The Kroger Co. is expanding its Our Brands portfolio with the addition of Field & Vine, a fresh produce line grown by U.S. farmers in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington. The brand currently includes blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.

"Field & Vine features berries grown in the fields of American farmers that are picked, packed and delivered in stores during peak seasonality," said Dan De La Rosa, Kroger's group vice president of fresh merchandising. "Harvesting at just the right time during the U.S. growing season

The California fresh pear season has begun harvest in the Sacramento River Delta growing district with the Bartlett and Red Bartlett to start the season. Harvests from the Lake County and Mendocino growing regions of Northern California are set to begin in early to mid-August. The river growing district is the largest producer of California pears with approximately 66 percent followed by Lake County at 22 percent and Mendocino at 12 percent.

This year’s California pear crop is excellent in quality. When it comes to fresh market pears, California farmers will pack over 2 million 36-pound boxes

SpartanNash gathered more than 1,500 grocery suppliers and independent grocer customers at its annual two-day Food Solutions Expo. Taking place at DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, MI, the event featured supplier and customer award ceremonies, retail discussion groups, educational sessions, exhibit booths with special deals and sampling and live auctions. The expo concluded with a donation of approximately 30,000 meals to Feeding America in Grand Rapids.

Independent grocers represent 33 percent of retail grocery industry sales, equating to $253.6 billion annually and 1.2 percent

Titan Farms and Harris Teeter kicked off the 11th annual Peaches with a Purpose campaign across all North Carolina Harris Teeter stores. This initiative aims to support local communities by donating a percentage of peach sales to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina in Charlotte, NC. This year, Titan Farms will contribute directly by donating a truckload of fresh peaches totaling 37,800 pounds.

"At Titan Farms, we are honored to continue our support for the Peaches with a Purpose campaign alongside Harris Teeter," said Chalmers Carr, CEO and president of Titan Farms. "Our donation of

Flashfood, the marketplace for affordable groceries, launched Flashfood for Independents, a new offering designed specifically for independently owned grocers. This initiative will support local retailers by providing them with a flexible, efficient and easy-to-onboard solution to attract new customers, boost profits and provide access to affordable fresh food in their communities while reducing food waste.

"There are more than 27,000 independently owned grocery stores in North America that play a vital role in nourishing and sustaining their communities. But the already harsh and

Agrifruit LLC and affiliated companies — Bobalu Berries, Agrifrost Processing and West Coast Berry Farms — announced a new strategic alignment with Freska Produce International. This alignment was formed to enhance company growth and build on the strengths developed over the past several years.

The Agrifruit family of companies has been on a calculated growth path focused on building for the future. This alignment with Freska Produce International allows Agrifruit to tap into new business opportunities, with veterans from Freska Produce capitalizing on its extensive logistics, processing and