Page 129 - Roduce Editorials News Today

Matching growing consumer demand for organics, the market is expected to see an annual growth rate of 8.2 percent over the next few years. With that growth comes the responsibility to offer consistent quality supply to shoppers willing to pay more for organics without a gap in supply.  Those same shoppers crave information about how their food is grown and often make mindful purchases considering sustainability.

The most recent Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey revealed that total online grocery sales in June climbed 6 percent year over year to $7.2 billion. For the second quarter, eGrocery posted $22.4 billion in sales, a gain of 1 percent compared to Q2 in 2021.

This year is shaping up to be a good one for California table grapes according to Sunview Marketing International. Sunview, headquartered in Delano, CA, has been growing premium quality table grapes in the central valley for more than seventy years.

The Southeast Produce Council creates dynamic female-forward initiatives through its Southern Roots platform. The council recently added Southern Roots committee members who will bring fresh perspectives and a strong commitment to cultivating and enriching relationships of women in produce:

Fowler Packing’s branded Samsons table grapes are primed to kickoff Fowler’s 60th season packing and selling California table grapes. Sean Nelsen, vice president of sales and marketing for the Fresno, CA-based grower-shipper, believes success in the produce industry all comes down to consistency.

Star Roses and Plants will present its new 2023 plant varieties at Cultivate’22, July 16–19 in Columbus, Ohio. To get an inside look at these new varieties and chat with experts, visit the Star Roses and Plants booth #3217.

Holt Logistics has seen a significant uptick in business coming through the different facilities on the Delaware River, and a big reason is due to the excellent customer service and operational efficiency it offers its clients. Eric Holt, chief commercial officer at Holt Logistics, said the Port of Philadelphia is having a good, robust year so far in terms of volumes from seasonal trades.

Organic and natural grocery retailer Natural Grocers is looking to fill about 500 positions nationwide. The company increased its wages at all locations for select positions to attract candidates to its stores across the United States. The company currently employs more than 4,000 crew members at 162 stores across 20 states, and hiring locations include cities such as Dallas, Portland, OR, Denver and the Kansas City area.

The Kroger Co. will offer more Americans delivery through the addition of spoke facilities in Nashville, TN, and Maywood, IL. Working in conjunction with nearby fulfillment centers, Kroger Delivery will now reach customers in greater Nashville and the Chicago metro area.

The fireworks have flown, baseball is at its halfway point and mid-July means the start of the California table grape season. Jared Lane, vice president of sales at Grapeman Farms and his team are excited to kick off the domestic operation. “We began picking right after the 4th of July holiday, starting with a couple different varieties — we will ramp up more and more over the coming weeks, getting into our peak production in August,” said Lane.