Page 229 - Roduce Editorials News Today

For food retailers, hiring temporary workers is nothing new; however, the practice is usually reserved for the busy holiday season. As COVID-19 continues to force employees to call in sick, retailers are being forced to either alter how they do business or hire temporary workers to get everyday tasks completed — and it’s not just food retailers, it is companies up and down the supply chain.

First bringing red kiwifruit to North America nearly a decade ago and again in recent seasons, Oppy is looking to build the market with this category complement through a fresh crop from Italy and Greece. In 2020, Oppy supplied over 30 percent of all kiwifruit available in the North American market, according to U.S. Census Bureau Trade Data and Statistics Canada. Oppy is employing new ways to optimize the expanding shelf spaced dedicated to the nutrient-dense fruit.

All 26 Balls Food Stores under the banners Hen House Market, Payless Discount Foods, Sun Fresh and Price Chopper locations celebrated healthy and delicious citrus in the month of January. The first annual Citrus Fest presented special prices and health and nutrition information about the tasty tropical fruits. The sale boosted citrus sales for all stores, and more than 250,000 pounds of citrus were sold.

Since its founding 15 years ago, Grower Alliance has been focused on providing its customers with the highest quality fruits and vegetables, and the best possible customer service. The company has doubled down on that commitment with the launch of two new divisions. Michelle Jacobson of Grower Alliance said the company opened Grower Alliance Logistics in October following the merger with Lugos Trucking. It now has eight tractor trailers that will enable it to better facilitate transportation for...

Save A Lot, one of the largest discount grocery chains in the U.S., has named Leon Bergmann as its new CEO. He will succeed interim CEO Craig Herkert, who will work to ensure a smooth transition in the coming weeks before Bergmann assumes the role in March.

Church Brothers announced the appointment of Stacy Radich to chief financial officer effective immediately.

The Kroger Co. opened its Customer Fulfillment Center Park, GA, a city south of Atlanta, marking an expansion of its national fulfillment network, providing the region with an e-commerce delivery service that combines vertical integration, machine learning, and robotics with affordable, friendly, and fast delivery of grocery items and fresh food.

Coast Produce saw a bit of a slow start to its Mexican produce season, but an increase in volume out of Southern Sonora and Northern Sinaloa brought things back to a more even keel after Thanksgiving.  Ryan Jacobsen, the sales manager at Coast’s Nogales, AZ, division, said supplies of chili peppers, one of its top items, were tight at the beginning of the deal in the fall. 

The Giumarra Cos. has added California asparagus to its 52-week asparagus program. The new volume is offered in partnership with Stockton, CA-based grower-shipper Greg Paul Produce Sales, commercial marketer of California-grown asparagus.

As consumers continue to crave delicious plant-based options Marie’s Refrigerated Salad Dressings proves yet again that it understands and delivers on the expectations of today’s consumers with the debut of its new Plant-Based line of carefully crafted full flavor, indulgent dressings. Marie’s Plant-Based is launching in four classic flavors with a twist: