Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/887670
Produce Show Daily 6 9 Friday, October 20, 2017 DB: Considering over 70 percent of all bananas ripened in North America are ripened in Thermal Tech rooms, I guess you can say we're in a pretty unique posi- tion. We work with all major growers and nearly all of the top grocery retailers across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, so we're deeply involved on both sides of the equation. PSD: You said quality control has become more important than sourcing, both for the big exporters as well as the large retailers. What's changed? DB: Back 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, that total was down to just 37 per- cent. This reflects a shift away from plan- tation ownership and production by the Big Three towards post-production and supply chain logistics. So now you have the Big Three as well as some larger retailers and wholesalers sourcing bananas from multiple growers, then marketing and distributing them under a single brand. This has shifted the conver- sation away from sourcing to how to maximize quality and consistency at the point-of-sale with fruit coming from multiple sources. PSD: How is this impacting the indus- try? DB: Interestingly enough, I believe the new emphasis on retail quality has actu- ally made things better. It's created a new partnership mentality in which all the stakeholders share the same common goal. In this new environment, the ripen- ing operation pulls together the varied interests of grower, marketer, wholesaler and retailer, all of whom have a vested Thermal Technologies (Cont'd. from p. 1) interest in providing consistent, high quality fruit, whether it comes from one supplier or many. It's been good for us, too. We recently doubled our manufac- turing floor space from 40,000 to 80,000 square feet just to keep pace with orders. PSD: How does this new model differ from the way things worked in the past? DB: Due to the sheer size and volume of some of our retail customers, this new focus on retail quality often puts com- petitors on the same team. We've ended up working side-by-side with more than one of the major suppliers for the same retailer at the same time. While this was nearly unheard of in the past, this new partnership mentality makes good busi- ness sense today, where the needs of the large retailers drive the market. PSD: How do you see these changes impacting the marketplace in the years ahead? DB: While the shift of market power towards retailers has created opportuni- ties for smaller growers and suppliers, the sheer size and market reach of the Big Three along with value-added services and marketing means they will continue to have a powerful influence on the industry. But as retailers continue to diversify with more growers providing a greater variety of organics and other banana types, there's also no doubt that ripening will play an increasingly impor- tant role in making sure all these products reach the consumer with the predictable high quality and consistency the market demands. 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. pursuit of offering a consistent supply of our full berry patch. With advances such as substrate growing systems where we're able to grow raspberries in pots and have greater control over their environment, we believe we will be able to improve the reliability of our organic raspberry supply year-round. But we've got work to do, and the fact is that there are still peaks of supply during fall and late spring. So the good news is that right now is an excel- lent time for retailers to take advantage of a great tasting premium offering. PSD: With nearly 90 percent market share of organic raspberries, if you've ever eaten an organic raspberry, chances are it was Driscoll's. Nevertheless, there continues to be unmet demand for organ- ic raspberries. Why does supply for this category lag behind demand? CS: Farming organic raspberries is a commitment. There are many factors that need to align in order to create the best quality organic raspberries. Raspberries require the right geography, and our inde- pendent growers have found the few small pockets where raspberries – both organic and conventionally grown – truly flourish. Moreover, to grow organic rasp- berries, the grower needs the right piece of land – and more of it for an appropri- ate soil rotation; the right soil profile; the right inputs; and a level of expertise that few possess. PSD: What are some of the factors that Driscoll's (Cont'd. from p. 1) go into the price premium to grow organ- ic raspberries? CS: As a rule, organic growers tend to spend more money on inputs for lower outputs relative to their conventional counterparts. Organic production of semi-perennial crops such as raspberries need a trifecta of well-drained soil, a balanced soil environment, and high quality water to achieve the best output. Organic growers typically see lower yields, which translate into lower fruit density on the plant. Because every raspberry is hand-picked, harvesters have increased walking time to find the berries. PSD: Tell our readers more about Driscoll's commitment to remain the organic market leader. CS: Driscoll's plans to increase the over- all share of our business that organics represent primarily because that's where consumer demand is. But at Driscoll's, part of our vision statement is to enrich the lives of everyone we touch, from the consumer to the laborers who plant and harvest the fruit, to the communities in which we do business. So as we have learned that employees often have a pref- erence for the work environment that organic ranches offer, we feel it's very much in line with our long-term vision to invest meaningfully in the growth of our organic category. For more information, go to www .driscolls.com or stop by booth #1533. Or those experiences that refresh each of your senses and expand, perhaps forev- er, your expectations of what's possible. That's living, my friends. It's far bet- ter than the alternative. And it's with that same intention – to maximize nature's purest intentions – that North Shore Greenhouses created a thriving business by offering only Living Herbs and Microgreens. North Shore not only features a highly sought-after potted line of culi- nary herbs, but the only Living Herbs in a clamshell package. Boasting triple the shelf-life over any cut herb, it offers the consumer the chance to make every home cooked meal a special occasion. Thanks to an innovative and propri- etary growing method developed by Founder Leo Overgaag, each plant is hand-harvested with its life-giving roots still attached, then packaged in a careful- ly crafted clamshell retaining all of the flavor, freshness and fragrance Mother Nature intended. There's good reason for all that. According to the Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, an herb has 4-6 hours after harvest to be used before the healthy oils, enzymes and medicinal properties evapo- rate. For this reason, North Shore Greenhouses dedicates its growing method to perfecting the "Living Herb." The consumer is essentially the farmer harvesting the herb in their kitchen and Herb Difference (Cont'd. from p. 1) reaping all the health benefits as well as the unparalleled flavor and freshness. Thanks to those life-giving roots, each plant offers 100 percent yield for con- sumers. North Shore fans are accustomed to using the tender, delicious stems rather than having to work around the dead, tough, woody stems of cut herbs. As though delivering an industry- leading culinary herb weren't enough, North Shore's Living Clamshell is a remarkable statement of innovation in and of itself. In simple terms, it's a mini- greenhouse, keeping the plant healthy and vibrant, as it's carefully delivered to the consumer via the nation's most dis- cerning retailers who search rigorously to procure the finest produce for their val- ued customers. With consumers asking for more freshness, more authenticity, more yield from their produce, North Shore Living Herbs stands alone, atop the herb category. Thanks to these revelations, North Shore Sales & Marketing is embarking on a complete company rebrand and Living is the centerpiece of its strategy. Keeping true to its roots, it is educating consumers on the power of living authen- tically, enjoying nature's finest creations and expecting more from its food. And we can all expect a lot more from North Shore Living Herbs + Greens. Visit North Shore at booth #3300. For more information, go to www.northshore.farm or call 760.397.0400. facility contaminating products over an extended period of time. Having a pathogen take residence in your plant can cost anywhere from $850,000 to upwards of $20 million, not to mention significant damage to your company's brand and reputation. Taking a proactive approach to food safety can help prevent such a devastat- ing event from occurring. To start, con- sider these principles of sanitary design when updating and maintaining your equipment. While there are a variety of ways contamination can occur, these principles help us understand how crucial equipment design is to reducing food safety risks. The 10 principles of sanitary design include: cleanable to a microbiological level; made of compatible materials; accessible for inspection, maintenance, cleaning and sanitation; no areas where product or liquid can collect; hollow areas should be hermetically sealed; no niches; sanitary operational performance; hygienic design of maintenance enclo- sures; hygienic compatibility with other plant systems; and validated cleaning and Birko Corporation (Cont'd. from p. 1) sanitizing protocols. Manufacturers of food processing equipment have used, and continue to refer to, these 10 principles to better serve customers and improve sanitary design inside facilities. Look to these manufacturers to provide you with equip- ment built with both efficiency and sani- tary design in mind. This industry is always changing and standards of food safety are ever improving, which means it's our responsibility as equipment man- ufacturers, chemical companies and food processors to keep evolving and adapting to that change. A commitment to food safety is cer- tainly a major investment of time, resources and budget. However, updating a facility is undeniably worthwhile. Choose to change before you are forced, and you will be much more likely to avoid a contamination event that brings your operation to a grinding halt, damaging your brand as well as your bottom line. For more information on produce pro- cessing equipment and sanitary design recommendations, visit www.birkocorp .com/produce-fresh-cut. Learn more at booth #4739.