SALINAS SCENE: Green Valley Packaging carving out niche
SALINAS SCENE: Green Valley Packaging carving out niche
Steve Jewell believed he saw a need he could fulfill in the packaging industry when he launched Green Valley Packaging in Watsonville, CA, in 2003.
What he found upon opening the company was such a variety of packaging that the typical supplier of corrugated packaging did not try to handle it all or suppliers that did not deviate from their specialty.
Consumer trends in produce purchasing continue to evolve toward clamshell packaging, environmentally friendly packaging and different sizes and materials.
Mr. Jewell began his packaging distribution company by using the knowledge and experience he gained through his 30 years in the produce packaging industry, with a concentration on strawberries.
So far, Mr. Jewell has been focusing primarily on strawberry customers, though Green Valley also has worked with organic peppers and beans. He appears to be on the right track with his business, which specializes in allowing his customers to source all their packaging needs through him.
?I work with my customers on all their packaging needs " from boxes to clamshells to bubble pack or whatever their total need is " and provide them with an annual comprehensive plan," Mr. Jewell said.
The last thing a small grower-shipper wants to do is spend each day trying to figure out if it has the right " or enough " packages available for what is being harvested and sold from its field, Mr. Jewell said.
In addition to the company?s corporate offices in Watsonville, Green Valley has warehouse facilities both in Northern California and Southern California. Counting Mr. Jewell, the company has six employees. Part of Green Valley?s service is to provide a total packaging forecast on a regular basis throughout the season and maintain sufficient inventories for its customers. Mr. Jewell gives the customers a rough forecast based on what their needs were the previous year and Mr. Jewell?s read on trends. Ultimately, it's up to the customer to approve of Mr. Jewell?s forecast. The forecasting program results in less carryover of unused or obsolete packaging at the end of each season, he said.
Mr. Jewell said that he has noted an increased need for support for clamshell purchasing. He said that he has witnessed a significant increase in the number of suppliers in this arena, each with unique attributes in areas such as type of material used, venting patterns, locking style and consumer recycling ability.
He considers the retail acceptance based on performance throughout the distribution system and customer demographics.
Cal Giant wowed by Publix demand for strawberry drink
Watsonville, CA-based California Giant is finding that its "Just Strawberry? drink is flying off the shelves of the Lakeland, FL-based Publix supermarket chain. Publix, with 800-plus stores predominantly in Florida but spread across five southeastern states, has astonished folks at Cal Giant.
?They are ordering all the time " every other week they order," said Cindy Jewell, Cal Giant?s director of marketing.
Ms. Jewell and Randall Freeman " Cal Giant?s vice president of sales and marketing for fruit products " will make a special trip to Florida in April to see just what has Publix customers drinking so much "Just Strawberry? juice.
?Maybe it's because Florida is a juice state," Ms. Jewell speculated.
Whatever the reason, Cal Giant may make a case study of the Publix phenomenon for internal use.
Pacific AgPak rolls out blueberry pack
Watsonville, CA-based Pacific AgPak is ready to go with its rollout of a 2.5-pound blueberry pack that fits a modular format. The company will custom-label and UPC the packs.
This summer, the company expects to roll out a perimeter-lock clamshell geared for blueberry and grape packaging that packs on automated filling machines.
Author seeks food references for California guide
Pacific Grove, CA-based author and publisher Patricia Hamilton is writing a guidebook for travelers in California.
Author of three previous guidebooks on Monterey County, Ms. Hamilton?s ambitious book " At Home On The Road: A Healthy Guidebook For Travelers " will focus on healthy food, wine, festivals and fitness.
For the food component, Ms. Hamilton is seeking input on California agri-tourism sites, restaurants, delis, farmers markets, health food stores, recipes and supermarkets that carry organic and locally grown food. The largest part of the book will be the food component. The goal of the book is to "bring customers to their doors," Ms. Hamilton said.
Ms. Hamilton will be traveling in the San Diego and Los Angeles areas from April 18 through May 20 doing research for her book. Statewide, anyone interested in having his ir her businesses included in the book may contact her at 877/702-4500 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Listings are free and are not contingent upon buying an ad in the book. However, anyone interested in advertising in the book may contact Helen Kranz at 800/818-9828 or by e-mail at [email protected].
(Contact Brian Gaylord at 831/757-4000 or [email protected].)
What he found upon opening the company was such a variety of packaging that the typical supplier of corrugated packaging did not try to handle it all or suppliers that did not deviate from their specialty.
Consumer trends in produce purchasing continue to evolve toward clamshell packaging, environmentally friendly packaging and different sizes and materials.
Mr. Jewell began his packaging distribution company by using the knowledge and experience he gained through his 30 years in the produce packaging industry, with a concentration on strawberries.
So far, Mr. Jewell has been focusing primarily on strawberry customers, though Green Valley also has worked with organic peppers and beans. He appears to be on the right track with his business, which specializes in allowing his customers to source all their packaging needs through him.
?I work with my customers on all their packaging needs " from boxes to clamshells to bubble pack or whatever their total need is " and provide them with an annual comprehensive plan," Mr. Jewell said.
The last thing a small grower-shipper wants to do is spend each day trying to figure out if it has the right " or enough " packages available for what is being harvested and sold from its field, Mr. Jewell said.
In addition to the company?s corporate offices in Watsonville, Green Valley has warehouse facilities both in Northern California and Southern California. Counting Mr. Jewell, the company has six employees. Part of Green Valley?s service is to provide a total packaging forecast on a regular basis throughout the season and maintain sufficient inventories for its customers. Mr. Jewell gives the customers a rough forecast based on what their needs were the previous year and Mr. Jewell?s read on trends. Ultimately, it's up to the customer to approve of Mr. Jewell?s forecast. The forecasting program results in less carryover of unused or obsolete packaging at the end of each season, he said.
Mr. Jewell said that he has noted an increased need for support for clamshell purchasing. He said that he has witnessed a significant increase in the number of suppliers in this arena, each with unique attributes in areas such as type of material used, venting patterns, locking style and consumer recycling ability.
He considers the retail acceptance based on performance throughout the distribution system and customer demographics.
Cal Giant wowed by Publix demand for strawberry drink
Watsonville, CA-based California Giant is finding that its "Just Strawberry? drink is flying off the shelves of the Lakeland, FL-based Publix supermarket chain. Publix, with 800-plus stores predominantly in Florida but spread across five southeastern states, has astonished folks at Cal Giant.
?They are ordering all the time " every other week they order," said Cindy Jewell, Cal Giant?s director of marketing.
Ms. Jewell and Randall Freeman " Cal Giant?s vice president of sales and marketing for fruit products " will make a special trip to Florida in April to see just what has Publix customers drinking so much "Just Strawberry? juice.
?Maybe it's because Florida is a juice state," Ms. Jewell speculated.
Whatever the reason, Cal Giant may make a case study of the Publix phenomenon for internal use.
Pacific AgPak rolls out blueberry pack
Watsonville, CA-based Pacific AgPak is ready to go with its rollout of a 2.5-pound blueberry pack that fits a modular format. The company will custom-label and UPC the packs.
This summer, the company expects to roll out a perimeter-lock clamshell geared for blueberry and grape packaging that packs on automated filling machines.
Author seeks food references for California guide
Pacific Grove, CA-based author and publisher Patricia Hamilton is writing a guidebook for travelers in California.
Author of three previous guidebooks on Monterey County, Ms. Hamilton?s ambitious book " At Home On The Road: A Healthy Guidebook For Travelers " will focus on healthy food, wine, festivals and fitness.
For the food component, Ms. Hamilton is seeking input on California agri-tourism sites, restaurants, delis, farmers markets, health food stores, recipes and supermarkets that carry organic and locally grown food. The largest part of the book will be the food component. The goal of the book is to "bring customers to their doors," Ms. Hamilton said.
Ms. Hamilton will be traveling in the San Diego and Los Angeles areas from April 18 through May 20 doing research for her book. Statewide, anyone interested in having his ir her businesses included in the book may contact her at 877/702-4500 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Listings are free and are not contingent upon buying an ad in the book. However, anyone interested in advertising in the book may contact Helen Kranz at 800/818-9828 or by e-mail at [email protected].
(Contact Brian Gaylord at 831/757-4000 or [email protected].)
