Latest News From Retail

BrightFarms plans to build its newest greenhouse, which will be its fifth, in Abilene, Texas.

National editor Tom Karst and staff writer Ashley Nickle review the big stories of the week, including Mexican produce labeled as Canadian and high demand for mushrooms and limes.

Equal Exchange, importer and distributor of organic Fairtrade bananas in the U.S., is celebrating March as Banana Month to spotlight the small banana operations it partners with in Peru and Ecuador.

The Texas International Produce Association has named the finalists for the first Gateway to Innovation Awards to be awarded at the Viva Fresh Expo.

Santa Maria, Calif.-based Gold Coast Packing has a new line of riced vegetable products.

Produce Retailer editor Pamela Riemenschneider and staff writer Ashley Nickle discuss the revamped meal kits from Chef'd and other products now in stores -- and the all-important question of where to merchandise them.

No need to “get crackin’” with these pistachios.

Embracing their trendy status, Brussels sprouts are riding a strong wave of demand.

Meal kit company HelloFresh has acquired competitor Green Chef.

Labor is the single-most controllable expense in running any retail operation.

Mission, Texas-based Lone Star Citrus Growers’ Winter Sweetz grapefruit enjoyed a successful third season of sales and promo efforts.

Taylor Farms Foodservice has recalled diced onions after a random test in a single finished package detected salmonella.

Staff writer Ashley Nickle and Produce Retailer editor Pamela Riemenschneider discuss what happens next for Southeastern Grocers, which plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy by the end of the month.

Suntreat Packing & Shipping Co.’s Suki mandarins are now available, and this season marks the first one with promoteable volumes.

Freska Produce International LLC has obtained Fair Trade USA certification for growers in Oaxaca, Mexico, and is working to certify all of its growers in Mexico.

Bee Sweet Citrus, Fowler, Calif., expects its domestic citrus season to last into mid-May, including specialty citrus varieties.

California’s 2018 strawberry season got off to a rousing start, with volume as of March 3 more than double that of last year — 7.78 million trays compared to 3.7 million trays in 2017.

Dollar General plans to carry fresh produce in about 450 stores by the end of 2018.

Chef’d plans to have its meal kits in more than 1,000 stores by the end of June.

Southeastern Grocers plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and close nearly 100 stores.

Greensboro, N.C.-based The Fresh Market has hired industry veteran Vic Savanello as vice president of merchandising for produce.

Fresh Express is relaunching its chopped salad kits.

Roger Harkrider is now the director of produce for Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer.

How do you manage the slow stores? A good question, and one that I’ve had to field on numerous occasions.

Selah, Wash.-based Rainier Fruit is expanding its focus on promoting active lifestyles through a partnership with Wanderlust, a yoga event company.

Love Beets, Rochester, N.Y., relaunched its marinated baby beets and other beet offerings with resealable packaging that double the products’ shelf life.

Kingsville, Ontario-based Mastronardi Produce is getting ready for warmer weather with this season’s first crop of Aloha peppers from its Michigan greenhouse.

My first reaction when I heard Kohl’s chose Aldi — ALDI — as a grocery option to help “right size” its footprint was something like, “Huh? Say what?”

Jay Guzman has been hired by the Fresh Produce & Floral Council as vice president of business development.

Honeycrisp accounted for 16% of apple category volume and 24% of apple category sales in January.

Frieda’s Inc., Los Alamitos, Calif., suggests going purple for Easter this year.

The Idaho Potato Commission’s Potato Lover’s Month promotion is so big that it lasts for two months.

Dole plans to launch a new coleslaw line — Slawesome! Kits — in April.

Two new flavor profiles have joined the organic salad kit lineup for Dole.

Pamela Riemenschneider recounts some of the most interesting moments at Southern Exposure, from the keynote speech by Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey to the coming analytics innovation by Kroger.

Origin Organic Farms has increased production of greenhouse English cucumbers and red bell peppers for the Delta, British Columbia, season.

When training your clerks on the topic one message should be clear: They’re never completely alone while stocking.

Reversing recent market share erosion, potato category leader fresh russet potatoes showed modest volume gains in July through December.

Severn Peanut Co., which markets under the Hampton Farms brand, is running a customer appreciation giveaway this month for National Peanut Month.

Walmart plans to launch meal kits in more than 2,000 stores this year.

StePac has introduced a new line of packaging for fresh products, for products needing a modified atmosphere/humidity environment.

After nearly 20 years at Amazon, the vice president of Amazon Prime is leaving the company.

Raley’s has promoted Kevin Konkel and Paul Gianetto to leadership positions.

Albertsons Cos. has selected Jim Donald as its president and chief operating officer.

Los Angeles-based The Wonderful Co. has seen continued sales growth for its branded Pom Poms pomegranate arils.

Fresh produce volume gains led all retail fresh departments in the fourth quarter of 2017, according to the latest FreshFacts on Retail report from the United Fresh Produce Association.

Walmart has designed and started using a new platform to track produce freshness.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is partnering with Bags 4 My Cause, which provides reusable bags to retailers while getting shoppers involved in supporting local nonprofit causes.

Oxnard, Calif.-based Mission Produce is launching a new product — Grade 2 avocados in packaging that dubs them Emeralds in the Rough.

For the third year, the U.S. Apple Association is promoting Munch Madness, asking consumers to fill out brackets of their favorite apples in a takeoff of the NCAA basketball tournament.