Latest News From Retail

PALM SPRINGS — Meg Buchsbaum, most recently the national produce merchandiser for C&S Wholesale Grocers, is now the retail account manager on the East Coast for the National Mango Board.

PALM DESERT — Retail editor Ashley Nickle and Northeast editor Amy Sowder report on the West Coast Produce Expo field tour, which visited North Shore Living, Baloian Farms and Tudor Ranch.

PALM DESERT — Tom Karst, Ashley Nickle and Amy Sowder review the education sessions from The Packer's West Coast Produce Expo, from a sustainability panel to an address by Bill Walton.

An onion shortage may bring tears to the eyes of retailers and consumers, but it also appears to be setting up a strong market going into the summer months, suppliers say.

Late April signals the start of a new Vidalia onion season each year, and with it comes Shuman Farms’ commitment to supporting Produce for Kids and Feeding America.

Kelly Davis, director of produce and floral of Allegiance Retail Services, Iselin, N.J., has joined the Eastern Produce Council’s executive board.

Bhimu Patil, Texas A&M University professor and director of the Vegetable Improvement Center, College Station, Texas, has received the Texas A&M University Professorship.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has rescheduled the vote on whether the National Mango Board programs should include frozen fruit.

Taylor Farms has four new chopped salads kits — Roasted Garlic, Tangerine Crunch, Steakhouse Wedge and Salsa Ranch.

Cutchogue, N.Y.-based Satur Farms is launching organic salad dressings in convenient single-serving sizes.

The California Avocado Commission is helping retailers plan for Memorial Day sales, which is in the top four seasonal events for the fruit.

The United Fresh Produce Association has named 48 new products as finalists in its 2019 Innovation Awards.

I can tell you what turns off potential customers.

Walmart has been investing big in expanding its grocery pickup service, and data from market intelligence firm Numerator gives a look at which shoppers the retailer is reaching.

Accolades for the Food Freshness Card, which is promoted as a way for all steps of the supply chain to prolong shelf life, continue to pour in.

Tom Karst, Ashley Nickle and Amy Sowder discuss their reporting this week, from the Viva Fresh Expo to the first joint conference between the New England Produce Council and Organic Produce Network to Walmart news.

Ontario, Calif.-based FiveStar Gourmet Foods is partnering with Aldi for an exclusive Cinco De Mayo promotion on their Family-sized Mexican Salad.

Walmart recently announced a transformation of one of its Neighborhood Market locations into a store with tons of cameras, sensors, data processors and cabling to connect it all.

Avocados from Mexico anticipates record-breaking import volumes for Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

Meal kit company HelloFresh has expanded its retail lineup, with new items including Teriyaki Beef Tacos, Truffle Steak, Honey Sriracha Chicken, Meatloaf Balsamico and Creamy Tomato Penne.

Walmart has hired food safety veteran Sara Mortimore as its new vice president of global food safety compliance.

CERRITOS, Calif — Tom Stenzel wants to see produce sales increase, and he’s got three ideas to make that happen.

The National Mango Board, Orlando Fla., is seeking entries for the annual Mango Mania Display contest in June.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Backed by exhaustive data on the organic segment, Matt Lally challenged produce industry members to capitalize on trends that elevate organic food.

A produce director has a lot on his or her plate. The financials are foremost, of course.

On a recent whirlwind guided group tour of Italy’s most storied cities and historic villages, a rainbow of produce popped into my field of vision.

Pacific Trellis is again importing the Jam Grapes brand from Brazil, which is introduced in 2018.

Jan Berk, chief operating officer of San Miguel Produce, Oxnard, Calif., is the honoree and featured speaker at the United Fresh Produce Association’s Women in Produce event.

Following the granny smith and golden delicious, the Arctic Fuji apple, engineered to resist browning, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

SAN ANTONIO — Martin Wiedmann, a professor of food safety at Cornell University, listed at a Viva Fresh education session ten mistakes he believes companies must avoid to prevent another situation like the recent string of outbreaks tied to romaine lettuce.

SAN ANTONIO — The Viva Fresh Expo wrapped up April 27, with conversations on the show floor going strong to the end of the event. Editor-in-chief Tom Karst and retail editor Ashley Nickle recap the expo in this edition of Packer Insight.

Walmart continues to grow its e-commerce offerings, with grocery pickup now available at 2,100 locations.

SAN ANTONIO — Editor-in-chief Tom Karst and retail editor Ashley Nickle discuss some of the big stories of the week, from news at the PBH Consumer Connection conference to a Walmart report and interviews with execs on what makes a great produce manager.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Michelle Ann Passaretti is the winner of the 2019 Viva Fresh Healthy Living Award.

Mike Krage is the Idaho Potato Commission’s newest retail promotions director, covering the Northeast and Midwest.

Walmart generated $514.4 billion in revenue in the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2019, up from $500.3 billion the previous year.

Hy-Vee has inked a three-year endorsement deal with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes, the NFL MVP in 2018 and one of the most popular players in the league.

As consumer focus on health and wellness has sharpened, so has interest in produce-based beverages.

The National Watermelon Promotion Board’s 2019 plans include investing in nutrition research and focusing on the plant-based diet trend.

The number of people with salmonella linked to fresh-cut melons shipped by Caito Foods has increased, and the Food and Drug Administration has released a list of hundreds of retail outlets that received the products.

Walmart plans to expand BrightFarms packaged salad offerings to 50 stores in the Columbus, Ohio, area, after a successful launch in the state.

Consumer prices for some tomato varieties from Mexico could initially rise 40% in the U.S. when domestic supplies are low, according to an analysis on possible effect of duties on imported tomatoes when the Tomato Suspension Agreement is dropped in early May.

A decision is expected by the end of June in the fight over Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program retail data.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Have a Plant will succeed Fruits & Veggies — More Matters as the new consumer marketing message from the Produce for Better Health Foundation to promote fruit and vegetable consumption.

California summer fruit suppliers are anticipating a brisk May-August season in 2019, with plenty of supplies to fill orders.

FiveStar Gourmet Foods, Ontario, Calif., has hired Phil Abreo as vice president of sales-West.

Produce is all about relationships. This means building new relationships or working to retain the relationships your company already has made.

Kim St George has joined Renaissance Food Group, Rancho Cordova, Calif., as vice president of business development.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Have a Plant will succeed Fruits & Veggies — More Matters as the new consumer marketing message from the Produce for Better Health Foundation to promote fruit and vegetable consumption.

The produce industry wants in on the plant-based trend, so what follows is a look at which shopper segments are using plant-based protein, followed by a snapshot of how the volume of hashtags related to the plant-based movement compares to those of other food buzzwords, from healthy to organic to local.