is no crystal ball that will show us what lies ahead for trends in produce

and floral. Fortunately, there is data. We can analyze and examine this information

to chart a course forward.

Consumers desire convenience. Traditionally, this has meant products from the

center of the store. Now, the industry is capitalizing on innovative and eye-catch-

ing packaging to gain consumer recognition and loyalty.

In the floral industry, the trend leans toward using plants in more creative ways.

Cool terrariums are cropping up in urban dwellings, especially among millenials.

Online sharing sites like Pinterest have made self-expression through plants more

popular.


Related to the “buy local” sentiment, marketing based on locale is growing in

popularity. While perhaps a consumer’s favorite fruit, vegetable or flower may not

be readily available in their hometown, an attractive option is to purchase it from a

region renowned for just those products.

Talent is crucial in any organization, but with the ever-increasing competition for

attracting and retaining top talent in the produce and floral industries, the impor-

tance of technology and adaptability to change are two key areas of focus.

In this section, we hope to give you some insight into the next produce and

floral trends.

PHO

TOG

RAPH

CO

URT

ESY

OF

LIVE

TREN

DS

DES

IGN

GRO

UP

fresh July 2014 Edition7 fresh October 2015 Edition34


From Paleo to vegan to gluten-free, Americans are constantly exploring new ways to lose

weight and improve their health. No matter which trend they pick, fresh fruits and vegetables

remain indisputable staples to a healthy diet. So why aren’t more people eating them?

“I think consumers’ lifestyles and eating habits continue to change,” Jennifer Watts-deLehman, director of new business development at Taylor Farms, said. “Consumers are eating more snacks throughout the day, which are replacing regular meals. Snacking now makes up half of all eating occasions.”

According to “State of the Plate,” a 2015 study on America’s consumption of fruits and vegetables, per capita fruit and veg-etable consumption declined 7 percent over the past five years. The study attributes this trend to Americans’ need for quick and convenient dinner options. They’re including fewer side dishes in their dinner meals while also using fewer ingredients. Combined

with the steady growth of ready-to-eat or frozen main dishes, fresh produce has taken a hit in popularity — with staples like or-ange juice, lettuces and salad, corn, and green beans experienc-ing the biggest declines.

To combat this decline in fresh produce consumption, Taylor Farms has developed unique programs that connect consum-ers with healthy, convenient food in grocery and convenience stores. Products include portable chopped salad kits, pre-cut vegetable platters, and snack trays. Watts-deLehman calls it, “giv-ing consumers what they want, when and where they want it,” and it’s an approach many companies throughout the fresh

by Elissa Vallano

CONVENIENCE IS KEY TO UPPING FRESH PRODUCE CONSUMPTION

PHO

TOG

RAPH

CO

URT

ESY

OF

DEL

MO

NTE


of fresh produce, which requires getting to the root of the issue.Over the years, many industry analysts believed people ate

poorly because they couldn’t afford healthier foods. For instance, middle-income people are the most overweight and eat fast food more regularly than the rest of the American population. But when you look closer at the numbers, you’ll see that there’s a lot more to it than perceived affordability. In fact, 80 percent of low-income Americans cook at home at least five times a week. That would normally be good news for the produce industry, but not when Americans are simplifying their dinner meals to save time and energy.

Rabobank, one of the world’s largest financial institutions, analyzed the decline of fresh produce consumption in Western Europe and the United States. The report recognized lower in-comes and perceived price increases as important factors in the decline of fresh produce consumption, but strong competition from processed and convenience foods are at the forefront of the fresh produce industry’s battle for consumers’ dollars.

“The challenge for the fruits and vegetables industry is to close the gap between what consumers say they want and what they actually do,” Cindy van Rijswick, a Rabobank analyst, said when the report was released. “Surveys have shown that, in principle, consumers are positive-minded about healthy eating, but in practice, they are easily swayed by creative marketing of processed food and beverages and exhibit a strong bias for con-venience products.”

So how can the fresh produce industry make it easier for people to eat healthier? One major piece of the puzzle could lie in the packaging. “Consumers buy with their eyes, so pre-

produce industry are readily embracing.“The nationwide focus on health and wellness has lead con-

sumers to demand and expect healthier options wherever they shop or dine,” noted Dionysios Christou, vice president of mar-keting at Del Monte. “Channels that have been typically reluctant to sell perishable fresh products in the past have begun work-ing with Del Monte and other suppliers to offer their customers healthier, fresh products to go.”

Along with grocery and convenience stores, Del Monte has focused on a less conventional outlet for fresh produce — vend-ing machines. Del Monte’s fresh fruit and vegetable vending line launched in September 2009, and since that time, has steadily developed partnerships with vending operators and distribu-tors across the country. The line features specially packaged bananas and single-serve, fresh-cut fruit and vegetables paired with healthy, low-fat dips. With a growing number of consumers demanding healthier options while on the go, vending machines have provided a much-needed avenue for convenience, but it’s not without its challenges.

“It has been slower than we had hoped to gain national ac-ceptance, partially because distributors and operators don’t necessarily have the capabilities to handle fresh, short shelf life products in their machines,” Christou said. “It’s imperative that the machine be in the right venue and have a high rate of volume and turnover.”

To get that level of volume and turnover, Americans need to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s as simple as that, and yet there’s nothing simple about it. Taylor Farms and Del Monte are determined to change people’s perceptions on the convenience

“The challenge for the fruits and vegetables industry is to close the gap between what consumers say they want and what they actually do.”

The future of per ishables starts at BOOTH #5228.

Our new, patented t reatment process s tab i l i zes co ld cha in integr i ty to add up to 10 more days of product she l f l i fe . We’ve

combined th is exc lus ive technology wi th our va lue-added serv ices to g ive you a f resh take on the supply cha in—Flag lerFresh .

Th is i s the future . I t ’ s here today . At F lag ler G loba l Logist ics .

PATENTED TREAMENT PROCESS | PACKING SOLUTIONSCOLD STORAGE SERVICES | TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

REAL ESTATE SOLUTIONS

305.520.2300 | f laglergl .com

10MORE DAYS

FRESHof


“I remember when single apples, oranges and bananas were the only fresh produce items in a convenience store” — Jennifer Watts-deLehman

Director of New Business Development Taylor Farms

peak of flavor is largely dependent on the supply chain,” Watts-deLehman said. “We’re working on a number of different models with our customers to accomplish this, whether it’s direct store delivery, pick-up by store, tote programs delivered by a third par-ty, or cross-dock programs through a retail warehouse.”

As more chains like Sheetz, Wawa, and Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes look to increase their fresh fruit and vegetable offerings, the produce industry has a unique opportunity to establish a powerful presence in the convenience market. And in many loca-tions across the country, it already has.

“I remember when single apples, oranges and bananas were the only fresh produce items in a convenience store,” Watts-deLehman said. “Today, a consumer can get fresh-cut fruit with a seasonal rotation, specialty green salads on trend, as well as snack boxes with fresh fruit, vegetables, crackers, meats and cheeses.”

Opportunities for the fresh produce industry to capitalize on consumers’ desire for healthy, convenient food options are limitless, but consumer awareness of produce’s convenience is holding many businesses back. If more fresh produce companies stake a claim in the convenience market, the industry could fi-nally see a reverse in the decline in fresh produce consumption that’s plagued it for too long.

“Since consumers are just coming to accept fresh and healthy products at their local convenience stores, it’s important to have brand names that they know and trust to deliver to them a premi-um-quality, convenient fresh produce experience,” Christou said.

Welcome to a new — and more convenient — era for fruits and vegetables.

sentation continues to be key,” Watts-deLehman said. “Having the right products in the right locations appeals to the needs of today’s on-the-go consumer.”

To encourage more fruit and vegetable snacking, Taylor Farms incorporates more convenient formats and packaging, as well as more ambitious flavor profiles, into their product lines. “One of our biggest successes has been fresh fruit parfaits, which combine ready-to-eat fruit with yogurt and granola in a portable package,” Watts-deLehman said. “We launched our first line three years ago, and we continue to develop and innovate with ingredients like fresh strawberries — which are a consumer favorite. And our spe-cialty salads, including fresh fruits and vegetables with interest-ing ingredients like quinoa, pasta, and Asian noodles, appeal to consumers looking for exotic flavors.”

The convenience factor is clearly important in order to attract more customers, but it’s the packaging that does the most work garnering consumer recognition and brand loyalty in this com-petitive environment. A WestRock Packaging Matters’ study has consumers ranking packaging almost equal to the brand when it comes to what’s important for overall satisfaction with a product. While that includes superficial appeal, the most important factors for consumers are the functional aspects of packaging, such as maintaining freshness, portability, and ease of opening. Those are all critical components to the success of any fresh produce com-pany’s products, especially one focused on convenience.

Luckily, more vendors are investing in delivery solutions that help get fresh, quality products more readily available to con-sumers on a daily basis. “Offering consumers fresh produce at the

RE7RARE EARTH MAGNETIC SEPARATORS

Rare Earth

Rare Earth

Rare EarthMAGNETIC SEPARATORS

Rare EarthMAGNETIC SEPARATORS

888.300.3743

To continually improve separation quality, Eriez designed its new RE7 Xtreme® Rare Earth magnetic separators to extract fine ferrous material and even work-hardened stainless steel from product flows. Eriez employed sophisticated finite element analysis to produce this incredibly powerful magnetic circuit intended for applications demanding the highest levels of product purity.

When only the

Strongest Magnet

Visit Purity.Eriez.com

New!New! will do!

®

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

StrengthCurve

See the Details!


Capitalizing on the opportunity the urban-dwelling millennial market presents will require a bit of a one-two punch on the part of the potted plant industry, according to experts in the field.

The first part of that combination, as with pretty much any product sale, is product knowledge, said Bisser Georgiev, founder and CEO of LiveTrends Design Group, Orlando, Florida. But, with this unique age group, product information of a different sort is required, he said.

“Even though educating the consumer (of any age) is impor-

tant,” Georgiev explains, “I don’t agree that it is the most impor-tant secret for success. I believe that focusing on self-expression and creativity with the use of plants is way more important for the millennial. Pinterest and Etsy are prime examples of self-made, idea-sharing playgrounds. Making a cool terrarium is a lot cooler than learning how to plant a flowerbed in the heat outside."

“Plants are very hip again, but nobody really wants just a bor-ing green plant,” he said. “Young consumers are looking for cre-ative expression of themselves. They are looking for trendy colors,

by Jennifer Marangos

TAP CREATIVE SPIRITTO WIN OVER MILLENNIALS


interesting textures and relevant designs. They want to be sur-prised by treasure-hunt finds, ‘make-it-yourself’ projects and truly unique plants.”

LiveTrends was launched two years ago to specifically appeal to urban dwellers, particularly millennials, said Georgiev, offering these consumers something that would fit with their typically tighter, lower-light living quarters as well as nurture their creative spirits.

“All of our collections are truly original, and they all aim to de-liver expressions of affordable living art,” Georgiev said. “Many of our products are designed to hang on walls, stick to fridges or hang from lamps. Functionality is easily bridged with beautiful and trendy designs.”

The second step in reaching millennials happens when they close their laptops and put down their smartphones, according to Jason Kamimoto, vice president of marketing with Salinas, Califor-nia-based Rocket Farms, Inc.

“Potted plants are a great way to enhance anyone’s lifestyle…millennials, Gen X and Y, etc.,” Kamimoto said. “Succulents and cac-

tus are spectacular living plants to promote to any audience today: They are trending topics on design blogs, social media and general media for their ease of care, cool colors and shapes and low water usage. Orchids are surprisingly low maintenance and promote a unique value to consumers as an affordable luxury item.

“Plants and flowers are still an impulse purchase, and nothing drives impulse as effectively as sensory appeal — color, scent, tex-ture, and a great story. Live plants are best sold in person, in the moment,” he said. It is effectively connecting these virtual and physical worlds world that provides the biggest challenge and potential opportunity for floral marketers, Georgiev says.

“Even though the majority of plant purchases are still done in the physical shop, inspiration and information come entirely from online sources,” Georgiev says. “Currently, there is a big disconnect between where the majority of plants are being sold, and where young consumers look for creative influences. We, as floral mar-keters, need to bridge these two channels and bring inspiration to the actual point of sale. This is not an easy feat, but it is definitely a goal worth pursuing.”

“Focusing on self-expression and creativity…is way more important for the millennial. Pinterest and Etsy are prime examples of self-made, idea-sharing playgrounds. Making a cool terrarium is a lot cooler than learning how to plant a flowerbed in the heat outside.”– Bisser Georgiev

founder and CEO LiveTrends Design Group


It might sound strange but, in a way, the real estate mantra “location, location, location” applies

to produce marketing, too.

“There are opportunities for marketing both local and locale in the produce industry,” explains Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing with the California Avocado Commission. “Consumer interest in knowing where, how and who is growing the foods they eat continues to grow and locally grown can provide an en-vironmentally sustainable option.

“For California avocados, locally grown programs are great within California and in nearby states where the message reso-nates with consumers. Consumers understand the fresher -to-market quality difference with locally grown products,” she said.

But, Delyser pointed out, location can and should have an ap-peal for potential customers who are outside of a region. It’s just all about the story you tell, she says. “When someone visits Cali-fornia and enjoys California avocados or other California products, they often look to repeat the experience once they get home,” DeLyser says. “In those cases, messaging about the California lo-cale and ‘grown in the USA’ resonate with consumers. It is an op-portunity to explain what it is about the growing location that makes the product different or more enjoyable.”

The wine industry, DeLyser said, is a great example of market-

ing locale. “Growing regions are trumpeted and ‘terroir’ has been marketed to help consumers understand how and where the wine grapes grow contributes greatly to the flavor of the wine,” she explains. Beyond that, DeLyser said, the story the wine rep-resents for the consumer begins to come into play. “A consumer may purchase California wines because of where they are grown and/or because they experienced the wine at an event or special occasion,” she said. “They may also purchase wines from other states and countries where they experienced them or appreciate the locale where they were grown in.”

In contrast, in the potato business locale supersedes all else, according to Frank W. Muir, president of the Idaho Potato Com-mission. “When it comes to potatoes, there are three almost mythical places in the world: Peru, the birthplace of potatoes; Ireland, whose history is so tied to the great potato famine; and Idaho, known world-wide for its potatoes,” Muir explains. “Idaho grows the best potatoes in the world due to its unique climate of warm days and cold nights, mineral-rich volcanic soil and moun-tain snowmelt-fed river system. No other American agricultural product is more tied to its state than Idaho potatoes.”

by Jennifer Marangos

LOCATION CAN BE A MARKETING OPPORTUNITY NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE

“What other state would create a six-ton potato to travel across America? When it comes to potatoes, locale trumps local.”– Frank W. Muir

president Idaho Potato Commission


Indeed, Muir says, chefs that may seek local produce for many of their menu needs, but they will almost always seek Idaho to fill their potato needs, adding that more than 80 percent of consum-ers will tell you the best potatoes come from Idaho.

As a final factor reinforcing the importance of locale to the Idaho potato, Muir mentions that only Idaho provides a national advertising and public relations program for its potatoes. “What other state would create a six-ton potato to travel across America,” Muir asks. “So when it comes to potatoes, locale trumps local.”

Locale and limited seasonality also can be combined into a powerful marketing tool, DeLyser says. “For those produce items that are local and seasonally grown, it is important to shout from the rooftops when those products are in season,” DeLyser says. “Packers, retailers and foodservice operators can make a huge dif-ference in communicating the availability of local and seasonal items with in-store signage and other marketing tools, because when consumers know the origin of what they are buying, they become much more engaged.”


Technology is permeating every aspect of life, and the workplace is no exception. Companies are

working in new and remarkable ways to not only hire great tech-savvy talent, but to maintain a

workforce that stays updated on the newest trends, too. But change isn’t always so easy.

“We inherently adapt as a society, as a species, but there is such a fear of change in the first place,” says Alex Camp, Client Service Lead for McKinsey’s OrgSolutions group.

However, staying relevant and keeping a finger on the pulse of technology is crucial in the changing landscape of human capital management. There are so many tools in the modern worker’s belt that didn’t even exist several decades ago, and a good em-ployee should be comfortable with many of them. Social media skills, online networking ability, and an overall familiarity with new technologies will be very important in the years to come. On the flip side, employers need to maintain both an engaging website and active human resources and information technology depart-ments to stay on top of hiring and employee retainment, says Jerry Butt, CEO/President of MIXTEC Group.

“As a society, we treat things as events. Learn this. Check that box. We see life as a series of moments rather than a continuously evolving process.” Camp adds, “To be really successful, change

should not be an event. It should be a way of life.”For floral and produce companies, a major human resources

issue is drawing quality candidates to their team, Butt says. To-day’s new employees have the expectation for a more progres-sive workplace — including a flexible schedule, telecommuting options, virtual meetings, and a substantial IT support system that can tackle issues from both office and handheld devices. The in-creasingly global industry has a necessity for employees with tech savvy and resourcefulness.

The Bersen-Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends 2015 report states, “As the economy grows and skills become more special-ized, the competition for talent has increased. This has driven cul-ture and engagement, leadership, and development to the top of the human capital agenda.”

The report goes on: “Business and HR executives must un-derstand that highly engaged companies attract the best talent, have the lowest voluntary turnover rates, and are more profit-

by Jenna Rittenhouse

INCORPORATING TECH INTO PEOPLE MANAGEMENT WILL PUSH COMPANIES

TO THE FUTURE

“To be really successful, change should not be an event. It should be a way of life.” –Alex Camp


ILLU

STRA

TIO

N B

Y D

RAFT

ER12

3/IS

TOCK

.CO

M

Hollandia_PMA_Ad1.indd 1 6/5/15 11:07 AM

using all four levers of influence: Role modeling, fostering under-standing and conviction, building skills and competencies, and reinforcing with formal mechanisms. These four levers when working in conjunction with each other have been proven to drastically increase the likelihood of success when driving change of any kind, but too often these levers are ignored in favor of short terms speed or cost, ultimately resulting in failure of the change in the long run, Camp says.

For an organization, the key is not chasing all technology but picking the right technology and making that part of how the business is run, rather than just an addition a few people choose to use, she says. Successfully driving this means keeping IT and HR at the strategy table and enabling strong collaboration between them to create a culture that is comfortable with change in tech-nology, building the infrastructure to support it, and leveraging both internal expertise and external hiring to get the most out of it and keep looking forward.

Overall, she says, having excellent communication and strate-gic perspectives on how technology will play into a business’s fu-ture will be what helps it continue to succeed in the ever-chang-ing tech landscape.

able over the long run.” Hiring a bunch of technologically inclined new grads is not a

complete solution to enable an organization to keep up with the fast pace of technology. Camp says the movement has to come internally within a company as well, making sure everyone is ex-posed to new programs or devices as they become standard in the market.

With a work culture that’s trending more and more toward the 24/7 way of life, it’s vital for HR departments to do two things, Butt says. The first is to help the existing employees make dif-ficult transitions as the company evolves, which can be done via training, introducing communication methods, and keeping them updated on project management technologies. Secondly, new employees must be set up for success from the start. This means everything from orientation to leadership training to industry-wide best practices. An organization needs to activate and engage its people, making a purposeful decision about what technology vehicles are going to be the best way to move the company — and its people — forward.

To enable this kind of adaptability and truly address areas of resistance means having employees who can approach change

TRULY

ORGANICFrom farm to grocer to table.

F R E S H

D E L I C I O U S

NATURALLY

Everything from Organics Unlimited is Organic. It’s how we’ve always done it. No chemicals to endanger

your health, the environment, or the workers who grow our bananas. Shipped directly from our farms to our

US warehouse for the freshest, tastiest and most sustainable bananas available.

When you buy the GROW label, you’re also buying the most socially responsible bananas on the market.

To learn more about GROW, visit us at GROWBananas.org.

Perfectly Fresh. Truly Organic. Naturally Delicious. Simply put, it’s what we do.

www.organicsunlimited.com

Buy a banana.Change a life.

2

1

As someone who spent most of my career in retail, I know how important it is to look for ways to

increase sales. Fortunately, increasing sales in the fresh produce business translates into increasing

consumption of fresh fruits and veggies — so sales support healthy eating for all.

In my new position at PMA as the vice president of domestic business development, I’m charged with thinking about programs that serve the industry as a whole — but I’m keeping my ‘retailer hat’ close by; which is especially helpful in times like this. For the Joe of retail past, the essential piece of ensur-ing success for eat brighter! is a commitment on the part of the retailer and their respective suppliers. When considering the purchasing power of to-day’s kids and the aggressive marketing campaigns that companies use to earn their attention, the eat brighter!™ movement gives the retailer three things to consider:

There’s a powerful and long-respected brand as-sociation with Sesame Street. This kid-loved, par-ent-approved brand appeals not only to today’s generation of children, but also to Generation X and millennials, today’s parents (and purchasers). The ability to connect our in-store promotions with a brand that is meaningful to our shoppers is essential.

While eat brighter! provides retailers with an advan-tage in attracting our younger consumers, there must be a viable distribution model in place and to have ongoing support from the procurement and supply side. This is especially true with many inde-pendent retailers who may not have the resources or sales volume to develop their own branded pro-gram and therefore depend on their suppliers to keep them up to date with industry trends regard-ing new products.


by Joe WatsonVice President, Domestic Business Development

A STATUS REPORT:

eat brighter!™ A RETAILER’S POINT OF VIEW

3


Developing in-store marketing to create interest and demand in eat brighter! products is key. Like with many other successful brands, the first step to marketing a successful program is visibility and consistency at the point of sale. How is this accom-plished? Create a destination, or even two. Make eat brighter! a highlighted area of the produce depart-ment using the signage and point of sale materials available within the eat brighter! toolkit.

I’d be remiss to not mention the results that the program participants have reported thus far. In Q3, PMA’s research team conducted a round of quar-terly surveys where supplier participants reported an average increase of 3 percent — with some re-porting increases as high as 11 percent. Three out of four retailers who are licensed to use POS materials reported an increase, too. You can read more about that on pma.com/eatbrighter.

One thing is certain, we will all work to see con-sumption grow in the fresh produce department, but where will it come from? I believe one answer is eat brighter!.

Let’s Grow!

SHARE YOUR #EATBRIGHTER STORIES ON TWITTER!

Lauren Lindsley @LaurenRDN • Jun 11How cute and fun are these?! Join your @sesamestreet friends and #eatbrighter @festfoods!

NatureFresh™ Farms @Nature_Fresh • Jul 24Nice to be front and center at @LoblawsON with our #GreenInTheCity tour promoting #EatBrighter

Bejo Seeds @BejoSeeds • Jul 20Bejo is Eating Brighter this summer! Are you? #koolrobbi #eatingbyexample #eatbrighter @pma

Covering the Entire Restaurant Industry

QSRmagazine.com FSRmagazine.com

Food News Media - Cover the Industry - 8.5x10.indd 1 9/10/15 4:19 PM


For more information, visit freshfromflorida.com.

Fresh From Florida” is the brand of Florida agriculture as promoted by the Florida De-partment of Agriculture and Consumer Ser-vices. The state’s second largest industry,

agriculture in Florida creates an economic impact of $120 billion annually. The “Fresh From Florida” program promotes over 300 agricultural and sea-food commodities grown on Florida’s 47,700 farms and coastal waters supporting agriculture and the Florida economy.

Florida’s farmers produce one of the nation’s most diverse ranges of commodities in the nation. Known for its production of crops during the fall,

Fresh From Florida — Over 300 Communities Strong

Membership in PMA allows us to maintain an industry presence on a national stage. That is not always easy to do as a governmental agency. The opportunities to interact with all seg-ments of the produce and floral supply chain on behalf of Florida’s growers and allied industries is an ever-growing part of our marketing efforts.”

— Chris Denmark Development Representative

“

M E M B E R P R O F I L E

winter and spring months, Florida is among the country’s most productive vegetable and fruit pro-ducing states. Mild winter months add to the allure of Florida and allow the state’s farmers to produce warm-season crops while farms around the nation are dormant. Florida agriculture ranks first in pro-duction of a multitude of produce items, includ-ing oranges, fresh market tomatoes, watermelons, grapefruit, fresh market snap beans, fresh market cucumbers and squash as well as ranking second in the country in production of strawberries. Florida is the top foliage plant and cut foliage producer na-tionally as well.

To connect with PMA members like these, check out PMA’s NEW member directory.

Since its inception in 1990, the “Fresh From Florida” program has grown to become a world-wide brand recognized domestically and interna-tionally by retailers and consumers. Using creative and impactful advertising campaigns and estab-lishing partnerships with top retailers, the program strives to drive sales of Florida agricultural com-modities with the use of the “Fresh From Florida” logo. Members of the program use the widely rec-ognized icon on products, advertising and packag-ing to signify the pride and quality of “Fresh From Florida” agricultural products.

Retail partners of “Fresh From Florida” are al-lowed the use of the logo and offered incentives for promoting Florida commodities through in-store circulars, advertising and point–of-purchase ma-terials. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services works closely with commodity associations and agricultural groups to promote seasonal campaigns throughout the year with digi-

tal, television and print media campaigns aimed at reaching target markets.

Florida is the only state to employ a full-time culinary ambassador. Chef Justin Timineri creates recipes with Florida flair to encourage consumers to buy “Fresh From Florida.” Florida-grown fruit, vegetables and seafood are the main ingredients in healthy, quick and easy recipes that are featured in TV, print, billboard, sponsorships, digital and social media. Consumers are encouraged to look for the “Fresh From Florida” label when they shop and to visit the website for more recipes In just two years, the campaign centered on recipes was responsible in part for increasing brand awareness of the “Fresh From Florida” logo from 40 percent to 76 percent.

To learn more about partnership opportunities with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ “Fresh From Florida” campaign, please visit us and our Florida Pavilion partners at PMA Fresh Summit in Atlanta, booth # 1633.


For more information, visit cocanmex.com.mx.

Incorporated in Mexico City in 1989, Cocanmex farms more than 300 hectares, or almost 742 acres, and exports to the United States, Europe, Asia and is one of the largest exporters to Canada.The company made history in 1991, when Co-

canmex partners Roger Gay, Salvador Martinez and Victor Marrero chartered a plane and became the first to import fruit from Chile.

Around the same time, Cocanmex established what has become a 25-year distributing relation-ship with Zespri (Kiwifruit). Soon after, they started exporting mangos, avocados, guavas and limes, and today they own and operate four packing sheds in Mexico (Oaxaca, Colima, Nayarit and Sinaloa). Sev-en years ago, Cocanmex started one of the largest fresh-cut operations in Mexico — producing apples, mangos, coconuts, pineapples, pomegranates, car-rots, jicama and cucumber. They now have some of their own varieties available.

“We are all about being natural,” says Roger Gay, Cocanmex partner.

Cocanmex recently introduced a ready-to-eat-and-drink coconut. Cocanmex recently built a dehydrator and now exports natural dehydrated mangos, bananas, coconut, kiwi and more to Eu-rope and North America. Gay points out that these products have no sugar added.

A Supplier of the Year for two consecutive years

Cocanmex: All Natural, All the Time

Being a PMA member

forces me to get out and talk to my peers and sometimes get a totally differ-ent perspective on things that I hadn’t thought about before.”— Roger Gay

partner Cocanmex

“


with McDonalds, Cocanmex also makes fresh fruit popsicles, frozen bars and smoothies.

Cocanmex operates under the label IXTAPA for all its fresh fruit, IXTAPA Frozen for frozen products and IXTAPA Dried for dehydrated products.



In 1988, the first Fairtrade coffee from Mexico was sold into Dutch supermarkets. Today, more than 30,000 Fairtrade products, including tropical pro-duce, carry the FAIRTRADE Mark and are sold in

more than 125 countries.Fairtrade America is a nonprofit organization

committed to serving the smallholder farmers and workers in developing countries who produce cof-fee, chocolate, fruits and vegetables, flowers and oth-er products U.S. consumers enjoy every day. We con-nect Fairtrade producers to companies in the United States and in turn, consumers can support farmers

Fairtrade America Ensures Small Growers Get a Fair Stake


and their communities through their purchases.Fairtrade America is the U.S. member of Fairtrade

International, which comprises 25 such organiza-tions around the world and three producer net-works that together establish international Fairtrade standards, designed to tackle poverty and empow-er producers in the poorest countries in the world. Fairtrade standards ensure that producers receive prices that cover their average costs of sustainable production, and set clear criteria to ensure that the conditions of production and trade of all Fairtrade certified products are socially and economically A

BOVE

PH

OTO

GRA

PH C

OU

RTES

Y O

F

TRA

NSF

AIR

E.V

.T.T

HIE

LE.A

T.FA

IRTR

AD

E-D

EUTS

CHLA

ND

.DE



For more information, visit fairtradeamerica.org.

We look forward to building relationships through PMA that will help us connect Fairtrade produce growers and leading U.S. companies. Our end goal is to have more Fairtrade fruits and vegetables available to U.S. consumers, which means better liveli-hoods and working conditions, a cleaner environment and stronger communities for thousands of Fairtrade producers around the world.”

— Hans Theyer Executive Director Fairtrade America

“ fair, and environmentally responsible. Fairtrade standards and programs address many other chal-lenges that are pressing for producer communities, including mitigating climate change, tackling the worst forms of child labor, supporting women’s empowerment and ensuring the next generation of smallholder farming.

More and more, consumers want to know where their food comes from, and they want to make sure it was sourced responsibly and ethically. We make it easy for companies to provide this assurance to shoppers, and we support farmers to produce a sustainable supply of ethically sourced produce.

Fruits and vegetables carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark have been produced by farmers and work-ers who follow rigorous standards for protection of workers’ rights and the environment. When shop-pers purchase Fairtrade products, these producers earn a fair price and an additional Fairtrade Social

Premium to invest in projects to educate their chil-dren, improve healthcare, protect their environ-ment and improve their economic well-being.

As consumers demand more information about the food they eat, Fairtrade America is dedicated to helping them connect to the producers who grow their food, using social media, in-store educational displays and promotional campaigns to tell the sto-ries that are behind the FAIRTRADE Mark.

For example, Albeiro Alfonso Cantillo, known as Foncho, is a Fairtrade banana farmer from Cienaga, in the banana growing region of Magdalena, north-ern Colombia. As a boy, Foncho helped his father on their small 2.5 acre farm, which he has now in-herited. Foncho and other members of Coobafrio, the Fairtrade cooperative he belongs to, face many challenges including the high cost of fertilizer, un-predictable weather conditions and drought or water shortages that can all impact their crops. Being part of Fairtrade has helped. In addition to receiving a guaranteed minimum price for their bananas, Coobafrio members have invested the Fairtrade Premium in farming and packing quality-improvement programs, an education fund, and an emergency fund to support members in the event of natural disasters. All of these efforts help to make sure small family farmers like Foncho can stay in business. According to Foncho, “Fairtrade has pro-vided my family with stability in education, housing; stability in food and health.”

The FAIRTRADE Mark has the distinction of be-ing the most recognized ethical label worldwide. A recent independent study conducted by Glob-eScan found that the FAIRTRADE Mark is the most trusted ethical label in the United States, and three in four U.S. consumers who’ve seen the Fairtrade Mark think its presence has a positive impact on their perception of the brand.

BELO

W P

HO

TOG

RAPH

CO

URT

ESY

JAM

ES R

OD

RIG

UEZ


Danziger “DAN” Flower Farm is a family business established in 1953. Danziger is one of the leading horticultural compa-nies worldwide, well-known for its ad-

vanced breeding and cutting-edge technologies. The company champions the values of family, cre-ativity and innovation.

FAMILY AND BUSINESSDanziger “DAN” Flower Farm started from a

dream of a young couple in the early 1950s. Ernest and Zehava Danziger had planted the first seeds of what later would become a world leading company.

Today, Danziger employs more than 1,500 em-ployees worldwide, and sells its plants to over 65

Danziger Flower Farms — Family Breeding at its Best

countries. Danziger has three major production and breeding sites located in Israel, Kenya and Guatemala, encompassing more than 70 hectares of open fields and 15 hectares of state-of-the art greenhouses. In view of the increasing demand for our varieties in North America, we have established Danziger Guatemala to better serve the needs of our customers in North America.

Even though the company has vastly expanded over the years, the essence stays the same with em-ployees and clients alike, both are an integral part of the family. Maintaining these personal relations is a top priority at Danziger.

BREEDING THROUGH SYNERGYDanziger focuses on advanced breeding and

cutting-edge technologies, which are utilized har-moniously throughout the group companies.

Danziger’s breeding team includes over 70 em-ployees, among them an advanced R&D unit, sci-entists, researchers with PhDs, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Hebrew University Faculty of Agriculture. The team emphasizes the develop-ment of innovative varieties, while investing consid-erable resources in research and striving at all times to stay at the forefront of the scientific breeding and the improvement of varieties of cut-flowers and or-namental plants. The R&D unit has been working closely with the faculty of Agriculture and the Vol-cani Center for Agricultural Research.

As part of an all-round platform which facili-tates a free flow of information and brainstorming among the team members of the Danziger Group companies, these include the following:



For more information, visit danziger-innovations.com.

DANZIGER INNOVATIONS LTD.Danziger Innovations was founded by the own-

ers of Danziger “DAN” Flower Farm, Micha and Gaby Danziger, in 2008, as a biotechnology company, developing innovative and advanced methods of plant breeding. The company works in cooperation with Hebrew University. Its current primary platform is MemoGene®, an innovative technology which en-ables the creation of site-specific modifications in target-oriented plant genomes, in a wide range of plants for their improvement.

DANZIGER “DAN” SEEDS LTD. Danziger’s seed company was founded in 2012.

We produce seeds of vegetable crops and horti-culture varieties propagated by seeds (instead of cuttings). We have started commercialization of cut-flower varieties such as Euphorbia and Lepidium produced by Danziger “DAN” Seeds Ltd, and will soon be producing and marketing our new innova-tive pepper varieties.

EQUI-NOM LTD. Micha and Gaby Danziger are partners in Equi-

Nom, a breeding company developing new veg-etable varieties focused on orphan crops such as

PMA gives us a great opportunity to meet our friends in the cut flower industry as well as new colleagues all along the chain of supply,

together we can cooperate, exchange ideas and brainstorm in order to develop our beautiful industry.”— Ori Danziger

Regional Sales Manager Latin America

“sesame and quinoa, by applying new breeding methodology which relies on unique data analysis software, combining phenotypic measurements with genomic data (i.e., DNA markers).

DANZIGER’S COLLECTIONDanziger breeds and propagates more than 80

different crops of cut-flowers, bedding plants and perennials. Among our leading cut-flower varieties are the renowned Million Stars®and XLence™ (Gyp-sophila). Danziger is now focusing on tailor-made Gypsophila varieties according to flower size, grow-ing climate and market demands. Danziger also takes pride in Golden Glory® (Solidago) and the At-lantis® Chrysanthemum series. These days Danziger is introducing new innovative crops such as Sca-biosa, Euphorbia, Lepidium and more, in a constant effort to have a broad selection of varieties that will complement market demands.

Among our leading ornamental plants are Ba-copa Scopia®, Petunia Ray™, New Guinea Harmony® and Impatiens Sun Harmony™, Calibrachoa Noa®, Lobularia Stream™ and Torenia Moon Series™. Our perennials, like Salvia Sallyrosa™ and Coreopsis So-lanna™ are well known and their demand is steadily increasing.

OUR VISIONDanziger “Dan” Flower Farm, in synergy and

through scientific cooperation within the Danziger group, strives to maintain and promote its position as a global leader in breeding, marketing and pro-duction of ornamental plants and flowers. We do this through Israeli and global advanced research, innovation, excellence, persistence and determina-tion, being personally committed to our customers and employees, maintaining business integrity and respect for nature.



Dates are among the oldest tree crops cul-tivated by man; our ancestors have been enjoying this wonderful fruit for over 8,000 years and even though date palms

originated in the Middle East, today, the Bard Val-ley Date Growers farm more than 6,000 acres in the desert Southwestern region of the United States.

Bard Valley Date Growers is a cooperative of growers that was established in 1987 by a group of date grower families. Today, 28 years later, mem-

Quality Dates at Bard Valley Date Growers

bers of Bard Valley Date Growers continue their commitment to growing and packing the highest quality dates available. This commitment to qual-ity, as well as a commitment to educating consum-ers worldwide to the benefits of dates are just a few of the reasons that today the Bard Valley Natu-ral Delights Brand is the No. 1 brand of Medjool Dates in North America.

According to John Haydock, recently appointed CEO, membership in PMA has been integral to the


fresh October 2015 Edition

For more information, visit naturaldelights.com.

Being a member of PMA has contributed to our success as we grow our domestic and global businesses, grow our brands and create valuable relation-ships with retail partners. Being part of the PMA means we remain connected to the forefront of what’s going on in the produce industry on a global scale so that we can continue to bring solutions and working partnerships to our retailers.”

— John Haydock CEO Bard Valley Date Growers

“success of the Bard Valley Date Growers organiza-tion for many years.

“Over 25 years ago we realized that we are not alone, and there was much to be gained from being part of an organization like PMA bringing growers across the produce industry together to share learn-ings and best practices. As an organization, we con-tinue to be able to gather insights, create business connections and gain supporters and friends that have contributed to our success. The PMA global reach has benefitted us thanks to the vast network of members, and through events like Fresh Connec-tions, we have been able to reach new markets in support of our growth goals.”

The decision to form Bard Valley Date Growers was based on a variety of wanted outcomes, in-cluding the desire to promote competitiveness and entrepreneurship through the continuous improve-ment in agricultural practices among the grower members, to establish quality standards for the fruit itself, and to collectively promote the consump-tion of dates on a global scale. Today, the Bard Val-ley Date Growers is expanding as an organization, bringing in new members, and new varieties of dates and date rolls to offer in its portfolio.

“It has not been an easy task, as hard work is never easy, but thanks to the growers’ commit-ment, we have been leading the way in our indus-try. Innovation, improvement, development and customer service are a way of life around here. So I am very excited to be part of this great team and very honored to have this opportunity to lead this organization,” says Haydock.

“One hundred days of one hundred degrees,” is the growers’ formula to growing dates. In the Bard Valley, triple-digit temperatures is not unusual, with the mercury consistently topping 100 degrees for more than half the year. Palm trees thrive in this

weather, and Bard Valley Date Growers has over 250,000 trees which also have a unique story. Each one of these trees is a generational offshoot from one of six “Mother Trees” that were brought from Morocco to the Bard region in the 1940s. Amazingly enough, these six “mother trees” are still bearing fruit today, and are not showing any indication that their life cycle of bearing fruit is ending.

“Just like our original trees, we can’t stop produc-ing new ways to expand the market. A few years ago, it became very apparent that we needed

59To connect with PMA members like these, check out PMA’s NEW member directory.

to undertake a fairly comprehensive marketing effort to help educate consumers about the ben-efits of dates, and to introduce them to our Natural Delights brand. By generating consumer interest, we’ve been able to grow the date category in gen-eral, and specifically our Natural Delights Brand,” states Haydock. Bard Valley Date Growers is the only date grower actively engaged in consumer-facing

marketing platforms, including digital, print and so-cial media campaigns using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Haydock adds: “Our social media effort has really expanded in the last few years, and we’ve been able to utilize the growing consumer trend of bloggers in addition to the more traditional marketing tactics of print media. Our blogger summits are all-encom-passing, including visits with our growers, visits to our groves, tours of our facility and dinners pre-pared with all things dates. This newer method of reaching a typically younger audience has allowed us to communicate with a new demographic of consumers, which is very exciting to us.”

Carrying on a legacy of a fruit that has been en-joyed for millennia and with such a rich history is a big challenge, but the Bard Valley Date Growers will continue on their mission of helping the world discover and enjoy the world’s finest dates.

VivaFresh_FPad.indd 1 8/10/15 12:06 PM

VivaFresh_FPad.indd 1 8/10/15 12:06 PM


With over 50 years in the industry, the name Dulcich is synonymous with producing the best table grapes in the world. In addition Sunlight In-

ternational, Dulcich’s marketing and sales division, is well known as an innovative leader in produc-ing new and creative merchandising programs un-like any other seen before in the industry. And it all started over five decades ago with a small family vineyard and a man who possessed both ingenuity and a special kind of drive.

In the 1950s, Jakov P. Dulcich settled in Delano, California — one of the greatest growing regions

Innovation From the Ground Upfor large and luscious table grapes. His goal was to produce the biggest, sweetest and best-tasting grapes in the world. No small feat, he worked tire-lessly to refine and combine old-world techniques with newer farming innovations of the day. Working closely with their father during this time, Nick and Peter Dulcich were ingrained with the same values, work ethic and drive that can still be found in every-thing the company does today.

Over the years, the family of growers has expand-ed the Valley farm, working together to achieve new heights along the way. Now, Dulcich & Sons is re-nowned worldwide as the largest table grape grow-

A N N UA L PA R T N E R P R O F I L E


For more information, visit dulcich.com.

er in North America, producing more than 20 variet-ies of premium table grapes, including the Princess Seedless, Flame Seedless and Red Globe. In 2013, the company expanded its 6,000 acres of farms by pur-chasing additional acreage in Maricopa, California to grow its patented, proprietary variety Emerald Seed-less Grapes — yet another example of the company innovation that continues today.

The desire to be the best in the field hasn’t stopped at the growing, shipping or packing level either. The marketing arm Sunlight International

works tirelessly in developing new and exciting ways to attract consumers. These marketing and sales efforts have positioned their popular Pretty Lady Brand as a world leader, with both retailers and consumers understanding it to be the preferred choice for discriminating buyers everywhere.

Sunlight’s marketing innovation has literally changed the way retailers sell grapes, and started with the introduction of the Harvest Hobgoblin Merchandising Program in 2008. This unique sea-sonal program was the first to roll out a full line of graphically driven campaign materials, including full-color display bins, beautifully designed colan-der bags, and eye-catching display cards. Ahead of the industry’s usual marketing at the time, Sunlight International’s strong belief in their unique cam-paigns have since helped retailers achieve record sales. The incredibly popular and successful Pretty Lady programs available to retailers today include Pretty Lady for the Summer, the Incredible Grape Patch, Pretty Lady for the Holidays and Green Em-erald Pretty Lady, with new and exciting programs in the works.

With a premium product and a track record for award-winning domestic and international market-ing tools, Dulcich & Sons continues to entice shop-pers and bring unique advertising elements to pro-duce aisles that help expand on the already terrific success of their global retailers.

Dulcich & Sons has been ahead of the innova-tive curve from the beginning, transforming the dreams of a small family vineyard into the No. 1 supplier of the best premium table grapes in the world. And with so many big and exciting plans on the horizon, we can all look forward to seeing what tomorrow has to offer from these truly inno-vative industry leaders.

I became an Annual Partner because I realized a lot of the growth of my business was associated with PMA.

Thirteen years and counting as an exhibitor, and two years as a PMA volunteer, have opened my eyes to the great importance that the PMA plays in our industry. It’s our way of giving back and partnering with them.”

— Nick Dulcich Co-Owner and President Sunlight International Sales, Inc.

“



*New PMA Members (April 27, 2015 to August 26, 2015)

NEW PMA MEMBERS

AUSTRALIAAdvance Packing and Marketing ServicesAustSafe SuperElders Rural Services AustraliaHydro Produce (Aust)McGrathNicolWatt Export Pty., Ltd.

BRAZILFussae Hidai ShimadaMNS Comercio De Productos

Agropecuarios LtdaTakagaki HortalicasTermotecnica Ltda.

CANADAAgrarian OrganicsCAN AM Pepper Company, LPGouw Quality Onions, Ltd.Orangeline Farms Sales LimitedPride Pak Canada, Ltd.

CHILECencosud Retail S.A.Chilean Blueberry CommitteeEurofins GCLInnoprint SolucionesSupermercados Tottus

CHINAChina Resources Vanguard, LtdFuhuida Co., Ltd.Gold Anda Plastic ProductsJinxing Packaging Co. Ltd.Pagoda Orchard IndustryShanghai Yiguo E-Commerce Co Ltd

COLOMBIACargoMasterCI Frutireyes SAS

FRANCEEurofresh Distribution

GERMANYWOP Dubai

INDIAKay Bee Exports

ISRAELDanziger Flower FarmIsrael Export Institute

ITALYI.L.P.A. S.R.L. ILIP DivisionPND

JAPANALIC

KOREA (SOUTH)NACF

MEXICOAgromotrizDistribuidora Juanjo S.A. De C.V.Frescos Tom-Ver SA De CVGamez HortalizasGrupo GondiGrupo PaquiméInvernay Sapi De CVJaltradeJesus Delgado TrejoPack Supply S.A. De C.V.

NETHERLANDSBiotropic GmbhNature’s Pride BV

NEW ZEALANDCatalystRC Hari & Sons, Ltd.

PERUAmfresh SACGandules Inc SAC

SOUTH AFRICAIndigo Fruit FarmingInstitute of Market Agents of S.A.The DTI South AfricaWesgrow Potatoes

SPAINInter Terra SAT De RL

SWAZILANDNational Agricultural Marketing Board

TURKEYSer Pak Co. Ltd

UNITED STATESAgCareers.comAlive & Radiant Foods IncAmerican Consolidation LogisticsAmerican Floral SolutionsATLANTIC PRODUCE EXCHANGE LLCBack To the RootsBarnes Food Company Inc.Barsotti Family Juice CompanyBloompop DBA FreshcutBybee Produce, LLCCEA Fresh FarmsCL. Services Inc.Cornerstone Government AffairsCovanceDorsey & Whitney LLPDupont Protection TechnologiesE & R SalesEastland Food CorporationEcoplants LLC/ Flowers By ECOElitech Technology, IncEnvioAgEsquadro LLC- MeshdecorFarm Fresh FlowersFarm Ridge FoodsFridgtech Inc.Global Bouquet LLC

WelcomeProduce Marketing Association is pleased to welcome the following corporate members who have recently joined our organization.*

Golden FlowersGrow-Tech LLCGulfshore Produce, Inc.HDI MarineHealthy Food Brands/HFB Co.Healthy Fresh Farms LLCHouston Refrigerated LogisticsHy Crops Inc.Intrade Industries, Inc.KeVita Inc.Keyimpact Sales & Systems Inc.Known-You Seed America CorporationLa Minita Fresh, LLCLaserpack CorpLiveTrends Design Group, LLCM. D’Ottavio Produce, Inc.Malena ProduceMasterpiece Flower Company LLCMasterstouch Brand LLCMillstream FarmsNaturally SimpleNeogen CorporationNew Sprout Organic FarmsOakes Farms

Owyhee ProducePeatland Reds, Inc.PeroxyChemPrintronixProduce Pay Inc.Prometo Produce, LLCRainforest Farms & Bouquets USA IncRast Produce Company, Inc.Schoneman, Inc.Sherrie L. Terry Consulting LLCSixto PackagingSmurfit Kappa Orange CountySouthern Belle Organics LLCSouthwest Onion Growers LLCSpecialty Fresh LLCSymphony Flowers Corp.TABS Consulting, LLCTaxco Produce, Inc.The Areli GroupThe JSB Group, LLC.Titan Farms, Inc.Vance Publishing - The PackerVanguard International, Inc.Vee’s Marketing, Inc

Vestra LogisticsVistaflor CorporationWilbur-Ellis CompanyWISErg CorporationWTRMLN WTR

NEW PMA FLORAL MEMBERS

CANADAOne Floral GroupWestbrook Floral, Ltd.

UNITED STATESBalloons EverywhereDeLeon’s BromeliadsDependable Packaging SolutionsEthical Sourcing NetworkFiore Farms LLCFresh Tulips USAJohn Henry/MPSPioneer Balloon CompanyValley Springs LLCWest Coast Trucking CorpWorcester Resources, Inc.


AUSTRALIAGourmet Garden Herbs & SpicesLouis MelbournePremier Fruits Group, Pty., Ltd.Sydney Markets, Ltd.

BRAZILCitricola Lucato, Ltda.Itaueira Agropecuaria, S/A

CANADAA & W Food Services of Canada, Inc.Canadian Produce Marketing Assn.Double Diamond FarmsFresh Direct Produce Ltd.Fresh Taste Produce, Ltd.Highline MushroomsLakeside ProduceMastronardi ProduceMucci FarmsNature Fresh FarmsNorth American Produce BuyersOntario Greenhouse Vegetable GrowersOppenheimer Group, ThePeak of the MarketProvincial Fruit Co., Ltd.Pure Hothouse Foods, Inc.Red Sun FarmsSobeys, Inc.Sun Rich Fresh Foods, Inc.Sunny Sky Produce Ltd.WestmorelandWindset Farms

ITALYUnitec S.P.A.

MEXICOAgricola Amigo S PRColiman Grupo S.A. de C.V.Enviro Tech LA, S.A. de C.V.

NEW ZEALANDCompac

SPAINFruits CMR SA

UNITED STATES4Earth FarmsA & J Produce Corp.A.J. Trucco, Inc.Able Freight Services, Inc.Ace Customs Broker, Inc.Ag-Fume Services, Inc.Akin & Porter Produce, Inc.Alpine Fresh, Inc.Alsum Farms & Produce Inc.

Andrews Brothers, Inc.Apache Produce Imports, LLCApio, Inc.Archibald FreshAssociated Wholesale GrocersAwe Sum Organics, Inc.Babe Farms, Inc.Bailey Farms, Inc.Bard Valley Medjool Date GrowersBay Valley FoodsBayer CropScienceBeachside Produce, LLCBen B. Schwartz & Sons, Inc.Ben E. Keith FoodsBen Litowich & Son, Inc.Bengard RanchBFC AssociatesBirkoBlue Book Services, Inc.Blue Creek Produce, LLC.Bonipak Produce Co.Booth Ranches, LLCBorton & Sons, Inc.Boskovich Farms, Inc.Bozzuto’s, Inc.Braga Fresh Family FarmsBrinker InternationalBronco Packaging Corp.Burris LogisticsC & D Fruit & Vegetable Co.CA Leafy Greens Marketing AgreementCady Bag CompanyCaito Foods Services, Inc.Calavo Growers, Inc.California Avocado CommissionCalifornia Pear Advisory BoardCalifornia Sun Dry FoodsCapespan North AmericaCastellini CompanyCDS Distributing, Inc.Charles E. Gilb CompanyCheesecake Factory Incorporated, TheChelan Fresh MarketingChiquita Brands N.A.Church Brothers, LLCCiruli BrothersClassic Fruit CompanyCMI Columbia Marketing IntlCoast Citrus DistributorsCoast Produce CompanyCoast To Coast Produce, LLCCoastal Fresh Farms, Inc.Coastal Sunbelt Produce

Coastline Family Farms a dba of Sunridge Farms, Inc.

Columbine VineyardsConcord Foods LLCContinental Western CorpCoosemans LA ShippingCoosemans Worldwide, Inc.Corona College HeightsCountry Fresh Mushroom Co.Critcher Brothers Produce, Inc.Crown Jewels Produce CompanyCrunch PakDarden RestaurantsD’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New YorkD’Arrigo Bros. Co., of CaliforniaDave’s Specialty Imports, Inc.Dayka & Hackett, LLCDel Monte Fresh Produce NA, Inc.DFA of CaliforniaDiMare Fresh, Inc.Diversified Restaurant SystemsDixie Produce, Inc.DNE World Fruit LLCDole Food Company, Inc.Domex Superfresh GrowersDriscoll’sDuda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc.Dulcinea Farms-Pacific Trellis FruitDuncan Family Farms, LLCEarthbound FarmEasterday Farms Produce Co.Eastern Produce CouncilEmpacadora G.A.B., Inc.ERC Trade LLCFamily Tree FarmsFamous Software, LLCField Fresh Foods, Inc.Fillmore Piru CitrusFirstFruits Marketing of WashingtonFisher Ranch CorporationFlagler Global LogisticsFlavor Pic Tomato Co.Florida Specialties LLCFlorida Strawberry Growers AssociationFood Safety Net ServicesFour Star Sales, Inc.Fowler Bros., Inc.Fox PackagingFresh Gourmet CompanyFresh Solutions Network, LLCFresherized FoodsFreshPoint, Inc.Freshway Foods


Thank you to our valued Gold Circle Campaign SupportersPMA’s Gold Circle mission is to protect the public health by providing fresh fruits and vegetables that give consumers a safe and healthy eating experience — every bite, every time. These efforts are made possible by the generous contribution of $1,000 from each of the following industry leaders.*

To learn more about becoming a Gold Circle Campaign Supporter, please visit pma.com/GoldCircle.

*Gold Circle members as of August 26, 2015

2

Freska Produce International, LLCFrieda’s, Inc.G.O. FreshGeorgia-PacificGFF, Inc.Giant Eagle, Inc.Giorgio Fresh Co.Giumarra Companies, TheGold Coast Packing, Inc.Green Ox Pallet Technology, LLCGreenGate Fresh, LLLPGreenhouse Produce CompanyGrocery Outlet, Inc.Growers Marketing, LLC.Grower’s Pride, LLCGuy J. Varley, Inc.H. Brooks & CompanyHam Farms, Inc.Harvest SensationsHass Avocado BoardHeartland Produce CompanyHollandia Produce, L.P.Horton Fruit Company, TheHugh H. Branch, Inc.Hyde & Hyde, Inc.IFCO SYSTEMSIndex Fresh, Inc.Indianapolis Fruit CompanyInternational PaperJ & J Distributing Co.J & K Fresh, LLCJ&J Family of FarmsJ. C. Watson CompanyJ. Marchini FarmsJ. Margiotta Company, LLC.JAB ProduceJac. Vandenberg, Inc.JOHJohn Vena, Inc.JR Simplot CompanyJunction Solutions Inc.JV Smith CompaniesKeystone Fruit Marketing, Inc.Kingdom Fresh ProduceKroger Co., TheKurt Zuhlke & Assoc., Inc.KVAT Food Stores, Inc.Kwik Lok CorporationL&MLeger & Son, Inc.LGS Specialty Sales, Ltd.Liberty Fruit Co., Inc.Limoneira CompanyLitehouse, Inc.Locus TraxxLowes Food Stores, Inc.Maddan & Company, Inc.Manfredi CompaniesMarc Glassman, Inc.Markon Cooperative, Inc.Martori FarmsMaryland Food Center Authority

McEntire Produce, Inc.Meijer, Inc.Melissa’sMiami Agro ImportMilitary Produce Group LLCMisionero VegetablesMission Produce, Inc.Monsanto CompanyMonterey Mushrooms, Inc.Muranaka Farm, Inc.Murphy TomatoesNational Mango BoardNational Produce ConsultantsNational Resource Management, Inc.NatureSeal, Inc.NatureSweet, LTDNaturipe Farms, LLC.Navajo Agricultural Products IndustryNew York Apple Sales, Inc.Nonpareil Corp.North Bay Produce, Inc.North Shore Greenhouses, Inc.Northwest Horticultural CouncilOcean Mist FarmsOneonta Trading CorporationOnions Direct LLCOrange County ProduceOrganics Unlimited, Inc.Pacific International MarketingPacific Tomato GrowersPanorama Produce Sales, Inc.Pear Bureau NorthwestPerformance Food GroupPhillips Mushroom FarmsPotandon Produce, LLCPremier Citrus Packers, LLC.Premier Mushrooms LPPremier ProducePrime Time InternationalPro Citrus Network, Inc.PRO*ACT, LLCProduce Packaging, Inc.Progressive Produce CorporationPublix Super Markets, Inc.Red Blossom Sales, Inc.Redline Solutions, Inc.Reichel FoodsRiver Point Farms, LLCRobinson FreshRocky Produce, Inc.Roka BioscienceRoland Marketing, Inc.Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.Rouses Supermarket, LLCS. Strock & Co., Inc.Sage Fruit CompanySaladino’sSanson Company, TheSave Mart SupermarketsSbrocco International, Inc.Schnuck Markets, Inc.Seald Sweet International

Sendik’s Food MarketsSensitech, Inc.Service First Logistics Inc.Shuman Produce, Inc.Sinclair Systems Int’l LLCSoutheastern GrocersSouthern Specialties, Inc.Spokane Produce, Inc.State Garden, Inc.Stemilt Growers LLCSterilox FreshSuccess Valley Produce LLCSun Belle Inc.Sun PacificSun World International, LLC.SunFedSunkist Growers, Inc.Sunlight International SalesSun-Maid Growers of CaliforniaSunrise Produce CompanySuperior Sales, Inc.Sysco CorporationT. Marzetti CompanyTanimura & AntleTaylor Farms, Inc.Thermal Technologies, Inc.Tippmann ConstructionTo-Jo Mushrooms, Inc.Tom Lange Company, Inc.TOMRA Sorting Solutions, ODENBERG

& BESTTop Brass Marketing, IncTotal Quality Logistics, Inc.Trinity Fruit SalesUmina Bros., Inc.UniPro Foodservice, Inc.US FoodsValley Fruit & Produce Co.Ventura Pacific CompanyVillage Farms, LPVision Produce CompanyVolm Companies, Inc.Wakefern Food CorporationWal-Mart Stores, Inc.Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.Well-Pict, Inc.Wells Fargo BankWest Pak Avocado, Inc.Western Precooling SystemsWestlake Produce Co.WestRockWestside ProduceWholesale Produce Supply Co.Wilcox FreshWinCo Foods, Inc.Wonderful CitrusWonderful Pistachios & AlmondsXgenex LLCYakima Fresh, LLCYerecic Label CompanyYoungstown Grape Distributors, Inc.ZESPRI International, Ltd.


68 fresh October 2015 Edition

save the datePMA/PMA Foundation Calendar of Upcoming EventsMark your calendar for these upcoming PMA and PMA Foundation events … and watch your business grow!

OCTOBERFresh SummitOct. 23-25, 2015Atlanta, Georgia USAConnect with more than 18,500 attendees and 1,000+ exhibitors from over 60 countries. Meet with experts, leaders and decision-makers from every link of the supply chain. And see how today’s bright ideas are reshaping tomorrow’s produce and floral landscape. Don’t miss the future of fresh. Freshsummit.com

Retail Produce TourOct. 22, 2015Atlanta, Georgia USAGet an insider’s look at what’s new in merchandising, packaging, technology, and in fruit and vegetables during the Retail Produce Tour. Walk away with plenty of innovative ideas and strategies that can be applied to your own business.pma.com/events/freshsummit/program/events-and-activities/retail-produce-tour

PMA Foundation Women’s Fresh Perspectives Leadership BreakfastOct. 23, 2015Atlanta, Georgia USABuild meaningful relation-ships and gain career insights from our inspirational guest speaker. During this seated breakfast, a mix of industry newcomers and seasoned veterans can exchange ideas and information, walking away ready for the challenges of the weekend. Space is limited, so register early.pma.com/events/freshsummit/program/events-and-activities/womens-fresh-perspectives-breakfast

PMA Foundation 5K Race for TalentOct. 24, 2015Enjoy a 3.1-mile one-loop course through downtown Atlanta. Proceeds benefit the development and execution of PMA Foundation’s mission to attract, develop and retain talent for the global produce and floral industry. Please note that you do not need to be registered for Fresh Sum-mit; family and friends are welcome to participate.pma.com/events/freshsum-mit/program/events-and-activities/5k-race-for-talent

PMA Foundation Pack Family Career Pathways ProgramOct. 22-25, 2015PMA Foundation Pack Family Career Pathways provides opportunities for university students and faculty to participate in career panel discussions, customized educational workshops, tours, social events and most impor-tantly to walk the show floor with a Career Ambassador.pmafoundation.com/pack-family-career-pathways-program/

NOVEMBERPMA Fruittrade Latin AmericaNov. 11-12, 2015PMA Fruittrade is where the global produce industry gathers to gain new contacts, new insights and new busi-ness opportunities in Latin America. Join more than 2,500 attendees and 175 exhibiting companies at this two-day conference.pmafruittrade.com

P R O D U C E M A R K E T I N G A S S O C I AT I O NP.O. Box 6036 Newark, DE 19714-6036 USA

Address Service Requested

pma fresh magazine

Documents