Mission Produce and NatureSweet Tomatoes has announced a long-term third-party logistics partnership leveraging Mission’s distribution center in Laredo, Texas. The move will support the expansion of NatureSweet’s greenhouse portfolio, which includes its snacking tomatoes, medium/large tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. In the partnership, Mission will provide NatureSweet with cold storage, cross docking, repacking, inventory management, access to […]
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, National
IRI: Volume Pressure Sharpens As Produce Inflation Climbs
Amid continued disruption, IRI, 210 Analytics and IFPA are bringing the industry the latest trends and analysis in fresh produce. “Inflation has been accelerating since early fall 2021, drought conditions are severe, consumer confidence is low and grocery patterns are switching very rapidly,” said Joe Watson, VP, Retail, Foodservice & Wholesale for IFPA. The four […]
Posted inMeijer, Midwest, Produce News
Square Roots Expands Produce Distribution To Meijer Stores
Square Roots has expanded distribution of produce in Meijer’s stores in the Midwest. The company’s greens will be sold at Meijer-branded stores in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. The produce is grown and harvested at Square Roots’ Kenosha farm, the company’s largest indoor farm built to date. “Our new farm in Kenosha delivers delicious, pesticide-free, fresh […]
Posted inProduce News, Southwest
Brighter Bites Receives $300K Grant To Expand Programming
San Antonio, Texas-based Brighter Bites has received a $300,000 Empowering Health grant from UnitedHealthcare to expand its programming in the community. The funding will help serve areas with high rates of food insecurity and diet-related diseases in the San Antonio area by providing fresh produce and nutrition education. “Through our Empowering Health grants and local outreach efforts from UnitedHealthcare, we’re working […]
Posted inProduce News, Midwest
Farmland Begins Second Year Of Honoring The Heartland Tour
To invest in the agricultural industry in Midwest farming communities, Farmland is holding the second year of its Honoring the Heartland tour. The 12-week mission highlights the role the region plays by providing monetary donations to support the next generation of farmers and delivering grab-n-go meals to those working in the agriculture industry, farming communities and grocery/retail establishments. […]
Posted inProduce News, National
Organic Produce Association Elects Crisantes As Chairman
The Organic Produce Association has elected Theojary “Theo” Crisantes Jr., COO for Wholesum, as chairman. Crisantes has been serving in an acting capacity since the fall of last year. “I am honored to be elected as the inaugural Chair of OPA,” Crisantes said. “From the beginning, our goal has been to increase consumer access to […]
Posted inProduce News, Southwest
Brighter Bites Begins Fundraising Campaign For Anniversary
Houston-based Brighter Bites, a nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrition education resources for families, is celebrating its 10th year of helping under-resourced communities throughout the U.S. Since its founding in 2012, Brighter Bites has shared more than 50 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrition education to more than 500,000 people across all […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Amazon Fresh, Northeast, Produce News, Whole Foods
Grillo’s Pickles Packs Flavor, Freshness Into Each Bite
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 […]
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 […]