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 […]
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, 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. […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, National
United Fresh Names Produce Excellence in Foodservice Award Winners
Nine of the country’s most innovative chefs and foodservice professionals representing an array of culinary styles and backgrounds will be honored the week of June 15 during United Fresh Live!, as part of the United Fresh Produce Excellence in Foodservice Award Program. The program honors chefs and their companies for their creativity in highlighting fresh […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, National
Report: Organic Produce Sales Jump 22 Percent In March
Total organic fresh produce sales were up 22 percent for March, with overall first quarter sales up eight percent in retail conditions unlike any ever experienced in the modern era of grocery retailing, according to the 2020 Q1 Organic Produce Performance Report released exclusively by the Organic Produce Network and Category Partners. Unprecedented consumer purchasing behavior across the United States because of COVID-19 […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, National
United Fresh Produce Association Switches To New Virtual Event
With the continuing COVID-19 crisis, the United Fresh Board of Directors has decided to move from an in-person event in San Diego this June to United Fresh Live!, a new, free virtual event that will connect customers, suppliers and colleagues across the industry. “During these past few weeks, we’ve all learned something about connections,” said […]
Posted inDairy News, Home Page Slider, Northeast, Produce News, Recommended Reading
Recommended: Maynard, Mass., May Get Its First Co-Op Grocery Store
MAYNARD, MA — There’s a grocery store revolution coming to the MetroWest area. This spring, Assabet Village Co-op Market is closing in on a plan to open the first cooperative grocery store in the area. It’s the culmination of a long process that began in 2013 when the co-op was founded. Although coronavirus is complicating […]
Posted inProduce News, COVID News, Health & Wellness, Northeast
Costa Fruit & Produce Offering Online Ordering At Its Boston Facility
Costa Fruit & Produce is launching online ordering for next day pickup at its Boston facility for fresh fruit, vegetables and specialty foods. The company says it is committed to the well-being of communities across Boston. In response to the recent challenges related to Covid -19 the company is looking for ways to continue to bring […]
Posted inProduce News, COVID News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, National
EFI Offers Resources For Farmworker Protection, Continuity Of Supply
In these times of uncertainty as the world responds to the coronavirus, Equitable Food Initiative has curated a library of best-in-class resources and practices that provides for employee communication during the current pandemic. EFI is a workforce development and skill-building organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer advocacy groups to promote responsible labor […]
Posted inProduce News, COVID News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Southeast
Produce For Kids Launches Stock The Food Pantries Initiative
Orlando, Florida-based Produce for Kids has provided more than 12 million meals to families in need through Feeding America over the years, and now the organization is looking to rally the produce industry and beyond to support Feeding America’s Covid-19 Response Fund through its new Stock the Food Pantries fundraising initiative. On April 1, Feeding America announced an estimated $1.4 […]
Posted inProduce News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Free! Leafy Greens Now Using Hands-Free Cultivation
Fresh Local Produce Of Ohio says it has installed a fully automated (robotic) greenhouse in Hudson, Ohio. Fresh Local Produce of Ohio started its production of fresh baby lettuce in February and already can be found on the shelves of several grocery stores in Ohio and Pennsylvania area. Fresh Local Produce is selling under the […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Latest News, Southeast
SEPC Continues To Reduce Food Waste One Community At A Time
Millen, Georgia-based Southeast Produce Council (SPC) distributed fresh donated produce on Friday, April 3, to those within the Tattnall County area in Georgia. SEPC members packed, shipped, unloaded, re-packed and distributed almost 70,000 pounds of fresh produce via a drive-thru format in order to maintain social distancing and serve as many as possible—500 families locally […]
Posted inProduce News, Beverage News, COVID News, Food Service News, Grocery Store Equipment, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Southeast, Supply Chain News
SE Business Step Up; Tennessee Governor Says Stay At Home
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to sweep across the United States, it is leaving a trail of victims—not only those who contract the virus but those who have lost their jobs due to the economic impact of the crisis. Several businesses are stepping up in an effort to help those who are unemployed, and other […]
Posted inProduce News, Center Store, COVID News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, National, Supply Chain News
Businesses Continue To Face Challenges Brought By Covid-19 Pandemic
Businesses across the nation continue to face the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. United Fresh’s foundation has started a donation program to help kids and families; the national trucking industry is asking for help and Kraft Heinz, in a business update, has announced the postponement of its Investor Day event. United Fresh Start […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Marketing News, West
Sun World Expands Supply Capability Of Licensed Grapes
Sun World International LLC has granted new licenses to several California and Mexico produce companies, further expanding the supply and distribution of its proprietary grape varieties, Licensing VP Garth Swinburn recently announced. The new licensees include Anthony Vineyards Inc. for grapes produced in California’s Coachella Valley and Illume Ag Sales LLC (formerly known as Fabbri […]
Posted inProduce News, COVID News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Regional Businesses Helping Fight War Against Covid-19
Covid-19 continues to take a toll on the United States and countries across the globe. Many businesses are taking action to help their communities, whether through donations or services. In the Midwest, the Produce Alliance has started a produce giveaway for local hospitals; Drake’s Organic Spirits is producing hand sanitizer for first responders and Polar […]