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The Changing Face of Tech

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fresh April 2015 Edition 1

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contentsA P R I L 2015

3 WELCOME LETTERPMA Science & Technology Committee Chair Dr. Elliott Grant shares highlights from this issue of fresh.

4 FLORAL A Glimpse Into the Future of Breeding

6 ISSUES LEADERSHIP U.S. Government Outlines Priorities for the Year Ahead

8 INDUSTRY TALENTA Conversation About Industry Talent

10 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGYTop Insights From Tech Talks

12 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGYFinal FSMA Regulations Are Coming

14 GLOBAL CONNECTIONS PMA Australia-New Zealand: Affi liate Launches Redesigned PMA Fresh Connections for 2015

18 GLOBAL CONNECTIONS New Tech Innovations Boost, Save Produce

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FEATURES20 AVOCADOS DOMINATE

THE SUPER BOWLThe history-making ad, “First Draft Ever,” aired at the end of the first quarter of Super Bowl XLIX.

22 OMNI-CHANNEL FULFILLMENT Produce and floral retailers are suppliers are moving further into the e-commerce sphere.

24 THE CHANGING FACE OF TECH26 Water Technology Breaks New Ground30 New Process Uses Iron Filings to Remove

Contaminants from Water32 The Future of 3D Printing34 Produce Monkey Helps Farmers Manage

Business On the Go36 Koppert Cress Blends Tech and Vegetables

for Unique Experience

38 ‘UGLY FRUIT’ MOVEMENT PICKS UP STEAM IN U.S.They may not be pretty, but they taste just as good as their more visually pleasing counterparts.

40 EAT BRIGHTER!™Participants Talk Marketing Strategies

COVER PHOTO: ©ISTOCK.COM/CARTHER; COVER ILLUSTRATION: ©ISTOCK.COM/BYGERMINA

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2 fresh April 2015 Edition

contents

44 UPCOMING PMA AND PMA FOUNDATION EVENTSSave the date!

45 WELCOME NEW PMA MEMBERS

46 PMA GOLD CIRCLE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS

48 2014 PMA FOUNDATION INDUSTRY TALENT FUND CONTRIBUTORS

50 MEMBER PROFILECalavo

52 MEMBER PROFILEJunction Solutions

54 MEMBER PROFILEWestlake Produce Company

56 MEMBER PROFILEAneberries

58 MEMBER PROFILERoyal Flowers

60 LAST WORD9 Buzzwords You Need to Know Today

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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 offi ces:[email protected]

Advertising offi ces:rfl [email protected]

Member services:[email protected]

© 2015 by Produce Marketing Association.

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

Executive EditorElizabeth Rich

Managing EditorDanielle Vickery

Art DirectorMarilyn Steranko

Design DirectorKelly Carter

Production ManagerJennifer Rodgers

Copy EditorToni Eaton

Advertising Sales ManagerRobyn Florio

fresh


HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY GROW?In 1957, academics at Iowa State University wanted to model how technology spreads. Ironically, their

idea was prompted by watching the purchase patterns of hybrid seed corn — and they called it technology diff usion. The idea became known as ‘Rogers’ bell curve’ and now predicts how technologies from DVDs to self-driving cars are adopted.

When a new technology emerges — such as zero valent iron, or Koppert Cress — early adopters will get excited, hype it, and claim it’s the next great thing. The true test of whether a technology will soar like smart phones — or stumble like a Segway — is whether it crosses the “chasm” and reaches the early majority of users who don’t fall in love with technology — but rather understand what it can do for them. Wider use by this early majority leads to a cascade of adoption and adaptation. Eventually, even the late adopters begin to use the technology — some simply because they’re afraid of falling behind, but others because the tech-nology itself has become simpler and more robust, cheaper and better suited to their needs.

Finally, there will always be the laggards: those who resist new technology and prefer things just the way they are, thank you very much. Sometimes this can become a sustainable niche (think: vinyl records) but usually it’s just the last gasp of a shrinking base (is anyone still watching on Betamax?).

PMA plays a crucial role in the adoption of technology by bringing new and emerging innovations to members. Whether you’re an early adopter shaping how these technologies emerge, or in the early major-ity looking for a competitive advantage, or even a late adopter waiting for the technology to be cheap and easy — I’m confi dent there’s something in here for you!

Dr. Elliott GrantChair, PMA Science & Technology CommitteeFounder & CTO, HarvestMark

welcome

fresh April 2015 Edition4

A Glimpse Into the Future of Breeding

Editor’s Note: The concept for this article came from conversations Becky Roberts, director of vol-unteer leadership relations and fl oral for PMA, had at IPM ESSEN, the international trade fair for plants.

Becky Roberts: What kinds of innovative technol-ogy are changing the future of breeding?

Yoshi Hamada, Sakata Seed America Inc.: Inter-specifi c hybridization and polyploidization will be more important to produce new cultivars. Embryo rescue techniques and molecular cytogenetic meth-ods have been used for interspecifi c hybrids in vari-

ous genera. For example, Profusion series is an inter-specifi c cross between two species Zinnia elegansand Zinnia angustifolia, inheriting the large fl owers from the elegans parent and the disease tolerance from the angustifolia parent. Profusion zinnias have the added benefi t of strong disease tolerance to al-ternaria and powdery mildew. In the landscape Zin-nia Profusion grows well in both cool and warm cli-mates. New canopies of fl owers continuously cover the old blooms for a clean and natural look.

Ori Danziger, Danziger Farms: There are many kinds of innovative technology that are changing

F LO R A L


present and future breeding. There are two main as-pects that are being improved at a tremendous pace, a) breeding program time is dramatically reduced; b) Accuracy and targeted breeding. The breeding process is naturally long and with new technolo-gies such as MAS (marker assisted technology) and special algorithms that determine which are the best crossings to make, valuable time is being saved while improving the accuracy of the breeding process and enabling to reach specifi c targets set in the breeding program. Genome of diff erent crops is known today and special technologies such as gene deletions and targeted mutation to genes will help achieve specifi c targets such as increasing vase life, productivity/yield, introducing new colors, etc.

Juan Ignacio Pineros, Galleria Farms: The sharp and harsh competition of today’s ornamental fl oral industry, has presented a tremendous challenge to breeders as it is diffi cult to maintain the level of fi nan-cial resources needed to improve technologically. To go into the transgenic or bioengineering techniques

requires a substantial amount of money and patience. In the fi eld of bedding and pot plants, such practices have produced a substantial change not only in ap-pearance but also in performance. In that segment of the industry it appears to be that some breeders have been able to maintain the technological level required. The fi eld of fresh cut fl owers has been less grateful to breeders as most probably the volumes they can aff ect do not bring to them in return the royalties needed to continue advancing in tech-niques. However, allow me to say that it is remarkable the eff orts like the ones of Florigene and Danziger in fl ower breeding developments. Florigene’s, because through a true transgenic process was able to create their “Moon Series Carnations and Minicarnations.” and have promise to deliver a true “blue rose.” And Danziger’s, who by means of introducing Memo-Gene technology, which is a non-GMO system, are guiding mutation with specifi c objectives. We are working very closely with Danziger on a new breed of chrysanthemum varieties that for sure will improve the value proposition to the fl oral market.

Sakata Seed America Inc. views interspecifi c hybridization and polyploidization as becoming more important in the future of breeding.

U.S. Government Outlines Priorities for the Year Ahead

primarily by one food safety agency — FDA. Rules by FDA, including FSMA, not only set the boundar-ies for U.S. companies, but for all companies glob-ally that are doing business in the United States. We haven’t seen the legislative language to be submitted by the President on this, and we don’t know when that will occur, but we look forward to hearings in the relevant committees of jurisdiction.

• User fees: The President’s budget proposes to add $190 million in new user fees, which are authorized under the Food Safety Modernization Act, but Congress has not permitted their implementation. Where programs provide an optional benefi t to individual companies, like the Voluntary Qualifi ed Importer Program proposed under FSMA, user fees certainly are an option that companies should be allowed to consider based on their own needs and priorities.

• Trade: The administration has placed a high priori-ty on fi nalizing key trade agreements in 2015, most notably the Trans-Pacifi c Partnership. The budget provides funding increases for implementation and industry sectors aff ected by the agreements.

• Research: The proposed budget proposes an increase of about $214 million in the National In-stitute for Food and Agriculture — which includes $80 million for the “Innovation Institutes” and $125

As part of PMA’s work in Issues Leadership — bringing our expertise and leadership to issues that aff ect members most — I wanted to update you on the priorities in the U.S. for the year ahead.

PRESIDENT OBAMA’S 2016 BUDGETOn Feb. 2, President Obama released his fi scal

year 2016 budget request, proposing $1.091 trillion in overall discretionary spending. This request is $74 billion above the $1.016 trillion budget cap, and a 7 percent increase from the top-line fi gure of $1.013 trillion from the prior year.

We’re still looking through 1,396-page budget request, and thousands more pages of explanatory documents, but pulled out a few items of impor-tance to members:

• Food Safety Modernization Act implementa-tion: As the Administration reviews the thousands of comments received on the proposed rules is-sued under the Food Safety Modernization Act, the President’s budget includes an additional $109 million in funding to FDA for FSMA implementa-tion for training, education and increasing FDA’s foreign presence and partnerships.

• Single food safety agency: A proposal to con-solidate food safety responsibilities into a single agency has been a popular topic for many years and we’ll continue to watch developments. Right now, the overwhelming produce safety focus is on implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act through the U.S. Food and Drug Administra-tion. The produce industry is already regulated

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


by Hunt Shipman, PMA’s Issues Leadership representative and partner at Cornerstone Government Affairs


million in competitive grants through the Agri-culture and Food Research Initiative. Research remains a key priority for PMA, especially food safety research, which is needed to ensure that safety practices and safety regulations are based on sound science. The budget also proposes $1.1 billion for USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, an increase of $59 million above the previous year’s funding. The increases will be focused, among other areas, on plant genetics and breeding and food safety.

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL 2016 PRIORITIESThere are several priorities for Congress on the

horizon that will aff ect the produce and fl oral indus-tries this year:

• Child Nutrition Reauthorization: This legislation, which comes up every fi ve years, aff ects the health of U.S. children and the health of the produce in-dustry where it advocates increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Previous iterations have increased the importance of fruits and vegetables in U.S. government programs on child nutrition. The 2010 bill gave rise to increased requirements for schools to serve children fruits and vegetables. PMA will be watching to discourage any backslid-ing on that and other important gains. This legisla-tion also addresses adult and child day care feed-ing programs (PMA is off ering comments on USDA revision of the existing program requirements), and the important Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

• Farm Bill implementation: Following passage of the farm bill just a year ago, the focus turns to implementation as USDA works to put the legisla-tion’s provisions in place. The 2014 bill contains programs like conservation, export and technical assistance, research, nutrition programs, and spe-cialty crop block grants. Those grants, totaling $72.5

million a year, allow states to support specialty crop growers with research, technical assistance, mar-keting programs, and more. The produce industry achieved key gains in the farm bill, including $80 million for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. The farm bill, which includes the Supplemental Nu-trition Assistance Program, also provides $100 mil-lion to increase consumer spending for fruits and vegetables. PMA will be active and will join with its partners, including the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alli-ance, to advocate for produce priorities during the ongoing implementation.

• Dietary Guidelines: By the time this article is pub-lished, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Commit-tee will have released its report, with the purpose of guiding U.S. nutrition policy decisions. Currently, the guidelines advise consumers to fi ll ‘half the plate’ with fruits and vegetables. While we don’t expect the committee’s report to backtrack on fruit and vegeta-ble consumption, we’ll examine the report to assess implications for our industry. In recent years this com-mittee’s guidance has led changes in school meals programs, WIC programs, and more.

• Trade: Congress is expected to take action on Trade Promotion Authority in the spring, which provides the Administration a single ‘up or down’ vote on trade agreements. This enables U.S. ne-gotiators to provide more certainty to the process and an incentive for negotiators from all countries to bring their best off er to the discussions without concern for eff ective renegotiation by Congress. We can also expect much debate on the Trans-Pacifi c Partnership agreement, as both Congress and the Administration deal with the major out-standing issues such as currency manipulation and intellectual property.

Stay in touch! Check out our Issues Leadership blog on www.pma.com for the latest updates and news.

The administra-tion has placed a high priority on finalizing key trade agree-ments in 2015, most notably the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”— Hunt Shipman

PMA’s Issues Leadership representative and partner at Cornerstone Government Affairs

“


Addressing the ‘War for Talent’

are relevant to the challenges businesses are facing in today’s technology-driven global environment.

Margi: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that job openings and hirings continue to rise. This confi dence encourages employees to search for new opportunities. Add to that, the signifi cant re-tirement rate of baby boomers!

Jorge: Why is this a problem for the industry?

Dick: Most companies realize turnover is expensive because of the cost to fi nd and train a new employ-ee in addition to “opportunity-lose cost during the vacancy.

Margi: Companies who don’t have the right hiring and retention strategies will have a challenge keep-ing talent. In fact, according to the 2013 Gallup re-port “State of the Global Workforce”:

“the bulk of employees worldwide — 63% — are “not engaged,” meaning they lack motivation and are less likely to invest discretionary eff ort in or-ganizational goals or outcomes. And 24% are “ac-tively disengaged,” indicating they are unhappy and unproductive at work and liable to spread negativity to coworkers.”

Dick Spezzano, president of Spezzano Consulting Services and board chair of PMA Foundation, and Margi Prueitt, PMA Foundation executive director and PMA senior vice president, recently chatted with Jorge Suarez, vice president of labor management at Paramount Farming and vice chair of PMA Founda-tion Talent Development Committee, about the importance of industry talent and how PMA Foundation is working to address some of the challenges surrounding industry talent.

Jorge Suarez: You certainly put a great deal of time into PMA Foundation. Why is it so important to you and the fresh produce and fl oral industry?

Dick: About a dozen years ago, a group of PMA members realized that the fresh produce and fl o-ral industry was unprepared to face the “war for talent.” This group had the foresight to address this by creating an organization with the mission to attract, develop and retain talent for the global produce and fl oral industry — PMA Foundation for Industry Talent. I got involved early on because nothing is more important to our member compa-nies — without the right people, business strate-gies just don’t succeed. I remain as excited now as I was then with the eff orts of PMA Foundation — the growth is amazing.

Jorge: What is diff erent about the talent situa-tion now than it was in the late 2000s?

Dick: Because of the recession, the war for talent didn’t materialize as soon as predicted; however, busi-nesses are now starting to see this challenge full-on. In my work, I am seeing the pendulum shift from em-ployer to job seeker. The good news is PMA Founda-tion has a full portfolio of customized programs that

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

Dick SpezzanoBoard Chair of PMA Foundation

Margi PrueittPMA Foundation Executive DirectorPMA Senior Vice President

Jorge: What is PMA Foundation doing to help the industry tackle this?

Dick: The Pack Family Career Pathways program is the premier program we use to attract university students to the industry. We have seven similar pro-grams that reach students from diff erent universi-ties, disciplines and geographic locations. The new-est program being held at PMA Tech Knowledge is a great example of our diversifi cation. To develop those in our industry, PMA Foundation provides four leadership development programs for people

at all stages of their career. Additional resources of-fered include free webinars for young professionals, a career bank and networking opportunities.

Margi: A recent Lee Hecht Harrison article sums it up well: “…The case for addressing it (retention) through career development remains strong, what-ever the condition….it’s not just that such an in-vestment lowers the quit rate and drives down the cost of recruitment and onboarding. It’s that it leads to a more agile and engaged workforce and stron-ger leadership pipeline.”

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Top Insights From Tech Talksingredients, changing consumer tastes and needs, and improved marketing strategies can form the foundation for innovation.

Data collection and computational capacity have evolved to the Internet of Everything. In a pre-sentation by Elaine Rideout, from Wiser Systems, participants got to see some next-generation in-novation focused on product traceability. In a program funded largely by USDA, traceability was viewed as an open architecture where a number of traceability technologies can be read by hand-held scanners and used to track inventory and improve inventory management and reduce product shrink.

Failure is learning. Innovation provocateur David Phillips focused on the “how” part of innovation. It is important to create an environment in which it is safe to fail, because that same environment also makes it safe to test new ideas and to be creative. Reward success and failure, and punish inactivity, to encourage active participation in the process. Finally, get out there with your product. Even a pro-totype permits you to learn, and that learning will drive refi nements that can lead to success.

It takes a team. At the end of the day, Phillips and the McColl Center in Charlotte, North Carolina di-rected a most unusual session that used techniques from the art world to demonstrate key elements to

PMA members recently converged on Charlotte, North Carolina for Tech Talks, a one-day event de-signed to examine the importance of innovation and the adoption of emerging technologies. This fast-paced learning experience featured expert speakers woven in with video vignettes and hands-on workshop sessions to help attendees under-stand the importance of innovative thinking and to examine what it actually takes to create corporate cultures where innovative thinking is rewarded.

Some key highlights from Tech Talks provide a roadmap for the produce industry as we seek to create innovative business cultures and integrate emerging technologies into our business operations

Needed changes are happening fast. We’ve of-ten heard the key to developing a corporate culture around innovation is making people more comfort-able about change and developing openness to new ideas. Change that is forced from the top down does not give employees a chance for authorship and eventually ownership of the change.

Ideas can come from anywhere; we just need to recognize them. A number of entrepreneurs came to share stories about their innovative process. Julie Busha, of Slawsa, presented her journey to devel-opment of a “new” product — really over 10 years old — that combines elements of a relish and salsa for use with barbecued foods and others. Improved

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

by Dr. Bob Whitaker PMA Chief Science and Technology Officer


successfully operating corporate innovation teams. Participants used children’s play dough to create shapes — without further instruction as to what those shapes should be, and then refi ned those shapes to create a “product.” Along the way, participants discov-ered some critically important aspects of successful innovation activities: Have a plan, adapt to change, diversify your development team, learn and modify, and learn to string technologies and ideas together.

On May 12-13, 2015, PMA will present Tech

Knowledge, the companion event to Tech Talks. This two-day event, held in Monterey, California, takes a deeper dive into the world of emerging technolo-gies and those that might still be just over the ho-rizon. Attendees will be exposed to new technolo-gies and given the tools to help them understand how these technologies might be employed in the produce industry. I hope to see you there.

For more about our technology off erings, visit pma.com.

Participants used children’s play dough to create shapes — without further instruction as to what

those shapes should be, and then refi ned those shapes to create a “product.”

PMA president Cathy Burns and Julie Busha of Slawsa, at the McColl Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.


Among the things PMA suggested be changed in the fi nal regulation was to regulate on-farm packinghouse operations under the produce rule regardless of whether the operators accepted raw commodities from other growers for packing. Un-der the original FDA proposals, operators would have to conduct packing under the produce rule for their raw products but switch over to the pre-ventive controls rule for accepting their neighbors’ raw commodities to pack.

In its public comments submitted to the FDA, PMA stated that having packers have to implement the produce rule for some aspects of their opera-tions and the preventive controls rules for others would cause unnecessary confusion and take the focus away from packing raw agricultural commod-ities safely and eff ectively.

“It is important that raw commodities like tree fruits, melons and tomatoes and are packed with food safety top of mind,” Whitaker said. “the produce regulation provides clear direction on food safety for these types of operations and gives producers a clear path forward for developing food safety pro-grams to manage any cross contamination risks.”

The preventive controls for human foods regula-tion ise intended for food manufacturing operations.

In fact, it was contamination in products like bagged spinach and peanut butter in the past de-cade that led to passage of the FSMA legislation.

In February, the FDA said it was asking for a $109.5 million increase in this year’s federal budget to help implement FSMA. More than half of that will go towards a new national integrated food system,

FDA Prepares to Finalize FSMA Regulations

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

Final regulations associated with U.S. Food Safe-ty Modernization Act, are coming and the Produce Marketing Association wants to make sure they’re fair and helpful.

Passed into law in 2011, this Federal Act, known as the Food Safety Modernization Act or FSMA, is the most sweeping reform in our food safety laws in 70 years, giving the Food and Drug Administration new inspection powers and creating multiple new regu-lations that aff ect every aspect of the food business.

The FDA is required by FSMA to issue new regu-lations and it is anticipated that they will do so in the summer and fall of 2015 and the fall of 2016.

Last year, the PMA and other industry stakehold-ers provided suggested changes to the FDA so as to make the fi nal regulations more practical to implement and enhance the safety of produce for all consumers.

And now, as the FDA is preparing to make those FSMA regulations fi nal, PMA has adopted a new role: making sure the rules work.

“This is a real pivotal time regarding FSMA,” says Bob Whitaker, Chief Science and Technology Offi cer for the PMA. “You really start focusing on how these regulations are going to be implemented by indus-try and government inspectors checking for com-pliance. How are they going to train both producers and inspectors? Who’s going to do the training and who is going to pay for it?”

When the FDA asked the food industry to com-ment on revised FSMA regulation proposals last year, PMA and its members were one of the groups off ering extensive input.

by Tom Coombe

and to training new inspectors.That’s the cost for taxpayers, but what will the

changes cost growers?Whitaker said that will depend “on the type of

organization you have, what kind of crops you’re growing, and what kind of food safety programs you’ve got in place already.”

For some growers, the changes to the FMSA won’t be a big deal. “They’ve already been doing risk-based food safety programs and FSMA is really an affi rmation of what they have in place with per-haps some minor alterations,” said Whitaker.

But in other cases: “If you’ve been sitting on your hands regarding food safety...then I think there will be great deal of anxiety and some catching up to do.”

That’s why the PMA off ers training, he says. Last year’s Fresh Summit in Anaheim featured a session about the FSMA with FDA and industry experts. Producers who were interested in upcoming FSMA food safety changes wanted to start educating themselves and share information.

You can read more about the FSMA proposed regulations or listen to a webinar about the FDA’s Preventive Controls for Human Foods, Foreign Sup-plier Verifi cation Program and Produce Safety regu-lations that were issued last September on PMA’s website: pma.com/topics/food-safety/fsma

“It takes eff ort,” Whitaker says. “And it’s more of a people cost than anything else. You’ve got to engage.”


PMA Fresh Connections:

Australia-New Zealand Debuts Redesign

Australasian region, PMA Fresh Connections has worked in close consultation and collaboration with organisations including the Australian Horti-cultural Exporters’ Association, Australian Organic, Fresh State, and a number of foodservice opera-tors and independent retailers, to off er the jam-packed day of forums, master classes, leadership events and tours on day three of the event.

“The Special Interest Groups Day will include forums on sustainability, organics, export, inde-pendent retail, and foodservice, and a Horticulture Centre of Excellence Master Class, all of which are designed specifi cally for those industry segments” said Mr Said.

“It will also include the annual conference tour, which will visit the new Epping Wholesale Markets and specialty retailers, and the inaugural Women’s Fresh Perspectives Leadership Brunch” he added.

In partnership with Woolworths and CHEP, Tuesday 12th May will be dedicated to the Con-ference, building on PMA Fresh Connections: Australia-New Zealand’s reputation as the in-dustry leader for local and global educational

PMA Australia-New Zealand has announced multiple industry partnerships from across the fresh produce value chain to present a brand new Spe-cial Interest Groups Day as part of the redesigned PMA Fresh Connections: Australia-New Zealand, 12-14 May 2015 in Melbourne.

Designed to address key issues, trends and industry developments for specifi c industry seg-ments, the Special Interest Groups Day is part of a new three-day structure launched for PMA Fresh Connections: Australia-New Zealand, which for the fi rst time sees the conference and trade show run on separate days.

“PMA Fresh Connections: Australia-New Zealand is designed to connect members of the diverse fresh produce industry to the ideas, information, tools and people they need to grow their business; but we also recognise that diff erent segments of the industry have their own unique needs,” said John Said, Chairman of PMA Australia-New Zealand.

The largest information, education and net-working event to bring together the entire fresh fruit, vegetable and fl oral value chains in the

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

by Erin HartMarketing Communications ManagerPMA Australia-New Zealand


Speaker Salah Sukkarieh

12–14 MAY 2015

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

REGISTER NOW!

WWW.PMAFRESHCONNECTIONS.COM.AU/REGISTER

content. Keynote speakers will include Jeff Dunn, President — Packaged Fresh at Campbell Soup Co. (USA) on Changing the way we market to consumers; Chris Riddell, Futurist & Digital Strate-gist (AUS) on Winning Tomorrow’s Customers with Digital; and Dan’l Mackey Almy, President & CEO of DMA Solutions (USA), on Beyond the sale: how marketing can grow your fresh produce business. Concurrent sessions will feature a range of topics from technology to research and development, succession planning to quality assurance.

Held in partnership with The Australian Cham-ber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries, May 13th will off er a huge day of prime Trade Show time to meet with buyers, source new suppliers, and make new business connections. With trade show day

beginning and ending with perennial favourites the Welcome Breakfast and Gala Dinner, and ma-jor retailers scheduled to hold meetings within the trade show throughout the day, trade show atten-dance is expected to be at a record high at more than 1000 attendees.

“If you want the chance to meet with buyers from the major or independent retailers, to source new inputs providers, to get up close to cutting edge technologies and innovations, even to check out the competition; you’re not going to get every single one of those things all under the one roof at any other trade show in Australia or New Zea-land — and certainly not at that price” said Mr Said.

For full details and to register, please visit pma-freshconnections.com.au/register.


ROBOTICS AND INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS OFFER MYRIAD BENEFITS BEYOND LABOR SAVINGS

University of Sydney robotics professor Salah Sukkarieh, Ph.D., had two key messages for PMA Fresh Connections attendees last year: The fresh produce industry can learn much from other industries that are already using robotics and intel-ligent systems (IS); and robotics and IS offer benefits well beyond mitigat-ing labor cost and labor availability.

First, to define terms: “When we talk about ‘field robotics’… we are not talking about things that look lie the Terminator walking through a field with a hoe, removing weeds,” Sukkarieh told delegates. Instead, today’s robots are existing machines that have had their cabins replaced with sensors and other elements to make the machines intelligent.

IS goes beyond robotics to look at “large-scale data analytics, data mining, optimization algorithms and machine learning, and how they all work together,” he explained. IS can ultimately move information up and down the supply chain.

“We aren’t saying we don’t want humans. We’re saying that today’s world is a lot more complex, there is lots more information… In some cases [analyzing all that] can only be done, or can be done better, by hardware,” said Sukkarieh.

Real-world examples reveal fresh produce opportunities

To expose fresh produce industry delegates to the potential offered by farm robotics and IS, Sukkarieh pro-vided many examples from Australia and around the world:

• Automated shipping container straddle carriers, now in use at the Brisbane shipping port.

• Automated Rio Tinto mining operations, including autonomous drilling rigs that can measure soil properties.

• Unmanned air vehicles used on large-scale Australian cattle farms, which use sensors to differentiate invasive tree species from native ones, to mark them for removal.

• An exoskeleton to aid Japan’s aging farmers.

• An automated slugbot that can detect, pick up and “devour” slugs.

• A hortibot from Denmark that automates mowing.

• A multiwheeled, crop-monitoring robot in Germany.

• Israeli date sprayers with sophisti-cated manipulator arms to precise-ly spray only the fruit.

• An autonomous strawberry harvester that should be commer-cially available soon.

Benefi ts extend far beyond labor While most people tend to think

of robotics and IS as a means to reduce labor cost or to respond to la-bor unavailability, Sukkarieh stressed that the benefits extend well beyond labor — including improving land productivity.

To demonstrate, he presented data on labor and land productivity by country over the past 50 years. In Western countries for example, were productivity has flattened, robotics

can help make advancements. The benefits don’t stop at improv-

ing land productivity, either. “In addition, and sometimes of greater value,” he said, are benefits such as:

• Increased predictability: For example, the Brisbane port can predict “almost smack on” what the straddle carriers will have achieved six hours later, impossible to do with humans.

• Increased fuel and energy efficien-cy: Automating machines brings substantial fuel savings because “humans are hopeless at driving,” he quipped.

• Decreased environmental impact: The centre’s Ladybird automated sprayer can “completely slash” her-bicide use by targeting weeds only for application.

• Better disease and pest identifica-tion, using robotic sensors and IS.

Sukkarieh urged the fresh pro-duce industry to consider how to standardize its farm operations, such as the cereals industry has done, to facilitate the use of robotics and IS. He cited the example of apple industry research into two-dimen-sional tree trellis architecture in its orchards.

“If we can structure the farm a lot better, we can make automation easier,” he said. “You might think these things are far away or aren’t relevant. Those are the same com-ments we’ve heard from every other industry — and every other industry has taken it on.”

by Julia Stewart


New Tech Innovations Boost, Save Produce

times are shorter and costs are lower.Thanks to a partnership between the Founda-

tion for Agricultural Innovation, the Ministry of Ag-riculture and the Innovation for Competitiveness Fund, the system could pack a double punch of being up to five times more efficient than conven-tional methods, making it a very environmentally friendly process. It could also be easily adapted to other regions, further supporting the local agricul-ture industry.

In Brazil, a new device is helping solve a prob-lem that’s already cost farmers in Florida about $4.5 billion — citrus greening, or Huanglongbing. The fatal disease affects citrus trees, and 27 million have been cut down in Brazil alone. Trees can be asymp-tomatic for a year and a half, while still remaining contagious and infecting others, according to an article on FreshFruitPortal.com.

Developed over two years by Instituto de Física de São Carlos professor Jarbas Caiado de Castro Neto, in coordination with the Brazilian Corpora-tion of Agricultural Research (EMBRAPA), the device has an 85 to 90 percent accuracy rate, compared to only 30 to 60 percent for visually inspecting the trees’ leaves. It works by projecting an LED with a specific wavelength onto the leaf, measuring the re-turn light on a spectrometer. Based on the sample returned, the operator can determine if the tree is infected or not. So far it only works for certain or-ange tree varieties, but developers have hopes to expand that reach in the future.

Many industries have realized at this point that embracing technology is more than just a key to suc-cess — it’s downright crucial. Two South American countries have been working to make the best of innovations at hand, and they’re seeing great results.

An initiative in Chile has made it possible for a greenhouse to be heated entirely with geothermal energy, according to a recent article published by FreshFruitPortal.com. What makes the project so unique is that the temperature is dynamically con-trolled, depending on the crops’ specific needs. This means production yields are higher, growth

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by Jenna Rittenhouse

An initiative in Chile has made it possible for a greenhouse to be heated entirely with geothermal energy.

““

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Avocados Dominate the Super Bowl

Avocados are having a moment in the spotlight. While the fruit has always been popular

in California, the rest of the country continues to catch on — and sales are surging. This momentum has

created a perfect opportunity for Avocados From Mexico to showcase their product on a larger platform.

And for advertising, there’s nothing bigger than the Super Bowl.

“Avocados From Mexico is very excited to join the ranks of top advertisers during the Big Game and reign as the first fresh produce brand to broadcast an ad during the biggest American professional sporting event of the year,” noted Alvaro Luque, Pres-ident of Avocados From Mexico.

To prepare for their history-making Super Bowl ad, Avoca-dos From Mexico reached out to several advertising agencies in March 2014. They developed the idea over the course of the year, resulting in a single 30-second spot, “First Draft Ever,” that aired at the end of the first quarter of Super Bowl XLIX.

“It’s been a long process,” Luque said. “But one surprising thing is how many doors can open by participating in an event like this.”

Avocados From Mexico has been focused on brand building over the past several years, and it’s a strategy that’s paid off. January 2014 was the company’s biggest month — which they attributed to the easy marriage between guacamole and football. In fact, one

by Elissa Vallano

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avocados

of their key objectives has been to “own” guacamole consumption during football season, and so far, they’re right on track.

Hass avocados, which constitute more than 95 percent of all avocados consumed in the U.S., hit a record of 1.9 billion pounds last year. Avocados From Mexico represented about 70 percent of that volume, and for 2014-2015, the company’s export projection is even higher — 15 percent higher to be exact.

“The popularity of avocados in the U.S. is on a mercurial rise, and we want to ensure that momentum continues,” Luque said.

The avocado’s road to success has been nothing short of im-pressive. When the U.S. government lifted a ban on avocado im-ports from Mexico in the late 1990s, availability increased substan-tially. The average American went from eating about 1.5 pounds of avocados per year in the late 1990s to 5 pounds per year in 2012. And that number continues to grow as more Americans em-brace healthier ingredients in their diet.

“The ad continues the trend toward good-for-you choices ad-vertised in a big way, and we’re thrilled to be a part of that impor-tant shift,” Luque said.

While Avocados From Mexico has been focused on guacamole, they’re quick to highlight how versatile avocados can be overall. Since the Super Bowl ad aired, they’ve now geared their marketing pro-gram toward the consumption of avocados in sandwiches, salads, soups and sides. The company has partnered with Jeff Mauro — “The Sandwich King” and co-host of “The Kitchen” — for a series of in-store supermarket promotions called Fanwich. It’s an exciting time for Avo-cados From Mexico, and the company has no plans to slow down.

“Our clients and partners know we are making history here for the fresh produce industry, and they are supporting us,” Luque said. “This is a success story for all of the industry, and we really hope that other f resh produce brands can join this effort in the upcoming years.”

Alvaro Luque, president of Avocados from Mexico


Striking a balanceThe brick-and-mortar model may not

be the best way for the produce and fl oral industries to reach customers anymore, and suppliers alike should take the time to evalu-ate whether their companies could benefi t from streamlining their process. To success-fully move to an omni-channel fulfi llment system, the company must prepare at every level of the supply chain, including vendors, distribution centers and retail stores.

The movement to omni-channel fulfi ll-ment requires companies to re-think many of its business practices: from marketing,

to maximizing the customer experience, to payment systems, to inventory and order management. And, omni-channel is not without risks. Fulfi lment can be expensive and tricky to maintain quality and fresh-ness of produce for home delivery op-tions, especially for those items that spoil or damage easily.

Groceries for the tech-savvyA Business Insider in-depth report states

that the grocery industry in the US is the $600 billion business, with a projected com-pound annual growth rate of 21.1 percent

for online grocery sales between 2013 and 2018. In contrast, traditional grocery sales are only expected to rise 3.1 percent annually.

The survey notes that while only 15 per-cent of US adults have purchased general grocery products online, a higher, more signifi cant 25 percent said they’ve bought specialty items that can’t easily be found elsewhere. New companies are jumping on board with this trend, off ering services like concierge shopping and subscription-based prepared meals. Twenty-fi ve per-cent of Millennials (ages 18-36) who took the survey said they would pay more for

by Jenna Rittenhouse

It seems as though everything can be done online these days. Consumers can video chat with faraway relatives, turn

off the lights at home and even fi nd a spouse. In keeping with the trend, retailers and produce and fl oral suppliers are

moving into the e-commerce sphere. But along with the benefi ts of meeting and exceeding customer expectations

come issues like expensive home delivery costs and fi guring out how to optimize the process.

“Omni-channel” fulfi llment is shaking up the way things have always been done. In recent years, the “multichannel”

concept morphed into “omni-channel,” and these buzzwords are often used interchangeably — but they’re not exactly

the same concept. Multi means “more than two” and omni means “every.” You can operate in as many “channels” as you

want, but you’re not an omni-channel business unless there is interconnectedness between every touch point from the

perspective of the consumer.

Omni-Channel Fulfillment


same-day delivery. Giants like Amazon, eBay and Google are beginning to off er this option for their products, and the re-port suggests it may not be long before produce retailers follow suit.

Meanwhile, established brands are wading into the waters of “click-and-col-lect” options, which allow users to place an order online and pick it up at their physical store. This eliminates the prob-lems associated with the individual home delivery model. Factors like limited access to residential areas, traffi c delays, and other transportation issues no longer need to be taken into consideration.

Finding fl oral’s nicheThe fl oral industry is not new to the

same-day delivery mode or e-commerce; in fact, Association of Floral Importers of Florida Executive Vice President Chris-tine Boldt says they’ve been ahead of the game using just that for decades.

“We’ve done a great job in getting fl owers everywhere,” she says. “Our big-gest problem…is we don’t tell people to buy them.”

A report by Euromonitor International for PMA states e-commerce is gaining sig-nifi cant importance in the fl oral industry, and “businesses able to invest in these capabilities and leverage online sales…will likely benefi t from the substantial op-portunities.”

Produce and fl oral retail is becoming more complex and changing at an ever-increasing speed. It requires retailers to understand and act upon analytics, be more tech savvy than ever before, and to see their businesses through their custom-ers’ eyes. It will require retailers to become omni-channel. PH

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Disruptive technology in the produce and fl oral industries is about much more than speed and convenience. It’s what we need in order to deal with some of our world’s startling realities.

It comes in many diff erent forms — both big and small. New tech-nology is helping to purify our water, as well as create a whole new variety of micro vegetable.

Technology has led to developments in drought-stricken areas and has streamlined the buying and selling process so that growers are more effi cient and consumers are more satisfi ed.

The following pages are fi lled with stories about new technology and the people who inspire it. These advancements are just a snap-shot of what we can accomplish.

THE CHANGING FACE OF TECH

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WATER TECHNOLOGYBREAKS NEW GROUND

by Elissa Vallano


In many ways, the future of agriculture looks bright. Satellite imagery, GPS mapping, and fl ow monitors are just a few of the ways technology is pushing the industry forward. But even with

these advances, the future is getting drier. In fact, water crises ranked fi rst on the list of global risks at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, sur-passing war and energy prices in terms of impact. This year, environmental risks, such as the water cri-sis, far overshadowed economic risks — highlight-ing a growing threat that could have catastrophic consequences on the agriculture industry.

According to the Encyclopedia of Earth, nearly 2 billion people live with water scarcity, and this number is expected to rise to 4 billion by 2025, un-less radical reforms emerge. There is a shortage of water worldwide which will force produce and fl o-ral production to move to where there are better solutions and turn to technology. To combat this

problem, companies across the globe are revolu-tionizing the way we get and use water.

Drip irrigation is a sustainable method favored by most farmers because it saves water and fer-tilizer. It has been adopted most widely in areas of severe water scarcity. With increased interest worldwide, Israel is marketing its waste water re-use technologies in conjunction with drip irriga-tion and has developed a billion-dollar industry by sharing systems and expertise.

“There is a consistent decrease in water avail-ability that drives farmers to move to drip irriga-tion,” Dubi Raz, corporate agronomy director for Netafi m, said, a global irrigation pioneer in Israel. “And more than 500 million farmers are small hold-ers. So for them, we fi rst need to create a water source. That’s why using recycled water for agri-culture is essential. In Israel, we’ve really got it very advanced. I’d say that 75 percent of agriculture PH

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greater analyze and gather data? Plant roots are able to relay real-time soil-moisture conditions with appropriate water sensors that mimic what roots are experiencing under the soil profi le. They can tip you off when it’s time to irrigate or to hold off on watering, saving water and ultimately mon-ey. Today, devices measure critical environmental factors like temperature, humidity, light, and water. And because the sensors all connect to a central processor, users get access to real-time updates on their smartphones.

“Agriculture is changing,” Raz said. “Because there is a lack of labor, it will be fully mechanized. The next generation of farmers will not wear mud-

irrigation water is recycled.”Agricola Cerro Prieto also is using drip irrigation

to boost agricultural water resources in Peru. It was the fi rst private irrigation project in the country without government support, so the team faced numerous challenges, including property and water rights and acceptance from the local com-munity. But through the construction of hundreds of kilometers of pipes, Agricola Cerro Prieto nur-tured thousands of acres of irrigable farm land in the desert.

“In drip, we save 50 percent of the water, and we can double the yield,” Raz said.

And where would we be without the ability to

Farmers in India meet to discuss irrigation strategy with Dubi Raz of Netafi m.


dy boots. They want to run their fi elds with smart-phones — and actually we can.”

One promising technology is desalination, the removal of dissolved salts from water; however, it is a costly and energy intensive process. In Chile, they’re working to make desalination more sus-tainable through solar-power. Chile is harnessing the power of solar energy at a desalination facil-ity in the Atacama Desert’s Lluta Valley. Fundación Chile, a government-funded technology promoter, started the plant to further develop a production process that utilizes membrane separation tech-nologies to combat high salinity in the region’s water supply.

“What we want is to demonstrate the use of a membrane technology that has a low consump-tion of energy, using solar energy for conditioning brackish waters at competitive prices,” Carolina Cuevas, head of solar projects at Fundación Chile, said in a statement. “Thus, we expect to promote the agricultural activity in the Region of Arica and Parinacota of northern Chile.”

As governments and organizations around the world work to crack the desalination code, a team of researchers might have found hope in an unlikely place — beneath the seabed. A study published in Nature last year pointed to massive freshwater reserves (about 120,000 cubic miles) out from shore that could be mined and used for consumption. Dr. Vincent Post of Flinders Univer-sity in Australia, lead author of the study, said the freshwater resources are relatively easy to access by drilling into the seabed, or by drilling from land close to the aquifers. While off shore drilling can be expensive, the quality of the water makes it more cost-eff ective and less energy-intensive than de-salination.

“Knowing about these reserves is great news because this volume of water could sustain some regions for decades,” Post said in a written state-ment about his study.

Many countries are choosing to go back to the basics — by strengthening their water infra-structure. FCC Aqualia, the third largest private water company in Europe and sixth in the world, is working to improve access to water in Mexico. One project is the construction a steel pipeline to supply drinking water to areas on the outskirts of Mexico City. Another project in the state of Tabas-co is renovating an intake system in the Mezcalpa River used to supply water to the Cactus and Nue-vo Pemex gas processing centers. Both promise to provide much-needed water services.

Chinese scientists believe that breeding new drought-tolerant crop varieties is the key to easing the country’s chronic water scarcity, according to Xinhua News Agency. Experts made the remarks in early January 2015 at a forum on water conserva-tion and agriculture, noting that the lack of water poses a signifi cant threat to China’s food security. High water consumption and low effi ciency has led to over-exploitation of water resources as well as to ecosystem degradation. With the develop-ment of new drought-tolerant crops, agro-scien-tists hope to ease water constraints and better guarantee food security and ecosystem health. While water-saving irrigation techniques often require signifi cant investments in infrastructure and equipment, giving farmers new varieties of drought-tolerant seed is considered an easier and possibly cheaper approach.

For companies like FCC Aqualia and Netafi m, achieving lasting results relies on constantly stay-ing one step ahead of global water challenges. Rising demand and depleting resources mean more companies need to think outside the box to save water and ensure food security without hurting the environment. Whether it’s mobile apps, desalination, or irrigation effi ciency, there’s no doubt that technology is changing the water game — and giving new hope to countries strug-gling with limited resources


The term “zero valent iron” may not mean anything to you.

But but it could someday mean the dif-ference between your food being grown

with healthy water or with water that could make you sick.

Researchers at the University of Delaware are working on a way to make this happen, using zero valent iron (ZVI) to remove viruses, bacteria and other contaminants from water.

Among the researchers leading the project is Dr. Kali Kniel, a member of the university’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources since 2004.

Kniel has been at the university since 2004. She started her studies at Virginia Tech, getting her mas-ter’s in cell biology before moving onto the fi elds of food microbiology and infectious disease. Microbes, she says, have always intrigued her.

“The part about the microbes that always fasci-nates me is that they’re always changing,” Kniel says. “You put up a roadblock, and they’re able to get around it.”

And that’s what’s happening in the work Kniel and her colleagues are doing. They’re using ZVI to catch food-borne illnesses like salmonella and E. coli, as well as strains of viruses, cleansing them from wa-ter before they can get to our food.

You know the saying “It’ll take a thief to catch a thief”? Well, this is a case of taking using a small particle

to catch another small particle.The ZVI comes in the form of iron fi lings, a waste

product from manufacturing. The fi lings go in the water, the water passes over them and the iron be-comes oxides.

“As that’s going on, within the matrix of the wa-ter and ZVI, there’s absorption of microorganisms,”

NEW PROCESS USES IRON FILINGS TO REMOVE CONTAMINANTS FROM WATERby Tom Coombe


said Kniel. ZVI has already been shown to be eff ective in

treating water for pollutants. There are groundwa-ter remediation facilities that use large ZVI walls to cleanse the water of contaminants.

Kniel is working with two other professors at UD: Dr. Pei Chiu, a civil and environmental engineer, and Dr. Yan Jin, who is a soil physicist. Also collaborating with them is Dr. Manan Sharma, a microbiologist at the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricul-tural Research Service.

Their work has gotten notice outside of the aca-demic world.

“Here’s a cheap, easy way to purify water,” says Bob Whitaker, Chief Science and Technology Offi cer for the Produce Marketing Association. “It can certainly be used by farmers. It can be used for virtually any use purpose when you’re trying to clean up water. It’s

cheap. It’s just scrap metal. There’s no energy involved.”That isn’t to say that every farmer in the country

can start using ZVI tomorrow. Kniel said the process is probably better for smaller farms, “not someone pumping 100,000 gallons per minute.”

Plus, someone needs to design and build a work-ing system.

And In addition, Kniel said there are still some unanswered questions. In some studies, it seemed as if organisms needed to be in contact with ZVI for “seconds to minutes” in order for the process to work. Other more recent experiments suggest the contact time can be much shorter.

There’s also the question of when ZVI wears out. “If you have very clean water, the ZVI can last for

a long time,” Kniel saidnoted. “Those barriers in the ground, they can last for years. It really depends on the water quality.” PH

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Mike Nagle, business development manager at Advanced Technology Systems, spoke recently at Tech Talks and will be speaking at Tech Knowledge and Fresh Connections: Australia-New Zealand in May. Nagle talks about 3D printing, as well as its many implications for the industry.

Ashley Boucher: How is the produce industry currently using 3D printing?

Nagle: First and foremost, for packaging and proto-typing and production, to actually make the packag-ing itself. We have a number of customers, take for example egg cartons, who are making paper molds out of 3D printed parts to make various shapes and sizes to produce better packaging for their prod-ucts. So if there are design changes, if they want it to be greener with their design process and use the least amount of material as possible, 3D printing al-lows them to make a cheap tool and then be able to make a custom part based on the demand of the customer. So that’s one part of it. Of course there’s the prototyping side, not related directly to food but rather food products overall, so point-of-purchase displays and things like that from actual grocery stores and convenience stores from customers that are actually selling the food for the manufacturer or producer. Also, 3D printing a lot of those parts to fi t all the diff erent sizes of packaging and products to make it look presentable on the shelf is becoming more and more important to a lot of chains.

THE FUTURE OF 3D PRINTINGby Ashley Boucher, PMA Public Relations Manager


Ashley: What are other industries doing now with 3D printing that the produce industry/ag-riculture isn’t?

Nagle: I work quite a bit with medical. I work a lot in the Mid-West and in the northern United States — we refer to it here as “medical alley,” but we have a lot of medical device, medical service and medical institutions that are heavily invested in 3D printing; they’ve had the systems for a long time, they’ve had the materials for a long time. We’ve learned a lot about them in regards to cus-tomization, but the one thing I think we’re learn-ing from other industries — customization being one of them, consumer products being anoth-er — we’re starting to move away from a culture, or a population of really, really high quantity products that are all the same and starting to move toward lower quantities that are highly customized for the customer. So every customer out there buy-ing, you know, whether it’s a new cellphone case or medical device, whatever it is, we’re trying to get to a spot where it is customized for the end user. And I can see that concept, at least the con-cept, being interesting for the food and produce industries. For example, even just like, the amount of food in each serving, right, so if you’re a family of two vs. a family of four vs. a family of eight, most things out there that we’re buying and consuming are kind of made for families because the producer or manufacturer believe that this is an appropri-ate amount of food for a good cost and a good return on that investment. I can see it being a little bit more of a unique capability to make cheaper packaging quicker and lower amounts of food for single people or couples or older people, and kind of give a little bit more options instead of just from a product standpoint being able to off er, let’s just say, multiple sizes or varieties within a brand line.

Ashley: Do you see food printing being an op-portunity for the produce industry or a threat to the goal of increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables?

Nagle: To someone in the manufacturing world, the 3D printing food concept is a little bit unique just because we think, or I think personally, we’ve already been sort of 3D printing food already. If you look at the way some of our printers print, it’s a method called FDM, which stand for fused deposition mod-eling, and it’s basically starting with a raw mate-rial that’s heated up and extruded through a tip and then it’s basically building that part layer upon layer upon layer, so it’s an additive process. If you compare that to a production line, say, making cupcakes that have frosting on them where they are making tons and tons and tons of them, it’s a very similar process on the automation line where the frosting is being deposited onto the baked good for end-use product. So the 3D concept is there, and I actually think there is some opportunity for the produce world to learn from 3D printing, and I also think there’s an opportu-nity for 3D printing to learn from the produce indus-try. One of the main diff erences is that our material is actually for most of our product line is the same be-fore it’s printed as it is after it’s printed. Whereas if you take food, if you wanted to make a cookie, you’d have various amounts of ingredients before you bake the cookie — or when you go from start to fi nish — the physical properties of that are going to change. So that is the diff erence between printing an object where you’re starting with the same material and just altering the shape basically to getting your end-use product, whereas in the produce world or the baking world or the automation world of food making the properties are changing throughout that process. So I think that’s going to be the challenge but also a good opportunity for us to eventually capitalize and help produce companies become more effi cient with their time and their processes.

The 3D concept is there, and I actually think there is some opportunity for the produce world to learn from 3D print-ing, and I also think there’s an opportunity for 3D printing to learn from the produce industry.”— Mike Nagle,

Business Develop-ment Manager at Advanced Technology Systems

“


A third-generation sweet potato, almond and tree fruit farmer, Ben Silva, sought a way to manage his offi ce from home, the road…or anywhere in between.

Silva has been in the industry for almost 25 years, managing his family’s farm and packing house in Livingston, California, and managing the day-to-day operations with his brother, Aaron Silva.

Running a produce business and being on the go at the same time was “not an easy task by any means,” Ben Silva said.

“I fi gured if it was diffi cult for me to be on the road and effi ciently run my offi ce at the same time,” it would likely be just as challenging for other farm-ers, he said.

Since there wasn’t a solution to allow him true business mobility, short of taking the farm on the road with him, Ben Silva decided to create one.

“How could I build that and benefi t not only my-self but my industry colleagues and peers as well?” he wondered.

Enter Produce Monkey, an Android- or iPhone-powered, social media web-based software pro-

PRODUCE MONKEY HELPS FARMERS MANAGE BUSINESS ON THE GOby Theresa Katalinas


gram app that brings buyers and sellers together in real time. It features online pricing functionality, the ability for buyers and sellers to create purchase orders, track transactions and more.

Two years after Ben Silva’s idea materialized, he founded Produce Monkey Corp, based in Palo Alto, California, in January 2014. Since the application’s release on May 1, roughly 1,000 people have been actively using it and that number “steadily climbs on a daily basis.”

The app adds up to huge time savings and con-venience. Users are able to access their contact lists within the Produce Monkey account and make calls, or send or check messages directly from the plat-form. It also provides users the ability to connect to social media.

“It keeps you connected to the ones that matter most,” Silva said. Another benefi t for buyers, sellers, industry services and others connected to the farm-ing industry is its ability to help close sales. “You can promote your product to a targeted demographic. If a grower, packer, shipper, or industry services pro-

fessional has a certain product they are trying to move, Produce Monkey will be able to target that specifi c model, increasing your chances of success and connecting you to your target, not only effi -ciently but cost eff ectively.”

Produce Monkey is in its second round of de-velopment with many more tools and new func-tionality in the works, according to Silva. Those up-grades are planned for completion within the next few months. The goal and mission of the existing Produce Monkey app, as well as the forthcoming improved model, is to create a user-friendly inter-face built specifi cally for the produce industry, while adding value to users’ day-to-day lives.

“The tools that are available now and the tools that I plan to develop in the future will always be top priority in creating an on-the-go, time-saving online community that will always keep you con-nected no matter where you are,” Silva said.

And, for Silva, who said his family farm and pack-ing house is his “fi rst love” and his “life,” making busi-ness operations easier is key.

If a grower, packer, shipper or industry services profes-sional has a certain product they are trying to move, Produce Monkey will be able to target that specific model.”— Ben Silva

founder and CEO, Produce Monkey

“


Specializing in “cresses,” or seedlings of unique and interesting plants, the Nether-lands-based company Koppert Cress is part of a micro-vegetable revolution. Their prod-

ucts range from micro-greens and micro-vegeta-bles to other fresh specialties like herbs and spices.

“We aim at the chef who wants year-round sup-ply of clean, fresh, HACCP [Hazard Analysis & Critical

KOPPERT CRESS BLENDS TECH AND VEGETABLES FOR UNIQUE EXPERIENCEby Jenna Rittenhouse

Control Points] certifi ed, rare ingredients in order to create his or her signature dish,” according to the website at usa.koppertcress.com. “We challenge restaurateurs not only to use our product as deco-ration, but as unique and fl avorful condiments. “

Though Koppert Cress’s beginnings trace back to 1987, it took some time before it really became what it is today. Owner Rob Baan took the helm when he purchased the company in 2002 and re-named it Koppert Cress. From there it began to take off , buttressed by Baan’s traveling expertise, busi-ness knowledge and passion for home cooking. His vision was to take this background and propel the company into the future, and that dream has be-come a reality.

The original facility is located in Monster in the Netherlands. In 2006, that Dutch “Westland” loca-tion was expanded to include a new section of 1.7 hectares, or about 4.2 acres. The technology used for the new building was state-of-the-art, making it one of the most advanced in Europe. This also means it’s been constructed to be very sustainable, with the excess heat from lamps and sunlight be-ing stored underground for later use. Koppert Cress also uses solar panels to run LED lamps for the offi ce building, according to the website.

The company’s ample growth over the past few years has served to prove its popularity, and be-cause of that Koppert Cress opened its “Cressperi-ence” on site in March 2006. Cressperience takes Koppert Cress produce to a whole new level, cre-ating an atmosphere in which chefs and others in the industry can learn more about it. The meeting room and test kitchen ensure a continued interest in the product and the perfect place to experiment with the produce, letting the users’ creativity roam wherever it likes.

In 2007, the company expanded to the United States, building a greenhouse on Long Island to start growing its unique produce. The state-of-the-art 30,000-square-foot facility positions the compa-ny to make a reach far beyond its roots in the Neth-erlands. Working with marketers and wholesalers, those products are currently sold throughout the

country, including Alaska and Hawaii. Other niche distributors are able to take their produce to restau-rants, hotels, caterers and special gourmet market retailers across the world.

“We thrive on good partnerships with specialty produce distributors and wholesalers throughout the United States. Our product reach spans restau-rants as far as Alaska or even Hawaii,” according to the website.

Koppert Cress has proven itself to be a genuine partner to several charitable organizations, such as Autism Speaks. The company also donates ingre-dients to the Culinary Institute of America, giving students the opportunity to go beyond their imagi-nations in creating unique dishes. In 2010, Koppert Cress was appointed the offi cial James Beard House Purveyor of rare Micro-Greens, Micro-Vegetables, and Specialties.

The Newest Sensation!Grow Your Sales with Snap Peas!

Mann Packing Co., Salinas, CA • 800.884.6266 • veggiesmadeeasy.com


They may not be pretty, but they taste just as good — if not better — than their more visually pleasing counterparts.

The message of not judging a fruit or vegetable by its outer skin, imperfections, or misshapenness is being buoyed by suc-cessful “ugly fruit” campaigns in Australia, Austria, Canada and the U.K., among other countries.

EndFoodWaste.org stresses on Twitter that #UglyIsBeautiful and suggests that consumers #AskForUgly to help reduce what experts say amounts to the waste of 20 percent or more in per-fectly edible fruits and vegetables.

Dana Gunders, a staff scientist with the Natural Resources De-fense Council, said the ugly fruit movement is becoming more of a household name in the U.S.

“The ugly fruit movement does address one of the main rea-sons that fruits and vegetables are going to waste,” Gunders said. “I think people do understand that food can taste good even if it doesn’t look good.”

In fact, Gunders said more consumers are beginning to view so-called ugly fruit and vegetables as “attractive.”

“Farmers markets are real proof that people have a tolerance for diff erent sizes and shapes,” she said.

Yet, U.S. retailers have not offi cially brought many less-than-perfect fruits and vegetables to market, according to Gunders.

“We have the advantage that we’re seeing that at work in other countries,” Gunders said. “That’s a good sign. We here in the U.S. don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Who’s going to be the fi rst re-tailer to bring it to market?”

To help curb waste, Gunders said the Natural Resources De-fense Council is releasing a book in July, “The Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook,” which features tips and strategies to waste less in your kitchen — and your life. It highlights 85 products and the best ways to store or freeze them, she said.

The organization is also partnering with the Ad Council to launch a campaign this fall which complements the ugly fruit and

‘Ugly Fruit’ Movement

Picks up Steam in U.S.by Theresa Katalinas

vegetable eff orts undertaken in the U.K. “When it comes to this ugly fruit movement, part of the op-

portunity and what’s driving the interest now is that you have this reservoir of unused fruits and vegetables,” Gunders said, add-ing that reducing food waste can also mean more processing and freeze drying. “I don’t think it just has to be retailers selling ugly fruits and veg in their produce departments.”

Jeanne von Zastrow, senior director of sustainability for the Food Marketing Institute, said her organization, in conjunction with the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, focuses its produce con-sumption eff orts primarily on feeding the hungry. From 2007 to 2014, Zastrow said retail food donations to Feeding America (the largest national food bank system in the U.S.) increased 400 per-cent, from 30 million pounds to 1.3 billion pounds.

U.S. retailers are looking at the “clever” and “appealing” ideas stemming from ugly fruit and vegetable campaigns in other countries, she said.

“We have a number of members looking at possibilities,” von Zastrow said. “Our companies use ugly fruit and vegetables in prepared foods.”

Wegmans grocery stores also place bins in their perishables department, von Zastrow said. The retailer makes a point to share with customers that banana peels and other scraps go to com-post and are put on the company’s organic farm, she said.

In addition to encouraging more consumption of ugly pro-duce, von Zastrow said the Food Marketing Institute strives to put food to other uses, besides adding to landfi lls. Sub-par food is used for animal feed and to produce energy, she said.

The common thread with the Food Marketing Institute’s ef-forts and other successful ugly fruit and vegetable campaigns elsewhere is that food is either eaten or put to other uses instead of being wasted.

“We’re rethinking everything,” von Zastrow said. “It’s a mind change.”


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eat brighter!™

PARTICIPANTS TALK

MARKETING STRATEGIES

There are 50 fresh produce companies signed

on to the eat brighter!™ movement, each of which

brings a fresh twist on how to incorporate Sesame

Street character images into marketing strategies.

As we watch industry members throw their hat

into the marketing ring, we’re taking notes. Here are

some great examples of innovative, out-of-the-box

marketing strategies — all in the name of healthy

eating and driving demand.

First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird and Billy Eichner: A Recipe for Success

The movement gained national attention in February through a video starring First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird, and NBC Parks and Recreation actor and FunnyOrDie.com comedian Billy Eichner of Billy on the Street. Billy led the First Lady and Big Bird through a game show with questions about healthy eating and pop culture. The video, geared toward millennial parents who are raising 2- to 5-year-olds across the country, earned 230,000 views in just three days.

Eichner asked the game show participants questions like, “Sir, does an Apple TV count as a fruit?” and, “Miss, would your child prefer strawberries with Elmo’s face or strawberries with JK Sim-mons’ face?”

by Meg Miller, PMA Director of Public Relations

Watch the video starring First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird and NBC Parks and Recreation actor and FunnyOrDie.com comedian Billy Eichner of Billy on the Street.

Oppy welcomed Bert and Ernie to Fresh SummitQ&A with James Milne, executive director of marketing, avoca-

dos and citrus for OppyWhy is Oppy involved in ‘eat brighter!’?

We view it as a continuation of our sincere and ongoing support for PMA and its important initiatives, like the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent among many others. We were attracted to the ‘eat brighter!’ movement because we have faith that it could make posi-tive change. Increased produce consumption among young fami-lies will lead to good long-term habits and a healthier future for all.

What strategies/tactics does your go-to-market strat-egy include? Tell us about your character appearances at Fresh Summit!

We are encouraging retailers to display our ‘eat brighter!’


packs together as a “destination” in the produce department. Since we have a wide array of items available, it can be very ef-fective and prove irresistible to small shoppers and their parents.

Frankly, the response to the characters in our booth was fascinating. They were the biggest draw we have ever had at a trade show booth, bar none, and we have done everything from celebrity appearances to casino-style games. We were serving espresso on the other side of the stand, but it was photos with Ernie and Bert that drew people to the booth. Visitors of many nationalities and all ages just got a big kick out of meeting them. It showed us that Sesame Street isn’t just appealing to the little ones and that many generations are charmed by the characters. It illustrated that the appeal of ‘eat brighter!’ is not limited to kids from 2 to 5, and has potential to attract a broader demographic at retail. And it certainly opened the conversation about the ‘eat brighter!’ movement; not just with our retail customers, but also our growers who were present.

Fowler Farms takes ‘eat brighter!’ out of the store, onto the road

Q&A with Jennifer Sutton, sales, Fowler FarmsWhy is Fowler Farms involved with ‘eat brighter!’?

Fowler Farms apples are a perfect match for the ‘eat brighter!’ movement. We are proudly supporting this program as it will help get healthy apples on more plates and in more lunchbox-es. The company will continue to roll out their ‘eat brighter!’ go-to-market strategy to its customer base through 2016.

We heard you put Elmo on wheels!Fowler Farms is using some out of the box (and out on the

road) methods to promote its ‘eat brighter!’ branded product. Consumers up and down the East Coast will see Elmo waving happily with a wheelbarrow full of apples as the Fowler Farms truck makes its way to distributors.


• Over 30,000 stores featuring Sesame Street characters through the eat brighter!™ campaign encouraging more families to eat fruits and vegetables

• An expanded global reach to provide members with access to over 27,000 contacts from 55+ countries

• New technology resources with over 100 innovative technologies highlighted

• Over half a million dollars raised to support PMA Foundation programs that attract, develop and retain our industry talent

• Supported 9 new floral specific market reports including information from the well-known Pantone Institute

• And much, much more!

TO OUR PMA VOLUNTEERS

A few examples of what we accomplished through the work and support of our volunteers:

N AT I O N A L V O L U N T E E R W E E K • A P R I L 1 2 - 1 8 , 2 0 1 5

44 fresh April 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!

APRILFresh Connections: RetailApril 8-9, 2015

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

Fresh Connections: Retail is

your opportunity to forge new

strategic partnerships and

understand the consumer

trends shaping your business.

For 2015, we’ve designed

a program that off ers a

combination of experiences

you won’t fi nd at any other

industry event. Now more

than ever, produce and fl oral

suppliers need to leverage

partnerships and consumer

intelligence to stay ahead.

pma.com/events/fresh-

connections/retail

PMA Foundation Women’s Fresh Perspectives ConferenceApril 26-28, 2015

San Diego, California USA

The Women’s Fresh Perspec-

tives Conference is developed

specifi cally for women in the

produce and fl oral industry

regardless of their career

stage, with a mission to

cultivate women’s potential.

The conference sessions will

sharpen participants’ business

acumen and further develop

their leadership potential

so they may advance their

careers and bring additional

value to their companies and

organizations.

pmafoundation.com/womens-

fresh-perspectives-conference/

Fresh Connections: NetherlandsApril 29-30, 2015

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Together with leading

international experts and

regional decision makers,

you’ll explore the latest trends

spurring industry growth in

the Netherlands, Western

Europe and other global

markets. Get in-depth

knowledge on consumer

trends, retail trends, global

trade, and innovative

technologies. And, secure

global and regional contacts

that will make a diff erence

to your business.


connections-netherlands

MAY

Fresh Connections: MexicoMay 6-7, 2015

Queretaro, Mexico

Meet top retail buyers,

high-level produce executives

and industry thought leaders

at the ONLY event in Mexico

dedicated to the entire fresh

produce supply chain. Engage

with exhibitors displaying

the latest products, services

and technologies that will

help you remain effi cient and

competitive.


connections-mexico

Tech KnowledgeMay 11-13, 2015

Monterey, California, USA

Connect with technology

thought leaders and early

adopters who are changing

the way the produce and fl oral

industries do business. This

revolutionary technology

conference will challenge you

to innovate your business

today so you can grow

tomorrow.

pma.com/events/tech-

knowledge

Fresh Connections: Australia-New ZealandMay 12-14, 2015

Melbourne, Australia

After a stellar fi rst appearance

in New Zealand in 2014, PMA

Fresh Connections, the premier

networking and information

conference and trade show

for the entire fresh fruit,

vegetable, and fl oral value

chains across Australia and

New Zealand, is returning to

Melbourne for 2015.

pmafreshconnections.com.au

AUSTRALIAAustralian Mango Industry Association

CANADABC Hot HouseGavita Canada Inc.

COSTA RICATecnosoluciones Integrales

GERMANYTenrit Foodtec Gmbh & Co. KG

UNITED STATESAlpha 1 Marketing Corp.ARCO National ConstructionCambridge FarmsGutty Co. Texas USA Inc.Hess Brothers Fruit Co.iNECTA LLCJ & D’s Foods, Inc.Lacerta Group, Inc.Meridian Fine Foods LLCMiracom Computer Corp.Randall ManufacturingSelect Harvest USASkogen’s Festival FoodsTGI FridaysWA ImportsWeFeedUs, Inc.

UNITED STATESCBK Global EnterprisesGiftwares Company Inc.Premium Balloon Accessories

NEW PMA MEMBERS NEW PMA FLORAL MEMBERS

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

*New PMA Members (January 2, 2015 to February 12, 2015)



AUSTRALIAGourmet Garden Herbs & SpicesLouis MelbourneMoraitis GroupPremier 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 International Marketing, IncNature Fresh FarmsNorth American Produce BuyersOntario Greenhouse Vegetable GrowersPeak of the MarketProvincial Fruit Co., Ltd.Pure Hothouse Foods, Inc.Red Sun FarmsSobeys, Inc.Sun Rich Fresh Foods, Inc.Sunny Sky Produce Ltd.Westmoreland SalesWindset Farms

ITALYUnitec S.P.A.

MEXICOAgricola Amigo S PRAgromod, S.A. de C.V.Coliman Grupo S.A. de C.V.Enviro Tech LA, S.A. de C.V.TRADECORP Mexico

SOUTH AFRICAFreshworld (Pty), Ltd.

SPAINFruits CMR SA

UNITED STATES4Earth FarmsA & J Produce Corp.A.J. Trucco, Inc.Able Freight Services, Inc.Ace Customs Broker, Inc.Ag-Fume Servi ces, 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 GrowersBayer CropScienceBeachside Produce, LLCBen B. Schwartz & Sons, Inc.Ben E. Keith FoodsBen Litowich & Son, Inc.BFC AssociatesBig Red Tomato Packers, LLCBi-Lo/Winn-DixieBirkoBlue 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 Intl

Coast Citrus DistributorsCoast Produce CompanyCoast To Coast Produce, LLCCoastal Fresh Farms, Inc.Coastline Family Farms a dba of

Sunridge Farms, Inc.Columbine VineyardsConcord Foods, Inc.Coosemans 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.DiMare Fresh, Inc.Diversifi ed Restaurant SystemsDixie Produce, Inc.DNE World Fruit LLCDole Food Company, Inc.Domex Superfresh GrowersDriscoll’sDuda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc.Dulcinea Farms-Pacifi c Trellis FruitDuncan Family Farms, LLCEarthbound FarmEasterday Farms Produce Co.Eastern Produce CouncilEmpacadora G.A.B., Inc.Family 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 AssociationFour Star Sales, Inc.Fowler Bros., Inc.Fox PackagingFresh Gourmet CompanyFresh Solutions Network, LLCFresherized Foods


AUSTRALIA k & d C C b

Thank you to our valued Gold Circle Campaign ContributorsPMA’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 eff orts 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 Contributor, please visit pma.com/GoldCircle.

*Gold Circle members as of February 10, 2015

2

FreshPoint, Inc.Freshway FoodsFreska Produce International, LLCFrieda’s, Inc.G & R FarmsG.O. FreshGFF, Inc.Giant Eagle, Inc.Giorgio Fresh Co.Giro Pack, Inc.Giumarra Companies, TheGold Coast Packing, Inc.GreenGate Fresh, LLLPGreenhouse Produce CompanyGrimmway FarmsGrocery Outlet, Inc.Growers Marketing, LLC.Grower’s Pride, LLCGuy J. Varley, Inc.H. Brooks & CompanyHam Farms, Inc.Hass 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 CompanyJV 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 TraxxLos Angeles Salad CompanyLowes Food Stores, Inc.Maddan & Company, Inc.Manfredi CompaniesMarc Glassman, Inc.

Markon Cooperative, Inc.Martori FarmsMaryland Food Center AuthorityMeijer, 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.Pacifi c Coast Fruit CompanyPacifi c International MarketingPacifi c Tomato GrowersPanorama Produce Sales, Inc.Paramount Citrus, Inc.Paramount Farms, Inc.Pear Bureau NorthwestPerformance Food GroupPhillips Mushroom FarmsPotandon Produce, LLCPremier Citrus Packers, LLC.Premier Mushrooms LPPrime Time InternationalPro Act, LLCPro Citrus Network, Inc.Produce Packaging, Inc.Progressive Produce CorporationPublix Super Markets, Inc.Rainier Fruit CompanyRaw Foods International, LLCRed Blossom Sales, Inc.Redline Solutions, Inc.Reinhart FoodserviceRio Fresh, Inc.River Point Farms, LLCRobinson FreshRockTenn CompanyRocky Produce, Inc.Roland Marketing, Inc.Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.Rouses Supermarket, LLC

S. Strock & Co., Inc.Sage Fruit CompanySaladino’sSanson Company, TheSave Mart SupermarketsSbrocco International, Inc.Schnuck Markets, Inc.Seald Sweet InternationalSendik’s Food MarketsSensitech, Inc.Service First Logistics Inc.Shuman Produce, Inc.Sinclair Systems Int’l LLCSouthern Specialties, Inc.Spice World, Inc.Spokane Produce, Inc.State Garden, Inc.Stemilt Growers LLCSterilox FreshSuccess Valley Produce LLCSun Belle Inc.Sun Pacifi cSun World International, LLC.SunFedSunkist Growers, Inc.Sun-Maid Growers of CaliforniaSunrise Produce CompanySuperior Sales, Inc.Sysco CorporationT. Marzetti CompanyTanimura & AntleTaylor Farms, Inc.Tesco Stores, LtdThermal Technologies, Inc.Tippmann ConstructionTo-Jo Mushrooms, Inc.Tom Lange Company, Inc.Total Quality Logistics, Inc.Trinity Fruit SalesUniPro Foodservice, Inc.US FoodsValley Fruit & Produce Co.Ventura Pacifi c 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.Westlake Produce Co.Westside ProduceWholesale Produce Supply Co.Wilcox FreshWinCo Foods, Inc.Worldwide Produce DirectXgenex LLCYerecic Label CompanyYoungstown Grape Distributors, Inc.


THANK YOUFOR HELPING US ATTRACT, DEVELOP AND RETAIN TOP TALENT2014 INDUSTRY TALENT FUND CONTRIBUTORS

$100,000 and aboveProduce Marketing Association

$75,000 - $99,999Jay and Ruth Pack Family Foundation

$25,000 – $49,999Georgia-Pacific PackagingTaylor Farms

$10,000 – $24,999AndNowUKnowBlue Book ServicesCastellini Group of CompaniesConsolidated West Distributing, Inc.The Giumarra CompaniesLipmanMission Produce, Inc.OppyThe Produce NewsSun World International LLC

$5,000 – $9,999AgroFreshDomex Superfresh GrowersMoonlight CompaniesNaturipe Farms, LLCNorth Bay ProduceOntario Greenhouse Vegetable GrowersPrime Time InternationalProgressive Produce CorporationVic & Karen Smith

Preparing the next generation

of global leaders.

Attracting university students

to the industry.

Gaining insights and growing

networks for career development.

March 6-10, 2016 | Glendale, Arizona

$2,500 – $4,999AlphaKOR GroupBoskovich Farms, Inc.Brinker InternationalCaito Food Services, inc.The Fonzo FamilyIndianapolis Fruit CompanyLegacy FarmsLGS Specialty Sales, Ltd. LiveGourmet/Hollandia ProduceOcean Mist FarmsThe PackerSol Group Marketing Co.Temkin International, Inc.Turbana CorporationWJL Distributors, Inc.

$1,000 – $2,499 4Earth FarmsAgCareers.comAribel Aguirre-BeckAlsum Farms & Produce, Inc.John AndersonAndrews Brothers, Inc.B&C Fresh SalesBronco Packaging Corp.Cathy and Ty BurnsBuurma Farms, Inc.Coast Produce CompanyConcord Foods, Inc.Costco Wholesale

Matt CurryDarden RestaurantsD’Arrigo Bros. Co. of NY, Inc.Delaware Valley Floral GroupDiversified Restaurant SystemsD.L.J. Produce, Inc.DMA Solutions, Inc.Enza ZadenField Fresh Foods, Inc.Fox PackagingFresh Direct Produce Ltd.Jim GornyGrimmway FarmsGrocery Outlet, Inc.John Vena, Inc.Kincannon & ReedKwik Lok CorporationL&MLakeside ProduceJim and Marcia LeimkuhlerLimoneira CompanyRobert C. LucyMarsh Supermarkets, LLCMidwest Commodities, Inc.MIXTEC GroupMucci International Marketing, Inc.Musical HarvestVicki L. MyodaNavajo Agricultural Products IndustryMargi PrueittRainier Fruit Company

For information on how you can make a tax deductible gift to support PMA Foundation or to learn more about its industry talent initiatives, please visit pmafoundation.com.


Janis and Jim RichterKent and Lynn ShoemakerBryan and Bonnie SilbermannSpezzano Consulting Service, Inc.SunFedTo-Jo Mushrooms, Inc.Tom Lange Company, Inc.Vision Produce CompanyWestlake Produce Co.Bob WhitakerWilcox Fresh

$500 – $999A.J. Trucco, Inc.Leonard BattiBonipak Produce Co.California Strawberry CommissionCapespan North AmericaCapital City Fruit, Co., Inc.Michael CochranConcord Foods, Inc.Anthony D’AmicoDel Campo Supreme, Inc.Jan & Duane DeLyserDuane and Toni EatonExp Group, LLC.Frieda’s Specialty ProduceG.O. FreshRalph HeimannHugh H. Branch, Inc.Kelly and Brandon JacobJ & J Distributing Co.Jem D International PartnersNorth Shore Greenhouses, Inc.Overwaitea FoodsJohn and Lee Anne OxfordBen ReillyMarc SolomonJorge SuarezSun PacificVick Family Farms PartnershipMax and Wendi Yeater

Cultivating women’s potential. Optimizing the impact of

mid-level leaders.

Offering senior executives an

atmosphere for growth and creativity.

April 26-28, 2015 | REGISTER TODAY! September 14-17, 2015 | REGISTER TODAY! January 13-15, 2016 | Dallas, Texas

$100 – $499Nelia AlamoJuan AlarconAnthony BarbieriJeannie BergerAlicia CalhounContinental Western Corp.Marty CranerVernon CrowderCS Sales and Marketing for ResultsKevin DelaneyFresh Gourmet CompanyBarbara HochmanMichele HoffmanKerlin’s Mid-Atlantic Distributor’sCasey KioJulie KochCrystal J. MayfieldElaine McGrathM. Jill OverdorfRichard OwenSentier Systems Inc.

Up to $99Kent AllawayRobin BednashSally A. BedwellMichael BondarVicki BonvettiGail CarpenterKathy CoyleChristina D’AllaccoPatricia DominguezLynda FisherRobyn FlorioNicole FullmerCriztal HernandezJamie HillegasHolland Fresh GroupPatti Shanks JohnsonBelinda KeotaCheryl Kitchen

Jill LeBrasseurR Mandes + K MeansShawn MerrifieldMeg MillerBrian MoranMegan P. NashDot SiegfriedMarilyn SterankoGeorge SzczepanskiEdmund TreacyNancy TuckerLola Van GilstBob WhitmanTracy L. WiseShawn Wootten

2014 Tribute GiftsContributors names are listed in italics below honoree name.

In Memory ofAlderico Peter Batti

PMA Foundation StaffDallas Bednash

Robin BednashAnthony “Duke” Bonvetti, Sr.

Vicki BonvettiTheresa M. Coyle

Kathy CoyleHenry D’Allacco

Christina D’AllaccoPMA Foundation Staff

Frank HoffmanBarbara Hochman

Joe KrafickKelly and Brandon Jacob

George MorganPMA Foundation Staff

Wm. T. PohlmanMarty Craner

Michael SilbermannRichard SpezzanoPMA Foundation Staff



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


What started in 1924 as a group of hob-byists that banded together to form the California Avocado Growers Ex-change has grown into Calavo Grow-

ers Inc., a Santa Paula based company that employs more than 500 people and packs approximately 200 million pounds of a product that is distributed globally.

As a global avocado-industry leader, the com-pany also procures and markets diversifi ed fresh produce items, ranging from tomatoes to tropical produce. An expanding provider of value-added fresh food, the company’s Calavo Foods business segment manufactures and distributes guacamole, avocado hummus, salsa and AvocadoMayo under the respected Calavo brand name.

“Turning a delicious but odd-shaped fruit into a household favorite wasn’t in the plan when a group

An Expanding Provider of Value-Added Fresh Food

of grower-hobbyists banded together in 1924 to form the California Avocado Growers Exchange. And two more years would pass before Rudolph Hass of LaHabra, California, would plant the state’s fi rst Hass avocado tree,” said Rob Wedin, VP Fresh Sales and Marketing at Calavo Growers.

Calavo’s wholly owned subsidiary, Renaissance Food Group, LLC, was purchased in 2011 and it cre-ates, markets and distributes a portfolio of healthy, high-quality lifestyle products for consumers through fast-growing brands that include Garden Highway and Chef Essentials.

According to Calavo’s website, “With consumers around the globe enjoying a great-tasting, healthy food—and avocado growers enjoying healthy returns—the Calavostory moves forward, always reaching for new milestones and strong in its con-viction that the best is yet to come.”

For more information, visit Calavo.com.

Calavo Growers became a PMA Member in 1972. The produce world has changed much in 43 years. Still true, however, is the importance we place on our relationships with customers.

Fresh Summit and the Food-service Confer-ences and Expos are primary events that help us meet that objective”— Rob Wedin

VP Fresh Sales and MarketingCalavo Growers

“

PMA’s resources, educational programs and events help us stay on top of important industry trends and regulations — which empowers us to continually deliver maximum value to our customers.”— Christian Hutter

Executive Vice PresidentStrategy & ProductsJunction Solutions

“

For more information, visit junctionsolutions.com.

If you’re a grower, you never stop looking for ways to improve your product and the process by which it’s grown. You also fi ght a never-ending battle against time — getting your perishable

product from farm to table. This is where compa-nies such as Junction Solutions and their Enterprise Resource Planning Software can help.

Junction Solutions, based in Denver, Colorado, provides solutions designed specifi cally to help pro-duce companies innovate, manage and grow their business. The solutions include industry-focused enterprise software leveraging the Microsoft® Dy-namics AX platform, implementation and strategic services, IT and operational consulting and fl exible delivery options including on premise, cloud and hybrid deployments.

These solutions are supported by the industry’s most experienced consultants with a proven track re-cord of helping companies enhance operational per-formance, reduce costs, expand delivery channels, facilitate compliance, lower risk through fi eld to fork traceability and strengthen customer relationships.

“Our partnership with PMA is another example of our steadfast commitment to partner with thought leaders and innovators in the Produce industry. PMA’s resources, educational programs and events help us stay on top of important industry trends and regulations — which empowers us to continu-ally deliver maximum value to our customers,” said Christian Hutter, executive vice president, Strategy & Products, Junction Solutions.

Junction Solutions has extensive experience

Helping Produce Companies Innovate, Manage and Grow Their Business

and expertise in technology implementations for the produce industry, and works with leading pro-duce companies such as Driscoll’s® Only the Finest Berries™, Sunrise Growers® and many more — to provide the strategy and technology to help them meet their business and growth goals.

The company, founded in 2002, is as committed to providing technical prowess as it is to customer satisfaction. It has achieved a 9/10 customer satis-faction rate over the years.



ionsolutions.com.

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.


For more information, visit westlakeproduce.site.aplus.net.

Due to the many diff erent business styles under the Westlake umbrella, the indus-try may be confused as to who Westlake Produce really is. Are we a grower-ship-

per? An importer? A distributor? The answer is YES, but those roles do not begin to defi ne Westlake.

Westlake markets a number of commodities packed in our “Always Fresh” brand including ber-ries, dry vegetables, melons, potatoes and citrus with plans to add apples, pears, onions and tropi-cal items within the next few months. The “Always Fresh” brand can be recognized in retailers through-out the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Westlake has grower-partners in six countries that provide the best quality products for Westlake’s “Always Fresh” program.

Importing fruit continues to be a large factor in Westlake’s continued growth over the past 10 years. The ability for Westlake’s sales team to off er year-round availability on the commodities we sell has enabled us to secure national accounts while con-tinuing to maintain our smaller retail and wholesale accounts. Most Westlake commodities are available 365 days of the year because of our robust import programs.

Being as diverse as Westlake is, PMA has been a great partner in helping Westlake as its business has grown. “Being a member of the Produce Marketing Association for over 40 years, Westlake has gained a great deal of information regarding customer trends, food safety and traceability, retail practices, and the global trends of our industry,” says Wayne Giddings, Owner and Managing Partner of West-lake’s East Coast operations. Giddings adds, “Our membership with PMA also allows our team mem-bers to become better produce people by utilizing the networking and educational opportunities the association off ers.”

As Westlake’s sales team collaborated to help defi ne who Westlake is, it became very clear what is most important to them and how they want to be defi ned: “Service, Above All. After all, that approach to all that we do in, and for, our industry partners is what has made Westlake Produce successful for over 50 years. Service is much more than just pro-viding timely deliveries of good quality produce. It is also providing timely information to our part-ners in the industry, whether it is regarding policies, trends, weather conditions, logistical issues, or any-thing about the commodities we sell.”

Partners in QualityBeing a mem-ber of PMA for over 40 years, Westlake has gained a great deal of informa-tion regarding customer trends, food safety and traceability, research practices, and the global trends of our industry.”— Bill Brooks

owner/partner, Westlake Produce Company

“


Aneberries, also known as the National As-sociation of Berry Exporters, represents more than 2,000 berry growers, both large and small, in order to facilitate and pro-

mote consumption, exports, trade, and the open-ing of new markets as well to guarantee food safety, quality, innovation, competitiveness and effi ciency of growers and exporters in a socially responsible and sustainable manner. Since 2010, Aneberries has

Working to Expand the Berry Market

centered its focus in the states of Michoacán, Jalis-co, Baja California and Colima in Mexico.

Aneberries integrates approximately 85 percent of the export volume of berries from Mexico. It is estimated that the berry sector generates 150,000 direct and indirect jobs per season, with 465,000 metric tons produced in almost 25,000 hectares, with an export value of more of US $800 million in 2013. Up to 90 percent of these exports are sold in



For more information, visit aneberries.mx.

the United States and Canada, with Europe, and re-cently Asia becoming relevant alternative markets.

As part of the association’s mission for ex-pansion of the berries market, Aneberries has developed close relations with the Mexican gov-ernment, to build credibility of entities like the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Devel-opment, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), in order to promote initiatives like the establishment of the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Blackberry and Raspberry from Mex-ico to China, between SAGARPA and the General

Administration Of Quality Supervision, Inspec-tion And Quarantine Of The People’s Republic Of China (AQSIQ).

A recent achievement for Mexican berries was the signing of the Protocol with the People’s Re-public of China, which began in 2012 with the SE-NASICA (Department of Health, Safety and Food Quality), the agency of SAGARPA, led by Chief Di-rector Dr. Enrique Sánchez Cruz and the specifi c area of Plant Protection, headed by Dr. Francisco Javier Trujillo eff orts, whose team prepared the way for export to Asia

Our mission is to generate links to Aneberries value in various areas, integrating all stages of the production chain, seeking the benefit and sustain-ability of berries of Mexico, especially for our associates.”— Mario A. Andrade

President Aneberries, A.C.

“


For more information, visit royalflowersecuador.com.

Royal Flowers is known as one of the indus-try leaders in the Ecuadorean rose market with more than 21 years of experience. That expertise in growing and marketing world-

wide its exclusive award-winning roses — more than 130 varieties and counting, including the ex-clusive Royal Victorian Roses and Gala Collection product lines — distinguishes Royal Flowers.

Royal Flowers consists of two large farms in Ecuador, in the provinces of Pinchincha and Coto-paxi, comprising an area of more than 100 hect-ares. Both farms are located in principal fl ower-growing areas of the country. Royal Flowers is redefi ning the rose bouquet with the Ecuadorean “wow” factor, investing in fertilizers and advanced environmental growing techniques to ensure

blooms are robust and full, having a minimum of 30 petals.

The company is transitioning its focus from the traditional wholesale and retail channels to include servicing mass market clients through its new bou-quet division, Joy! Floral. Specializations include rose bouquets, consumer bunches, mixed bou-quets and arrangements. Joy! Floral’s in-house mar-keting team can create company-specifi c signage, packaging and point-of-sale material.

Social media has impacted Royal Flowers in a positive way by creating an awareness of a new brand among its targeted audience in a short amount of time. Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook are here to stay, and Royal Flowers can’t wait to see what the next generations come up with.

The Ecuadorean ‘Wow’ FactorRelationships have been at the core of my 30 years in the floral industry. Who we meet and spend 20 minutes speak-ing to at a show or a networking event can become an invaluable client

and friend. PMA enables profes-sionals at every level to make that happen.”— Elena Marrero

Mass Market ManagerRoyal Flowers

“

9 Buzzwords You Need to Know TodayDid you leave your wearable tech in your automated car? Here are nine new terms you’ll want to have under your belt this year.

Drone RegulationUnmanned aircraft are all the buzz in the news lately —

and that means talk of regulation is in the air, too.

Camera- and sensor-fi tted drones are a great way for

growers to keep an eye on their fi elds, but they’ll need

to keep an eye on new laws as well.

ROI vs. ROOReturn on Investment (ROI) is important. But it’s not

always the best measure of success in the worlds of brand

building, event planning and social media — where being

liked matters. Measuring Return on Objectives (ROO)

can be a better way of tracking how well you’re reaching

your audience.

Native AdvertisingOnline advertising that matches the format of the platform.

If you’ve ever read a sponsored post that looked just like

the article on the next page, you’re in native territory.

Retargeting98% of online users don’t make a purchase the fi rst time

they visit a website. Retargeting shows them ads during

future web-browsing sessions for previously browsed

products and services as a reminder. It’s a smart way to turn

today’s casual browser into tomorrow’s happy customer.

EmojiEmoticons are so over. Emoji are the little pictures you can

add to your texts and emails. Don’t :-( Be

The Internet of Things (IoT)If you’ve ever turned up your thermostat by tapping your

smartphone, you already know what this is. Our devices

are more interconnected than ever before. This has

huge potential for the produce and fl oral industries for

everything from monitoring soil and water quality and

managing energy costs to tracking shipments and buyer

behavior. The downside? Privacy and security concerns,

when your toaster knows more about your life than you do.

WearablesActivity trackers that count your steps. Glasses that

connect to the Internet. T-shirts that talk to your

pacemaker. In 2014 wearable tech went from sci-fi to

mainstream, and it’s coming soon to a wardrobe near you.

Autonomous VehiclesMany tractors and combines already drive themselves.

But with self-driving cars and trucks soon to be hitting

the open road, they could change the face of driving and

shipping forever.

The Sharing EconomyBike sharing. House swapping. Peer-to-peer lending.

People are sharing their stuff and collaborating more

than ever — and that’s boosting some businesses while

disrupting others. (One person’s car share is another’s

unregulated taxi.) One thing is for certain: Sharing is

here to stay.


last word

TECHNOLOGY THAT FEEDS THE FUTURE.

Dr. James CantonFuturist, Author, CEO & Chairman of the Institutefor Global Futures

“Technofutures: The Top Innovation Trends That Will Shape the 21st Century”

Tom KoulopoulosFuturist, Author &Founder of the Delphi Group

“The Internet of Everything:Innovating in the Age of Big Data and Small Devices”

Plus a lineup of other visionaries shaping the future of produce.

HEAR ESSENTIAL INSIGHTS FROM:

TAP INTO THE FUTURE TODAY.REGISTER BY APRIL 10 AND SAVE.

MAY 11–13, 2015MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA USApma.com/events/tech-knowledge • #techknowledge

The new frontier of agriculture isn’t a place—it’s a state of mind. And Tech Knowledge is leading the way.

A revolutionary learning experience centered on creating global connections and identifying cutting-edge technologies, Tech Knowledge will transform the produce industry. From fl avors and fulfi llment to big data and the Internet of Everything, Tech Knowledge will help you be more effi cient,more nimble and more profi table now and in the years ahead.

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