A primer to help convenience stores sell more produce was published Monday by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and the United Fresh Produce Association. “Building the Business Case for Produce Sales at Convenience Stores” combines analysis of industry and consumer trends with practical ideas to develop an enhanced produce offering in stores. The […]
Tag: produce
Survey: Fresh Produce And Prices Matter Most To Supermarket Shoppers
Despite glowing headlines about America’s economic recovery, millions of people struggle with stagnant wages and an increased cost of living. As a result, nearly 60 percent of consumers say finding a deal is important when they’re food shopping, according to the 2015 Annual National Grocers Association (NGA)-SupermarketGuru Consumer Survey. Nearly 1,000 shoppers completed surveys that […]
North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission’s Leader To Retire
The longtime leader of the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission (NCSPC), Sue Johnson-Langdon, is retiring. For more than 25 years, Johnson-Langdon has been closely involved with the agricultural production and marketing of sweet potatoes. Beginning in 1989, she served on the commission’s board of directors in the office of secretary. She was hired as the […]
Giumarra’s Spring Watermelons To Feature ‘Eat Brighter!’ Label
Giumarra Nogales will begin spring Nature’s Partner melon shipments at the end of March and will offer seedless watermelon grown in Mexico featuring Sesame Street “eat brighter!” artwork. The watermelon program is designed to get children and their families excited about eating watermelon, a fruit high in vitamins C and A. Each individual watermelon will […]
Tim Spann Returns To California Avocado Commission
California avocado season is getting under way, and the California Avocado Commission (CAC) has updated its production forecast to 327 million pounds for its fiscal year 2014-15. CAC also says that Dr. Timothy Spann has returned to the commission staff and now serves as research program director. Spann, who has a Ph.D. in plant biology […]
Haggen Pacific Southwest Hires Director Of Produce
Supermarket and produce industry veteran Chris Jacoby is among the latest hires at Haggen’s new Pacific Southwest Division, headquartered in Irvine, California. Jacoby joins Haggen as the division’s director of produce. He most recently was sales manager at Coast Produce and, prior to that, worked for Progressive Produce. Additionally, from 1998-2012, he worked with Albertsons/Supervalu […]
Giumarra Introduces Exclusive ‘DulceVida’ Line Of Flavorful Stone Fruit Varieties
Giumarra has announced its first year of limited commercial production for its exclusive, extra sweet Nature’s Partner DulceVida line of red apricots and white, black and yellow nectarines. “We chose the name DulceVida because it translates to ‘Sweet Life’ and emphasizes the fruit’s combination of superb flavor and European origin, expressing a one-of-a-kind eating experience […]
RedLine Solutions To Host Second Installment Of ‘Traceability For Dummies’ Webinar
RedLine Solutions, a leader in produce traceability and inventory solutions, will host the second part of its “Traceability For Dummies” webinar series titled “The New Era of Traceability Part 2: The Produce Traceability Model” at 2 p.m. (ET) Feb. 25. The webinar will focus on the accelerating evolution of produce traceability, including how automated traceability systems […]
Nominations Now Being Accepted For United Fresh’s Retail Produce Manager Awards
The United Fresh Produce Association is now accepting nominations for the 2015 United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program. The program will honor 25 outstanding retail produce managers at the United Fresh 2015 convention June 8-10 in Chicago, Illinois. Nomination forms may be accessed online and must be received by March 16, 2015. The Retail […]
Frieda’s: Asian Food Trend Can Be Boon For Biz As Chinese New Year Holiday Approaches
Authentic Asian flavors are among the top food trends of 2015, and there’s no better time to introduce Asian specialties to shoppers and diners than during the Chinese New Year celebration. That’s according to Los Alamitos, California-based Frieda’s Specialty Produce, which says it is offering retailers a number of Asian specialities to help businesses boost sales […]
United Fresh Unveils New Logo And Website
The United Fresh Produce Association has redesigned its logo and website, unitedfresh.org. “January is symbolically a time of fresh starts,” said United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel. “As we move into the New Year, this transition comes with a new look for our association and a new user-friendly website designed to align with our […]
Chiquita Closing North Carolina HQ After Buyout
Following its recent acquisition by the Cutrale-Safra Group, Chiquita Brands International will close its corporate headquarters in North Carolina. The banana producer’s Charlotte operations, where about 300 employees work, will shut down over the next year to 18 months, interim CEO Brian Kocher said. His statement to employees didn’t describe where the headquarters would be […]
Ready Pac Rolls Out Line Of Complete Salad Kits
Ready Pac Foods has launched a series of solutions for the dinner table. Ready Pac says its Cranberry Pomegranate Complete Salad Kit, Autumn Harvest Complete Salad Kit and Thai Complete Salad Kit will make holiday meals easy and delicious. “It’s amazing what a shared meal can do to bring us closer together,” says Tristan Simpson, […]
Eastern Produce Show Set For Dec. 2-4 In NYC
The Eastern Produce Council will host the New York Produce Show and Conference next month in New York City. The New York Hilton at 1335 Avenue of the Americas-Manhattan will serve as the host hotel for the show that kicks off Tuesday, Dec. 2, with the Global Trade Symposium during the day followed by a […]
The Produce Mom Hosting #HealthyThanksgiving Twitter Party On Wednesday
Thanksgiving’s nearly here, and moms who are trying to offer up a “wow” factor along with their healthy Thanksgiving feasts may find it more of a challenge than a celebration. For fresh, family-friendly holiday meal ideas with pizzazz, The Produce Mom and her partners are hosting a #HealthyThanksgiving Twitter party at 9 p.m. (ET) Wednesday, […]
NatureSweet Tomatoes Sponsoring Santa Selfie Hashtag Contest
NatureSweet Tomatoes wants to spread holiday cheer by giving customers a chance to win some extra spending money. Today through Dec. 5 customers are encouraged to find the NatureSweet Tomatoes displays that feature Santa Timmy in retail and grocery stores. Snap a selfie with the little tomato in a Santa hat, then upload and share […]
Organic Trade Association Moves To Tighten Organic Standards
Acting on extensive feedback and input from its members, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) last week filed two petitions with the National Organic Program to amend the national list of substances that can be used in organic production and processing—in one case strengthening the requirement for organic ingredients and, in the other, removing a non-organic […]
Sunset Kumato Named Best Tomato For Men
The Kumato could be called the king of tomatoes, as Men’s Health Magazine recently dubbed the Sunset tomato the best for men. Introduced in 2010, Sunset says its Kumato brand tomatoes have gained a following for their unique color, perfect size and well-balanced flavor. These non-GMO verified tomatoes naturally turn a reddish-brown color at their […]
Wonderful Sweet Scarletts Roll Out Nationwide
The maker of Wonderful Pistachios, POM Wonderful and Wonderful Halos is bringing its newest product—Wonderful Sweet Scarletts Texas Red Grapefruits—to produce aisles nationwide. Sweet Scarletts are grown, packed and shipped in Texas by Paramount Citrus, North America’s largest citrus grower. The warm Texas climate—sunny days with cool nights—yields the sweetest premium red grapefruits around, according […]
Sun Pacific Introduces Mighties Kiwi
Sun Pacific, grower of Cuties Clementines, has introduced a new brand name for its kiwi. Sun Pacific, the largest kiwi grower in the U.S., is rebranding its Ripe and Easy Kiwi as Mighties Kiwi, a new name the company says it developed to promote the little fruit’s powerful nutritious profile and delicious taste. “Kiwi is […]
