Latest News From Retail

Baldor expansion: non-stop work, with time for yoga
Baldor expansion: non-stop work, with time for yoga

You have to stay alert when wandering through Baldor Specialty Foods headquarters at Hunts Point in Bronx, N.Y.

Amelia Freidline
The star of the show

Forty thousand is what at least one consumer group estimates is the average number of stock-keeping units in a grocery store.

Stock up on onions for these holiday dishes
Stock up on onions for these holiday dishes

The National Onion Association is emphasizing the health and nutritional benefits of onions with recipes geared to holiday meals.

Mann’s Organic Super Blend takes off
Mann’s Organic Super Blend takes off

Salinas, Calif.-based Mann Packing Co. says one of its newest items, the Organic Super Blend, had a successful launch in 2018.

Logo courtesy Homegrown Organic Farms
Homegrown Organic expands offerings

Porterville, Calif.-based Homegrown Organic Farms plans to unveil a new citrus line in November, said Stephen Paul, category director for stone fruit, fall fruit and blueberries.

<p>A Del Rey Avocado worker harvests avocados in Michoacan, Mexico, earlier this year.</p>
Avocado harvest resumes in Mexico

Workers are harvesting avocados in Mexico again, more than two weeks after a growers’ strike dried up exports to the U.S.

Canada’s organic demand going up, marketers say
Canada’s organic demand going up, marketers say

As sales of organic fruits and vegetables continue a steady rise in the U.S., growth may be even more dramatic in Canada, marketers say.

Chile continues to give U.S. a ‘taste of summer’
Chile continues to give U.S. a ‘taste of summer’

Chile gives North American consumers a “taste of summer” when they need it the most.

Stone fruit volume to hold steady
Stone fruit volume to hold steady

Chile’s stone fruit exports to the U.S. won’t have any big surprises for the 2018-19 season, most observers think.

China’s demand could attract more Chilean grapes
China’s demand could attract more Chilean grapes

Chilean table grape exports to the U.S. could decline slightly in 2018-19 as more attractive prices in China may pull some volume away from North America.

Millennials Eat — Cranberries!
Millennials Eat — Cranberries!

With Thanksgiving approaching, The Packer's Amelia Freidline and Produce Retailer's Ashley Nickle discuss the merits of cranberries, their experiences (or lack thereof) with the fruit, and Fresh Trends survey data.

Sykes Co. plans expansion of Palo Alto Organics
Sykes Co. plans expansion of Palo Alto Organics

The Sykes Co., Rio Rico, Ariz., is marketing hard squash from Mexico under the Palo Alto Organics brand.

U.S. Pear Month kicks off on a global scale
U.S. Pear Month kicks off on a global scale

Pear Bureau Northwest is taking National Pear Month global.

Good Foods promotes two to executive team
Good Foods promotes two to executive team

Danyel O’Connor and Juan Larios have been promoted to Good Foods’ executive team.

California Walnuts launches consumer sweepstakes
California Walnuts launches consumer sweepstakes

The California Walnut Board & Commission has a new consumer sweepstakes for the holiday baking season.

Zespri is expanding its conventional and organic kiwifruit from Italy.
Italian SunGolds extend Zespri’s kiwifruit season

As Zespri kiwifruit celebrates a successful consumer campaign, the company is expanding availability of its SunGold variety.

Avocados From Mexico returns to the Super Bowl
Avocados From Mexico returns to the Super Bowl

Avocados From Mexico returns to the gridiron again with its fifth Super Bowl ad, a 30-second commercial with an “Always Worth It” theme.

Weather complicates start of Tex-Mex deal
Weather complicates start of Tex-Mex deal

Weather issues have blown through production areas of Texas and Mexico, but suppliers for the 2018-19 Tex-Mex winter deal say they anticipate full volumes, once the deal starts to peak for most items in December.

Side Delights taps into plant-based menu trend
Side Delights taps into plant-based menu trend

Side Delights, a value-added potato line from Fresh Solutions Network LLC, San Francisco, is plugging into the plant-based menu trend.

Morning Kiss Organic promotes potatoes, onions
Morning Kiss Organic promotes potatoes, onions

Morning Kiss Organic, Chelsea, Mass., is promoting its onions and potatoes as retailers enter the holiday season.

Dole has new recipes for Mickey’s B-Day

Dole Food Co. is releasing more Disney-themed recipes in celebration of Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday on Nov. 18.

Third quarter retail report shows sales gains

Showing nearly $16 billion in fresh produce retail sales in the third quarter, the latest edition of the United Fresh Produce Association’s FreshFacts on Retail report has been released. 

Limoneira pushes fall and winter lemon promotions

Santa Paula, Calif.-based Limoneira Company has two seasonal promotion plans that will carry lemon promotions through the fall and winter season.

Amelia Freidline
A glimpse of the future of retail

LAS VEGAS — Retailers and consumer packaged goods companies have been making major investments to be relevant in the increasingly important online space, and new event Groceryshop showed how they are doing it.

Durell Strouse joins North Shore Living as sales manager
Durell Strouse joins North Shore Living as sales manager

North Shore Living has hired Durell Strouse as sales manager.

Fresh Express Pumpkin Panzanella, chopped Caesar kits to stores
Fresh Express Pumpkin Panzanella, chopped Caesar kits to stores

Fresh Express is rolling out two salad kits nationwide.

Litehouse freeze-dried herbs have new look
Litehouse freeze-dried herbs have new look

Litehouse Inc. has a new label design for its line of freeze-dried herbs, taking a cue from new designs for the company’s dressing and dips.

Onions 52 celebrates rebranding, upgrades website
Onions 52 celebrates rebranding, upgrades website

A year ago, Utah Onions Inc. celebrated its 40th anniversary, and took that milestone as an opportunity to refresh its brand, with a new name and logo, as Onions 52.

Organic produce consumption continues steady rise
Organic produce consumption continues steady rise

With consumption of organic products having set a new standard across the U.S. in 2017, organic produce suppliers say they’re poised for further growth.

Retailers urged to display lots of organic produce
Retailers urged to display lots of organic produce

In 2017, organic sales set a new standard in the U.S., and fresh produce played a key role in that achievement, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Organic Trade Association.

Produce leads way as organics set U.S. sales record
Produce leads way as organics set U.S. sales record

In 2017, organic sales set a new standard in the U.S., and fresh produce played a key role in that achievement, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Organic Trade Association.

Packer 25 — Dan Bourgault
Packer 25 — Dan Bourgault

Dan Bourgault, recently with Instacart and now headed to a new grocery tech startup in the Northwest U.S., is a man seeking to stay one step ahead of rapidly evolving technology in online grocery sales.

EverCrisp apple supplies double from last season
EverCrisp apple supplies double from last season

Supplies of the MAIA-1 apple, marketed as EverCrisp, are doubling this season, according to marketer Midwest Apple Improvement Association, Newcomerstown, Ohio.

Consumers can ‘fuel up’ at retail Cuties Snacking Stations
Consumers can ‘fuel up’ at retail Cuties Snacking Stations

Sun Pacific, Pasadena, Calif., is drawing attention to its Cuties mandarins with a new retail display.

United Fresh opens nominations for retail produce manager awards
United Fresh opens nominations for retail produce manager awards

The United Fresh Produce Association is accepting nominations for the 2019 Retail Produce Manager Awards Program.

Fresh-cut processor Pearson Foods expands
Fresh-cut processor Pearson Foods expands

Fresh-cut processor Pearson Foods Corp., Grand Rapids, Mich., has completed an expansion, and plans to add more fresh-cut space later this month.

Bonduelle releases limited edition turkey Bistro bowl

This is one Thanksgiving-themed meal that won’t have you making post-holiday diet plans.

Amelia Freidline
The right way is always the right way

I transferred to several store locations as I worked my way up in the retail produce business.

Artist Romero Britto turns Chiquita bananas into ‘canvas’
Artist Romero Britto turns Chiquita bananas into ‘canvas’

Chiquita Brands International’s iconic blue and yellow banana sticker is getting more colorful.

Bonduelle releases limited edition turkey Bistro bowl
Bonduelle releases limited edition turkey Bistro bowl

This is one Thanksgiving-themed meal that won’t have you making post-holiday diet plans.

Packer Insight — FPAA and Groceryshop
Packer Insight — FPAA and Groceryshop

Editor-in-chef Tom Karst and retail editor Ashley Nickle discuss some of their takeaways from recent travel to the 50th Nogales Produce Convention and the first Groceryshop conference and expo.

Canada increases cases in salmonella outbreak

The Public Health Agency of Canada has increased the number of salmonella infections related to English cucumbers purchased in Western Canada this summer.

Tasteful Selections kicks off 4th-quarter campaign
Tasteful Selections kicks off 4th-quarter campaign

Specialty potato brand Tasteful Selections kicked off its fourth-quarter promotion Nov. 5, part of its year-long Fresh campaign.

Litehouse CEO announces retirement, interim CEO

Litehouse president and CEO Jim Frank plans to retire, and executive vice president Kelly Prior has been named interim president of the salad dressing company.

Second phase of Baldor expansion nears completion
Second phase of Baldor expansion nears completion

Baldor Specialty Foods, Hunts Point, N.Y., has expanded its New York headquarters.

West Pak Avocado calls Fresh Summit a success
West Pak Avocado calls Fresh Summit a success

West Pak Avocado, Murrieta, Calif., returned from the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit to discuss expo-floor reactions to the retail products at the show, including the launch of a bagged avocado program.

Canada increases cases in salmonella outbreak
Canada increases cases in salmonella outbreak

The Public Health Agency of Canada has increased the number of salmonella infections related to English cucumbers purchased in Western Canada this summer.

Naturipe’s organic cranberries ready for retail promos

Naturipe Farms is seeing peak supplies of organic cranberries from Wisconsin, a trend that will continue to the third week of December.

Naturipe’s organic cranberries ready for retail promos
Naturipe’s organic cranberries ready for retail promos

Naturipe Farms is seeing peak supplies of organic cranberries from Wisconsin, a trend that will continue to the third week of December.

Village Farms challenges Fresh Summit attendees  
Village Farms challenges Fresh Summit attendees  

It was a close competition at the Village Farms booth at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit, with a taste challenge between the Heavenly Villagio Marzano and the Lorabella Blossom in Orlando, Fla.