by Kevin Payne | Apr 30, 2019 | Sustainability
Last Monday was Earth Day 2019 and today marks the conclusion of Earth Month. The first Earth Day was back in 1970. 49 years later, we should probably ask ourselves how much progress has been made? Cause to Celebrate According to a recent article about Earth Day in Supermarket News, of late, there has been some good news to celebrate, including: Aldi announced that by 2025, 100% of their packaging, including plastic packaging, will be reusable, recyclable or compostable. Aldi will also reduce packaging material across its entire...Continue Reading...
by Kevin Payne | Apr 23, 2019 | Freshness Management
Cold supply chain variability is, oddly, a constant. And, the impact of delays and other variables on freshness and quality can be significant. Politics aside, this issue has been highlighted of late due to delays of getting trucks across the border from Mexico into the USA. According to an article in Fresh Fruit Portal “Producers of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries have on average experienced a 20% drop in sales as the extended wait times crossing into the U.S. have resulted in reduced shelf life for the...Continue Reading...
by Kevin Payne | Apr 16, 2019 | Freshness Management
I came across an interesting article in Medium, The History of Packaged Salad in 5 Minutes. Many of us purchase packaged salad blends or salad kits on a regular basis. Statista says that, in 2016, Americans purchased $964 million in salad blends and $950 million in salad kits. If you factor in cole slaw and other prepared salads, the total comes to almost $3.7 billion! Americans love convenience! In fact, we’re now changing the face of convenience stores, long the bastion of junk food. Bucking past trends, produce sales in...Continue Reading...
by Kevin Payne | Apr 9, 2019 | Freshness Management
Do you have complete cold chain visibility for your fresh produce? Are you getting the freshest produce, or is your competitor down the street? Where do you rank? Why is it important? According to FMI’s Grocery Shopper Trends 2018, 80 percent of shoppers decide where to shop because of high quality fruits and vegetables. That’s the top reason people choose a grocery store. The question is, are they choosing your store or are they going to your competitor? Many retailers lack cold chain visibility and assume that the produce that...Continue Reading...
by Kevin Payne | Apr 2, 2019 | Good Causes
What’s the relationship between fresh produce and health? Is fresh produce or medicine prescribed by your doctor better for you? A recent article in Fast Company “Prescribing” fruits and veggies would save $100 billion in medical costs indicates that we might be better off with fewer pill bottles and more fruits and vegetables. The article cites research from Tufts University that we can reduce chronic diseases by subsidizing the costs of fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods. It states: Roughly 70% of diseases in the...Continue Reading...
