National Retail Report - Sept. 12

Grapes and organic items are in the retail spotlight this week, says the USDA. From the USDA's National Retail Report, the summary of promotion activity:


Grapes Featured Heavily, Retailers Promote Variety of Themes
Back-to-school and football were the predominant themes this week. In addition, some retailers promoted September as National Organic Harvest Month. Still, others, especially in the South Central and Southwest regions, took the opportunity to highlight the anniversary of Mexico’s independence. Overall this week, fresh produce ads were down more than 11% and could be attributed to a decline of more than 20% on fruit ads. Vegetable ad activity, however, showed almost no change with less than 1% increase. Despite the decline in fruit ad activity, 4 of the top 5 featured items were fruits. The top 5 items were: grapes, peaches, pears, plums, and baby carrots. Grapes were featured quite heavily as a healthful addition to packed lunches and as a portable snack. Alone, grapes made up nearly 10% of all fresh produce ads.

Fruits as Percentage of Total Fruit Ads - September 12, 2008
Pears, bartlett 11%
Oranges, navel 3%
Pineapple 2%
Plums 10%
Peaches 12%
Nectarines 8%
Mangoes 4%
Strawberries 7%
Strawberries, organic 1%
Watermelon, mini 2%
Watermelon, seedless 0%
Grapes, green/red 19%
Grapefruit, red 0%
Honeydew 2%
Limes 2%
Lemons 1%
Cantaloupe 7%
Blueberries 1%
Bananas, organic 0%
Apples, red delicious 0%
Avocadoes, hass 4%
Bananas 2%



Vegetables as Percentage of Total Vegetable Ads - September 12, 2008
Broccoli, organic 0%
Broccoli 3%
Beans, round green 4%
Tomatoes, on the vine 9%
Tomatoes, organic 0%
Tomatoes 5%
Cabbage 1%
Carrots, baby organic 5%
Carrots, baby 9%
Asparagus 8%
Tomatoes, grape organic 4%
Tomatoes, grape 5%
Celery 3%
Corn 3%
Cucumbers 6%
Lettuce, iceberg 2%
Lettuce, romaine 1%
Mushrooms, white 3%
Onions, yellow 4%
Sweet Potatoes 2%
Squash, zucchini 4%
Potatoes, russet 1%
Peppers, bell red 7%
Peppers, bell green 6%
Onions, sweet 5%

Weekly Organic snapshot
This supplemental report is a list of other organic items found in the retail ads of those stores surveyed as part of the National Fruit and Vegetable Report. The prices shown are the range of prices encountered and are not weighted average prices. Descriptions of the items are largely as shown in the retail ads. Prices are in dollars.

Apples, Gala Per Lb 1.49 -2.99
Apples, Jonagold Per Lb 1.99
Apples, Red Delicious Per Lb 1.79
Apples, Gala 3 lb film bag 3.99
Avocados, Hass Each 0.89 -2.99
Beans, Green Per Lb 1.99 -3.00
Blackberries 6 oz cntrs 2.50 -3.99
Bok Choy, Baby type Per Lb 1.99
Broccoli Per Lb 1.59
Broccoli Crowns 12 oz pkg 3.49
Cabbage Per Lb 0.99 -1.79
Cantaloupe Each 1.29 -2.99
Cantaloupe Per Lb 0.68 -0.79
Carrots 2 Lb Bag 1.79 -2.49
Carrots, loose Per Lb 1.39 -1.50
Carrots, Baby peeled yellow 16 oz pkg 1.99
Carrots, bunched, with tops Bunch 1.49 -1.79
Cauliflower Each 1.99
Celery Per Lb 0.89
Celery Each 1.29 -2.99
Celery Hearts Each 2.00 -3.00
Cucumbers Each 1.50
Figs Per Lb 2.99
Garlic 4 oz pkg 1.99
Grapes, Green or Red Seedless Per Lb 0.99 -2.99
Lettuce, Red or Green Leaf Each 1.29 -1.69
Lettuce, Romaine Each 1.50
Lettuce, Romaine Hearts 8 oz pkg 2.50
Lettuce, Romaine Hearts 3 ct pkg 1.99 -3.49
Lettuce, Romaine Hearts 2 ct pkg 2.99
Lettuce, Romaine Hearts 5-10 oz pkg 2.50 -3.99
Lettuce, Romaine, Baby 5-11 oz pkg 2.50 -3.99
Lettuce, Romaine, Baby 16 oz pkg 4.99 -5.99
Mangoes Each 1.25 -1.99
Mushrooms, Portabella 6 oz pkg 2.99
Mushrooms, Whole White 8 oz pkg 2.69 -3.00
Nectarines, Yellow Flesh Per Lb 1.99
Onions, Green 4.5 oz pkg 1.29
Onions, Red Per lb 0.79
Onions, Yellow Per Lb 0.69 -0.79
Onions, Yellow or Red 3 lb bag 1.99 -2.99
Onions, Sweet Per Lb 0.96 -1.29
Oranges, Valencia 4 lb bag 2.99
Oranges, Valencia Per Lb 0.77 -1.50
Peaches Per Lb 1.99 -3.69
Pears, Bartlett Per Lb 1.39 -1.99
Pears, Stark Crimson Per Lb 1.99 -2.99
Peppers, Green 2 ct pkg 2.99
Peppers, Green Per Lb 1.99
Peppers, Green Each 0.79
Peppers, Mini type 16 oz cntrs 2.99
Plums, Red or Black Per Lb 1.49 -2.50
Potatoes, Russet Per Lb 1.39
Raspberries 6 oz pkg 2.99
Salad, Mixed Types Per Lb 4.99 -5.99
Salad, Mixed Types 5-7 oz pkg 2.50 -3.99
Salad, Mixed Types 10-12 oz pkg 2.50 -4.79
Salad, Mixed Types 16 oz cntrs 4.99
Spinach Bunch 1.50
Spinach, Baby 5 oz pkg 2.50 -3.99
Spinach, Baby 7 oz pkg 3.49 -3.89
Spinach, Baby 16 oz pkg 4.99 -5.99
Squash, Acorn & Butternut Per Lb 0.99 -1.99
Squash, Yellow Per Lb 2.50
Squash, Zucchini Per Lb 1.48
Squash, Zucchini 2 ct pkg 2.99
Sweet Potatoes Per Lb 2.49
Tomatoes, On the Vine Per Lb 2.99
Tomatoes, Cherry Pint Basket 2.99

Outbound

Waiting for a U.S. Airways flight at Reagan National Airport, a few observations about the WPPC:

* I met Valerie of the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group at the WPPC. She reminded me of my earlier pledge to get our loyal FPIDG members a coffee mug, so I may be approach our art team for a Fresh Talk/FPIDG mug design. Failing that, we'll go for a simple Packer mug.
* both the embassy visits and the FDA field trip were valuable. I had a chance to attend both and each merits further exploration in this space. I've got the powerpoint from the visit to the Mexican embassy, which shares quite a bit of data and trade insight, along with a different world view than we are used to hearing.
* Speaking of the FDA visit, the general feeling the day after was that the Q and A with FDA officials was helpful but not ultimately satisfying for the industry. No vindication for tomatoes - not now and probably not ever. At today's lunch session, one retailer at my table said the triad of local/state health departments, the CDC and the FDA all trying to work in unison is an apparently impossible task. He said it seems to make sense to start with the clean sheet of paper and reorganize everything, with more authority flowing from the top down. Rosa DeLauro may have a backer in her plans for a total rebuild of federal food safety oversight....
* Another industry veteran said the FDA came to seek the counsel of the industry too late in the process during the salmonella investigation. Only after jalapenos became suspect did the FDA approach industry leaders about the implications of outbreak occurrences. Industry leaders then pointed FDA toward south Texas as an import source based on the pattern of reported illnesses. While FDA officials made a point to say during the Sept. 11 meeting that they are prohibited by law from sharing certain information with industry during an outbreak investigations - "None of us want to end our career as a felon" - clearly the agency needs to engage more fully with an industry SWAT team to help them decipher possible produce connections to foodborne illness outbreaks.