Produce industry veteran Larry Brown, VP of sales at FreshEdge, died April 30 in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by his family. According to the company, Brown dedicated most of his professional career to the fresh produce business. He was a mentor, leader and friend to many in the industry and an always present face when the […]
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, News, Southwest
Viva Fresh 2026 Shares Roadmap To Future-Proof Produce Industry
The Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) delivered high-impact education at its 2026 Viva Fresh Expo, equipping produce leaders with real-time market insights and a forward-looking strategy to compete in an evolving global landscape. Headlining the education program, economist Richard Kottmeyer of FutureBridge challenged attendees to look beyond consumer-related volatility and rethink how fresh produce can […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National, News
IFPA Names Second Cohort For Packaging Innovation Program
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and The Foundation for Fresh Produce have announced the second cohort of the Packaging Innovation Program, which includes seven companies developing packaging technologies for U.S. specialty crop exports. Powered by a $5 million investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, the program is being implemented in partnership […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Executive News, Featured News, Food City, News, Southeast
Food City’s Greene Named TGCSA Retailer Of The Year
The board of directors of the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association has selected Joe Greene, VP of produce and floral operations for K-VA-T Food Stores Inc. (operating as Food City), as its 2026 Retailer of the Year. Greene will be recognized at the association’s annual Convention & Expo June 2-4 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, News, Southwest
Viva Fresh Expo 2026 Sets Attendance Record
The Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) shared that the 2026 Viva Fresh Expo on April 22 in San Antonio drew a record 2,872 attendees, including 380 retail and foodservice buyers, and featured 199 exhibitors, marking the largest turnout in the show’s history. Since its debut in Austin in 2015, Viva Fresh has grown into a […]
Posted inProduce News, News, West
Charlie’s Produce Breaks Ground On New Facility In Spokane, WA
Employee-owned distributor Charlie’s Produce has broken ground on a new 66,000-square-foot facility in Spokane, Washington, designed to strengthen warehouse efficiency, support growth and enhance service across its regional distribution network. The new building will include 56,000 square feet of warehouse space, with the remaining 10,000 square feet to be used for offices. Construction is projected […]
Posted inProduce News, National, News
NWPB Marketing Guide Aims To Sustain Record Watermelon Growth
With the watermelon category surpassing 3.5 billion pounds at retail in 2025, the National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) has released a new marketing guide to help the industry sustain that momentum. The guide equips retailers, marketers and category managers with fact-based insights to drive year-round watermelon sales. The research highlights how whole and cut watermelon […]
Posted inProduce News, News, Southwest
GrubMarket Acquires Schoenmann Produce, Boosts Gulf Coast Presence
GrubMarket has acquired Schoenmann Produce, a Houston-based distributor that has served the Gulf Coast region for more than 100 years. The move integrates one of Texas’s oldest produce houses into GrubMarket’s artificial intelligence-powered supply chain platform. Schoenmann Produce serves the foodservice, retail, wholesale, healthcare and education sectors in Texas and Louisiana. Under the leadership of […]
Posted inProduce News, News, West
Sun World International, Mission Produce Partner To Advance Mango Category
Sun World International and Mission Produce have announced a collaboration to identify and commercialize innovative mango varieties, addressing historical inconsistencies in quality and variety differentiation within the global market. The collaboration pairs Bakersfield, California-based Sun World’s fruit genetics and licensing experience with Mission Produce’s global supply chain and ripening infrastructure. The companies will focus on […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, Midwest, News
EmpowerFresh Deploys AI Produce Ordering Platform At Kowalski’s Markets
EmpowerFresh has deployed its artificial intelligence-powered produce inventory and ordering platform at Kowalski’s Markets, a family-owned grocery chain in Minnesota known for its produce departments and commitment to quality. Founded in 1983 by Jim and Mary Anne Kowalski, Kowalski’s Markets has built a reputation as one of the Midwest’s most respected upscale grocery retailers. With […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
IFPA Members Bring Fresh Produce, Florals To White House Easter Egg Roll
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and its member companies participated in the 148th White House Easter Egg Roll, bringing fresh produce and floral displays to one of the nation’s most recognized traditions. Held on the South Lawn and dating back to 1878, the public event is the largest hosted each year at the White […]
Posted inAssociation News, National, News, Produce News, Supply Chain News
CBP Building Centralized Refund System for IEEPA Tariff Duties
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is developing a centralized system to refund duties collected under tariffs imposed through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the Supreme Court struck down in February. The agency expects the refund mechanism to be operational later this spring. The refund process is being built within CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment, […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Food Lion, News, Produce News, Southeast
Food Lion Orange Bag Campaign Provides More Than 13M Meals In 2026
Food Lion customers and employees generated more than 13 million meals for those in need through the 2026 Orange Bag campaign, which ran Feb. 25-March 17 across the grocer’s 10-state footprint. Customers supported the effort by buying specially-marked bags of fresh navel oranges and making donations at the register or through Food Lion To Go. […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
IFPA Releases 2026 U.S. Policy Agenda To Advance Industry Priorities
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) has released its 2026 U.S. Public Policy Agenda, a six-pillar framework covering workforce, nutrition access, producer economics, trade, supply chain infrastructure and food safety. The agenda arrives amid heightened legislative and regulatory activity in Washington. “Every one of these priorities is grounded in what our members tell us they […]
Expert Article
Standardizing Banana Quality Across Multiple Retail Locations
Today’s state-of-the-art ripening rooms allow you to consistently ripen truckload after truckload of bananas with unparalleled uniformity and precision. Yet all too often we continue to see inconsistencies in quality from DC to DC and store to store. This can take a surprising toll on sales and profit. To give us a better understanding about […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National, News
IFPA To Spotlight Younger Consumer Trends Tn 2026 State Of Retail Session
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) will present The Pulse of Retail: IFPA’s 2026 State of Retail at The Retail Conference & Golf Tournament April 27-29 in Phoenix, delivering a forward-looking analysis of the trade shifts and consumer trends shaping the future of fresh. Designed as a fast-paced, insight-driven session, The Pulse of Retail will provide […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, News, Northeast
Double Up Food Bucks NY Surpasses 1M Transactions
Field & Fork Network’s Double Up Food Bucks NY (DUFBNY) program has surpassed a million transactions since launching in 2014, with more than 500,000 of those occurring in 2025. The milestone comes as grocery prices remain nearly 30 percent above February 2020 levels and food hardship stays elevated across New York state. DUFBNY provides a […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
IFPA Calls On Congress To Fund Produce Incentives, Expand School Programs
International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) CEO Cathy Burns testified March 11 before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, urging lawmakers to expand federal produce incentives, modernize nutrition programs and increase investment in U.S. growers. Burns argued that closing America’s fruit and vegetable consumption gap is a public health and economic imperative. Nine […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, News, Northeast, Wakefern
Wakefern Opens Applications For Local Produce Supplier Summit
Wakefern Food Corp. is accepting applications from growers to participate in its annual Local Produce Supplier Summit on July 15 at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey. Qualified applicants will be invited to present to Wakefern’s procurement teams, participate in panels and explore retail partnerships across the cooperative’s eight supermarket […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, News, Southeast
Healthy Family Project Raised $348K In 2025 For Food Security
Healthy Family Project gathered more than 200 produce industry professionals Feb. 27 for its annual Thank You Reception during the Southeast Produce Council’s 2026 Southern Exposure event in Orlando, celebrating a year of cause marketing campaigns that raised more than $348,000 for charitable partners. The funds benefited Feeding America food banks, the Foundation for Fresh […]