Latest News From Retail

Produce Retailer editor Ashley Nickle and The Packer's designer and copy editor Amelia Freidline review new products ahead of Fresh Summit, from Brussels sprouts to baby food to plant-based dips.

New fruit company TerraFresh Organics, Mill Valley, Calif., is starting out with citrus and mangoes under the Earth Greens Organic label.

Misionero Vegetables, Gonzales, Calif., is introducing green bean and Brussels sprouts saute kits under its Green Wave Farms fresh-cut line at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit expo.

Wonderful Citrus is showcasing its Halos mandarins with an animated YouTube series called “Camp Halohead.”

Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Oviedo, Fla., is expanding its Oxnard, Calif., cooling and fresh-cut facility, allowing the company to double fresh-cut celery production.

Church Brothers Farms plans to launch retail products including Tuscan Baby Romaine; ready-to-use bunched cilantro and parsley; and a 1-pound clamshell salad line at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit.

Stemilt Growers is set to center its Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit booth around organics, launching Artisan Organics 5-pound resealable pouch bags of organic galas, fujis and granny smith apples.

West Pak Avocado, Murrieta, Calif., has a multi-part video marketing campaign, The Avo Effect, for 2020.

Produce Retailer editor Ashley Nickle and The Packer's copy editor and designer Amelia Freidline check out four more product line extensions that will be showcased this week at Fresh Summit.

Mastronardi Produce, Kingsville, Ontario, is adding to its arsenal at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit.

Ashley Nickle and Amelia Freidline tested out more than a dozen new products that will be featured at Fresh Summit, and this report focuses on three items that can be used as snacks.

Los Alamitos, Calif.-based Frieda’s Specialty Produce plans to offer a little something extra this year for attendees of the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit.

Packer poll results: What type of content would you like to see more?

San Francisco-based Pacific Organic Produce plans to feature its organic mango, orange and vegetable programs at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit expo, Oct. 18-19 in Anaheim, Calif.

Wish Farms, Plant City, Fla., has a smartphone app that brings new labels on its berry packs to life with augmented reality.

Industry veteran Rick Russo has joined Church Brothers Farms, Salinas, Calif., as vice president of strategic growth and planning.

John Furner, who has been the CEO for Sam’s Club since 2017, has been selected as the new president and CEO for Walmart U.S.

This season has been sweet for the Sweet Carnival grape.

Crunch Time Apple Growers and PlayMonster 5-Second Rule Jr. Games created a promotion to drive in-store traffic and build excitement for SnapDragon apples and the children’s PlayMonster game. 

Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Wegmans and Yum! Brands have formed the Leafy Greens Safety Coalition to encourage efforts on improving prevention and traceability.

Be ready to meet royalty at Pure Hothouse Food’s Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit booth.

Mastronardi Produce,  Kingsville, Ontario, plans to make a bang! at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit expo with two new peppers.

I was reading a favorite biography about Vince Lombardi, “When Pride Still Mattered,” by David Maraniss, when Russ T. Blade cut around the corner...

Produce Retailer editor Ashley Nickle and The Packer's designer and copy editor Amelia Freidline test out more than a dozen new products coming to Fresh Summit, and this report focuses on the first four of that group.

For the first time this season, Frieda’s is offering a collection of limited-time holiday line of alliums, with pearl onions, cipolline onions and 6-ounce shallots in festive clamshells.

West Pak Avocado, Murrieta, Calif., has received the Fairtrade America Fairtrade Mark, a recognition the company ensures it ethically sources product.

The National Watermelon Promotion Board, Winter Springs, Fla., received 170 entries from across the U.S. and Canada for its 11th annual retail display contest.

Fresh produce is an industry that leaves a lot up to chance, in spite of our best intentions and efforts to control things.

Pumpkins and chili peppers held on to the top 2 spots on Produce Market Guide the week of Sept. 30, while apples climbed a couple of spots to the No. 3 slot.

Walmart has committed $4 million to help fight food insecurity in Texas, and nearly $1.3 million will go to fresh produce-focused nonprofit Brighter Bites.

The growers of Sunions tearless onions have quadrupled production this season.

Zespri is highlighting the new SunGold kiwifruit clamshell at its Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit booth, and offering Kiwiritas and a chance to play S’KIWI ball.

U.S. banana importers seemed concerned but not panicked after it was reported that Fusarisum wilt tropical race 4 — commonly referred to as TR4 or Panama disease — was detected in Colombia in August.

The Produce for Better Health Foundation is bringing more than 20 retail dietitians to its 2019 Education2Action Retail Dietitian Event at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit.

Shoppers can earn extra points through specialized offers and can choose how to spend their points as part of the enhanced loyalty rewards program from Giant Food Stores.

Castroville, Calif.-based Ocean Mist Farms plans to feature three new artichoke packaging options for organic product during the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit.

Curation Foods, Santa Maria, Calif., has introduced Yucatan Guacamole Squeeze, in a flexible squeeze pouch that has a one-way nozzle to keep air out and prolong freshness.

Indoor farming company Fifth Season plans to open a 60,000-square-foot vertical farm in Braddock, Pa., a former steel town near Pittsburgh.

Blazer Wilkinson, Salinas, Calif., has a new website highlighting “The Ultimate Strawberry,” as the company ramps up production of its Foxy brand conventional and organic strawberries.

Mexican fruit and vegetable grower Agrizar is growing berries exclusively for Mastronardi BerryWord America.

The California Table Grape Commission has hired Maria Montalvo as its marketing director of retail and foodservice promotion.

Village Farms is inviting Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit attendees to tee up at its booth.

Saco Foods LLC has rebranded its chocolate hard-shell dessert line for dipping fruits, Dolci Frutta and Dolci Drizzlers. 

Fresh Express has a new take on its chopped salad line that focuses on trending flavors, including a trio of “Twisted” Caesar salads.

Avocado sales for 2019 spring holidays — Easter, Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day — saw increases of at least 6% over 2018 numbers for the second-quarter holidays.

Groceryshop once again gave a big-picture look at how retailers are adapting to stay relevant as the industry continues to change.

Produce Retailer magazine, sister publication of The Packer, has chosen Scott Bennett, produce sales and merchandising manager for Jewel-Osco, as the 2019 Produce Retailer of the Year.

CERRITOS, Calif. – It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business of selling produce, Lauren Scott, chief marketing officer for the Produce Marketing Association, told Fresh Produce & Floral Council members.

Wholesum, Amado, Ariz., is launching its four-item snack tomato line in colorful top-seal packaging.

I’m bummed. That’s my old-school, ’70s lingo for being down, sad, and a bit weary.