RECALL MADNESS! How The Industry Is Catching Up To Science TommyTommy Wilkins, Wilkins, produce produce procurement procurement directordirector forfor United United Supermarkets, Supermarkets, visits visits growersgrowers to to ensure ensure they they comply comply with with thethe retailer’s retailer’s food food safety safety standards, standards, minimizingminimizing the the number number of of recalls recalls affectingaffecting his his produce produce departments. departments. INSIDE: NOV. 2012 • WWW.PRODUCEBUSINESS.COM • VOL. 28 • NO.11 • $9.90 THE PUNDIT LOOKS AT REFINERIES VS.FOOD PRODUCTION WAL-MART PRICING REPORT •WEST MEXICO FOODSERVICE TRENDS:WHAT’S HOT?•VEGETABLE TIE-INS •ECO-CRATES WINTER MERCHANDISING •IMPORTED SWEET ONIONS •LEAFY GREENS MEXICAN AVOCADOS •CENTRAL AMERICAN IMPORTS CITRUS •BANANAS •PERUVIAN ASPARAGUS •HOLIDAY BAKING INDEPENDENT STORE SUCCESS: NEW LEAF COMMUNITY MARKETS REGIONAL MARKET PROFILES: TWIN CITIES AND LOS ANGELES NOV. 2012 • VOL. 28 • NO. 11 • $9.90 COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF UNITED SUPERMARKETS p.64 cover story features 36 RECALL MADNESS: 64 NEW LEAF COMMUNITY MARKETS CARVES ITS OWN NICHE HOW THE INDUSTRY IS Independent California retailer applies local strategy to maximize CATCHING UP TO SCIENCE buying power and steadily flourish in today’s competitive market. The ramifications of improved science and more testing are leading to an 67 SPOTLIGHT ON MEXICAN IMPORTS — PART III: WEST MEXICAN overwhelming amount of recalls on a GROWERS AND IMPORTERS LOBBY FOR PROTECTED AG wide range of perishable goods. PRODUCE In this third part of an ongoing series, PRODUCE BUSINESS outlines another contested issue BUSINESS explores the consequences of facing the West Mexico import industry: What can be called greenhouse produce? pulling product from shelves and what it means for the industry as a whole. 79 USE HOLIDAYS TO WARM UP WINTER PRODUCE SALES By marketing and merchandising specific products built around the commentary numerous winter holidays, every month is sure to have positive produce rings. 94 VEGETABLE SALES-BOOSTERS 22 THE FRUITS OF THOUGHT Tie-in products sold in produce increase fresh item sales. Pick Your Retail Turf 102 IMPORTED SWEET ONIONS: SPANNING THE GLOBAL CALENDAR 167 RETAIL PERSPECTIVE Once domestic product finishes up, it’s time to take advantage of high Accountants Versus Merchants quality onions arriving from offshore countries like Peru, Mexico and Chile. 168 EUROPEAN MARKET 106 LEAFY GREENS CATEGORY GROWTH DEMANDS RETAIL ATTENTION Macfrut 2012: International Leafy green sales are growing, but retailers must Participation On The Rise continue to work against storage and marketing challenges. 170 VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY 110 A UNIQUE IDENTITY FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN IMPORTS Do They Watch The Food Channel In With a distinctive year-round niche, Central America is proving The Trailer Park (And Other Questions)? itself to be a reliable source for a variety of high quality produce. 114 WELL SUPPORTED MARKETING SPARKS p.114 RETAIL PROMOTIONS OF MEXICAN AVOCADOS Growers and marketers of avocados from Mexico offer retailers fun and informative ways to stimulate sales all year long. p.102 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. NOVEMBERR 2012 • PRODUCE BUSINESS 3 NOV. 2012 • VOL. 28 • NO. 11 • $9.90 p.118 p.150 in this issue departments 6 THE QUIZ FOODSERVICE MARKETING 118 Produce In Foodservice: What’s Hot? What’s Not? From finger limes to microgreens and everything in between, PRODUCE BUSINESS 8 TRADE SHOW CALENDAR talks to the top flavor-makers in the industry to bring you a cheat sheet of the up-and-coming produce items making their way into the foodservice field. 10 WASHINGTON GRAPEVINE MERCHANDISING REVIEWS 124 10 Ways To Merchandise Citrus SPECIAL NOTE 12 Whether it has arrived from California, Texas, Europe, South America, South Africa or South Florida, citrus from around the world is a popular category for produce 14 PRODUCE WATCH departments across the country, and can add plenty of ring when merchandised creatively. 28 RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES 132 Seven Ways To Sell More Bananas As one of the most popular selections in the produce department, bananas deserve extra marketing attention. 29 COMMENTS AND ANALYSIS 138 Key Factors To Consider For Building Winter Asparagus Sales 171 POEM Promoting asparagus during the winter months gives retailers an opportunity to increase sales. 172 INFORMATION SHOWCASE DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS 159 Beyond Fruitcakes And Cookies: New Usages 174 BLAST FROM THE PAST Inspire Holiday Sales Of Dried Fruit And Nuts Marketing support from suppliers, well executed retail merchandising and promotional programs can strengthen sales of dried fruit and nut items throughout this year’s holiday season. special features 141 REGIONAL MARKET PROFILE: LOS ANGELES EVOLUTION AND ADAPTATION: L.A. STYLE Produce wholesalers in Los Angeles successfully 24 FROM THE PAGES OF THE PERISHABLE PUNDIT deal with a stretched economy by offering flexibility State Financing Of Refinery Versus and added services to their clientele. Food Production Is No Simple Decision 148 FOODSERVICE PROFILE: 32 NEW CRATE SEEKS TO REVOLUTIONIZE CORN SHIPPING Fresh Produce Drives Salsa Grill’s Menu After 150 or more years of packaging in wood, Chef Marco Zapien of Salsa Grill brings it’s time for fresh corn crates to join the 21st century. produce-heavy Latin specialties to the masses. 58 WAL-MART PRICING REPORT ROUND XXIV 150 RETAIL PROFILE: In Lake Worth, FL, Two Hispanic Stores Northgate Gonzalez: A Growing Ethnic Beat Wal-Mart In Produce Pricing Chain Enjoys Mainstream Success A family business finds great success by focusing on local consumers’ needs and desires. 152 REGIONAL MARKET PROFILE: TWIN CITIES PRODUCE IN THE TWIN CITIES Minneapolis/St.Paul has long-standing history of great produce offerings, with an emphasis on optimum food safety adherences. 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. 4 PRODUCE BUSINESS • NOVEMBER 2012 PRODUCE QUIZ THIS MONTH’S WINNER Catherine King NOVEMBER 2012 • VOL. 28 • NO. 11 • $9.90 General Manager P.O. Box 810425 • Boca Raton • FL 33481-0425 Phone: 561-994-1118 • Fax: 561-994-1610 California Watercress Inc. [email protected] Fillmore, CA PRESIDENT &EDITOR-IN-CHIEF As the general manager with her two sisters, she spent about 12 years James E. Prevor of California Watercress Inc., “on the outside,” as she says, before being [email protected] a grower/distributor of hired full-time. “I’ve now been with the com- PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR watercress and specialty pany for 31 years.” Ken Whitacre crops, primarily herbs. “I’ve been reading PRODUCE BUSINESS [email protected] Catherine oversees the entire operation, since the beginning, since the first issue,” she doing “a little bit of this and a litte bit of says. “We have been a subscriber all these SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR that,” and spends a portion of her time in years. I really appreciate the good articles,” Mira Slott the greenhouses caring firsthand for the says King. “Plus, we’re such a small farming [email protected] plants. The company sells to both foodser- operation that reading the magazine keeps us ASSOCIATE EDITOR vice and retailers throughout the United in the loop of what’s going on around us.” Jennifer Leslie Kramer States and Canada. As the winner of the PRODUCE BUSINESS [email protected] While Catherine was born into her family quiz, Catherine receives an indoor, counter- EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT business, and currently works hand-in-hand top grill. 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 January issue of PRODUCE BUSINESS. The winner must agree to sub- mit a color photo to be published in that issue. PRODUCTION LEADER Jackie Tucker WIN A LYNX PREDATOR GOLF SET The Lynx Predator Full Set has a 460cc forged driver that promotes opti- PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT mal trajectory and maximum distance. Both the driver and fairway wood SUNSHINE GORMAN use lightweight graphite shafts. The steel-shafted irons are oversized and FREDDY PULIDO have low and deep weight. A traditional-style putter with clear sight lines TRADE SHOW COORDINATOR for accurate alignment finishes off the set. Also included is a lightweight Jackie LoMonte stand bag. [email protected] EDITORIAL INTERN QUESTIONS FOR THE NOVEMBER ISSUE Madeline Mesa [email protected] 1) Name the two new flavors of Wonderful Pistachios. ___________________________________ CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ______________________________________________________________________________ Stathi