Latest News From Retail

For the seventh year, FirstFruits Farms is growing and selling the Sweetie apple.

Compared to all other parts of the years, the fall selling season used to be an afterthought to produce merchandiser and retailers.

We heard a lot of good things about the nearby Market Basket location while touring the Boston Market Terminal and New England Produce Center — so we stopped by ourselves to check out why it got such high praise.

If you compare a thousand households to mine, I would wager my wife and I don’t waste food at nearly the “average” rate. We are a one-percenter in that way.

Hoping to bring the same excitement to the grape category as it did to apples with Jazz and Envy, T&G Global is moving into grapes with its Orchard Rd brand.

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. is launching the Better in Bananavision campaign to celebrate Halloween and a positive state of mind.

Shuman Farms, Reidsville, Ga., is revamping its organic onion packaging with a netted bag that uses less plastic.

Editor Tom Karst and retail editor Ashley Nickle discuss Potatoes USA breaking with the Culinary Institute of America, retailers discussing organic pricing and promotion strategy, and the latest on Hurricane Dorian.

Walmart has made some changes in its produce departments, and more changes are coming, according to the company’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer Steve Bratspies.

FiveStar Gourmet Foods, Ontario, Calif., is introducing a Grilled Steak Salad at Costco stores.

Crunch Pak, which pioneered apple slices 20 years ago, is offering sliced pears to retailers under the Opera label.

Good Foods is supporting No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America.

Maglio Cos., Milwaukee, Wis., has introduced a corrugated retail shipping unit that showcases its ReadyRipe watermelon pouches.

As the Chilean avocado season starts, consumers can download a daily reminder of the imported fruit.

Chiquita Brands International wants consumers to leave their mark on bananas.

Retailers can catch a customer’s attention or inspire kids to try something new throughout October with Frieda’s Spooky Foods Halloween promotion.

RPE Inc. is helping consumers find inspiration with Tasteful Selections bite-size potatoes with their Small-Bite Campaign.

Avocados From Peru, ShopRite and the New York Jets have joined forces on a promotional campaign centered around the start of the NFL season.

More than 60% of consumers purchased grapes in the last 12 months, according to The Packer’s Fresh Trends research.

We are social creatures, even the introverts among us.

What do you let slip by, and what tasks do you insist are done a certain way?

Despite being a certified millennial, I am late to the bandwagon on many trends — listening to podcasts being one of them.

Cincinnati — The Crosset Co. hosted nearly 500 people at its annual produce and floral conference Aug. 28, the highest attendance in the decades-long history of the event.

SUN VALLEY, Idaho — The Big Idaho Potato Truck will be back for another year, for what is expected to be a quality potato crop, Frank Muir told attendees at the 2019 Idaho Grower Shippers Association Convention.

With more than 20 years of experience in the North American supermarket industry, Mike Mauti has learned “Retail 101” firsthand.

I was thumbing through a copy of “The Packer, a Century of Produce,” published in 1993. It’s a rich collection of reflections, produce and people.

Crunch Pak is offering sliced apples in SpongeBob SquarePants-themed packaging.

Cosmic Crisp apples have a group of supporters, including an astronaut, a chef, a teacher and produce industry spokeswoman who helps consumers boost consumption.

When China’s first Costco opened Aug. 27, California Giant strawberries were on display.

Old-time salespeople used to say it all the time, “Don’t sell ‘em the steak, sell ‘em the sizzle.”

The Packer editor Tom Karst and Produce Retailer editor Ashley Nickle discuss surveys on two major retail topics — online grocery and plastic packaging on fresh produce.

The Packer editor Tom Karst and Produce Retailer editor Ashley Nickle discuss the highlights from the recent U.S. Apple Association conference, including conversations around retail and trade.

Chili peppers, figs and okra maintained their top 3 status on Produce Market Guide during the week of Aug. 19, while peaches moved up two spots.

Cantaloupes averaged $1.97 each around the U.S. the week ending Aug. 23, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Retail Report for Specialty Crops, which looks at on-ad prices.

Steve Lutz has joined Category Partners LLC, Idaho Falls, Idaho, as vice president of Insights and Innovation.

Titan Farms, Ridge Spring, S.C., and Harris Teeter, Matthews, N.C., have donated 219,000 pounds of peaches to food banks through the Peaches with a Purpose program over the past five years.

The Twin Cities retail scene continues to evolve with stores opening and closing, chains testing a range of formats and grocery delivery becoming a common option.

Minnesota, sometimes known as “The Bread and Butter State,” may be better known for its wheat, flour and dairy products than its fresh produce, but Twin Cities residents have a penchant for fruits and vegetables.

In last month’s column, we came down hard on the assumptions many in agriculture make about educating consumers

CHICAGO — Lending insights on consumer apple demand from a retail perspective, Randy Riley outlined the challenges and opportunities he sees for the apple category.

Let’s take a moment to take a look at the current food waste movement from the grower perspective.

With more than 20 years of experience in the North American supermarket industry, Mike Mauti has learned “Retail 101” firsthand.

The 2019 SweeTango apple harvest has begun and first reports are two thumbs up.

More than 19,000 tons of Chilean kiwifruit had been shipped to North America in early August, with supplies expected into October.

Kansas City, Kan.-based Associated Wholesale Grocers has partnered with Smart Retail Solutions to help its members cut down on shrink.

Yellow-flesh peaches led the way last week as the most promoted fruit in the U.S., with more than 15,600 stores putting peaches on ad for a weighted average price of $1.49 per pound.

Strawberries averaged $2.40 per 1-pound clamshell around the U.S. the week ending Aug. 16, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Retail Report for Specialty Crops, which looks at on-ad prices.

After six weeks in the No. 1 spot on Produce Market Guide, figs finally were bumped out by chili peppers  the week of Aug. 12, sliding to second place.

Target plans to launch this fall its new Good & Gather brand, which will include fresh produce items.

The mix of apple varieties is all shook up compared with 30 years, and Don Roper believes that is a good thing.