Page 237 - Roduce Editorials News Today

Stop & Shop and Boston-based nonprofit About Fresh have partnered to expand access to fresh and healthy foods for people in need across New England. Through About Fresh’s Fresh Connect program, participants can use prepaid debit cards "prescribed" by healthcare providers to purchase healthy food. With this announcement, Stop & Shop becomes the first major retailer to make this produce as a prescription program available.

Applewood Fresh’s Michigan apple harvest is still in full swing, and it's the perfect time for retailers to promote some emerging varieties from Michigan: EverCrisp, Kanzi and KIKU, along with New York-grown SnapDragon and RubyFrost.  These apples deliver premium flavor and meet the full spectrum of flavor profiles for consumers, from super-sweet to sweet/tart, and tart.

The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas has named Allison Moore as executive vice president, effective immediately. In this new Officer position, Moore will take on expanded duties including serving as the chief FPAA officer in certain meetings, and handling other administrative duties, particularly at FPAA’s home office in Nogales, AZ.

Sweetpotatoes are the bread-and-butter of not only North Carolina, but Nash Produce.  “We live, breathe and sleep sweetpotatoes as it is the only crop that we distribute year-round,” said Rebecca Scott, grower accounting/marketing director with the Nashville, NC-based company. “That strict focus on the tasty root vegetable allows us to best serve all our customers’ sweetpotato needs.”

Strawberries have been tight for the past couple of months. This has made it difficult for retailers to meet their berry sales versus last year. Florida has been the main supplier thus far, placing pressure on the demand. But there is some relief in sight as California and Mexico will start to improve by harvesting more volume.

BJ's Wholesale Club, a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States, has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets and operations of four distribution centers and the related private transportation fleet from longtime partner Burris Logistics. The transaction will allow BJ’s to insource its perishable supply chain. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

SpartanNash is expanding its distribution footprint with new operations out of a facility in Stockton, CA. The expansion — executed through SpartanNash's long-standing partnership with Coastal Pacific Food Distributors Inc. — enhances SpartanNash's coast-to-coast supply chain capabilities, in addition to supporting the company's Environmental, Social and Governance priority to reduce fleet mileage and greenhouse gas emissions.

EverCrisp, a cross between Honeycrisp and Fuji, is a late-season apple that stores well and is long-lasting, boasting even better quality coming out of storage. The variety shares the sweet and crisp qualities of its parent varieties and can last for weeks without refrigeration. This sweet, juicy and firm apple has been an instant hit among apple lovers. It can be found in major grocery stores across the Midwest as well is the eastern and southern parts of the U.S.

Topashaw Farms has been a leader in growing and distributing sweet potatoes for more than 30 years, but last year saw the company take a new step in growing its own foundation seed. “You actually start the seed from a seed, not a plant, in a greenhouse, and you take the cuttings from that, put in the field and that’s how you get your foundation plants,” said Joe Edmondson, owner of Topashaw Farms, which is headquartered in Vardaman, MS.

Matt DeBlouw, a trusted farmer and ag expert, joined Riggio Distribution Co., at the beginning of 2022. “I know their family and they’re great people, so bringing my farm experience and my relationships with local growers is a great match,” he said. “Being active year-round is where the industry is going, so I thought Riggio was a great fit for me.”