On June 18, Nature Fresh Farms will be conducting a virtual tasting at the United Fresh 2020 Live virtual tradeshow. This year’s United Fresh event tradeshow is taking place under very different circumstances. Given the current Covid-19 challenges, the show has gone virtual with a free opportunity for attendees to make connections with industry leaders. […]
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, Home Page Slider, Southeast
Dole Introduces 3 New Salad Kits In Premium, Chopped Lines
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Dole Food Co. is extending its premium and chopped lines with three new salad kits. Sweet Kale and Blueberry Bliss are in the premium line, with Avocado Ranch a new chopped offering. Dole started shipping the three new SKUs to retail nationwide on June 3. Each kit serves three to four people […]
Posted inProduce News, Northeast
Little Leaf Farms Baby Lettuce Now Available At NY Price Chopper Stores
Devens, Massachusetts-based Little Leaf Farms, the largest seller of controlled environment agriculture baby leaf lettuce in the U.S., is now available at Price Chopper stores throughout New York State. This expansion is another step in Little Leaf Farms’ continued growth to meet rising demand for sustainable, locally grown baby lettuce across the north east. The […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Latest News, Southeast
Dole Features Pixar Characters As Part Of Healthy Living Campaign
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Dole Food Co. is using the storytelling of Pixar Animation Studios as inspiration for an eight-month celebration of healthy living as well as the very real stories behind the millions of parents, grandparents and others now building healthier, happier families at home. Calling upon the everyday triumphs of Pixar characters like Woody […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, National
Produce Association Leaders Look To Future At United Fresh LIVE!
The chief staff and elected officers of five leading produce associations will join together in the closing session of United Fresh LIVE! to share their vision for the future in rebuilding the global produce industry. Joining United Fresh Chairman Michael Muzyk of Baldor Specialty Foods and President and CEO Tom Stenzel will be: Western Growers […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Northeast
NEPC Announces Cancellation Of Produce Floral & Food Service Expo
After much consideration, the New England Produce Council (NEPC) Board of Directors has decided to cancel its 21st Produce Floral & Food Service Expo due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The event was scheduled for Aug. 25-26 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts. “In accordance with local and state guidelines, we believe that it is […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Southeast
Produce Distributor Castellini Upgrading Its Warehouse Capabilities
Castellini, one of the largest distributors of fresh, local and organic produce in the United States and a wholesaler since 1896, has selected Blue Yonder to help transform its warehouse capabilities. Castellini’s long-time business partner, enVista, will provide the implementation services. Castellini provides produce and floral sourcing and delivery; value-add services like packaging, ripening, and […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Southeast
Dole Offers FreshTakes Ready-To-Eat Salad Bowls
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Dole Food Co. is taking its line of ready-to-eat (RTE) salad bowls national with the launch of Dole FreshTakes Salad Bowls in supermarkets throughout the West, following a successful debut in the Eastern U.S. in 2019. Now, retail and produce managers from coast-to-coast can order six single-serve, RTE salad bowls featuring clean-label […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Southwest
Clean Eating Challenge Reveals Big Success For Participants
The Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge ended with participants delivering a more than 160-pound cumulative weight loss over six months. Presented by the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA), on May 20, the Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge Reveal kicked off with 145 registered attendees tuning into the live event to hear from Dr. Ian Smith […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, National
United Fresh Releases Q1 2020 FreshFacts On Retail Report
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are highlighted in the United Fresh Produce Association’s Q1 2020 issue of FreshFacts on Retail. The report looks at the beginning weeks of the unprecedented rise in in-home food and beverage consumption triggered by the novel coronavirus outbreak. It includes comparisons between the first half and second half of […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, National
United Fresh Offers New Cornell Certificate Program
Registration is now open for a new United Fresh-Cornell University Executive Education certificate program, “Leading Through Crisis: The Path Forward for the Fresh Produce Industry,” a five-part workshop series to be delivered during United Fresh LIVE!, June 15-19. “Thanks to the Cornell Executive Education team for putting together so quickly such a strong program specifically […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Southeast
Miracle Life Farm Launches Food Donation Program
Miracle Life Farm, a Homestead, Florida based producer of tropical fruits and vegetables has launched its “United We Stand” food donation program for the residents of Miami Dade and Broward counties. The program was launched to assist individuals and families who have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Residents of Miami Dade and Broward […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Southwest
Gotham Greens Opens New Greenhouse In The Rockies
Gotham Greens opened its new greenhouse in the Mountain Region on May 20. The 30,000-s.f. greenhouse, adjacent to Stanley Marketplace, a food hall and urban market in Aurora, Colorado, is located next to an abandoned runway at the former Denver Stapleton Airport site that had been sitting vacant for decades. The greenhouse will deliver a […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Michigan Asparagus Season Is Officially Underway
Cooler temperatures in late April and early May—and even a late season snowfall—delayed the harvest of Michigan’s asparagus crop by about a week but did not harm it. The cool spring weather provided growers with some extra time to prepare fields and complete beginning of season tasks like mowing and fertilizer application. Now, Michigan asparagus season […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, West
Dulcinea Farms Will Market, Distribute Kiss Melons
Los Angeles-based Dulcinea Farms now has an exclusive agreement to market and distribute Kiss Melons. “We are excited to add Kiss Melons to our existing melon portfolio,” said Josh Leichter, general manager of Dulcinea Farms. “The Sugar Kiss and Summer Kiss Melons complement our PureHeart, SugarDaddy, SunnyGold and Tuscan-Style Melons perfectly, and the fact that […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, West
Calavo Growers Appoints Kevin Manion As Chief Financial Officer
Santa Paula, California-based Calavo Growers, a global avocado-industry leader, has appointed Kevin Manion, chief financial officer. “We are delighted to welcome Kevin Manion as our new CFO,” said CEO James E. Gibson. “Kevin has held senior financial leadership roles at several major food companies and has three decades of financial management, capital markets and operational […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, West
Blue Diamond Growers Celebrates Anniversary With Key Expansions
Sacramento, California-based Blue Diamond Growers, a nonprofit grower-owned cooperative and the world’s leading processor and marketer of almonds, marked its 110-year anniversary May 6 with announcements about the completion of two key infrastructure expansions. The company also was recently recognized by Boston Consulting Group and IRI as one of the Top 10 Fastest Growing Mid-Size […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Northeast
AgroFresh Solutions Expands Application Of SmartFresh Technology
AgroFresh Solutions, Inc., a global specialist in produce freshness solutions, says it has expanded global application of its flagship SmartFresh technology to optimize the consumer experience for a wide range of crops including avocado, broccoli, melon, tomato, mango and stone fruit. The company says SmartFresh is a proven, effective technology used extensively in the freshness […]
Posted inProduce News, Midwest
Living Greens Farm Responds to COVID-19 With New Procedures
Faribault, Minnesota-based Living Greens Farm, the largest vertical, indoor aeroponic farm in the U.S. that provides year-round fresh salads, microgreens and herbs, has added steps and procedures to its standards to block COVID-19 from its operation. The company says because it grows crops indoors the health risks most traditional farms face are virtually eliminated, resulting […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, National
United Fresh Applauds New ‘Buy Fresh’ Produce Purchasing Program
USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) recently shared the details of the new “Buy Fresh” program to purchase $100 million per month in fresh produce from regional and local distributors whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service entities. The program is expected to continue for six months. […]