Latest News From Foodservice

The International Fresh Produce Association’s Foodservice Conference, July 28-29 in Monterey, Calif., is an event full of connection possibilities for both buyers and suppliers.

Babé Farms is featuring a new lettuce item called “Ro-Minis” at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Foodservice Conference, said Matt Hiltner, marketing coordinator.

Fresh avocado sales are scoring at a stadium near you.

The International Fresh Produce Association’s Foodservice Conference will have the highest buyer participation in 42 years, with over 800 buyers, according to a news release.

The USDA will provide nearly $1 billion in additional funding to schools to support the purchase of American-grown foods for their meal programs. 

Foodservice operators turn to specialty produce to create a unique dining experience for customers.

“Troubling but temporary.” That’s what I called McDonald’s decision to remove salads from its menu during the early days of the pandemic. 

DNO Inc. has been awarded a maximum $17.02 million government contract to supply fresh fruits and vegetables, according to a news release.

US Foods has agreed to its largest vertical-grower partnership to date: Kalera.

While produce prices cooled some, rising food costs in April continued to fan the flames of inflation, according to April’s consumer price index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Produce firms in New Jersey, California and Washington were recently awarded Department of Defense contracts to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to troops, commissaries and schools.

Jersey Mike’s Subs, Manasquan, N.J., assigned the Grilled Portabella Mushroom and Swiss Sub the No. 64 spot on its permanent menu — and The Mushroom Council is thrilled.

They're baaaaaack. About 3,000 people attended the 2022 Baldor Bite show, compared to about 1,750 at the last show.

The Millen, Ga.-based  Southeast Produce Council has unveiled its newest scholarship program – SEPC Fresh Chefs.

A fire at Taylor Farms’ primary foodservice processing facility in Salinas, Calif. on April 13-14 has caused significant damage, the company has reported.

Millions of consumers benefitted from Healthy Family Project’s annual Mission for Nutrition initiative — and so did produce brand partners.

There is no question that restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic hammered the foodservice industry.

The San Francisco-based food technology company has completed the acquisition of foodservice provider Daylight Foods of Union City, Calif.

The USDA has announced a combined purchase of more than 440,000 cartons of fresh oranges and grapefruit for distribution to nutrition programs.

Fort Worth, Texas-based Ben E. Keith Foods on Jan. 10 shipped the first orders from its Southeast Division’s new location in New Brockton, Ala.

Nearly two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions that gashed the foodservice operators, speakers at the Potato Expo said there are both optimism and caution about what is next.

As foodservice operators open their doors once again and expand their hours after lengthy COVID-19-related shutdowns and restrictions, many Chicago-area produce distributors say they can begin a return to normalcy.

The year 2021 was a rough one and brought no “back to normal”. For many 2021 wasn't much better than 2020. Take a trip back in time with us and explore 2021's top 10 fruit and vegetable news.

Northeast market business news in brief.

The historical Maryland’s Best Expo, now in its 18th year, will once again give buyers from supermarkets, schools, foodservice operations and food distributors a chance to mingle with farmers and other food producers.

Transportation woes continue to haunt Northeast shippers as trucks remain hard to come by and freight rates skyrocket because of rising fuel costs and a scarcity of drivers. 

With the holidays winding down, produce distributors in the Northeast are looking forward to a solid first quarter as the new year approaches.

Produce shippers in the Northeast had to tweak their operations a bit over the past couple of years to cope with COVID-19, but most have gotten through the pandemic in fairly good shape.

The year 2021 brought no “back to normal” for the restaurant industry. Instead, at the end of the year, the foodservice sector seems in danger of repeating the darkest days during the pandemic.

Grocery store food prices will increase between 2.5% and 3% this year but then increase just 1.5% to 2.5% in 2022, according to the December Food Price Outlook Report from the USDA.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Dec. 17 that his administration is providing up to $1.5 billion to states and school districts to help school meal programs.

The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission (NCSPC) celebrated its long-awaited Eat Sweet Restaurant Week where they invited chefs across the state to “cook” up creative ways to elevate the State’s vegetable.

Restaurants are responding to consumer demand for healthier items for children, and school foodservice operations are able to reintroduce what worked and be flexible when it’s not.

The appeal of familiar, comforting food in an uncertain world is fading, even though we’re heading into winter when carbs are king.

A partnership between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the United Fresh Start Foundation will deliver 20 salad bars to six Michigan school districts as part of the national Salad Bars to Schools initiative.

Houston-based Sysco Corporation has announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Laurel, Md.-based The Coastal Companies from Continental Grain Company. 

It’s been nearly two years since the COVID-19 pandemic burst onto the scene, and produce distributors like those in Nogales, Ariz., embarked on what many likened to one long rollercoaster ride.

United Fresh Produce Association has released its fall 2021 Fresh Insights for Foodservice report.

Fresh potatoes have struggled at foodservice outlets during the pandemic, but frozen potatoes have gained market share during the past year, according to a new report from Potatoes USA.

Attendees of the New York Produce Show and Conference will find plenty of restaurants open for business in December, but the recovery from the pandemic continues to be rocky for many operators.

Foodservice business has bounced back significantly from where it was a year ago, but most California winter vegetable grower-shippers say there’s still a way to go before sales approach pre-pandemic levels.

Foodservice sales that plummeted during the pandemic are edging upward once again, but avocado importers say labor shortages are preventing the business from reaching pre-COVID-19 levels.

One failure, one company or one person can have significant (negative) impact across an entire industry. Each of us has a responsibility to ensure safe food. And this responsibility can have far-reaching consequences.

Home-to-Home food technology platform and community marketplace Tre’dish has today announced a $10m seed funding round as it commercializes and scales operations across the U.S. and Canada.

Foodservice demand is strong for Wada Farms, said Joe Esta, vice president of the Idaho Falls, Idaho-based company.

Inflation is still far from tamed, the newest data from the government show.

Los Angeles-based Pom Wonderful, part of The Wondeful Co., launched a social media contest to support local bars impacted by COVID-19 pandemic closures.

Pure Green Farms, the Midwest hydroponic greenhouse, announced that Cincinnati-based LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria will be offering Pure Green Farms Baby Green Leaf lettuce on its menu beginning today.

It is lunchtime, but some U.S. schools have reported trouble finding the right foods to put in student meals.

Tangelo is focused on improving nutrition education, affordability, and access to healthy, locally sourced food for nutrition insecure consumers, says founder and CEO Jeremy Cooley.