Western Sky Produce, a fresh produce service provider, has joined FreshEdge, a family of best-in-class fresh food distribution companies backed by Wind Point Partners.

Based in the Salinas Valley of California, Western Sky was established in March 2020 by Wyatt Meiggs and Phil Giles, two friends who shared a passion for fresh produce and servicing the complex supply chain of the industry. By combining their 20-plus years of industry experience with their history of cultivating solid grower-shipper relationships, their goal was to develop procurement solutions that would help customers

Hapco Farms, a leading grower-shipper based in Westhampton Beach, NY is again strengthening its East Coast infrastructure by constructing two new packing, consolidation, cross dock facilities accompanied by additional farm acreage with strategic growing partners.

These two major facilities will further enhance Hapco Farm’s vast East Coast packing, cold storage capabilities in order to better service the increasing needs of their customers in the area. The strategically placed facilities give Hapco the ability to deliver overnight or same-day delivery from Miami, FL, to Halifax, NS. At the

Mother Nature continues to challenge growers across the U.S. with heat waves, strong winds and thunderstorms. The heat continues across the East: while record high temperatures are not forecast, numerous record high minimum (overnight) temperatures are likely throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Many of these areas produce regional supplies during the summer months, lessening demand for product from California. Yields and quality are likely to be impacted as harvests get under way.

The persistent high-pressure ridge out west looks to once again bringing very warm temperatures to the

Walmart opened a new 730,000-square-foot perishable distribution center in Lancaster, TX. The new facility, located 15 miles south of Dallas, receives and processes fresh produce, eggs, dairy, flowers and frozen goods for delivery to nearby Walmart stores. The new PDC is Walmart’s second Lancaster-based facility, following the next generation fulfillment center that opened in 2023.

Perishable distribution centers are a strategic part of Walmart’s supply chain transformation and keep its more than 4,600 stores stocked with fresh and frozen merchandise. The Lancaster facility is Walmart’s

The recent extreme temperatures causing this summer's heat wave are doing a favor for the insect community. The intense heat makes bugs more active and increases larvae growth. Temperatures around 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more allow insects to rapidly increase. Insects are cold blooded creatures, and a heat wave speeds up bugs' metabolisms causing them to attack crops and eat more. So the more insects the more possible damage can occur to crops.

The other detriment to the crops is severe heat stress on plants. Temperatures in the 100s or more can slow down chemical activity from soil

Stop & Shop will close 32 underperforming stores by year-end. The company said following the closures, Stop & Shop will continue to have a strong presence across its five-state footprint with more than 350 stores. Employees at impacted locations will be offered other opportunities within the company.

Stop & Shop said these are its next steps in its plans to position the company for growth — in addition to continuing to make investments in price and the customer experience.

“Stop & Shop is proud of the deep roots and community ties we have developed as a neighborhood grocer of more than 100