Produce Retail
Costco Wholesale Corp., Issaquah, Wash., is the first participant approved by the Food and Drug Administration for its Voluntary Qualified Importer Program.
Rockit Apple, known as the snacking apple due to its smaller size, will be featured at the South by Southwest Wellness Expo.
UPDATED: Caito Foods LLC, Indianapolis, plans to close its fresh-cut facility and discontinue those products.
The new Cosmic Crisp apple, which is finishing its first commercial season, is featured on the March cover of Prevention Magazine.
Wholesalers and foodservice distributors are selling to consumers as they scramble to replace millions in lost sales to restaurants because of COVID-19 restrictions in place since mid-March.
In times of recession, consumers eat at home more, but they also splurge on those food purchases for home rather than splurge by eating out, says a food-marketing expert.
The Produce Marketing Association, citing misinformation about produce and the industry in the COVID-19 crisis, is launching a campaign to connect directly with consumers to assure them produce is available and safe.
Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Oviedo, Fla., connected with consumers in March — National Celery Month — to promote the vegetable as the “It-gredient.”
Boston-based Costa Fruit & Produce is distributing fruit snack packs to area healthcare workers.
The California Avocado Commission is shifting promotion plans during the COVID-19 crisis, including shifting billboard ads to online content.
Houston-based Brothers Produce is providing needed distribution assistance to Houston Food Bank and its partners.
The Packer’s Tom Karst visited April 1 with Paul Manfre, general manager of Top Katz LLC, Bronx, N.Y.
CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash., has formed a partnership with Yakima Fruit and Storage Co., adding more than three million boxes of apples to CMI’s annual offerings.
RLS Logistics has started a less-than-truckload (LTL) day-specific service for temperature-controlled shipments to select grocery warehouses nationwide with no upcharge.
The road to the new normal as the COVID-19 crisis continues is a rocky one for many in the fresh produce industry.
El Grupo Crespo, which markets mangoes under the Crespo Organic and RCF brands in the U.S., has opened its packinghouse in El Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico for the season.
Avocado sales for fourth-quarter 2019 holidays saw some gains, according to the Hass Avocado Board, which tracks sales and volumes for holidays and events throughout the year.
In what ways will the fresh produce industry be changed permanently by COVID-19?
Produce companies and organizations continue to think of innovative ways of helping consumers and customers during the pandemic, from celebrating Cinco de Mayo to new ways of keeping employees safe.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved $1.2 billion in contracts for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, including $461 million for produce purchases.
Fresh markets apples in storage on May 1 totaled 46.8 million 42-pound bushels, which is 21% more than a year ago, and 18% more than the five-year average, according to the U.S. Apple Association.
Despite increased volume this year and lost foodservice business because of the COVID-19 crisis, avocado prices will remain steady through 2020 and into the first quarter of 2021, a new report from Rabobank predicts.
Northwest Cherry Growers, Yakima, Wash., estimates production for this season will be 20.5 million 15-pounds boxes.
Harvest of the California cherry crop, estimated at 7 million 18-pound boxes, is underway in southern growing regions near Bakersfield and Fresno.
Kori Tuggle, whose industry experience goes back more than 20 years, has joined Braga Fresh, Soledad, Calif., as vice president of marketing and product development.
Peruvian avocado exporters plan to ship up to 190 million pounds of fruit to the U.S. this season, and the industry is taking steps to protect workers to ensure a steady supply.
The Peruvian Asparagus Importers Association expects summer volume to remain consistent as the crop approaches peak shipments in August and September.
Big cherries are on tap this season for Stemilt Growers.
Gotham Green, Brooklyn, N.Y., is opening a 30,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse in the Denver area to supply retailers in eight states.
Two universities and an association that represents blackberry and raspberry growers are studying retail strategies and how the pandemic is affecting sales.