Del Monte Fresh Produce is introducing its Del Monte Smoothie Kit product line. The smoothies are available in a variety of sizes at select locations across North America, in four varieties: • Antioxidant: Strawberries, Red Apples and Blueberries; • Super Fruit: Strawberries, Kiwi, Mangoes and Blueberries; • Energizer: Strawberries, Red Grapes, Carrots, Mangoes, Red Peppers and […]
Tag: produce
Five Steps To Cut Spoilage And Reduce Losses
by Michael Falck/co-founder and U.S. president, RELEX Solutions Special to The Shelby Report According to a 2016 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shrink loss in fresh fruit, vegetables and meat items continues to increase despite advances in food technologies. In the same report, the USDA found that in 2011-12, the average loss estimate […]
United Fresh Reveals 25 Retail Produce Manager Award Honorees
Marking its 13th year of recognizing exceptional retail produce managers, the United Fresh Produce Association has revealed the winners of its 2017 Retail Produce Manager Awards. The group of 25 produce managers represents supermarket banners, commissaries and independent retail stores from 14 different states and two Canadian provinces. The winners will be the honored guests at the United […]
Double Up Food Bucks Expands To Lowe’s Grocery Stores In New Mexico
Beginning this spring, New Mexicans who receive federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can save money when they buy New Mexico-grown fresh fruits and vegetables at several Lowe’s grocery stores in New Mexico. SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, assists one in five people in the state. Double Up Food Bucks, a program of the New […]
New N.H. Greenhouse Yields Fresh, Sustainable Year‑Round Greens
Lēf Farms (lēf stands for Let’s Eat Fresh and is pronounced “leaf”) was formed in Loudon, New Hampshire, to transform the way New England retailers and foodservice operators get their greens. Company officials say the goal is to give customers “incredibly fresh,” tasty greens that are carefully grown nearby, “not clear across the country”—year-round. The […]
AWG Springfield Division, Suppliers Bring Produce For Kids Campaign To 272 Stores
A year-long healthy eating-focused Produce for Kids campaign with Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) Springfield Division will raise funds for Feeding America programs that benefit families and children within the AWG Springfield footprint. The program, which kicked off this week, offers shoppers healthy meal solutions, registered dietitian-approved recipes and tips. The AWG Springfield Produce for Kids […]
‘Veg-centric’ Trends To Look Out For This Year
“Vegetable-centric” cooking and dining are on top of most trends lists for 2017, and retailers must be ready to offer a variety of fruits and vegetables to shoppers seeking to add more produce to their plates. That’s according to Frieda’s Specialty Produce. “Vegetable-centric eating is finally mainstream, and it’s paving ways for the future of […]
Baldor Specialty Foods Eliminates Food Waste From Production Facility
Baldor Specialty Foods, a New York City produce processor and distributor, has diverted 100 percent of the organic waste generated in its Fresh Cuts operation from landfill—thanks to its food waste initiative known as SparCs (the word “scraps” spelled backward). SparCs is a waste prevention strategy developed by Baldor’s sustainability director, Thomas McQuillan. Baldor processes […]
Grocery Trends Forecast Reveals Creative Changes In 2017
More digital connections and a speedier checkout process rank among the top trends for grocery shopping in 2017. That’s according to veteran supermarket analyst John Karolefski, purveyor of GroceryStories.com. Karolefski also predicts a more diverse produce department, increased availability of meal kits and better access to product information. “The top trends for 2017 will result in […]
Taylor Farms Completes Solar Installation At Dallas Facility
Taylor Farms, a leading producer of value-added produce and healthy fresh foods in North America, has completed its latest solar installation at its new prepared fresh foods facility in Dallas, Texas. The 1 MW roof mount array spans nearly four acres with 3,520 panels installed, making it one of the largest commercial solar installations in […]
SpartanNash Grows Produce Capabilities With Caito Buy
SpartanNash is acquiring Caito Foods Service and Blue Ribbon Transport (BRT) for approximately $217.5 million in cash. SpartanNash will acquire Caito’s produce distribution business, fresh cut fruits and vegetables business, its newly constructed Fresh Kitchen facility and the logistics business of BRT. SpartanNash said the acquisitions will enhance its product offerings by expanding into the fast-growing freshly prepared […]
Sprouts Named Pear Retailer Of The Year
On the show floor at PMA Fresh Summit over the weekend, USA Pears presented Sprouts Farmers Markets’ produce warehouse with the 2016 Pear Retailer of the Year Award for its pear category improvements in merchandising performance and sales increase. “On behalf of nearly 1,600 fresh pear growers of Washington and Oregon, we congratulate the Sprouts produce […]
MountainKing Introduces Holiday Gold Rush Promotion
With year-over-year sales of yellow traditional potatoes up sharply, Houston, Texas-based MountainKing Potatoes is looking to maintain the positive momentum by rolling out its Holiday Gold Rush promotion for 2016 featuring three of its freshly harvested gold varieties. MountainKing’s Holiday Gold Rush promotion features the company’s 3-lb. Buttery Bite Golds, 3-lb. Steakhouse Golds and its […]
Nominations Now Open For 2017 Retail Produce Manager Awards
The United Fresh Produce Association is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Retail Produce Manager Awards Program. This program recognizes 25 outstanding retail produce managers for their innovative merchandising, produce-related community outreach, increased store sales and recognition among company peers. The program, sponsored by Dole Food Co. and in it’s 13th year, pays special recognition […]
NatureSweet Tomatoes Taps Former Walmart, Costco Exec For Leadership Team
NatureSweet Tomatoes has named Manolo Reyes VP of business development. In his new position, Reyes is responsible for expanding the NatureSweet brand along with identifying and pursuing long-term growth opportunities to deliver sustainable profits for the company. He will report directly to CEO and President Bryant Ambelang. “I am thrilled to be joining NatureSweet, a […]
Raley’s Offers Free Fruit For Kids
Raley’s Family of Fine Stores is providing free fruit to kids in stores while parents shop. Baskets of fruit are placed in the entrance of each store, as a nutritious snack option for kids under the age of 12. “Raley’s wants to connect kids with fresh and healthy food, while enhancing our customers’ overall shopping […]
Egg, Dairy, Chicken And Beef Prices Decline
Lower retail prices for several foods, including eggs, whole milk, cheddar cheese, chicken breast, sirloin tip roast and ground chuck, resulted in a decrease in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Fall Harvest Marketbasket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals […]
United Fresh Leader Paints Bright Picture For Produce, But Notes Challenges Facing Industry
Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of the United Fresh Produce Association, is presenting an overall upbeat picture of the produce industry. Supporting his assessment is an independent consumer panel, whose members say they look forward to buying quality produce and are willing to pay more for it to feed their families. Stenzel opened the New […]
Most Americans Value Produce’s Appearance, But Price Is More Important
About eight in 10 Americans (81 percent) confirm that appearance (i.e., not blemished or misshapen in any way) is at least somewhat important to them when shopping for fresh produce (i.e., fruits and vegetables), with 43 percent saying it is very or extremely important. That’s according to a recent Harris Poll. When listed alongside other […]
Giant Food, BrightFarms And Food Bank Using Supply Chain To Fight Hunger
A retailer, a grower and a food bank are getting more quality fresh produce flowing into underserved communities throughout the Washington, D.C., metro region by cutting out the middle man altogether. BrightFarms, a startup company creating a national brand of local produce, has begun donating greens directly to the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) through a […]
