Page 103 - Roduce Editorials News Today

Instacart has acquired Rosie, an e-commerce platform for local and independent retailers and wholesalers. With this acquisition, Instacart said it is deepening its commitment to serving local and independent grocers and expanding its Instacart Platform e-commerce offerings.

A mid-August start to harvest saw Lenz Family Farms’ northern Colorado potato operation kick off the 2022 season, which runs from August through February. Bevan Lenz, who handles sales and IT, added, “The crop was average.  We started off with a cool summer that got above average hot, and heat slowed down potato growth. But we are on schedule for harvest.”

This summer, National Watermelon Promotion Board infused fresh online marketing trends into the Consumer Communications program to not only remain relevant but also thrive in today’s digital landscape.

World Fresh Produce, an importer and marketer of high-quality produce from around the globe, has added a former Walmart produce veteran to its executive ranks as part of an aggressive growth strategy. Patrick Haines, who spent nearly 35 years at Walmart in a variety of merchandising-related roles, joined World Fresh Aug. 29 as executive vice president of the five-year-old company.  

The Vineland Produce Auction has seen excellent quality produce and strong volume all summer, and will soon look to New Jersey’s fall produce season, according to the auction’s Carol DeFoor. “The summer has gone well,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of volume, and quality is excellent. We had a drier summer, so there were no issues with quality.” Peppers and hard squashes have been good movers, she noted. “All the stuff is beautiful, absolutely gorgeous.”

Sun Belle Inc. has added agriculture marketing expert Jennifer Sparks to its leadership team as director of marketing and communications.

Healthy Family Project is looking for the cause marketing organization’s next official registered dietitian. Since 2008, Healthy Family Project has retained a registered dietitian to serve as the sounding board to review recipes, create content, interact in social media groups and outlets, and respond to nutrition-based media inquiries. 

Derek Seigfried from Gordon Food Service has been named the winner of California Giant Berry Farms’ 2022 Chef Invitational. Seigfried won the title of California Giant Berry Farms’ Top Chef with his Blackberry Lamb Kofta recipe.

United Natural Foods Inc. has awarded more than $1 million in grant funding to improve food systems in more than 40 communities across the United States and Canada. Food access is a key pillar of UNFI’s Better for All initiative and, for the third consecutive year, the UNFI Foundation has committed over $1 million to non-profit organizations to help create equitable food access in vulnerable communities.

Just in time for football season, Litehouse Inc. has added two crave-worthy flavors to its popular line of 20-ounce Family Size Dressing & Dip: new Garlic Ranch and its already beloved Caesar. The new flavors join the growing line of Litehouse Family Size Dressings & Dips, which includes Homestyle Ranch, Jalapeno Ranch, Chunky Blue Cheese and Thousand Island.