MARCH 2013 • VOL. 29 • NO. 03 • $9.90 p. 40 p. 127 features 29 WHOLESALERS ‘UP’ THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICES TO KEEP THINGS MOVING Beyond day-to-day buying and selling and what this means to profitability for everyone in the supply chain, the wider economy is creating ripple effects that have led to challenges and opportunities for produce wholesalers. 38 NEW SALAD BLENDS OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Creative lettuce blends expand the category, offering more than cover story just salads to hungry, health-conscious consumers and restaurant diners. 19 THE 26TH ANNUAL 40 A ROUNDUP OF SOUTHERN RETAILERS MYSTERY SHOPPER REPORT More changes coming to southern retailing. Can produce staffers be trusted with consumers’ health and wellness? 44 OPEN-AND-CLOSED CASE: GREENHOUSE STANDARD DEBATE CONTINUES Supermarket produce executives, industry experts and government overseers shed light on buying commentary strategies and bottom line issues surrounding protected agriculture versus traditional greenhouse. 50 TOP TRUCKING INDUSTRY CONCERNS 8 THE FRUITS OF THOUGHT Intrusive government rules and regulations top the list of complaints. Guest-Worker Program At Heart Of Immigration Reform 55 IT’S A BRAVE NEW WORLD: HOW TECHNOLOGY IS AFFECTING THE PRODUCE SUPPLY CHAIN 146 RETAIL PERSPECTIVE Today’s fast pace leads to fresher, more healthful fruits and vegetables The Need For Real Execution for the consumer and better margins and profitability for the retailer. 148 EUROPEAN MARKET Moving The European School departments Fruit Scheme Into The Future MERCHANDISING REVIEW in this issue 127 10 Ways To Turn Your Avocado Sales Green Commodity boards, cross-merchandising and customer choice are just a few things to consider when merchandising avocados. 4 THE QUIZ 134 Berries Bag Profits For Produce Departments 6 WASHINGTON GRAPEVINE With year-round availability of many of the berry favorites, retailers have to work harder than ever to keep them front-and-center in consumers’ minds. 10 RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES 138 Sweet Potatoes: 10 Tips For A Mature Product Making New Waves Creating well-conceived displays in prominent places, and 11 COMMENTS AND ANALYSIS paying close attention to freshness is just the beginning. 13 PRODUCE WATCH DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS 142 Dried Fruits And Nuts — The Athlete’s Choice Peanuts and baseball have been a great team for decades, but a 16 TRADE SHOW CALENDAR range of dried fruits and nuts are steadily increasing as the snack of choice among health-conscious sports enthusiasts. 149 INFORMATION SHOWCASE 150 BLAST FROM THE PAST special features insert 12 CPMA BOOTH REVIEW floral business magazine 18 FROM THE PAGES OF THE PERISHABLE PUNDIT Costco, Sheri Flies, The James Beard Foundation Leadership • Shades of Great Award And How Sustainability Differs From Charity • Floral Purchasing Across The Generations • Floral Findings 59 MASTERS OF MERCHANDISING p. 59 Change Service requested: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PRODUCE BUSINESS, P.O. Box 810425, Boca Raton, FL 33481-0425. PRODUCE BUSINESS (ISSN 0886-5663) is published monthly for $58.40 per year by Phoenix Media Network, Inc., P.O. Box 810425, Boca Raton, FL 33481-0425. MARCH 2013 • PRODUCE BUSINESS 3 PRODUCE QUIZ THIS MONTH’S WINNER Tim Vaux MARCH 2013 • VOL. 29 • NO. 03 • $9.90 President P.O. Box 810425 • Boca Raton • FL 33481-0425 Phone: 561-994-1118 • Fax: 561-994-1610 The Vaux Group [email protected] Fresno, CA PRESIDENT &EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tim Vaux started his busi- worked for 30 years at DuPont Company as James E. Prevor ness, The Vaux Group, in the marketing director. It was through DuPont [email protected] Fresno, CA, 10 years ago. that Vaux got his start in the produce indus- PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR “We’re a one-stop-shop for try. “I guess my claim to fame is participating Ken Whitacre produce consulting,” he in United Fresh’s Produce Industry Leadership [email protected] says. As president of the company, Vaux and Program through DuPont,” he laughs. his group provide produce industry consulting Since then, Vaux has used the skills he SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR for the fresh produce industry. “I’m also a learned at DuPont in his company. But even Mira Slott member of FreshXperts,” he adds. “If I can’t changing companies has not stopped Vaux [email protected] do a particular job, I have partners at FreshX- from reading PRODUCE BUSINESS for 20 years. “I ASSOCIATE EDITOR perts that I can call on to help satisfy our cus- enjoy it all,” he says, “especially reading about Jennifer Leslie Kramer tomers’ needs.” new concepts. I’m an entrepreneur at heart so [email protected] Before starting his own company, Vaux I like to see new ideas in the industry.” EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Fran Gruskin [email protected] How To Win! To win the PRODUCE BUSINESS Quiz, the first thing you have to do is enter. The rules are simple: Read through the articles and advertisements in this issue to find the answers. Fill in the blanks corresponding to the PRODUCTION DIRECTOR questions below, and either cut along the dotted line or photocopy the page, and send your answers along with a Diana Levine business card or company letterhead to the address listed on the coupon. The winner will be chosen by drawing from [email protected] the responses received before the publication of our May issue of PRODUCE BUSINESS. The winner must agree to submit a color photo to be published in that issue. PRODUCTION LEADER Jackie Tucker WIN A DISTANCE-CALCULATING TALKING GOLF CADDY This palm-sized GPS verbally informs golfers how far they are from the PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT green to help them improve club and shot selections. With a preloaded SUNSHINE GORMAN database of 35,000 courses, the device automatically recognizes the golf FREDDY PULIDO course and exact hole from which you are playing. With the touch of a TRADE SHOW COORDINATOR button, the device clearly announces the remaining distance to the front, Jackie LoMonte back or center of the green. [email protected] EDITORIAL INTERN QUESTIONS FOR THE MARCH ISSUE Madeline Mesa [email protected] 1) How many schools does United Fresh hope to donate saald bars to by May, 2013?____________ CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ______________________________________________________________________________ Meredith Auerbach, Carol Bareuther, Bob Johnson, Bill Martin, Kim Morgan, 2) Which chef uses Little Gems Sweet Lettuce at RN74 in San Francisco, CA? _________________ Jodean Robbins, Barbara Robison, Amy Sawelson ______________________________________________________________________________ ADVERTISING Eric Nieman, Associate Publisher 3) Name three types of dried fruit that Great Lakes International Trading, Inc. offers in its line. [email protected] ______________________________________________________________________________ Wendy Jones [email protected] 4) How many commodities does Ocean Mist Farms offer? ________________________________ Sandy Lee [email protected] ______________________________________________________________________________ Bill Martin 5) What is the contact number for Chelan Fresh? _______________________________________ [email protected] Ellen Rosenthal ______________________________________________________________________________ [email protected] 6) How many acres of farmland does Booth Ranches own? _______________________________ FLORAL DEPARTMENT MARKETING E. Shaunn Alderman [email protected] ______________________________________________________________________________ Send insertion orders, payments, press releases, photos, letters to the editor, etc., to This issue was: ❏ Personally addressed to me ❏ Addressed to someone else PRODUCE BUSINESS, P.O. Box 810425 Boca Raton, FL 33481-0425 PH: 561.994.1118 FAX: 561.994.1610 Name ______________________________ Position ______________________________ PRODUCE BUSINESS is published by Phoenix Media Network, Inc. James E. Prevor, Chairman of the Board Company __________________________________________________________________ P.O. Box 810425, Boca Raton, FL 33481-0425. Entire contents © Copyright 2013 Address ____________________________________________________________________ Phoenix Media Network, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. City _______________________________________________________________________ Publication Agreement No. 40047928 State _____________________________________ Zip _____________________________ Phone ______________________________ Fax __________________________________ Photocopies of this form are acceptable. Please send answers to: MARCH QUIZ PRODUCE BUSINESS • P.O. Box 810425 • Boca Raton, FL 33481-0425 4 PRODUCE BUSINESS • MARCH 2013 Agriculture Workforce Coalition Creates Immigration Workforce Solutions By Shelby Rajkovich, Communications Manager nited Fresh and agriculture allies United Fresh and the AWC remain Uare reaching out to Congress to committed to the goal of ensuring that seize on a rare political opportu- nity to pass comprehensive immigration agricultural employers have access to a reform. A framework for reform set out by a bipartisan group of eight senators is consid- stable and skilled workforce. Especially ered to be the roadmap for the debate, and has important is that any eventual legislation earned the support of the Agriculture Work- force Coalition (AWC), a broad, unifying addresses the needs of both current on- coalition that aims to bring attention to the farm employees in need of an adjustment in unique