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The U.S. imports virtually all its fresh mango supply. Mexico was by far the leading mango supplier to the U.S. in 2023, followed by Peru, Brazil and Ecuador.

Sev-Rend has introduced tray sealing film, a flexible plastic packaging material for fresh produce intended to ensure food freshness and safety.

Steve Cubbage says the upcoming farm bill could decide if the U.S. gets a taste for Europe's recent farmer protests.

Nominations for excellence in sustainability marketing are being accepted for The Best of SPS Marketing Awards through May 10, 2024. Winners will be announced live at the 2024 Sustainable Produce Summit.

Bobby Chacko succeeds Andrea Montagna, who has stepped down after serving as the company's CEO since 2021.

Four school districts in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, and Ohio received awards for innovative efforts to improve the nutritional quality of meals for students.

Mexican mango grower-shipper Urapa Produce has announced the start of its mango season.

Spearheaded by the Allred family, co-owners of CMI Orchards and sole proprietors of Royal Family Farming, the partnership seeks to transform byproducts from orchards, row crops and more into high-quality soil amendments.

The company is making a significant change to enhance the recyclability of its mushroom packaging by incorporating NIR sortable material in its rPET thermoformed tills.

The company says it will highlight its Peruvian organics, its upcoming Mexican mango program and its Emeralds in the Rough avocado bags during the Southern Exposure trade show, set for March 7-9 in Tampa, Fla.

Called VPick and VPack, the systems use artificial-intelligence vision systems to enhance warehouse efficiency and reliability, the company says.

Equifruit did not become a North American market leader for Fairtrade-certified bananas by being boringly conventional.

Whole Foods Market Daily Shop is a quick-shop format set to launch this year. With a footprint ranging from a quarter to half of an average Whole Foods Market store, it aims to offer convenience to urban neighborhoods.

The website highlights North Country Growers' sustainability initiatives, its premium lettuce varieties and its team.

Walmart says it will offer an Easter meal that can serve up to 10 people and is available for an average price of less than $8 per person.

The Kingsville, Ontario-based company said the new offering will make its debut at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure event, set for March 7-9 in Tampa, Fla.

U.S. fresh and frozen fruit imports reached nearly $20 billion.

U.S. imports of fresh vegetables showing double-digit increases in 2023 were tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, carrots, okra, radishes and endive.

With robust supplies of Chilean grapes headed for the U.S., “it’s looking like mid-March through April will be a great time for retailers to promote Chilean grapes,” says Ignacio Caballero of Frutas de Chile.

Oakdale, Calif., Save Mart store manager Robert Alton was honored for his leadership at the company's 30th Annual Management Awards Gala, which also recognized other store managers.

Craig Hurlbert, CEO of Local Bounti, and Andrew Horowitz, North American Director of Strategic Development of KUBO Greenhouse Projects, join the Controlled Environment Agriculture Alliance board of directors.

The Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, if approved, would increase WIC spending by $1.03 billion.

Growers, packaging companies and a grocer all weigh in on the current state of sustainability and its future role in the fresh produce industry.

The Kingsville, Ontario, Canada-based greenhouse grower said it will debut its Original Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure event, set for March 7-9 in Tampa, Fla.

Nomination applications are due April 1 for eight member seats: two domestic producers, two importers and four total alternates.

The company says it will introduce Retro-Kins nationwide this fall, the third installment in the -Kins family of painted and decorative pumpkins and a continuation of its 25th anniversary festivities.

Peruvian blueberry exports in the 2023-24 marketing year (May 2023 to April 2024) will be down more than 40%, the USDA reports.

Kroger union members in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio have authorized a strike, meaning union bargaining committee can call a strike at any moment. Negotiations are ongoing.

The company said it will highlight the popularity of its Stokes Purple sweet potato and how its slate of dragon fruit fit with healthy diets and popular culture.

The indoor agriculture company’s indoor agriculture production techniques now patented.

Amazables are oven-crispy-skin-style microwavable U.S. No. 1 grade russet potatoes, available with two custom sauces created exclusively by Litehouse.

A university research team looked at temperature and surface properties related to E. coli susceptibility in leafy greens, such as romaine lettuce, green leaf lettuce, spinach, kale and collards.

New Jersey is one of 35 states that will participate in the USDA’s new Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program to provide more food availability to children and families in need during the summer months.

The organization offered a position paper that highlights the relationship between packaging and food safety and food waste.

As the potato industry eyes its role in the upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans, those in the industry say marketers should focus on nutritional benefits and trends to grow interest among younger shoppers.

The upcoming 2024 Mexican mango season is poised to be a record season as more retailers understand that mangoes can be positioned all summer long, says Tim Beerup, mango consultant for Mission Produce, Oxnard, Calif.

Lavie Bio says the completion of an advanced payment as part of the licensing agreement will now make its products that target fruit rot and powdery mildew available for commercialization by Corteva.

The U.S. and Mexico will work to stop imports of avocados from illegal orchards in Mexico, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a news conference with Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramirez.

The campaign, which runs from Feb. 28 to March 19, benefits Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, as well as local partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state operating area.

A bipartisan coalition of 30 U.S. House members is urging Agriculture Committee leaders to prioritize federal support for specialty crop mechanization research and development in the 2024 farm bill.

As sales director, Henry Dill will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of daily sales operations, enhancing strategic partnerships and implementing initiatives to strengthen customer satisfaction and loyalty.

New research from FMI, Oliver Wyman, and Circana reveals opportunities for food industry partners to meet evolving shopper values.

Licensed table grape growers from 14 countries took part in the symposium, which focused on global planting plans, local agronomy support, quality assurance, retail relations and an overview of global marketing plans.

The partnership will form a 50/50 Mexican joint venture, Royal Champs S. de R.L. de C.V.

Reusable packaging container provider IFCO says it has acquired BEPCO, a reusable packaging pooling company based in Tallinn, Estonia.

The International Fresh Produce Association coordinated a series of “speed dating” meetings in late February to connect produce companies with school foodservice officials from several U.S. school districts.

Customers who bought eligible sold-by-weight groceries from Walmart between Oct. 19, 2018, and Jan. 19, 2024, qualify for the settlement. Walmart shoppers have until June 5 to submit a claim.

The study found the product’s slow and controlled release of industry-standard 1‑methylcyclopropene to be more effective in extending the shelf life of broccoli compared to traditional in-room 1-MCP applications.

Coral Gables, Fla.-based Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. has revealed quarterly and full-year earnings through December that report the company has reduced its long-term debt and increased its quarterly dividend.

The company said the renovation, which totaled $2 million in enhancements, welcomes shoppers into a warm, engaging environment.