Page 171 - Roduce Editorials News Today

Since 1964, Cottle Farms Inc. has developed an excellent reputation for growing, shipping, importing and distributing high-quality berries. Today, the company continues to expand in acreage, as well as regions offering strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, organic blueberries and muscadine grapes.

This summer, Mountain View Fruit Sales will bring to market a premium grape program led by industry veteran George Matoian, who will be join the company as the director of its grape division.

Foster Caviness Co., a premiere foodservice and supply chain solution organization with more than 120 years of history and service to the Carolinas, is making several leadership changes, effective May 16. After 37 years of leading the company as president/member, Paul Lieb will be assuming the new role of chairman of the board. He said he will remain active within the business he loves and will continue to be a liaison for the company within the local community and the produce industry.

How do you build a better burger? Through its popular website and magazine, Food Network is showing its audience just that with The Blend — the culinary technique of mixing finely chopped mushrooms and ground meat to make meals more delicious, nutritious and sustainable.

While the New Jersey Department of Agriculture works for the best interests of New Jersey growers, it’s also heavily invested in its close neighbor, Philadelphia. “New Jersey and Philadelphia’s fruit and vegetable inspectors work in conjunction,” said Joe Atchison, NJDA’s director of marketing and development division. “Philadelphia inspectors inspect produce in New Jersey as needed and produce is sent to the state to be re-inspected and repacked.”

April online grocery sales pulled back 3.8 percent versus last year, finishing at $8.1 billion, as total order volume dropped 5.8 percent driven by lower order frequency and a slightly smaller monthly active user base, according to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey fielded April 28-29.

Spring has officially sprung! Are you ready for this new season filled with warmer temperatures, longer days, and fresh new recipe ideas? To help your family welcome the new season, here are five great ways that you can embrace Spring, eat well, and most importantly, feel great! 

The weather is getting warmer (sort of), and as we all know, warmer weather brings cherries.  According to Mark Campbell, founder and CEO of ProduceIQ, cherries from California are beginning their season at $70 per 16-pound case for 11-row size. He said the larger cherries, 10-row, are trading for around $78, and the smaller size, 12-row, can be had for $32.

With 126 years of history behind it, Wiers Farm feels fortunate to service many industry leaders of retail and foodservice across the Midwest, Southeast, and East Coast. “With supply chains becoming more complex every year, we prioritize communication,” said Hunter Wiers, who handles fresh produce procurement and sales for the Willard, OH-based company. “Providing visibility at the farm level allows for our customers to optimize their supply chain, and mitigate disruption.”

On the heels of a global pandemic, much has changed over the past two years in the world of grocery retailing, and with it the various dynamics of what may lie ahead for the fresh produce industry. To discuss the future of grocery retail and its impact on fresh produce, a pair of leaders from one of the nation’s most progressive grocery chains and the former co-CEO of the organization have been confirmed as panelists for a keynote presentation at Organic Produce Summit 2022, this July in Monte...