Russia Stalls EU Exports With Tough Pesticide Residue Stance
Freshfel Europe — which describes itself as “…the European Fresh Produce Association, representing the interests of importers, exporters, wholesalers, distributors and retailers of fresh fruits and vegetables in Europe and beyond…” — came out with a strong statement opposing a new Russian requirement: FRESHFEL EUROPE CONDEMNS RUSSIAN PLANS TO INTRODUCE SAFETY CERTIFICATES FOR SELECTED FRESH […]
Pundit’s Mailbag — What Is
The Pundit’s ‘Core Competency’?
We received this note shortly after publishing Great Expectations For President Obama: I get a great deal out of reading your insights on the produce industry. Your analysis of the Tesco deal has been excellent, although I think you have been slow to pay attention to Wild Rocket Foods. Your cheerleading for Bruce Peterson annoys […]
Tesco Uses Poor Economy As Excuse For Fresh & Easy Pullback
Every time there is a hurricane or natural disaster, there are people and businesses that are horribly impacted, but there are also plenty of people who use the event as an excuse for their own non-performance. So a hurricane hits the coast in North Carolina and that somehow explains why businesses 150 miles to the […]
Perishable Thoughts — Actions
Speak Louder Than Words
Scott Danner, Chief Operating Officer of Liberty Fruit Co., Inc., has been a frequent contributor to the Pundit. A few examples of the many contributions he has shared with the industry can be found in these pieces: Pundit’s Mailbag — Traceability Precision Perishable Thoughts — Resolve To Succeed Today Scott is kind enough to send […]
Will Tesco Pay Wild Rocket’s Bills?
Our extensive coverage of Tesco’s Fresh & Easy operation has mostly dealt with the concept and operations. Yet our piece — Is Fresh & Easy Departing From Private Label? — brought an outpouring of anger at Tesco, the main complaint: That Tesco, which the produce vendors would like to work with, requires produce vendors to […]
Whole Foods Exercises Pundit
‘Option Two’ And Sells Preferred Stock
In our piece Can Whole Foods Survive Prolonged Economic Downturn? we said that the company was running out of financial flexibility and we said it had five options: Muddle through. By paring back capital expenditure and utilizing its credit lines, Whole Foods may make it through but if we are in for a long recession, […]
Great Expectations For
President Obama
If you are an American patriot, you ought to wish President-elect Barack Obama well. John McCain’s gracious concession speech said it well: I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find […]
Can Whole Foods Survive
Prolonged Economic Downturn?
Whole Foods Market will be reporting earnings for both its fourth fiscal quarter and its full year on Wednesday, November 5, 2008. The market is not expecting good news. Whole Foods has seen its stock price decline 78% over the past year. The company had already eliminated its dividend and scaled back capital expenditures; now […]
Is Fresh & Easy
Departing From Private Label?
In our extensive coverage of Tesco’s adventures in America through its Fresh & Easy format, we have often pointed out the untenable nature of its produce operation. By electing to go 100% private label, it denied consumers the brands they were familiar with, and by repacking everything and demanding unusual specifications, it was both undermining […]
Pundit Mailbag — Food Safety
And Presidential Politics
Back in March we ran a piece, Friday The 13th, March 1989…Important Date In Produce History, which dealt with the cyanide scare on Chilean grapes. The piece brought a quick response advising us of another important date in produce history. With the election upon us and Thanksgiving soon to be here, we thought now is […]
