Uncategorized

Posted on by

The avocado and mango revolution

Screenshot 2015-03-11 at 21

In the past, European avocado and mango producers and distributors were used to harvesting, packing and transporting their fruit as fast as possible in order to achieve a longer trading window. But this changed dramatically with new consumer segments demanding higher quality and more flavour.

The development of new techniques to control postharvest ripening led to the emergence of a new category which has revolutionised the subtropical fruit market, under the ready-to-eat banner. Today, the fruit is pre-ripened to reach the point of sale in optimum conditions for eating, giving it greater added value and longer shelf life.

The companies presented here apply pre-ripening in line with a totally new concept; they have created their own brands that recall what eating ‘freshly picked’ fruit used to taste like. In other words, simply delicious fruit, in its maximum expression of aromas and optimum flavours.

Using powerful marketing tools and applying high technology, these companies are able to produce and commercialise a product which previously was only sold in small local markets.

Under the aegis of a premium quality brand, they achieve end product uniformity at point of sale, greater acceptance from customers and consequently better sale prices. The commercial boom generated by the ready-to-eat segment is unquestionably one of the greatest successes in fresh fruit sector innovation.

Read the rest of this article for free on page 86 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine.

 

 

Posted on by

Quebec promotes its favourite home-grown and processed vegetables

Screenshot 2015-03-11 at 21

New consumer food guide provides practical tips on using processed vegetable options

The “I love 5 to 10 servings a day” campaign is launching the Coup de cœur pour des légumes cultivés et transformés au Québec! (Quebec’s favourite home-grown and processed vegetables) – a  free booklet with practical advice on how to harness the health benefits of Quebec peas, corn and green beans frozen or canned.

In the guide, nutritionist and spokesperson for the “I love 5 to 10 servings a day” campaign Julie DesGroseilliers explains how processed vegetables are convenient options that are both nutritious and tasty. “Raw or cooked, fresh, frozen or canned, in soups or in salads, sautéed or au gratin…there’s no wrong way to eat 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day,” DesGroseilliers said.

The “I love 5 to 10 servings a day” campaign was launched by the Quebec Produce Marketing Association (QPMA) in 2004. Its purpose is to raise consumer awareness about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy lifestyle. 

The guide can be downloaded here for free (in French).

 

 

Posted on by

Tomato sales value slipped last year in UK

Tomato 3

The value of tomato sales in the UK slipped last year, Kantar Worldpanel data shows.

Figures for the 52 weeks to December 7 show total sales of £706.2 million, down 4.8% on the same period in the previous 12 months. This was despite the sales volume rising slightly – by 1.1% – to nearly 258,000 tons.

Screenshot 2015-03-11 at 20.26.43.png
source: Kantar Worldpanel

Tomatoes in one in four shopping baskets

But tomatoes remain popular with consumers, data from mySupermarket.co.uk shows. They came in 7th on its list of the 25 most bought items in its UK shoppers’ baskets last year. And they were in more than one in four shopping baskets bought in the UK from mySupermarket in 2014.

The company’s figures for December 2013 to November 2014 also show tomatoes are popular year–round. Over those twelve months, an average of 27.5% of all shopping baskets had tomatoes in them, with a dip to 19.98% in December 2013 and rise to above 30% last June and July.

Mostly non–loose and non–organic tomatoes

The vast majority of the tomatoes were pre–packed and very few organic. On average, just 0.87% of baskets had organic tomatoes in them. This level was fairly consistent throughout the year and while low, was higher than for other products, such as peppers (0.34%) and berries (0.61%), both of which showed more monthly variation.

An online shopping and comparison website, MySupermarket, gathers data from more than 50,000 unique shoppers and 4.5 million visitors each month. In terms of traffic it is the UK’s third largest supermarket after Tesco and Asda.


souce: mySupermarket.co.uk

 

 

Posted on by

Recent impact of Russian ban on prices for certain EU produce

European Commission presentation on the impact of the Russian import ban on prices for certain fruits and vegetables.

There’s been an upward trend for mushroom prices and stable prices for pears, carrots, kiwis, and oranges and lemons in the EU, according to the European Commission.

But the price situation for tomatoes and peppers has been mixed and there’s been a downward trend for apples.

That’s according to a presentation on the impact of the Russian import ban on prices for certain fruits and vegetables which the Agriculture and Rural Development Directorate made at the February 17 meeting of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets.

Hightlights of the presentation include:

MARKET UPDATE

Apples
Prices decreased in the two Member States with the lowest prices (-6.8% to 20 EUR/100 kg in PL and -4% to 26.6 EUR/100 kg in DE).
Pears
Prices registered stability (current prices are 8.8% under the historical average).
Citrus
Prices over 3-year average (22.2% higher for oranges and 6.7% for lemons).
Tomatoes
Significant price reduction in IT and moderate in ES (current average for tomatoes is 9,8% above the 3- year average).

MARKET CONTEXT

Exchange rates of Dollar to both Euro and Zloty: extra-EU exports and opening new export markets more attractive, helping to restore market balance.
New export destinations: The US has lifted an old ban on imports of French apples and pears from, following a bilateral agreement on sanitary controls.
Lower supply in Southern EU due to adverse weather conditions and low temperatures: Positive impact on prices.

SUMMARY MARKET SITUATION

Positive trend:
Mushrooms (downward trend reversed last week)
Price stability:
Pears (BE price = 46.5)
Carrots (lowest prices in NL & PL)
Kiwis (prices much higher than 3-year average)
Oranges & lemons
Downward trend:
Apples (20 EUR/100 kg in PL and 26.6 in DE)
Mixed situation:
Tomatoes
Peppers
 

 

Screenshot 2015-03-10 at 18.58.08.png

Screenshot 2015-03-10 at 18.57.47.png

 

source:
Evolution of EU prices of certain F&V
European Commission DG Agriculture and Rural Development Directorate C. Single CMO, economics and analysis of agricultural markets

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on by

Sainsbury’s opens its first ‘click and collect’ grocery stores

UK retailer Sainsbury’s is rolling out a new service allowing customers the option of picking up the shopping they’ve ordered online from a nearby store.

UK retailer Sainsbury’s has this month started rolling out its new ‘click and collect’ service allowing customers to pick up the shopping they’ve ordered online from a store.

More than 20 Sainsbury’s stores will be offering the service by the end of the month and 100 stores are in the pipeline to join them by the end of the year.

The service means customers shopping online – in addition to still being able to book the usual home delivery slots – could choose a participating store and time to pick up their shopping from a refrigerated van which parked in the store’s car park.

Sainsbury’s Online Director, Robbie Feather, said: “This is yet another step for Sainsbury’s increasingly popular online service, and a demonstration of our commitment to giving our customers more convenient ways to shop with us, wherever and whenever they want.” Sainsbury’s online business is 18 years old and a £1 billion business (5% of sales).

The free collection slots will be available at eligible stores from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 1pm and then 2pm until 8pm in the evening. The service will also be available during store opening times on a Sunday. Collections are subject to a minimum £20 spend, with no collection charge. Orders may be placed up to 20 days in advance and as late as 11pm for next day collection.

 

 

Posted on by

How to tackle the risks in perishables transport

Screenshot 2015-03-09 at 19

Produce quality more important than carriage factors for good shelf-life.

Cooling and carriage factors clearly are not the only aspects that can lead to waste. The weather during cultivation, crop husbandry, grade at harvest, post-harvest handling, the type of packaging and pre-cooling all play their own role in the quality and storability of the product. As Alex Schenz put it at the 6th Cool Logistics Conference, “The container is not a hospital, if you put garbage in, you get garbage out.”

Yet in terms of carriage factors, there are many aspects to control. Humidity management can prevent mold or wet cartons, as Leo Lukasse, a climate control specialist from Wageningen University, highlighted at the conference.

Another point of concern are periods without power during transportation. German expert in ocean transport and reefer containers Yves Wild said power-off periods seem to be increasing because operations take more time due to reefers getting larger and larger. A connected reefer would be able to supply real-time information on the situation, thus reducing cargo loss and costs.

Michael Dempsey, sales and marketing vice president at WAM Technologies in the US, said such technology already exists but various parties throughout the chain are reluctant to invest in it as they would not be the only party to benefit and it still is unclear who would own the data collected. Yet a lot is to be gained from connectivity – visibility, monitoring, compliance and security – which would lead to a return on investment.

Reefer container trade: bright spots and financial challenges

Although it seems clear that the reefer containers are definitively taking the lead over conventional reefer shipping where perishable transportation is concerned, that does not mean the industry is not facing challenges.

As Thomas Eskesen, global head of refrigerated business with Maersk Line, showed during his presentation at the conference, carrier results have not been sustainable for a long time. They dropped below the level of generally accepted margins since the beginning of 2011 and have remained there ever since, even dipping into the negative figures for prolonged periods.

This has left the industry with serious financial challenges. At the same time, a compound annual growth rate (cagr) for reefer containers of 6.5% is reported with prospects for further growth. Where the reefer container share was 72.3% in 2013, it is predicted to reach 79.8% in 2018, according to Alexis Michel, CMA CGM’s senior vice president of logistics and reefers. Yet he, too, expressed concerns about profitability versus investment in the reefer container fleet and the need for better operating margins.

Growth in perishables trade

However, according to figures from the Seabury Group, there are bright spots on the horizon, too. A shift in transportation is noticeable, with a move away from air towards ocean trade, particularly in containers. Indeed two thirds of the global perishables’ ocean volume is in containers. In Europe and Africa in particular, there seems to be more room for further growth in containers, the Seabury Group believes. Volume-wise, it is the short distance trade that is the most significant and it is also this that is seeing the fastest growth. A compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% is forecast for trade in perishables between 2013-2018. The Asian Pacific region, with an expected CAGR of 6%, is the main driver of growth.

Increased demand for value–services

Both Maersk and CMA-CGM have also observed that reefer customers are demanding increased service. This had lead Maersk to introduce a vast toolbox to both improve service and lower costs. In the toolbox, services such as network rationalisation, speed equalisation and slow steaming, inland optimisation and much more can be found. The end result should be lower network costs, improved products and lower CO2 emissions. What it should not lead to is one single service for all customers. Maersk Line will continue to differentiate when it comes to sales experience, the booking process, service levels and customer service. CMA-CGM observes that the seaborne mode split leads container carriers to higher service level criteria where compensation of longer transit times, the ensuring of fumigation and logistic schemes, such as open sea exchange, are concerned. In all of these processes, data will be a key priority. Indeed, as Maersk points out, data will be the future value driver. 

MW

This is an abbreviated version of an article which appeared on p62 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine. Read the full article for free here.

 
 

 

Posted on by

GERMANY: Room for growth in Europe’s biggest food and beverage market

512px-Flag_map_of_Germany

Consumption

According to the German fruit trade association Fruchthandelsverband, the average daily intake of fruit and vegetables in Germany has plateaued at 250g per person – just over half the recommendation daily intake of 450g. Given the per capita intake in Mediterranean countries is 700g a day there is obviously room for expansion in German fruit and vegetable consumption. While the ‘5-a-day’ campaign has drawn attention to the importance of eating ample fruit and vegetables, research published by Germany’s federal health journal Bundesgesundheitsblatt shows just 15.1% of women and 7% of men in Germany adhere to this recommended quantity. And while Germans seem to eat more fruit as they get older, vegetable intake appears fairly constant across all age groups.

Popular fruits include apples, bananas and oranges, while tomatoes, carrots and cucumber are the top three vegetables purchased. Local products on the rise Strong consumer preference for local produce is another feature of the German market. Taste and freshness are the most important reasons for consumers to buy local. In fresh produce in particular, consumers value quality over price where regional products are concerned. A recent study by the consulting firm AT Kearney shows local produce is not just a once in a while purchase for the country’s shoppers.

Last year, more than 80% of Germans bought local products on a monthly basis (up from 72% in 2013). Furthermore, more than 60% did so on a weekly basis (up from 48% in 2013). Locally–produced goods are mainly recognized by the packaging or the labelling. Regional products are usually sold from weekly markets or directly from organic farmers (46%), small supermarkets (44%) and from large supermarkets (42%).

Retail market saturated

Discounters are among the most successful retail formats in Germany. But, as Germany’s food retail newspaper Lebensmittelzeitung signals, based on November 2014 data, the market for price–focused formats in this country seems to have become saturated.
Opportunities in online food delivery While the German retail market is stagnant – growth is only keeping pace with inflation – and becoming saturated, the market for web-based food delivery services is nascent. Though now a niche with just a 0.6% share of the total food market, it has a clear upward tendency, according to market research firm Dr. Grieger & Cie, which expects turnover in this sector to grow by 44% this year.

Imports

Since Germany’s fresh produce production only partly meets its demand, many imports are needed. Fresh produce imports increased to €12.736 million in 2013, with fruit imports increasing more than vegetables. The majority of fresh produce imports are sourced from other European Union member states, with the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium and France the main suppliers.

Exports

In line with being a net-importing country, Germany exports far less fresh produce than it imports, though its exports are increasing. Between 2011 and 2013, the value of fresh fruit and vegetables exports rose to €2.46 billion. The value of vegetable exports is lower than that for fruit but growing faster.

 

MW

This is an abbreviated version of an article which appeared on p38 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine. Read the full article for free here.

 

Posted on by

A $460 billion producers’ club

Screenshot 2015-03-09 at 18

Created 12 years ago by Wal-Mart, this global initiative for family farms is expected to reach sales of $460 billion this year

Alain Benvenuti, VP sales at Wal-Mart Brazil received Eurofresh Distribution and shared some key learnings of the Producers’ Club (“Clube dos Produtores”).

This innovative project started 12 years ago at Wal-Mart Brazil draws on 52 years of corporate experience within the Wal-Mart group. Today, this initiative encompasses global turnover of $460 billion and by the end of 2015; sales in Brazil alone are expected to reach $1 billion, derived from products grown by 1 million family-based farmers. The goal of the club is to help small producers offer better quality products to end consumers and by increasing the amount of family farms . Only a few hundred families were involved in this project back in 2000 and today it has grown to nearly 9,000. Now covering 18 Brazilian states, the club represents 24.5% of total consumer spending and 12% of the volume of fruit and vegetable comes from Wal-Mart Brazil’s providers . Nearly 500 fruit and vegetable-related items are among the club’s products. The assistance provided to the farmers is huge: technical support; advice on compliance with environmental and labor laws and good farming practices; help with business management, and facilitation of meetings with banks and financial institutions. “The main goal is to facilitate knowledge to the producer and to strengthen the relationship between Wal-Mart and the grower,” Benvenuti said. In this way, the retailer helps families access better quality and more sustainably-grown products. Some of the farmers are also involved in the production of organic food. Besides some signs of inflation, this market segment has became less niche in the last 3-4 years, but the price of organic fresh produce is still 15–20% higher than conventional, according to Benvenuti.

Family farming and sustainability in Brazil

Ranked in 2014 as the 3rd best supermarket in Brazil, according to ABRAS, the Brazilian Association of Supermarkets, and awarded in 2013 as the most sustainable supermarket in Brazil, Wal-Mart Brazil takes a strong stance on this issue. With a turnover of more than $11.4 billion (28.4 billion Brazilian reais)
and 544 supermarkets, the challenge for this retailer and its competitors is to keep consumers’ shopping baskets full.“Over the last 10 years, Brazilian have been going to the supermarket less often, now just an average of 14 times a year, but buying more,” Benvenuti said. Inflation, which was up to 6.7% in September 2014, also remains a threat. Fruit and vegetables come fourth in the ABRAS/SuperHiper ranking, occupying an average of just 6.9% of supermarket shelf space in 2013. Why? Because most Brazilians go to the ‘hortifruti’, the neighbourhood shop selling fruit and vegetables.

Sustainability and traceability are priorities

Safety and transparency in the food chain are strategic pillars for this multinational. Wal-Mart Brazil ensures each level of the production chain adheres to the sustainability policy it established in 2009. This policy makes sustainability a priority not only for the company’s supermarkets and staff, but also its business partners and providers. It is also included in the KPIs for some managers. Its latest move in this direction was the launch of the first fish chain monitoring system, in collaboration with the NGO Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), which involves measures to help conserve marine and aquatic biodiversity. Wal-Mart Brazil is also continuously working on the traceability of meat, in regions such as the Amazon, highlighting the origin of the meat and supporting family farm suppliers, too. “Food is our number one category worldwide, and we are going to do even more in our grocery business in the years ahead. Paving a sustainable future for food is necessary for society and our business,” said Doug McMillon, president and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Stores, speaking at the Global Sustainability Milestone Meeting in Arkansas in October.

CL
 

You can read this article as it originally appeared on page 36 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine number 135 here.

 

 

Posted on by

EFSA advises vitamin A intake of 650 μg for women and 750 μg for men

Sweet red peppers are among the vegetables rich in the vitamin A precursor β-carotene

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published dietary intake guidance for vitamin A following a request from the European Commission.

In a scientific opinion published March 5 by EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies, it set Population Reference Intakes (PRIs) – which should cover the physiological needs of most of the healthy population  – of 750 µg retinol equivalent RE/day for men and 650 µg RE/day for women.

It set average requirements (ARs) for vitamin A ranging from 190 µg RE/day in infants aged 7–11 months to 580 µg RE/day in boys aged 15–17 years.

Vegetables and fruit rich in Vitamin A precursor

EFSA said the term vitamin A comprises retinol and the family of naturally occurring molecules associated with the biological activity of retinol, as well as provitamin A carotenoids that are dietary precursors of retinol.

It said foods rich in retinol include offal and meat, butter, retinol-enriched margarine, dairy products and eggs, while foods rich in β-carotene – which the human body can convert into vitamin A (retinol) – include vegetables and fruit, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, dark green leafy vegetables, sweet red peppers, mangoes and melons.

Vitamin A intake in the EU

Dietary surveys in nine EU countries found average vitamin A intake ranged between 816–1,498 μg RE/day in adults and 597–1,078 μg RE/day in children aged 10–18 years.

Read the EFSA document here.

Posted on by

Eastern Europe, Asia help boost bottom line for Auchan

Screenshot 2015-03-09 at 14

A strong contribution from Eastern Europe and Asia helped supermarket giant Auchan’s consolidated revenue rise 14.7% to reach €53.4 billion last year, according to its 2014 annual results.

This significant increase in turnover was primarily due to the French group’s consolidation of 100% of Sun Art Retail Group, it said.

“Strong performances in Central and Eastern Europe (+5.9%) and Asia (+96.4%, +5.8% after restatement for the impact of the consolidation of 100% of Sun Art Retail Group) offset the fall in Group revenue in France (-2.2%), which is mainly attributed to a fall in prices, and in Western Europe (-6.0%), due to difficulties in Italy.”

Despite a broadly difficult situation, Groupe Auchan continued to invest in France (€531 million, i.e. 25.9%) and the euro zone (€245 million, i.e. 11.9%), notably to maintain the appeal of its sites. €537 million (26.2%) was invested in Central and Eastern Europe, among others to finance the first banner changeovers in Poland. €737 million (36.0%) was invested in Asia.

“The breakdown by core business shows that €1,319 million, i.e. 64.3% of the total, was invested in the hypermarkets, €269 million (13.1%) in the supermarkets, €397 million (19.4%) in retail property, and €65 million (3.2%) in the other activities.”

Auchan listed its 2014 highlights as:

  • Full consolidation of the results of Sun Art Retail Group, Groupe Auchan’s Chinese subsidiary
  • Signing of purchasing partnerships in France (with Système U), in Italy (with SISA) and internationally (with METRO GROUP)
  • Start of consolidation of the 57 Real hypermarkets in Poland in February 2014; 12 banner changeovers in 2014
  • Continued expansion of directly-owned activities (57 hypermarkets, 72 supermarkets and 17 drive formats opened) and partnership activities (Paris, Reunion Island, Tunisia, Vietnam)
  • Continued implementation by Immochan of its dynamic asset management policy (14 assets concerned)

​Read more at Auchan