Salisbury, North Carolina-based Food Lion will help provide at least 1 million meals through its annual Food Lion Feeds Apple Bag campaign. The campaign runs through Oct. 3 and benefits Feeding America and local partner member food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area. Customers can purchase a branded gala apple bag or make a […]
Category: Produce News
The Shelby Report covers the produce industry for grocery retailers nationwide, from fresh fruit and vegetable trends and supplier announcements to merchandising strategies and regional market news. Updated regularly across our five regional editions.
Find all our fresh coverage in Focus on Fresh.
Sterman Masser To Showcase Side Delights At SEPC Show
Sacramento, Pennsylvania-based Sterman Masser Potato Farms will showcase its redesigned Side Delights Petite Potatoes line Sept. 14-16 at the SEPC’s Southern Innovations trade show in Charlotte, North Carolina. The annual conference will highlight the latest innovations in the fresh produce industry, including product developments, packaging technology and brand approaches. Side Delights Petite potatoes are No.1 […]
Seal The Seasons Expands Frozen Fruit Distribution With Publix
Beginning this month, Florida-grown produce is available year-round in Publix’s frozen aisle through its partnership with Seal the Seasons. The company’s Florida Antioxidant Blend – featuring strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and Michigan dark sweet cherries – can be found in 32-ounce bags at the majority of Publix’s 1,352 locations. For decades, Florida has ranked in the top […]
IFPA Announces Board Of Directors Slate For 2024
The International Fresh Produce Association has announced the slate of new officers and directors for the 2024 IFPA Board of Directors. The volunteer leaders will be confirmed by a ballot shared with membership. This group will begin its board service at the 2023 Global Fresh Produce & Floral Show on Oct. 19-21 in Anaheim, California. […]
Caruso USA Donates 75K Pounds Of Produce For Labor Day
Caruso USA is commemorating the Labor Day holiday by donating 75,600 pounds of fresh corn and potatoes to area food banks. The Sharonville, Ohio-based fresh food provider is giving away 33,000 pounds of sweet potatoes and gold potatoes to Freestore Foodbank in Cincinnati, and 26,600 pounds of sweet corn and 16,000 sweet potatoes to Last […]
Titan Farms Launches New Website
Ridge Spring, South Carolina-based Titan Farms, a grower, packer and shipper of fresh peaches and vegetables, has launched its new website, designed to be an immersive hub for peaches. “We are delighted to unveil the new Titan Farms website, a digital platform that truly embodies our commitment to delivering not just the finest peaches, but also […]
Emerging Trends In Retail Ripening
Sponsored content We’re talking with Dennis Kihlstadius and Gary Campisi, aka The Produce Guys, two of the most experienced and well-known experts in fruit conditioning for the retail produce industry. Dennis has more than 35 years of experience as a ripening consultant. Current and former clients include the Pear Bureau Northwest, the National Mango Board, […]
California Avocado Season Winds Down
Irvine, California-based California Avocado Commission has begun to conclude its 2023 season. Mother Nature tested the resilience of California avocado growers this year, with the latest test being heavy rainfall and winds from Tropical Storm Hilary and a moderate earthquake in the Ojai area on the same day. Luckily for many farmers, these events will […]
Hy-Vee Employee Wins National Retail Produce Manager Award
Greg Kimmel, a 38-year veteran of West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee and the produce manager at the Utica Ridge Hy-Vee in Davenport, Iowa, has won the Retail Produce Manager Award from the International Fresh Produce Association. Kimmel is one of 15 produce experts being nationally recognized by IFPA for the creative merchandising techniques he brings to […]
Scholarships Send Family-Owned Produce Firms To D.C.
The International Fresh Produce Association has announced the recipients of the Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarship Program. The scholarship provides airfare, hotel and registration for representatives from family-owned businesses to attend the IFPA Washington Conference for the first time. This year’s winners are: Billy Itule, senior management, Willy Itule Produce Inc. in Phoenix; Amanda […]
Shammo Picked As Next President Of Peirone Produce
Spokane, Washington-based Peirone Produce, a distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables to independent grocers in the Inland Northwest, has named Brent Shammo as its new president. He succeeds Michael Kamphaus, who is retiring after leading the company for nine years. To ensure a smooth transition, Kamphaus’ last day with the company will be Dec. 1. […]
California Treasurer Ma Visits GrubMarket Facilities
California Treasurer Fiona Ma and her team visited two GrubMarket wholesale/distributor facilities, JC Produce and SGS Produce, on Aug. 18 in Los Angeles. “We are thrilled to host California State Treasurer Fiona Ma at GrubMarket’s JC Produce and SGS Produce facilities in the Los Angeles area,” said Mike Xu, CEO of GrubMarket. “As an Asian American […]
Gotham Greens Opens Second Greenhouse In Colorado
Gotham Greens’ recently opened 140,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse in Windsor, Colorado, is its second in the state and 11th nationwide. The first of three greenhouses the company is set to open this year, the facility in the Great Western Industrial Park builds on the success of its flagship Denver metro greenhouse, which opened in 2020 at […]
Produce Partnership Growing To Serve More Kroger Stores
The Kroger Co. and 80 Acres Farms, a global vertical farming company, are expanding their partnership to serve about 1,000 of the grocer’s stores across the Midwest and Southeast. 80 Acres Farms has been a supplier to Kroger since 2019, beginning with a store in downtown Cincinnati and growing to more than 300 stores across […]
South Texas Onion Committee Shares Promotion Wrap-Up
The South Texas Onion Committee’s promotion campaign for Texas 1015 Sweet Onions resulted in another record-breaking marketing program this spring and early summer. The campaign focused on increasing brand awareness and sales of the Texas 1015 Sweet Onion. This year, the South Texas Onion Committee launched its most comprehensive campaign to date, including live, print, […]
Revol Greens Names Bradley As New CFO
Austin, Texas-based Revol Greens has appointed James Bradley as its new CFO. Bradley’s addition to the team is important in driving the company’s growth and expansion within the Controlled Environment Agriculture lettuce and greens category. With its national footprint and continued growth plans underway, Bradley will lead the overall financial strategy and process development for Revol Greens. “As […]
How To Get Ready For Organic Certification
The USDA has published a new regulation to “Strengthen Organic Enforcement” (SOE). The SOE states that “more types of businesses in the organic supply chain must be certified organic.” Among the new provisions is the requirement that facilities that “handle” or store organic products, such as distribution centers and warehouses, must be organic certified. USDA […]
SEPC, Society Of St. Andrew Distribute Produce In Macon, GA
The Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) partnered with the Society of St. Andrew to distribute free produce during its second annual community food distribution July 21 in Macon, Georgia. Reinforcing their SEPC Cares initiative, member volunteers joined the SoSA team, in collaboration with Atrium Hospital, to provide much-needed provisions for the community. “Thank you to the […]
Mission Produce Appoints SpartanNash’s Sarsam To Board
Oxnard, California-based Mission Produce Inc. has appointed Tony Bashir Sarsam to its board of directors, effective Aug. 14. Sarsam has been appointed as an independent Class I director, with a term expiring at the company’s 2024 annual meeting of stockholders. In connection with this appointment, Mission Produce’s board of directors has increased the size of […]
Shoppers Focused On Produce Deals, Buying Less In June
After several months of flat and lower prices, fresh produce experienced a jump in year-on-year inflation in June, according to Circana, 210 Analytics and the International Fresh Produce Association. Fresh fruit prices increased 6.8 percent in comparison to June 2022. Vegetable inflation averaged 2.7 percent in June, which was down from the 52-week levels that […]
