News Briefs

Bakery ingredient manufacturer and distributor Dawn Foods of Jackson, Mich., announced that its corporate executive chef and director of the company’s culinary and innovation studio received an award from the American Culinary Foundation (ACF). Melissa Trimmer won the Pastry Chef of the Year Award from the ACF’s Michigan Chefs de Cuisine chapter.

Trimmer was honored for her accomplishments in the field, efforts to educate others and passion for the industry. The ACF recently held its first Chef of the Year dinner in two years, following a pandemic-related hiatus. 

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In addition to her work at Dawn Foods, Trimmer will serve as a judge for the Michigan state ProStart culinary arts competition for high school students in March. The following month, she will speak at the Women in Culinary Apprenticeship fundraising event hosted by the Detroit Institute of Gastronomy and in June, she will judge a SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta that empowers students to become trained professionals and responsible community leaders in various trade, technical, and skilled service occupations. 

A statement on the company website commended Trimmer for her work at and beyond Dawn Foods: “We are incredibly proud to have Chef Melissa as our corporate executive pastry chef at Dawn. Her passion, expertise, and commitment to excellence are truly exceptional. We look forward to the continued inspiration she brings to the bakery industry through her outstanding work.”

The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has hired Sarah Atkinson as its VP of membership and business development, effective Feb. 26. Atkinson brings to her new role years of industry experience as a former NCA Future Leader and board member for the trade organization. 

“Sarah’s deep-rooted experience in the confectionery industry and with NCA uniquely positions her to effectively communicate the association’s multidimensional membership value proposition,” noted John Downs, president and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based NCA. “Sarah’s expertise of the industry is invaluable. We are thrilled to welcome Sarah to the NCA team and into this critically important role.”

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A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Atkinson worked in marketing for Fortune 500 companies before returning to her roots in the candy industry. After earning a graduate degree from New York University, she went to work at her family’s company, Lufkin, Texas-based Atkinson Candy, and helped contribute to its growth. While there, she held the roles of EVP and board secretary. 

The NCA is the leading trade organization for the U.S. confectionery industry, which generates $42 billion in retail sales annually, employs almost 58,000 workers  in more than 1,600 manufacturing facilities across all 50 states and supports an additional 635,000 jobs in related fields. 

DoorDash has formed a new grocery partnership with La Michoacana Meat Market, the largest chain of Hispanic supermarkets in the United States. As a result of the partnership, nearly 200 stores in Texas and Oklahoma are now providing on-demand grocery delivery to shoppers. According to San Francisco-based DoorDash, the addition of the popular regional grocer brings to the delivery platform one of the most expansive on-demand Hispanic grocery selections to date, including fresh products, marinated meats and homemade meals.

Consumers can currently order same-day delivery from all La Michoacana Meat Market, La Michoacana Supermarket, El Ahorro Supermarket and Sellers Bros. stores. In addition, all stores will be available on DashPass, DoorDash’s membership program offering members $0 delivery fees from thousands of restaurants, grocery and convenience stores across the country. To promote the new partnership, now through Feb. 29, consumers can enjoy 20% off orders of $35 or more, up to $15, while DashPass members receive 30% off all eligible orders of $50 or more, up to $20.

The move continues DoorDash’s rapid growth in the grocery category, following the addition in September of CUB, Eataly, El Super, Fiesta Mart, Lowe’s Markets, Pruett’s Food, Stater Bros. Markets, and Strack & Van Til to the DoorDash Marketplace. Since that time, the company has also partnered with Gus’s Community Market, New Leaf Community Markets, The Fresh Market and Save Mart. Further, DoorDash has rolled out SNAP/EBT as a payment method on its platform. 

Based in Houston, La Michoacana Meat Market is No. 88 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top retailers of food and consumables in North America. 

DoorDash has formed two new partnerships with neighborhood community grocers in Northern California to offer consumers on-demand grocery delivery. Gus’s Community Market is a family-owned San Francisco mainstay, and New Leaf Community Markets is a Santa Cruz-based natural and organic grocer with six locations. 

Millions of consumers shop in DoorDash’s convenience and grocery categories every month, and new consumers to the online grocery industry start with DoorDash more than any other platform. Giving local and regional grocers the necessary tools and technology to reach new and loyal customers is a high priority for the San Francisco-based company.

[Read more: “DoorDash Releases This Year's Top Grocery Delivery Orders”] 

Gus’s Community Market and New Leaf locations will be available on DashPass, DoorDash’s membership program that offers members no delivery fees from thousands of restaurants, grocery and convenience stores across the country.

Carson, Calif.-based Good Food Holdings is the holding company for New Leaf Community Markets, its sister banner New Seasons Market and Bristol Farms, Lazy Acres Natural Market and Metropolitan Market, each with its own leadership team, company culture, operating philosophy, and go-to market strategy. Each brand is also deeply rooted in community and is the leader in its respective market in offering the most unique item assortments; highest-quality meat, seafood and bakery items; and the broadest assortment of quality and organic produce available, as well as a broad high-quality offering of prepared foods. 

Verde Farms, which produces a line of organic, 100% grass-fed and 100% pasture-raised beef, has named Andy Schutt as its VP of finance. In this role, he will lead the company’s finance operations, including all reporting, banking relationships and financial planning and analysis activities.

Most recently, Schutt was CFO at clean energy drink company Kill Cliff, where he helped guide the company’s growth and margin improvement strategies. His background also includes a position as president and CFO of medical education company Imedex. 

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“Andy's extensive background in financial leadership, coupled with his successful track record in steering companies through strategic growth, makes him a valuable addition to the Verde team," said Brad Johnson, president of the Boston, Mass.-based Verde Farms. “With Andy on our team, we are confident we will continue to grow substantially as we revolutionize the meat aisle with our Beef From A Better Place.”

Schutt said he is looking forward to helping the company grow and maintain its commitment to regenerative agriculture. "I am thrilled to join Verde Farms, a pioneering force in the CPG industry that is a true trailblazer in sustainable practices that aligns perfectly with my passion for driving positive change,” he remarked. “The proven success of Verde as a staple brand, as well as the organic and sustainable beef category as a whole, makes this journey an exciting one.”

The Produce Distributors Association (PDA) has scheduled its annual meeting for Dec. 5 at 2:00 p.m. at the official New York Produce Show hotel, The Sheraton Times Square, in New York City. The meeting will take place in the Liberty Room on the third floor, with a Zoom link to be provided upon request for those who can’t attend in person. The New York Produce Show runs Dec. 5-7.

Open to current and prospective members, the annual meeting will enable stakeholders in the produce distribution sector to convene, collaborate and strategize for the future. The agenda will feature an update on the revitalized association, networking opportunities and a presentation on challenges facing the produce distribution industry.

[Read more: "How Refocused Promotions Can Move the Needle in Produce"]

“We are excited to host the annual meeting at the Sheraton Times Square, in conjunction with The New York Produce Show, bringing together industry leaders from across the country to discuss the latest developments in the produce distribution sector,” said Matthew D’Arrigo, chairman of Washington, D.C.-based PDA. “This event is an excellent opportunity for networking, knowledge sharing and fostering collaboration among professionals.”

This past October, the organization rebranded itself from the National Association of Perishable Agricultural Receivers (NAPAR) to its current incarnation. 

PDA is a national association dedicated to advancing the interests of professionals in the produce distribution industry. It provides a platform for networking, education and advocacy to support the growth and success of its members.