Kansas City, Kansas-based Ball’s Food Stores is supporting the “Buy Fresh Buy Local” program and local chapters of the movement. August is prime time for harvesting late summer produce, such as peaches, summer squash, tomatoes, eggplants and sweet corn. Working with more than 150 local growers, the grocer provides a selection of natural and sustainable products […]
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, Northeast
Little Leaf Farms Introduces Sweet Baby Butter Leaf Lettuce
Devens, Massachusetts-based Little Leaf Farms has launched its new lettuce variety, Sweet Baby Butter Leaf. Grown in a hydroponic greenhouse producing lettuce year-round, Sweet Baby Butter Leaf lettuce features a sweet and crispy texture. “With a balance of sweetness, crispness and tenderness, we know Sweet Baby Butter Leaf will be a welcomed addition to our product line,” […]
Posted inProduce News, West
Mariani Probiotic Prunes Wins Healthy Snack Award
The Mariani family has announced that Mariani’s Probiotic Prunes is a recipient of the 2022 Good Housekeeping Healthy Snack Awards. The California-grown prunes are infused with GanedenBC30 probiotics to deliver active cultures that are 10 times more effective than yogurt. The award supports Mariani’s mission to help consumers who seek healthier options, especially with snacks, […]
Posted inProduce News, West
Calavo Growers Names Kurtz To Lead Prepared Segment
Santa Paula, California-based Calavo Growers has named Helen Kurtz as SVP and general manager of Calavo Prepared, the company’s prepared foods segment. Kurtz is a veteran of the food industry with more than 25 years of experience, primarily with General Mills and, most recently, serving as SVP, chief marketing officer of Foster Farms. In that role, she […]
Posted inProduce News, West
The SF Market Elects President, Changes To Board Of Directors
San Francisco, California-based The SF Market, San Francisco’s original wholesale produce market home to 26 merchant businesses, announces changes to its Board of Directors. A new board president has been elected in addition to key role changes and the election of three new members. “We are excited to welcome new voices and talent to our board. […]
Posted inProduce News, National
Calavo Growers Announces Jalisco Facility Open For Exports
Calavo Growers, a global avocado-industry provider of value-added fresh food, announced official certification and opening of its Jalisco packing facility for the American market. “Today, we are proud to announce that we have expanded our partnership with our Mexican growers from Michoacan to Jalisco,” said Dionisio Ortiz, VP Calavo de Mexico. “This will elevate our sourcing […]
Posted inProduce News, West
California Prune Board Announces Incoming Officers, Members
The California Prune Board has seated its 22-member board and 16 alternates for the 2022-24 term. Following certification of the election by the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture, the new board approved the 2022-23 fiscal year programs and budget at its June board meeting. The California Prune Board officers are: Chair: George Sousa Jr., president […]
Posted inProduce News, Corporate Store News, Northeast
Stop & Shop Begins ‘Local Produce For Locals In Need’ Program
Quincy, Massachusetts-based Stop & Shop has begun its annual “Local Produce for Locals in Need” program, donating locally grown, fresh vegetables to help combat summer hunger in children and families throughout August. Through this program, communities in need will have access to fresh, local produce like eggplant, corn, cabbage, peppers and cucumbers as Stop & Shop […]
Posted inProduce News, National
IFPA Recognizes Exhibit Marketing At The Foodservice Conference
The International Fresh Produce Association celebrated three standout winners at the Foodservice Conference Expo on July 29. “The finest produce marketing was on display at the IFPA Foodservice Conference last month,” said Joe Watson, IFPA VP of retail, foodservice and wholesale. “I continue to be impressed by the creativity and ingenuity that all our exhibitors demonstrate […]
Posted inProduce News, West
Study Reveals Growing Retail Channels For Avocado Purchases
A recent avocado channel segmentation study by the Mission Viejo, California-based Hass Avocado Board provides a greater understanding of avocado shopper segmentation by outlining key purchase metrics of buyer groups within each retail outlet where avocados are purchased. As a companion piece to a study released earlier this year, “Rethinking Retail: Avocado Shopper Segmentation,” this […]
Posted inProduce News, Southeast
Fresh Express Begins Promotion, Releases New Online Content
Orlando, Florida-based Fresh Express, a brand leader in value added salads, has kicked off its second annual Fresh On the Go promotion to celebrate its products. Throughout the three-week promotion, the Fresh Express website and social channels will spotlight on-the-go meal tips, recipes and featured products, such as the Spinach Avocado Pear Smoothie and Apple Feta Spinach […]
Posted inProduce News, Southeast
AppHarvest Secures $50M USDA Loan For Indoor Farm
AppHarvest has secured $50 million across two loans guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through Greater Commercial Lending, a subsidiary of Greater Nevada Credit Union. The financing supports AppHarvest’s high-tech indoor berry farm in Somerset, Kentucky, which is about 84 percent complete and expected to be operational by years end. “Securing non-dilutive sources of […]
Posted inProduce News, Southwest
Nabaco Promotes Produce Industry Veteran To VP Of Operations
San Marcos, Texas-based Nabaco has promoted Brenton Field to VP of operations. He has experience in both the produce industry and the U.S. Air Force. Field came to Nabaco with more than 30 years of experience working in produce, most recently with Chiquita and AgroFresh, and prior roles in the citrus and tomato categories. He […]
Posted inProduce News, Northeast
UNFI Implements New Technologies; Expands Private Label Options
Providence, Rhode Island-based United Natural Foods Inc. has implemented new technologies and processes to enable it to shorten certain delivery times by more than a day and harness the potential of data points to deliver fresher produce to its customers. Due to these efforts, UNFI has grown its produce sales ahead of industry growth even as […]
Posted inProduce News, West
Mission Produce Begins Importing Avocados From Jalisco, Mexico
Oxnard, California-based Mission Produce has begun to import some of the first avocados to the U.S. from the Mexican state of Jalisco. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new certification of Jalisco avocados for the U.S. market provides access to an additional supply source of the fruit, supporting the company in meeting domestic demand. “We are […]
Posted inProduce News, Southeast
Seal The Seasons Develops Ruby June Strawberries
Durham, North Carolina-based Seal the Seasons is launching a new strawberry variety, Ruby June. The company states that this strawberry is 50 percent sweeter than commercial strawberries varieties that are traditionally frozen. Developed at Lassen Canyon Nursery and botanically known as Fragaria x ananassa, the Ruby June variety of strawberries has a deep dark red […]
Posted inProduce News, National
California Almonds, Marvel Studios Partner To Inspire Wellness
California Almonds has teamed up with Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Love and Thunder,” which premiered in theaters July 8, to celebrate the release of the film. A source of essential vitamins and nutrients, including antioxidant vitamin E, magnesium, six grams of plant-based protein, 13 grams of unsaturated fat and one gram of saturated fat, plus four grams […]
Posted inProduce News, Southeast
Fresh Express Presents Video Series On Food Safety Initiatives
Orlando, Florida-based Fresh Express has unveiled an inside look at advancements in its food safety and quality program through a video series that covers supply chain wide critical controls and procedures from field to table. According to President John P. Olivo, the video series is designed to show the real-world details behind the Fresh Express […]
Posted inProduce News, Northeast
Giant Eagle Expands Flashfood Program To All Locations
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Giant Eagle has expanded its partnership with Flashfood to all 173 Giant Eagle and Giant Eagle Market District stores. Starting in Cleveland, the 140-store expansion will steadily roll out throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania and will be completed by the end of October. Since Giant Eagle first introduced the Flashfood program at 34 store locations in […]
Posted inProduce News, Albertsons, Snacks Brands, West
Joolies Expands Product Line With Dark Chocolate Date Nibbles
Joolies, Los Angeles-based grower of organic medjool dates, has introduced new product line of diced organic medjool dates: Dark Chocolate Date Nibbles. The dates come in three varieties including Blood Orange Dark Chocolate, Sea Salt Dark Chocolate and Matcha Dark Chocolate and are offered in two different retail sizes: two ounce pillow pouch and a four […]