Markets
The percentage increase of organic produce sales might be slowing, but organic grower-shippers say actual volume continues to grow.
The winter fruit season has barely begun and public unrest and a strike at Chilean ports is not holding back fruit exports so far, Chilean fruit export sources report.
A perfect storm of heavy rains followed by freezing cold weather will cut yields for the Red River Valley fresh potato crop in North Dakota and Minnesota nearly by half.
Ocean Mist Farms’ long-stem artichokes are available from gourmet food company Harry & David.
Tomatoes and bell peppers are two of the most popular winter produce items shipping from West Mexico.
Organic produce plays a role in the Chicago market, but that role may not be as pronounced as it is the West and the East.
Weather issues during the 2019 growing and harvest season had potato prices soaring during the pre-holiday period, with little change expected after the first of the year, marketers said.
Ranking of the top retail chains in the Chicago market remains virtually unchanged from a year ago, said Bill Bishop, chief architect at Brick Meets Click, a Barrington, Ill.-based consulting firm.
The chip, frozen and other potato-processing businesses continue to touch the fresh industry, but that touch might be a bit stronger this year, marketers say.
Vandervoet & Associates Inc. will have valencia oranges from northwest Mexico for the first time this year, starting with early varieties in January and then regular valencias in late winter/early spring.
Calavo Growers Inc. will have a 10% acreage increase in greenhouse round and roma tomatoes in Culiacan, West Mexico, this season.
After a successful debut in 2018, EarthBlend LLC has begun its second season shipping squash, cucumbers, green bell peppers and hot peppers.
Fresh Farms, Rio Rico, Ariz., has launched a new value-added program for one of its retail customers.
It’s not very often that you come across a “game-changing” product that actually delivers everything it promises.
The U.S. Apple Association has announced its class of 2020 Young Apple Leaders.
Many Texas distributors say they’re in kind of an in-between mode — between the sales bump of the holidays and the next buildup that starts as spring nears, tourists arrive and conventions come to town.
Yuma, Ariz.-based Natural Delights is celebrating National Medjool Date Day on Feb. 4, promotions continuing through the month.
LAS VEGAS — A person’s digital presence can begin before birth and will endure long after death, and author Eric Qualman said there is no sense for people to avoid working on their digital reputation now.
The run-ups to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are peak sales periods for mushrooms, but there’s a post-holiday run on the product, as well.
Ostrom Mushroom Farms hopes to ship mushrooms from its new 39,000-square-foot growing facility in Sunnyside, Wash., in May.
Phillips Mushrooms recently added Sean Steller to its sales and marketing department.
The cold storage division has become the company’s biggest growth area at Brothers Produce Inc., Houston, said Brent Erenwert, CEO.
Hardie’s Fresh Foods puts more than a little emphasis on local produce, said Michelle Weech, vice president of marketing.
TMC Produce Solutions has opened a new office in Florida’s Miami/Pompano Beach area.
Sacrifice: Joseph Sparacio will plant no seed and tend no crops in 2020. Instead, the farmer-patriot has left behind everything he loves to answer the call of duty.
The restaurant shutdown due to COVID19 has thus plugged the major consumption channel for potatoes. John Phipps explains the potato paradox in John’s World.
Exports typically don’t account for much of the volume from California avocado grower-shippers, but most companies have at least a small export program, which they say can be quite lucrative.
The volume of bagged avocados continues to increase every year as consumers seek convenience and/or value options, and retailers discover another way to merchandise avocados and drive sales of multiple pieces of fruit.
The Packer’s Tom Karst visited March 25 with Christopher Valdez, president, and Abby Taylor-Silva, vice president of policy and communications, for the Salinas-based Grower-Shipper Association of Central California.
The Michigan Potato Industry Commission, Lansing, has donated $5,000 to the Food Bank Council of Michigan, to be used by food banks to purchase potatoes.