California strawberry peak season is officially here, according to the California Strawberry Commission. California strawberries are available year-round; March through August mark the peak season. Eighty-eight percent of the strawberries in the United States are grown in California. They’re grown by more than 500 family farmers. “California strawberry farmers consider food safety their top priority,” […]
Tag: produce
Posted in, Midwest
Valli Produce to Open Fifth Location
Valli Produce International Fresh Market, with four locations in Illinois, will open its fifth store this spring in Rockford. Its current locations include Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, Glendale Heights and Loves Park. “We are optimistic about the future,” said Alfredo Presta, one of the three founders of the company. “Our focus is on increasing sales […]
Posted in, Southeast
Fresh Market Vetting Local Food Products At Open House
Greensboro, N.C.-based The Fresh Market will hold an open house for local vendors to showcase their products from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, March 16, at the O.Henry Hotel in Greensboro. Growers and manufacturers can introduce their “retail-ready products” to The Fresh Market and learn about the company’s process for selecting, promoting and selling local products […]
Posted in, National
Shopping Experience Associated With Eating More Fruits, Veggies
The number of servings of fruits and vegetables people eat may have more to do with the food shopping experience than with produce costs, according to a study by researchers at RTI International and George Washington University. The study, published in the February issue of Public Health Nutrition, examined the connection between three characteristics of […]
Posted in, National
Groups Join Forces for Big Convention
The American Meat Institute, Food Marketing Institute (FMI), United Fresh Produce Association and National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) are partnering on four shows, to be co-located in Dallas, Texas, on April 30-May 3, with 1,200 exhibitors and 1 million s.f. of the latest food technology and trends on display. The American Meat […]
Posted in, Southeast
Trader Joe’s, CIW Sign Fair Food Agreement
Trader Joe’s and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) signed an agreement on Feb. 9 that formalizes the ways in which Trader Joe’s will work with the CIW and Florida tomato growers to support the CIW’s Fair Food Program. According to the coalition and Trader Joe’s, the Fair Food Program is a “groundbreaking approach to […]
Posted in, Southeast
Chiquita Offers Incentives for Execs to Move to Charlotte
Chiquita Brands International Inc. is offering incentives to entice its executives to move to Charlotte, N.C., reports The Charlotte Business Journal. In a securities filing Tuesday, the company spelled out the relocation benefits it will offer key employees who choose to transfer. Those benefits include payment for the costs of searching for a new residence […]
Posted in, West
PMA to Debut Produce Pavilion at N.G.A Show in Las Vegas
The 2012 National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) Show will feature a new collaboration with the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) that will bring together more than 20 produce companies into 2,500 s.f. of exhibit space on the expo floor called “The PMA Produce Pavilion.” The PMA Produce Pavilion will provide independent grocers and attendees of The N.G.A. […]
Posted in, West
Ocean Mist Farms Receives Economic Vitality Award
Castroville, Calif.-based Ocean Mist Farms has been honored by the Monterey County Business Council for its contribution to agriculture in Monterey County. Ocean Mist Farms was one of six organizations selected to receive the Economic Vitality Award at the council’s annual awards ceremony last week in Monterey. The Monterey County Business Council is an alliance […]
Posted in, Southwest
FRESH By Brookshire’s Awarded LEED Green Building Certification
The Fresh by Brookshire’s store in Tyler, Texas, has earned LEED® certification in recognition of its energy-saving features, the first grocery store in East Texas to earn the certification. Brookshire’s new concept store achieved LEED status for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. The […]
Posted in, West
Bristol Farms Rolling Hills Re-Opens With New Look
Bristol Farms opened the doors to its first store in Rolling Hills, Calif., 30 years ago, and it re-opened that same store earlier this month with a new design and look to kick off 2012. The store is located at 837 Silver Spur Rd. “We have been planning the remodel of this store for some […]
Posted in, Southeast
Del Monte Fresh Fruit Fuels the Miami Heat
Coral Gables, Fla.-based Del Monte Fresh Produce and the Miami Heat have entered into a sponsorship agreement, and Del Monte® will be the “Official Fresh Fruit of the Miami Heat” for the next three years. In addition to collaborating on advertising and promotional programs, Del Monte Fresh and the Miami Heat will work together to […]
Posted in, Northeast
Wegmans: No Price Hike on Seasonal Product List
Against a backdrop of persistent concern about the economy, Wegmans has once again announced a freeze on prices through April 28 for a list of more than 50 products families use most. (Counting all flavors/varieties, the total number of items —SKUs—affected is 223.) This move follows the expiration of a list of 40 items, with […]
Posted in, National
Blueberries Recommended for Year-Round Health
Two leading nutrition experts recommend fresh, ripe blueberries for year-round good health. With the arrival a new year, and the inevitable resolutions to eat healthier that arrive with it, Ellie Krieger and Jonny Bowden are advising the health-conscious to reap the ample “superfood” benefits of blueberries. Krieger, a registered dietitian and host of Food Network’s […]
Posted in, Southwest
Update: Colorado Farm Issues Voluntary Cantaloupe Recall
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning for cantaloupes from the Rocky Ford melon-producing area in Colorado and Jensen Farm issued a voluntary recall of their cantaloupes. On Sept. 19, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that it found Listeria monocytogens in samples of Jensen Farms’ Rocky Ford cantaloupe taken from […]
Posted in, Southwest
Colorado Farm Issues Voluntary Cantaloupe Recall
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning for cantaloupes from the Rocky Ford melon producing area in Colorado and Jensen Farm has issued a voluntary recall of their cantaloupes. A total of 22 persons infected with the outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from seven states, the CDC reported […]