Perricone Farms Acquires Natalie’s Orchard Island Juice Company
Perricone Farms, a premium craft juice company with deep roots in California’s citrus industry, has acquired Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, an award-winning juice company based in Fort Pierce, Fla. The merger unites two of the highest quality and most trusted names in the juice industry, strengthens both brands, and enhances the ability to serve customers with excellence in quality and customer service coast-to-coast.
The combined company will be able to take advantage of bi-coastal production facilities, improve its delivery capabilities, expand product offerings, and leverage its additional scale to ensure juices reach customers with the same uncompromising quality they have come to know and love.
“We are excited to add Natalie’s to the Perricone Farms family. Natalie’s commitment to producing the highest quality products, combined with unmatched customer service, aligns with the core values we have been providing in the marketplace for years. Working together, we will be stronger and will be able to provide greater value to our customers,” said Bob Rovzar, CEO of Perricone Farms. “This exciting merger offers new opportunities for growth and expansion, including entrance into new markets, developing innovative products, and strengthening relationships with customers, suppliers, vendors, and partners. Together, Perricone Farms and Natalie’s are now better equipped to ensure the continued success and growth of both brands.”
Over the decades, Perricone Farms and Natalie’s Juices have become industry experts at procuring and producing the highest quality juices. By unifying these two entities, we strengthen our undisputed reputation for being the best premium juice provider in the food service and retail channel.
“The impressive growth that has driven the success behind the Natalie’s brand for the past 35 years has been built on the brand loyalty and relationships we have established with our customers and consumers. We are forever grateful for the opportunity to serve them with the nation’s best-tasting juice—not because it was our job, but because we loved doing it,” said Natalie’s CEO, Marygrace Sexton, who founded the award-winning juice company, named after her daughter, over 35 years ago. “We are excited for the future and the opportunities this partnership will provide our cherished Natalie’s family. Natalie’s has been built to last and will be providing you with authentic juices on a world-wide scale for generations to come.”
With the foundations for both companies built on a shared vision and values that have existed for generations, the combined company will remain devoted to a legacy that has been rooted in tradition and a commitment to exceeding expectations in quality and customer service.
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Boar’s Head Issues Statement on Listeria Recall, Ends Liverwurst Line
On Friday, Sept. 13, Boar’s Head issued this letter to consumers:
We regret and deeply apologize for the recent Listeria monocytogenes contamination in our liverwurst product. We understand the gravity of this situation and the profound impact it has had on affected families. Comprehensive measures are being implemented to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.
Since we implemented our voluntary recall on July 25, 2024, we have been conducting an exhaustive investigation into how our liverwurst product became adulterated. We recognize you want and deserve answers, and that you wanted them quickly, but we needed to take the necessary time to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of all our processes and procedures – not just at our Jarratt, Virginia plant where our liverwurst was made, but at all of our Boar’s Head Provisions meat production facilities.
Throughout this process, we worked closely with the USDA and state government regulatory agencies, and we thank them for their oversight. We have also partnered with the industry’s leading food safety experts to oversee this investigation. They have left no stone unturned at Jarratt. We can now start to share some of their findings with you and we are committed to sharing more as our work proceeds.
First and foremost, our investigation has identified the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst. With this discovery, we have decided to permanently discontinue liverwurst.
In response to the inspection records and noncompliance reports at the Jarratt plant, we will not make excuses. In the spirit of complete transparency, we are sharing with you the July 31, 2024 USDA Notice of Suspension received by our Jarratt facility here.
Given the seriousness of the outbreak, and the fact that it originated at Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location, which has not been operational since late July 2024. It pains us to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees. We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers. But, under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course. We will work to assist each of our employees in the transition process.
This is a dark moment in our company’s history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to enhance food safety programs not just for our company, but for the entire industry.
To prevent future incidents, we are immediately implementing enhanced food safety and quality measures. These measures include:
- Appointing a new Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer (CFSO), reporting directly to Boar’s Head’s president. The company is recruiting now and aims to have this new executive begin as soon as possible.
- Establishing a “Boar’s Head Food Safety Council” comprised of independent industry-leading food safety experts, some of whom have been assisting with the current investigation at the Jarratt facility. The Food Safety Council, which may evolve over time and as needed, will assist the company’s adoption and implementation of enhanced quality assurance (QA) programs and create a new standard for food safety in the industry. The council will serve as advisors to the new Chief Food Safety Officer and to the company as a whole.
We are pleased to announce the appointment of our founding council members: Dr. David Acheson, Dr. Mindy Brashears, Dr. Martin Wiedmann, and Frank Yiannas, MPH.
David Acheson, M.D., F.R.C.P., has a distinguished career in food safety and has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Acheson Group since founding the global food safety consulting group in 2013. Previously he served as a Partner and Managing Director of Leavitt Partners, where he founded and managed the firm’s food safety services business. Prior to his industry roles, Dr. Acheson served at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for eight years, progressing from Chief Medical Officer of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition to Associate Commissioner for Foods. His expertise in international food safety standards and risk assessment is invaluable to the council.
Mindy Brashears, Ph.D., is a leading food safety expert and academic. Dr. Brashears was the former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Food Safety and is currently a professor of Food Safety and Public Health and the Director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence at Texas Tech University. She has made significant contributions to the field of food microbiology and public health with her research on foodborne pathogens, prevention, and food safety education that have made lasting impacts on the industry and will be instrumental in guiding our council’s efforts.
Martin Wiedmann, Dr. med. vet., Ph.D., is a renowned food microbiologist and academic, who is a Cornell University Gellert Family Professor in Food Safety and the co-director of the New York State Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence. With training as both a veterinarian and food scientist, Dr. Wiedmann’s programs focus on a comprehensive and interdisciplinary farm-to-table approach to food safety and quality. He has conducted extensive research on foodborne pathogens and their prevention, with notable insights into emerging food safety threats and cutting-edge technologies that will contribute significantly to our council’s work.
Frank Yiannas, MPH, is the former Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy & Response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Mr. Yiannas brings a wealth of experience in regulatory oversight and public health. His leadership in implementing the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has significantly improved food safety standards across the nation. A renowned food safety expert, microbiologist, and author, Mr. Yiannas has also held food safety leadership roles at Walmart and Disney. He is a past president of the International Association for Food Protection and a past vice-chairman of the Global Food Safety Initiative, as well as an adjunct Professor in the Food Safety Program at Michigan State University. Mr. Yiannas’s vast experience in building effective food safety management systems through innovative ways and his founding work on food safety culture will be pivotal in shaping our food safety programs going forward.
- Creation of an enhanced companywide food safety and QA program. Our company’s goal is to develop an industry-leading program that addresses food safety standards and strengthens a culture of food safety throughout the supply chain. To be led by the Chief Food Safety Officer, this program will be developed in partnership with members of the Food Safety Council and other leading food safety experts in the field.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to our customers and to the safety and quality of our products. You have our promise that we will work tirelessly to regain your trust and ensure that all Boar’s Head products consistently meet the high standards that you deserve and expect. We are determined to learn from this experience and emerge stronger.
Sincerely,
Boar’s Head
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AMC Theatres Partners With DoorDash to Deliver DINE-IN Eats
AMC Theatres is collaborating with DoorDash to deliver its hand-crafted DINE-IN menu items from U.S based DINE-IN theater locations to guests at home, with plans to scale quickly to all of its more than 550 U.S. locations, in 121 markets, by spring of 2025.
In the past few years, movie guests have voted with their appetites, making it clear they want to enhance their moviegoing experience through AMC’s elevated food & beverage offerings. With food and beverage purchases growing year over year, AMC has responded by expanding its menu, creating more delicious offerings — and now by enhancing convenience through home delivery.
This new agreement between AMC and DoorDash ensures guests wanting AMC menu items can now have them conveniently delivered via DoorDash from 48 AMC DINE-IN locations directly to their home. Popular home delivery items include AMC’s Perfectly Popcorn, Nachos and even ICEEs. Combined with AMC’s previous deal with Uber Eats means, home delivery is now available from all of AMC’s more than 550 locations circuit wide, including:
DINE-IN LOCATIONS – All AMC DINE-IN menu items, made with fresh ingredients, are now available for home delivery via DoorDash from AMC’s 48 DINE-IN locations. Selections include everything from Loaded Bacon Fries or Tots and Fried Mozzarella to Wings, Chicken Tenders, Burgers, Flatbread Pizzas and more.
FEATURE FARE LOCATIONS – Uber Eats delivers AMC food to guests at AMC’s 500+ theatres that offer its complete FEATURE FARE menu items. Over the next few months, DoorDash will expand its service to all AMC locations as well. Menu items available range from Sliders and Bavarian Legend Pretzels to Donut Holes for dessert.
“Over the last decade, AMC’s significant investment in transforming and elevating the food and drink experience has revolutionized the phrase ‘movie theatre food,’ which in turn has led to many of our new offerings skyrocketing in popularity with moviegoers,” said Mo Haq, vice president – food & beverage operations, AMC Theatres. “We know our guests crave our signature food beyond the movie experience, such as our Dry Rub Wings, Royal Bacon Brie Burger or Loaded Bacon Tots, which is why we’re bringing their favorite flavors to them both in theater and through home delivery — meeting their tastes wherever they are. Working with DoorDash — and being able to satisfy cravings for AMC menu items with one click of a button — represents yet another win for AMC moviegoers.”
AMC is the largest movie exhibition company in the United States, the largest in Europe and the largest throughout the world with approximately 900 theatres and 10,000 screens across the globe. AMC has propelled innovation in the exhibition industry by: deploying its Signature power-recliner seats; delivering enhanced food and beverage choices; generating greater guest engagement through its loyalty and subscription programs, website, and mobile apps; offering premium large format experiences and playing a wide variety of content including the latest Hollywood releases and independent programming. In addition, in 2023 AMC launched AMC Theatres Distribution with the highly successful releases of TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR and RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ. AMC Theatres Distribution expects to release more concert films with the world’s leading musical artists in the years ahead. For more information, visit www.amctheatres.com.
DoorDash is a technology company that connects consumers with their favorite local businesses in more than 30 countries across the globe. Founded in 2013, DoorDash builds products and services to help businesses innovate, grow, and reach more customers. DoorDash is your door to more: the local commerce platform dedicated to enabling merchants to thrive in the convenience economy, giving consumers access to more of their communities, and providing work that empowers.
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