Grillo’s Pickles, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is the nation’s No. 2 refrigerated pickle brand. It was established in 2008 when Travis Grillo decided to take a 100-year-old family recipe and make pickles from his backyard garden. Grillo eventually sold the pickles two for $1 from a cart. The pickles can now be found in Whole […]
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.
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Southeast
Association Prepares For Satsuma Season With Updated Website
“Favorable late spring weather and more groves reaching maturity have contributed to a heavy set of great-looking fruit as we approach the 2022 Satsuma season,” said Kim Jones, owner of Florida Georgia Citrus and current president of Cold Hardy Citrus Association. “We anticipate a record Satsuma crop for 2022.” The Sweet Valley Citrus region spans […]
Posted inHarris Teeter, Produce News, Southeast
Harris Teeter, Titan Farms Give Peaches To Food Bank Program
For the eighth year, Titan Farms and Harris Teeter have donated peaches to Second Harvest Food Banks in Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina. This year’s donation to the “Peaches with a Purpose” program was especially important to local communities, with 76,000 pounds of peaches donated to local food banks, which is more than double last […]
Posted inProduce News, Executive News, Midwest
Produce Alliance Promotes Hulick To VP Of Food Safety
Chicago-based Produce Alliance has promoted its longtime leader of food safety, Barbara Hulick, to VP of food safety. Hulick is a highly acclaimed industry leader in the development and advancement of food safety ideology and practices within the produce industry. She has been a leader at Produce Alliance since joining the company in 2016 and […]
Posted inProduce News, West
Natural Delights Prepares For Medjool Date Harvest
Yuma, Arizona-based Bard Valley Natural Delights has announced it is primed for a successful harvest season this year. To support the brand’s growth, the company has also expanded internally with strategic additions to its sales and marketing staff. Natural Delights expects the Medjool date supply from this year’s harvest to meet the year-round business needs, including the […]
Posted inProduce News, Southeast
Kapi Kapi Growers Builds On Logistics Team With New Hires
Miami, Florida-based Kapi Kapi Growers, a producer of pineapples and bananas, has hired Latishia Bryant and Sharonda Masters. With nearly 14 years of experience in fresh produce transportation logistics, Bryant joined Kapi Kapi as logistics manager with a focus on program execution and relationship building for the company. Bryant brings knowledge in supply chain management and […]
Posted inProduce News, Northeast
SweeTango Apple Crop To Begin Shipping After Labor Day
Swedesboro, New Jersey-based SweeTango apple growers and packers are urging retailers to place orders to take advantage of the brand’s marketing plans. Fruit will start shipping after Labor Day, the SweeTango sales desks report. “I don’t remember ever having as nice a crop hanging on the trees as we’ve got this year, both volume and quality,” […]
Posted inProduce News, Southeast
SEPC To Highlight Industry Innovations, Insights At Conference
The Southeast Produce Council will highlight the latest industry innovation and insights Sept. 22-24 at its SEPC conference held in Nashville, Tennessee. “Insight from our board of directors told us that there are four areas where innovation occurs in produce – at the farm, in the store, on the menu and for the planet,” said […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Northeast
NJDA Highlights Jersey Fresh Produce At Stop & Shop
New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher visited the Kingsland Avenue Stop & Shop in Clifton Aug. 31 to highlight the store featuring Jersey Fresh in its produce department. Stop & Shop’s 58 New Jersey stores source produce from several local farms from the state. They include Abma’s Farm in Bergen County; Cassaday Farms […]
Posted inProduce News, Snacks Brands, West
Blue Diamond Foundation Announces Scholarship Recipients
Sacramento, California-based Blue Diamond Growers Foundation has announced its 2022-23 scholarship recipients. This year, scholarship funding is being awarded to 25 college students who are either dependents of Blue Diamond employees or are members of local communities who are pursuing agriculture-related fields of study at colleges and universities in California and throughout the country. “We […]
Posted inProduce News, Northeast
Vita Coco Celebrates World Coconut Day, Sept. 2
New York-based Vita Coco is giving consumers the chance to participate in a fundraising initiative to give back to coconut farming communities for World Coconut Day, held Sept. 2. Vita Coco partnered with Beautiful Destinations, a platform for travel and lifestyle content, to produce short-form video content for the Vita Coco Project, the brand’s social impact program. […]
Posted inProduce News, National, Organic Natural
Organic Grower Summit To Hold Educational Session
Navigating and adhering to new compliance requirements for organic producers and handlers will be the subject of the first educational session announced as part of the upcoming Organic Grower Summit presented by Western Growers and OPNeducational program. As the National Organic Program’s Strengthening Organic Enforcement initiative comes closer to being finalized, new compliance challenges are […]
Posted inProduce News, Organic Natural, Southwest
Natural Grocers Commemorates Organic Month With Fundraiser
Lakewood, Colorado-based Natural Grocers is honoring Organic Month with a fundraiser for Beyond Pesticides throughout September. Customers can join Natural Grocers in contributing to Beyond Pesticides’ mission of creating synthetic pesticide-free local parks and playing fields. Customers will have an opportunity to support the retailer’s goal of raising $100,000 for the organization with donations at the register and […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National
IFPA Announces 2023 Board Of Directors
The International Fresh Produce Association has announced the slate of new directors for the 2023 IFPA Board of Directors. The volunteer leaders will be confirmed by a ballot shared with membership and their board term will begin at the end of October. The IFPA Board of Directors is led by the officers of the executive […]
Posted inProduce News, Amazon Fresh, West, Whole Foods
Bako Sweet Concludes Summer Merchandising Contest
Bakersfield, California-based Bako Sweet has concluded its retail merchandising contest that ran May 20-July 4. Produce managers from Sprouts Colton Distribution Center were challenged to create the most creative displays using the brand’s organic sweet potato bags and Traeger grill-themed bin to promote sweet potato consumption during historically low sales months. As a result, stores that […]
Posted inProduce News, West
Research Shows Prunes Help Support Bone Health
Yuba City, California-based Sunsweet Growers has continually shared information about prunes’ impact on bone health through multiple research studies. In a recently published study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers have found that eating five to six prunes a day over 12 months preserved bone hip mineral density and reduced hip fracture risk in […]
Posted inProduce News, Northeast
Weis Markets Launches Annual Great Grape Event
Sunbury, Pennsylvania-based Weis Markets has launched its second annual Great Grape Event, which offers customers more than 15 varieties of grapes grown in California and the American South. The program runs through September. “The typical American supermarket sells five varieties of grapes, but since it’s the best time of year for grapes, we have decided to […]
Posted inProduce News, Marketing News, Snacks Brands, Southwest
Avocados From Mexico, Takis Collaborate On Shopper Campaign
Dallas, Texas-based Takis has partnered with Avocados From Mexico to launch a new shopper marketing campaign, “Guackeepers Keep it Good.” The companies have recruited two soccer players, Landon Donovan and Rafael Márquez, as the company’s “Guackeepers.” The “Guackeepers Keep it Good” promotional program includes in-store displays, consumer savings, digital engagement and innovative recipe inspirations for fans. “What […]
Posted inProduce News, West
Wholesum Celebrates 10 Years Of Fair Trade Certification
Amado, Arizona-based Wholesum is celebrating its 10-year anniversary of Fair Trade Certification. The company has maintained a commitment to sustainability, including 100 percent organic production. In 2012, the company solidified those commitments by obtaining Fair Trade Certification through the third-party certifier, Fair Trade USA. “More than 30 years ago, we began our transition to 100 percent […]
Posted inProduce News, Southeast
SEPC Holds Annual Summer Board Meeting
The Southeast Produce Council held its annual summer board meeting Aug. 9-11 at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina. Prior to their series of meetings, attendees were given a tour of the Biltmore Estate to commemorate the SEPC’s gathering. “It was a special board meeting in Asheville. We had extremely productive sessions, and […]