Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/835416
Produce Show Daily 1 5 Wednesday, June 14, 2017 UNITED FRESH RECOGNIZES INDUSTRY LEADERS WITH ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS The United Fresh Produce Association presents its 2017 FreshTEC and FreshMKT Achievement Awards to two leaders who have made their mark on the fresh produce industry. Receiving the FreshTEC award for outstanding technical achievements is Peter Quiring, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of NatureFresh™ Farms, whose leadership has helped advance the fresh produce industry through innovation in greenhouse tech- nologies. Receiving the FreshMKT award for outstanding marketing achievements is Roger Pepperl, Marketing Director for Stemilt Growers, for his significant inno- vations in the marketing and merchandis- ing of fresh produce. FreshTEC Achievement Award to Peter Quiring Prior to NatureFresh, Peter Quiring start- ed a company called South Essex Fabricating, located in Leamington, Ontario. As the forerunner to NatureFresh, South Essex Fabricating (SEF) was established to drive innova- tion in Canada's high-tech commercial greenhouse industry, providing growers with structures, heating systems and logistics. South Essex Fabricating was just the beginning. It brought leading- edge ideas like thermal storage, CO2 capture, biomass heating, water recycling technology and the latest in greenhouse innovations, such as diffused glass, into the industry 18 years ago. Despite fighting the need to be both the grower and the marketer, Peter's enterprise continued to grow and soon developed into NatureFresh Farms. Now, the company boasts 100 percent zero nutrient water discharge into the environ- ment and is just starting to install com- mercial dehumidification systems in greenhouses after experimenting with it for the past six years. NatureFresh also became one of the first successful busi- nesses to grow peppers under lights. Since its foundation, the vertically integrated corporation has built nearly 2,000 acres of greenhouses for growers in North America and owns 130 acres in Ontario with an additional 45 acres in Delta, Ohio. "Peter's contributions to greenhouse technology have advanced the industry significantly," said United Fresh President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Stenzel. "His competitive drive and commitment to invest in technology advancements in controlled growing environments are what set him apart. We're proud to honor Peter with this FreshTEC Achievement Award." FreshMKT Achievement Award to Roger Pepperl Roger Pepperl began his produce career working his way up from produce man- ager to buyer/merchandiser during 21 years with Meijer, Inc. He then joined Stemilt's team as marketing director in 2000. Roger's knowledge and experience as a retailer for one of the nation's largest grocery chains has served him well in his role at Stemilt. He understands that suc- cess is in the hands of the shopper first and foremost, and has made it a priority to tell the Stemilt story in order to engage with all shoppers, and especially the next generation, millennials. The advent of new packaging and new proprietary varieties in the tree fruit world has been a huge focus for Roger over the past several years. He was the mastermind behind Stemilt's line of kid- sized fruits, Lil Snappers™. Delivering convenience and quality in a package and targeting that to today's busy parents quickly led to increased category sales for both apples and pears. He also had the foresight to bring Sunkist Growers into the brand with citrus products, creating a new level of cross-category merchandising. Recognizing the fact that consumers want to know where their food is grown and the advantage Stemilt has in growing its pears in the Wenatchee and Entiat River Valleys, Roger recently helped Stemilt launch a new label for its pear program, called Rushing Rivers™ pears. This program benefits all the audiences Stemilt serves and is a classic example of Roger's innovative approach to creating marketing programs that work for pro- duce. Piñata! ® and SweeTango ® apples are additional success stories of Roger's and Stemilt's. He led the introduction of the company's proprietary apple variety, Piñata, back in 2009. Marketing the vari- ety in the middle of the winter with eye- catching, tropical themed cartons/dis- plays and the flavor profile "classic apple flavor with a tropical twist" put this apple in shopping carts and created huge con- sumer demand. Pinata is now a variety that consumers are seeking out, and it appeared in more than 7,000 supermar- kets in the U.S. alone last season. "Roger's contributions to the mar- keting and merchandising of fresh fruits and vegetables have advanced the indus- try significantly," said United Fresh President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Stenzel. "His innovative marketing programs, unique approach to merchan- dising and foresight to stay one step ahead of the curve are what set Roger apart from his peers. We're proud to honor him with this FreshMKT Achievement Award." PEAKFRESH USA DELIVERS MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON PEAKfresh ® products were created in the early '90s at a time when people weren't very educated on the benefits of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Today, it's different. The pro- duce industry acknowledges that modi- fied atmosphere packaging is needed for long distance shipping, and retailers now demand the use of MAP products to maintain certain shelf expectancy, for the most part at grower/shipper expense. PEAKfresh understands that satis- fying these needs can be difficult for growers and shippers, and it's here to help. First, it provides a product you can count on. PEAKfresh is a low-den- sity polyethylene film impregnated with a natural occurring mineral that significantly increases gas permeabili- ty, allowing ethylene and other damag- ing gases to be removed, thus prolong- ing the life and freshness of produce and floral products. Unlike ordinary plastic film, the intelligent film "breathes," allowing damaging gases to escape as product ripens, while main- taining vitamin C levels. Additionally, the anti-fogging properties of PEAKfresh film reduce moisture for- mation to inhibit bacterial growth. All PEAKfresh products are certified organic (OMRI code: pfp-2278). Second, it works hard to keep costs lower than com- petitors and it doesn't require a yearly contract or high minimums. PEAKfresh is easy to use, adding value to your shipments, so you can eliminate costly rejections and achieve longer shelf life for your produce at a guaranteed lower cost. PEAKfresh offers a variety of prod- ucts to meet your needs. It has standard items in stock at all times ready to ship same day as ordering, as well as custom products to meet your specific sizing and branding needs. Pallet Covers – PEAKfresh prides itself in offering the best unsealed pal- let covers in the industry. They are easy to use and can be applied by a single person. A great advantage of its pallet covers is that when a skid arrives at the warehouse or distribution center, it can be inspected or partially unloaded, then easily re-covered to protect the rest of the load until it is need- ed. Stock pallet cov- ers are available for 73-inch, 79-inch and 88-inch high pallets, both vented and non-vented. Custom sizes can be made to order and all pallet covers have the capability to be branded with your logo. Box Liners – Box liners are perfect for shippers needing shelf life during extended transportation and/or stor- age. They are especially effective for long border crossing inspections or cold chain breaks where there is a need to re-cool in a MAP bag. PEAKfresh liners can be used for all varieties of fruit and vegetables and are made specific to your size require- ments. They can be clear or colored, vented or non-vented and can be branded with your logo. SUNSWEET'S PACIFIC TROPICALS Sunsweet is excited to announce two new additions to its Pacific Tropicals line: tart and tangy Green Mango and lightly toast- ed Thai Coconut Chips. Each piece of Sunsweet's Green Mango is packed with delicious tangi- ness that will leave you craving your next bite, and the Thai Coconut has a satisfy- ing crunch combined with creamy vanil- la notes. Both are sourced from unique microclimates and deliver an amazing taste of the tropics. These items, plus Sunsweet's current delicious Philippine Mango and Philippine Pineapple, are sure to satisfy growing multicultural demand for new tropical items. The launch of the new Pacific Tropicals is an example of Sunsweet's efforts to bring new con- sumers to the dried fruit aisle with a full range of delicious prod- ucts, including Amaz!n Prunes. Sunsweet Growers Inc., estab- lished in 1917, has a heritage in pro- ducing the highest quality dried fruits. The 250 grower/member cooperative, based in Yuba City, California, is the worldwide leader in prunes and healthy snacks that fit today's need for wholesome and convenient food choices. For more information, go to www.sunsweet.com or call 800.417.2253.