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Produce Show Daily Friday, October 20, 2017 5 4 New Realities of the Banana Supply Chain In the 1980s, the "Big Three" global banana traders, Chiquita, Dole and DelMonte, controlled more than 65 per- cent of all global banana exports. By 2013 it was down to 37 percent, accord- ing to a recent report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. This reflects the significant power shift away from grower/exporters and toward large retailers that's taken place over the same period. Today, with the diverse demands of major retailers controlling the market- place, the big brands have moved away from plantation ownership and produc- tion. The focus is now on post-produc- tion and supply chain logistics; sourcing bananas from multiple growers, integrat- ing purchasing, transportation, marketing and distribution under a single brand. This has brought renewed focus on stem- to-store quality control, particularly on color, quality and consistency at point-of- sale. "Quality is the No. 1 conversation among our customers," says David Byrne, Vice President of Sales for Thermal Technologies. "As the indus- try's largest designer/installer of produce ripening rooms, we've been working together with the big global exporters as well as the largest retailers in the industry for over 20 years. During that time, the discussion on both sides has become less about sourcing and more about how to maximize quality, consistency and value at the point-of-sale." The renewed emphasis on quality pulls together the interests of both retail- er and exporter, says Byrne, with ripen- ing operations playing a central role. "Ripening operations have become the focal point where the interests of both retailer and exporter come together. This has created a new partnership mentality in which all the stakeholders share the same common goal of providing consistent, high quality fruit whether it comes from one source or many." This new reality often puts competitors on the same team. "Due to the sheer size and volume of our retail cus- tomers, we often end up working side- by-side with more than one of the major exporters for the same retailer at the same time," says Byrne. "While this may have been unheard of in the past, this makes good business sense today, where the needs of the retailer and the sheer volume of demand are driving the market." While the shift of power towards retailers has created opportunities for smaller growers and suppliers, the power of Big Three and their ability to provide stem-to-store quality control along with value-added services and marketing keeps them in a strong posi- tion. "There's no doubt that the major brands will continue to have powerful influence on the industry," says Byrne. "They have the biggest combined share of the marketplace, a solid track record of success and well-established industry relationships. As the industry continues to diversify with more growers providing a greater variety organics and other bananas, there's no doubt that the big exporters – as well as ripening – will play an increasingly important role in making sure all these products reach the consumer with predictable high quality and consistency." For more information, visit booth #2853 or contact David Byrne at 803.461.7980. TarpLess is a registered trademark of Thermal Technologies, Inc. Learn more at www.gotarpless.com. Continental Western Corporation Continues to Grow & Expand Continental Western Corporation is proud to support the produce industry by offering essential products throughout the stages of planting, picking, packaging and shipping. For over 60 years, CWC has been a leader in the agriculture mar- ket and continues to provide quality products, timely delivery and outstanding customer service to all types of compa- nies and industries, large and small. The goal is to deliver the utmost in experience and value to customers as CWC contin- ues to grow and expand. Continental Western Corporation is expanding geographically to better serv- ice its loyal customer base. After years of continuous growth, it is moving its cor- porate offices into a 130,000 square-foot building located in the San Francisco Bay Area. CWC recently opened a new branch in Chicago, Illinois for its Midwest/East Coast customers, allowing for faster delivery and lower shipping costs. To further expand its reach into the Southeast, it is opening its ninth CWC location in Atlanta, Georgia soon. Continental Western Corporation is excited for its growth plans in the technology area. It has recently upgraded to a new ERP system and is preparing to launch a new and improved website. The new website will make ordering online easier, as you will be able to directly order from quotes, see your specific pric- ing and place repeat orders with ease. Stay tuned for an updated announcement on the rollout of the new website! Continental Western Corporation is actively seeking acquisitions of like- minded companies and strategic product lines that help to grow the CWC brand, its prod- uct offering and its geographic reach. CWC also continues to hire at all levels, including product and sales managers, outside sales reps and customer service team members. CWC is always interest- ed and seeking other opportunities that will have a positive influence on the company as it continues to deliver value and support to its partners. For more information, stop by booth #4771. DelFrescoPure Expands Strawberry Production With the increasing demand of locally grown greenhouse strawberries, DelFrescoPure ® announces Phase One of its greenhouse strawberry production expansion to 10 acres. The expansion will be in full production by November 2017 in order to fulfill marketplace demands for Ontario greenhouse-grown strawberries. "Within the past two years we decid- ed to enter the greenhouse strawberry production as an experiment and have succeeded beyond our expectations," said Carl Mastronardi, President of Del Fresco Produce Ltd. "The flavor profile, sweetness level and overall customer feedback has been overwhelming. This encouraged our team to continue with our production, brand development and expansion plans." The expansion features innovative technology for growing in all seasons, including energy curtains and grow lights to provide a half million square-foot con- trolled micro climate environment for growing strawberries. This development has been coined by DelFrescoPure as "Canada's largest green- house strawberry controlled environment with grow lights." "We decided to experi- ment with another category – berries – and what an achievement! We offer sum- mer tasting berries all sea- son long," commented Ray Mastronardi, Vice President of Sales. DelFrescoPure brands greenhouse strawberries under YES!Berries Your Everyday Snack™ with local and nation- al retail partners. Contact sales@delfres- copure.com to learn more about the pro- gram or visit www.yesberries.ca. About DelFrescoPure DelFrescoPure is an inno- vator and leader in the pre- mium greenhouse industry that grows and markets greenhouse tomatoes, pep- pers, cucumbers, beans, eggplant and strawberries. It is family owned and has been operating for over 50 years in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. DelFrescoPure prides itself on the quality of its produce, unsur- passed flavor and personalized customer service. For more information, go to www.del frescopure.com or stop by booth #2551. Michigan Apples' Flavor is Unmatched The majority of Michigan Apples, approximately 70 percent, are grown in the western part of the state along the coast of Lake Michigan, and the factors in this region make all the difference in producing high-quality, flavorful apples. The Great Lakes help provide rich soil perfect for growing apple trees. Soil that is not too heavy with just the right mix of nutrients help keep the trees healthy during their entire lifespan. The lake effect from Lake Michigan, along with the humid climate, are the perfect conditions for apple growing. Even the cold winters play an impor- tant role. This weather helps keep the trees dormant, resting them to preserve energy to grow future crops and protect- ing them from potential damage. Apple trees are able to withstand very cold tem- perature, down to -25 degrees Fahrenheit before experiencing the negative effects of the cold. All of these factors help in producing crisp, juicy apples. Of course, all these soil and climate factors would be for nothing in producing Michigan Apples without the dedicated growers. With more than 11.3 million apple trees found on 825 fam- ily-run farms in Michigan, the passion, care and expertise shown by these growers is unmatched. They are part sci- entist and part artist, and it is because of the knowledge these family growers have passed down from generation to generation that they are able to bring all of these ele- ments together in creating such flavorful apples. The combination of the natural ele- ments found in Michigan along with the pride, care and expertise of the growers all contribute with having the best tasting apples in the world. Check out www.michiganapples.com to find out where to buy Michigan Apples, as well as health benefits, recipes and more. The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-fund- ed nonprofit organization devoted to marketing, educa- tion and research activities to distinguish the Michigan Apple and encourage its consumption in Michigan and around the world. For more information, stop by booth #1409 or go to www.michiganapples.com.