Steve Williams, VP of produce and floral for Southeastern Grocers, has been named as a winner of the Produce Marketing Association’s Retail Merchant Innovation Award. He was credited with developing new elements for SEG’s produce departments, including: Creative and educational in-store signage displayed throughout the produce departments to help customers navigate new signature categories and enhanced organic […]
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.
Seneca Foods Names Kayser New Director
The board of directors for Marion, New York-based Seneca Foods Corp. appointed Kraig H. Kayser as a member, effective Nov. 10. Kayser will fill a current vacancy resulting from the death of Arthur S. Wolcott, the company’s founder and chairman. As a result of Kayser’s appointment, the size of the board will remain unchanged at […]
POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils Are Back With New Branding
POM Wonderful is kicking off the 2021 California pomegranate season with its largest digital marketing campaign to raise brand awareness and continue to drive category growth. Unveiled in the campaign is new branding for POM Wonderful Pomegranate Fresh Arils, the No. 1 aril brand in total sales, brand awareness and velocity in the U.S. Previously known […]
SEPC Announces Southern Exposure’s Lineup For 2022
The Southeast Produce Council has announced its speakers for the upcoming Southern Exposure: The Marvel of Produce, set to take place March 3-5. Premiering at the Swan & Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida, this year’s conference will be themed to celebrate the next generation of superheroes within the produce industry. The following guest speakers have […]
Mann Packing Co. Introduces Nourish Bowls Sauté Style Veggie Meals
Mann Packing Co. Inc., a subsidiary of Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc. and one of the largest suppliers of packaged vegetables in North America, has launched its Nourish Bowls Sauté Style Veggie Meals, a blend of fresh vegetables, grains and plant-based protein. Packaged in individual bowls, Nourish Bowls Sauté Style Veggie Meals are quick and warm […]
Wholesum Expands, Brings New Efficiencies To Nogales, AZ Warehouse
Wholesum, Fair Trade Certified growers and shippers of organic fresh produce, has completed a major expansion of its distribution center in Nogales, Arizona. “As the demand for responsibly grown organic produce continues to grow, it is important for us to increase storage capacity and bring new efficiencies to the company’s distribution capabilities,” stated Ricardo Crisantes, […]
Fresh Del Monte Raising Prices In Response To Inflationary Market
Miami, Florida-based Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. has announced to customers it is raising prices on bananas (including organics and plantains), pineapples and fresh-cut fruit, effective Nov. 1. The move comes in response to unprecedented market conditions and inflationary pressures being felt across all industries, affecting Fresh Del Monte particularly as it relates to production […]
Sales Of Gold Potatoes Continue To Increase
New data shows volume sales of fresh gold potatoes outpacing sales of reds, russets and whites. This news comes as growers continue to provide a promising outlook for the harvest of their yellow-flesh varieties. Volume sales (in terms of pounds) of fresh gold potatoes increased 3.3 percent during the 52-week period ending Oct. 23, according […]
Avocados From Mexico, Brees Partner To ‘Get In The Guac Zone’
Irving, Texas-based Avocados From Mexico is kicking off a new national shopper marketing campaign featuring former New Orleans star quarterback and football legend Drew Brees to get fans ready for the ultimate “Guac Zone.” The promotion has a grand prize of a $100,000 Smart Home Makeover. Retailers are encouraged to sign up to receive free Big Game celebrity, attention-getting […]
Fresh Del Monte Further Commits To Sustainable Agriculture Practices
Miami, Florida-based Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., a vertically integrated producer, distributor and marketer of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, has announced its participation at this year’s World Biodiversity Summit, occurring alongside the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15). Hans Sauter, Fresh Del Monte’s chief sustainability officer, […]
Revol Greens Establishes East Coast Location By Acquiring Living Fresh
Revol Greens, has acquired BJ’s Produce Inc., operating under the Living Fresh brand, in Athens, Georgia, to establish its first East Coast greenhouse operation. The deal, completed on Oct. 12, entails the purchase of the existing greenhouses as well as the planned commencement of new greenhouse construction to meet increasing customer demand. Terms of the […]
Calavo Growers Names Montgomery Chief Human Resources Officer
Graciela Montgomery has joined Santa Paula, California-based Calavo Growers Inc., a leader in the avocado and value-added fresh food industries, as its first chief human resources officer, effective Oct. 11. In this role, Montgomery will oversee human resources, training, talent development and recruitment for Calavo, which has nearly 4,000 employees across the U.S. and in Mexico. Montgomery […]
EFI Announces Leadership Team Advisory Group
Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer groups, has formed its leadership team advisory group as a standing committee of its board of directors. The group is made up of farmworkers and production managers from certified farms who have completed EFI’s leadership team program training […]
Forward Greens Unveils New Products In Safeway And Albertsons Stores
Vancouver, Washington-based indoor farm, Forward Greens, has a new 11-product lineup of microgreens, salad greens and baby greens available in Safeway and Albertsons stores across Oregon and Southwest Washington. Salad greens, a combination of baby greens and microgreens, is a new addition to Forward Greens. All of the new products are a mix of texture, […]
Crunch Time Apple Growers Bring Back SnapDragon Apples
Crunch Time Apple Growers, a New York State-based cooperative of 152 member growers, has released its largest anticipated crop volume of SnapDragon apples: 400,000 bushels, a 25 percent increase year over year. The sweet, crisp apples are ready to be packed and shipped, with the first apples hitting select produce aisles now. Wider distribution is […]
Green Life Farms Completes Acquisition Of Finn Farms
Naples, Florida-based Green Life Farms has completed its purchase of Finn Farms, a hydroponic grower located on Florida’s West Coast. Green Life Farms Inc. purchased 100 percent of the assets of Local Greens Company Oy, which is the parent company of the U.S.-based subsidiary Local Greens U.S.A., dba Finn Farms. Green Life Farms currently operates a […]
Mission Produce Opens Distribution Center In Laredo, Texas
Mission Produce Inc., a company that sources, produces and distributes fresh Hass avocados, held the grand opening of its new $50 million mega distribution center in Laredo, Texas. On Sept. 29, in coordination with the offices of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and City of Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, Mission held a ribbon cutting ceremony to […]
Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes Back In Season In Time For Thanksgiving
Stokes Purple sweet potatoes are back in season, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. Los Alamitos, California-based Frieda’s Specialty Produce provides stand-alone shippers that help consumers realize they can easily add color and flair to their holiday meal. Research shows that rich-hued purple vegetables are in demand, and pie is hotter than ever. A […]
Taylor Farms Unveils Investment With Pure Green Farms
Salinas, California-based Taylor Farms is entering the greenhouse growing market with an investment in Pure Green Farms. This expansion into greenhouse grown fresh offerings will complement Taylor Farms’ existing 122,200-crop-acre, field-grown program and 16 salad producing facilities across North America. “We’re excited to venture into the industry of indoor growing with this investment,” said Bruce Taylor, […]
Calavo Promotes Araiza To EVP Calavo Fresh Foods
Santa Paula, California-based Calavo Growers Inc., a global company in the avocado and value-added fresh food industries, has promoted Ron Araiza to EVP of Calavo Fresh Foods. In his new role, Araiza will be responsible for leading the Renaissance Food Group (RFG) and Calavo Foods business segments. Araiza will focus his leadership sights on aligning […]
