Latest News From United Fresh

Mayda Sotomayor named Packer Woman of the Year
Mayda Sotomayor named Packer Woman of the Year

Mayda Sotomayor is The Packer’s 2018 Produce Woman of the Year.

Mayda Sotomayor receives The Packer’s 2018 Produce Woman of the Year award from Greg Johnson, editor of The Packer, at the opening breakfast of the United Fresh Produce Association's 2018 expo.
Mayda Sotomayor named Packer Woman of the Year

Mayda Sotomayor is The Packer’s 2018 Produce Woman of the Year.

Tejas Bhatt (left), senior director of food safety innovations for Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart visits with Steve Kenfield, vice president of value-added for HMC Farms, Kingsburg, Calif., after a June 25 session on big data and blockchain at United FreshTEC.
Big data and blockchain bring benefits

CHICAGO — Blockchain isn’t about stepping on the competition to gain a better position, advocates said at a United FreshTEC session.

Emanuel Lazopoulos, senior vice president of North American sales and product management for Del Monte Fresh Produce NA, tell United FreshMKT expo attendees that being "old school" is a recipe for failure for retailers.
Change to meet consumer demands, experts say at United Fresh

CHICAGO — United Fresh Market attendees heard from a variety of experts that changing consumer demands must be met by retail and produce companies willing to change to meet those demands.

Good Foods is launching an Avocado Mash product and a line of plant-based salad dressings.
Good Foods has new avocado spread, plant-based dressings

Pleasant Prairie, Wis.-based Good Foods is launching Avocado Mash, a blend of organic hass avocados, lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper.

Cindy Jewell, incoming 2018-19 chairwoman for United Fresh Produce Association
Incoming United Fresh chairwoman looks to engage youth

The incoming chairwoman’s background could really shake things up on the board of the United Fresh Produce Association.

Susan Reimer-Sifford, 2017-18 chairwoman of United Fresh Produce Association
United Fresh chairwoman Reimer-Sifford delivers on engagement

When Susan Reimer-Sifford became chairwoman of United Fresh, she said her main goal was to encourage more produce industry engagement.

Emily Griep joins United Fresh in food safety role
Emily Griep joins United Fresh in food safety role

The United Fresh Produce Association has hired Emily Griep as manager of food safety.

Frieda’s Inc. executive to keynote at Global Cold Chain Expo
Frieda’s Inc. executive to keynote at Global Cold Chain Expo

Jackie Caplan Wiggins, vice president and COO of Frieda’s Inc., is set as the keynote speaker at the Global Cold Chain Conference co-located with United Fresh 2018.

Nominate a Produce Man or Woman of the Year today!
Nominate a Produce Man or Woman of the Year today!

The Packer seeks nominations from the produce industry for our annual Produce Man or Woman of the Year award, presented the morning of June 26 in Chicago at the United Fresh Produce Association annual convention.

Tee up for the Tip Murphy tournament
Tee up for the Tip Murphy tournament

Get out your clubs, golfers — registration is open for the 2018 Tip Murphy Legacy Golf Tournament, Aug. 27 at Cincinnati’s Oasis Golf Club.

United Fresh announces award-winning chefs

The Washington, D.C.-based United Fresh Produce Association has named this year's eight winners of the Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards.

Mastronardi Produce's Sunset-brand Aloha peppers are competing in the Best New Vegetable Product category of the United Fresh Produce Association's Innovations Awards during the association's June 25-27 show in Chicago.
United Fresh Innovation Award finalists chosen

The United Fresh Produce Association has chosen the 36 finalists for its 2018 Innovation Awards.

United Fresh names 2018’s Women in Produce honoree
United Fresh names 2018’s Women in Produce honoree

Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing for Watsonville-based California Giant Berry Farms, has been chosen as the honoree at the United Fresh Women in Produce reception.

United Fresh has its annual shows and expos next month.
Find your ‘one thing’ at United Fresh shows

United Fresh Produce Association CEO Tom Stenzel has encouraged industry members to take a disciplined approach to the FreshMKT and FreshTEC shows in June.

United Fresh to honor Veggie noodle, indoor tech wizards

The United Fresh Produce Association is honoring two industry members, one for advancing indoor growing technology and another for marketing/merchandising unique produce products.

United Fresh to honor Veggie noodle, indoor tech wizards
United Fresh to honor Veggie noodle, indoor tech wizards

The United Fresh Produce Association is honoring two industry members, one for advancing indoor growing technology and another for marketing/merchandising unique produce products.

Del Monte executive to keynote at United FreshMKT
Del Monte executive to keynote at United FreshMKT

The United Fresh Produce Association has lined up Del Monte Fresh Produce Inc.'s Emanuel Lazopoulos as the keynote speaker at this year’s United FreshMKT Conference June 25 in Chicago.

The United Fresh Produce Association has named the eight recipients of the annual foodservice awards.
United Fresh: These chefs stand out

Eight chefs and foodservice personnel from across the country have been chosen to be honored for innovation through the United Fresh Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards Program.

Class 23 of the United Fresh Produce Industry Leadership Program
Time to apply for United Fresh leadership program

The United Fresh Produce Association is accepting applications for the 24th class of the United Fresh Produce Industry Leadership Program.

Jan. 24 is the deadline to make a nomination.
Last chance to nominate a produce manager

Time is running out to nominate a produce manager for the 2018 United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program.

Tom Stenzel (left), along with United Fresh chairwoman Susan Reimer-Sifford, presents the 2018 United Fresh Lifetime Achievement Award to H-E-B’s Hugh Topper.
H-E-B’s Hugh Topper honored in San Diego

SAN DIEGO — Hugh Topper has always struggled to break free from a reputation pinned on him in high school — that of being a “very nice boy.”

United Fresh 2018 registration open
United Fresh 2018 registration open

Registration has opened for the June 25-27 United Fresh 2018 expo in Chicago.

Nomination deadline approaches for produce manager awards
Nomination deadline approaches for produce manager awards

Nominations for the 2018 United Fresh Produce Association’s retail produce manager awards are due Jan. 24.

Speakers named for United Fresh Start event
Speakers named for United Fresh Start event

Educational workshop topics and guest speakers have been named for the Jan. 16-18 United Fresh Start Foundation Annual Conference.

United Fresh foundation aims to increase access to produce
United Fresh foundation aims to increase access to produce

With Black Friday in the rear-view mirror, industry members are looking to charitable organizations to support through #GivingTuesday, Nov. 28.

Produce marketers learn to appeal to emotion at BrandStorm
Produce marketers learn to appeal to emotion at BrandStorm

Consumers make most decisions emotionally and then use rational reasons to justify them, produce marketers learned at United Fresh’s BrandStorm 2017.

United Fresh calls for foodservice awards nominations
United Fresh calls for foodservice awards nominations

From now through Jan. 19, the United Fresh Produce Association is accepting nominations for its 2018 Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards Program.

Packer 25 — Jeff Oberman
Packer 25 — Jeff Oberman

Jeff Oberman has tackled some major projects in his produce career, from working on the image of fresh-cut in the wake of the spinach crisis to researching how to get more produce in convenience stores.

United Fresh’s Brandstorm sets speaker lineup
United Fresh’s Brandstorm sets speaker lineup

The United Fresh Produce Association’s annual BrandStorm event set its speaker lineup.

United Fresh Start Foundation gives community grants
United Fresh Start Foundation gives community grants

The United Fresh Start Foundation has announced the second round of recipients of its Community Grants Program. 

5,000 salad bar milestone reached by Salad Bars to Schools
5,000 salad bar milestone reached by Salad Bars to Schools

Salad Bars to Schools has delivered more than 5,000 salad bars in just seven years.

United Fresh offers food safety tool for produce wholesalers
United Fresh offers food safety tool for produce wholesalers

A new document designed to assist produce wholesalers and distributors develop food safety plans is available from the United Fresh Produce Association.

Ready Pac's Tony Sarsam to keynote United FreshMKT conference
Ready Pac's Tony Sarsam to keynote United FreshMKT conference

Innovation in fresh foods will be the focus for keynote speaker Tony Sarsam of Ready Pac Foods at the United FreshMKT conference.

United Fresh names Retail Produce Manager Award honorees
United Fresh names Retail Produce Manager Award honorees

A group of 25 honorees have been revealed for the United Fresh Produce Association's 2017 Retail Produce Manager Awards Program.

United Fresh focuses on produce outside of schools
United Fresh focuses on produce outside of schools

The United Fresh Start Foundation is accepting applications for its new Community Grants Program. The program's goal is to provide children access to fresh fruits and vegetables beyond the school day. That includ

Kern County group gives salad bar to high school
Kern County group gives salad bar to high school

California Women for Agriculture donated a salad bar to Delano High School.

United Fresh foodservice report tracks hot menu trends
United Fresh foodservice report tracks hot menu trends

The winter 2017 issue of United Fresh Produce Association's Fresh Insights for Foodservice report looks at trending fresh produce items on menus and focuses on the winter favors of mushrooms and poblano peppers.

United Fresh Show, PMA Fresh Summit named among growing shows
United Fresh Show, PMA Fresh Summit named among growing shows

Trade Show Executive has named the United Fresh Produce Association show and the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit among the 50 fastest-growing trade shows in the U.S.

Registration for United Fresh 2017 open
Registration for United Fresh 2017 open

Registration is open for the 2017 United Fresh Show and the Global Cold Chain Expo.

United Fresh accepting leadership applications
United Fresh accepting leadership applications

The United Fresh Produce Industry Leadership Program is accepting applicants to its 23rd class.

United Fresh conducts compensation survey
United Fresh conducts compensation survey

The United Fresh Produce Association is conducting its biennial compensation survey of the produce industry. Data collected will be published in an a research report

Recall ready training offered by United Fresh
Recall ready training offered by United Fresh

Produce operators will receive training on managing product recalls in a "Recall Ready Training Workshop" offered by the United Fresh Produce Association.

United Fresh grants to boost consumption outside of school
United Fresh grants to boost consumption outside of school

NEW ORLEANS - The United Fresh Start Foundation is known for spurring the industry to donate salad bars to schools to promote fresh produce. <p></p> Now the foundation seeks to expand that access to fresh fruits and

United Fresh, CPMA release U.S.-Canada labeling guide
United Fresh, CPMA release U.S.-Canada labeling guide

The United Fresh Produce Association and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association have jointly released the U.S.A.-Canada Bilateral Labeling Guide.

Fresh produce industry lobbies Congress on priority issues
Fresh produce industry lobbies Congress on priority issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new U.S. president will be determined in the November election, but many key issues remain the same for hundreds of fresh produce industry advocates who took part in the Sept. 13 United Fresh

United Fresh hopes to keep 'fresh' in fruit and vegetable program
United Fresh hopes to keep 'fresh' in fruit and vegetable program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Preserving hard-won gains for fresh fruits and vegetables in child nutrition programs was the focus of a Sept. 13 workshop at the United Fresh Produce Association's Washington Conference.

United Fresh honors produce advocate U.S. Rep. Sam Farr
United Fresh honors produce advocate U.S. Rep. Sam Farr

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Despite calling himself the most liberal Congressman, U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., said he appreciated the produce industry's support in his 24 years.

Former Ag Secretaries to speak at United Fresh conference

On the final day of the United Fresh Washington Conference, two former Secretaries of Agriculture will discuss their presidential picks.