GrubMarket has acquired Schoenmann Produce, a Houston-based distributor that has served the Gulf Coast region for more than 100 years. The move integrates one of Texas’s oldest produce houses into GrubMarket’s artificial intelligence-powered supply chain platform. Schoenmann Produce serves the foodservice, retail, wholesale, healthcare and education sectors in Texas and Louisiana. Under the leadership of […]
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, News, West
Sun World International, Mission Produce Partner To Advance Mango Category
Sun World International and Mission Produce have announced a collaboration to identify and commercialize innovative mango varieties, addressing historical inconsistencies in quality and variety differentiation within the global market. The collaboration pairs Bakersfield, California-based Sun World’s fruit genetics and licensing experience with Mission Produce’s global supply chain and ripening infrastructure. The companies will focus on […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, Midwest, News
EmpowerFresh Deploys AI Produce Ordering Platform At Kowalski’s Markets
EmpowerFresh has deployed its artificial intelligence-powered produce inventory and ordering platform at Kowalski’s Markets, a family-owned grocery chain in Minnesota known for its produce departments and commitment to quality. Founded in 1983 by Jim and Mary Anne Kowalski, Kowalski’s Markets has built a reputation as one of the Midwest’s most respected upscale grocery retailers. With […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
IFPA Members Bring Fresh Produce, Florals To White House Easter Egg Roll
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and its member companies participated in the 148th White House Easter Egg Roll, bringing fresh produce and floral displays to one of the nation’s most recognized traditions. Held on the South Lawn and dating back to 1878, the public event is the largest hosted each year at the White […]
Posted inAssociation News, National, News, Produce News, Supply Chain News
CBP Building Centralized Refund System for IEEPA Tariff Duties
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is developing a centralized system to refund duties collected under tariffs imposed through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the Supreme Court struck down in February. The agency expects the refund mechanism to be operational later this spring. The refund process is being built within CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment, […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Food Lion, News, Produce News, Southeast
Food Lion Orange Bag Campaign Provides More Than 13M Meals In 2026
Food Lion customers and employees generated more than 13 million meals for those in need through the 2026 Orange Bag campaign, which ran Feb. 25-March 17 across the grocer’s 10-state footprint. Customers supported the effort by buying specially-marked bags of fresh navel oranges and making donations at the register or through Food Lion To Go. […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
IFPA Releases 2026 U.S. Policy Agenda To Advance Industry Priorities
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) has released its 2026 U.S. Public Policy Agenda, a six-pillar framework covering workforce, nutrition access, producer economics, trade, supply chain infrastructure and food safety. The agenda arrives amid heightened legislative and regulatory activity in Washington. “Every one of these priorities is grounded in what our members tell us they […]
Expert Article
Standardizing Banana Quality Across Multiple Retail Locations
Today’s state-of-the-art ripening rooms allow you to consistently ripen truckload after truckload of bananas with unparalleled uniformity and precision. Yet all too often we continue to see inconsistencies in quality from DC to DC and store to store. This can take a surprising toll on sales and profit. To give us a better understanding about […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National, News
IFPA To Spotlight Younger Consumer Trends Tn 2026 State Of Retail Session
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) will present The Pulse of Retail: IFPA’s 2026 State of Retail at The Retail Conference & Golf Tournament April 27-29 in Phoenix, delivering a forward-looking analysis of the trade shifts and consumer trends shaping the future of fresh. Designed as a fast-paced, insight-driven session, The Pulse of Retail will provide […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, News, Northeast
Double Up Food Bucks NY Surpasses 1M Transactions
Field & Fork Network’s Double Up Food Bucks NY (DUFBNY) program has surpassed a million transactions since launching in 2014, with more than 500,000 of those occurring in 2025. The milestone comes as grocery prices remain nearly 30 percent above February 2020 levels and food hardship stays elevated across New York state. DUFBNY provides a […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
IFPA Calls On Congress To Fund Produce Incentives, Expand School Programs
International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) CEO Cathy Burns testified March 11 before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, urging lawmakers to expand federal produce incentives, modernize nutrition programs and increase investment in U.S. growers. Burns argued that closing America’s fruit and vegetable consumption gap is a public health and economic imperative. Nine […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, News, Northeast, Wakefern
Wakefern Opens Applications For Local Produce Supplier Summit
Wakefern Food Corp. is accepting applications from growers to participate in its annual Local Produce Supplier Summit on July 15 at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey. Qualified applicants will be invited to present to Wakefern’s procurement teams, participate in panels and explore retail partnerships across the cooperative’s eight supermarket […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, News, Southeast
Healthy Family Project Raised $348K In 2025 For Food Security
Healthy Family Project gathered more than 200 produce industry professionals Feb. 27 for its annual Thank You Reception during the Southeast Produce Council’s 2026 Southern Exposure event in Orlando, celebrating a year of cause marketing campaigns that raised more than $348,000 for charitable partners. The funds benefited Feeding America food banks, the Foundation for Fresh […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National, News
FMI Research: Generational Shifts Redefine Shoppers’ Produce Purchases
Fresh produce remains a critical growth driver for food retail, with $97 billion in sales and a 2 percent increase in unit sales, according to FMI – The Food Industry Association’s The Power of Produce 2026 report, which debuted at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure 2026. The category’s future is increasingly shaped by generational […]
Posted inProduce News, Food Lion, News, Southeast
Food Lion Begins Annual Orange Bag Donation Campaign
Food Lion launched its annual three-week Orange Bag campaign Feb. 25, inviting customers to turn purchases of fresh navel oranges into meals for communities through its Food Lion Feeds hunger-relief platform. The campaign, which runs through March 17, benefits Feeding America and partner food banks throughout the retailer’s 10-state footprint. Since it began in 2019, […]
Posted inExecutive News, News, Produce News, West, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Giumarra Companies Promotes Carmona, Lorusso To VP Roles
Los Angeles-based The Giumarra Companies has promoted Sebastian Carmona to VP of international development and Kristina Lorusso to VP of retail partner services. “As we continue to increase Giumarra’s capabilities and plan for long-term growth, I am pleased to congratulate Sebastian and Kristina in expanded leadership roles that will bring impactful value to our operations,” […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Featured News, News, Southeast
Southern Exposure 2026 To Feature Grower Panel, Product Launches
The Southeast Produce Council will hold Southern Exposure 2026 from Feb. 26-March 1 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida, featuring educational sessions on agriculture challenges and consumer trends alongside new product debuts from exhibitors. The conference theme, “From Fields to Families: Nourishing Our Nation,” reflects SEPC Board Chair Sloan Lott’s platform emphasizing […]
Posted inProduce News, National, News
Little Potato Co. Celebrates 30th Anniversary With New Logo
The Little Potato Co. has unveiled an anniversary logo to mark 30 years in business, launching a year-long celebration that will include social and email campaigns, employee events and partner celebrations. The visual mark will appear across the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada-based company’s materials, marketing and select touchpoints throughout 2026. Additional activations are planned for later […]
Posted inExecutive News, Association News, National, News, Produce News
IFPA Welcomes Ayoub As New Director Of Workforce, Business Policy
The International Fresh Produce Association has appointed Samantha Ayoub as director of workforce and business policy on the U.S. Government Relations team effective Feb. 23. Ayoub will lead Washington, D.C.-based IFPA’s policy and regulatory efforts on workforce, labor, immigration, transportation, logistics and broader business issues shaping the fresh produce and floral supply chain. She also […]
Posted inProduce News, Finance News, National, News
Shore Capital Forms Produce One Through Partnership, Acquisition
Shore Capital Partners has formed Produce One, a specialty produce distribution platform, through a partnership with Premier ProduceOne and the acquisition of Native Maine Produce. The platform combines Premier ProduceOne’s statewide distribution coverage across Ohio with Native Maine’s Northeast-focused distribution network across Maine, Connecticut and New York. Shore Capital plans to partner with additional produce […]