Northland Potatoes has spent nearly eight decades bringing together growers across Minnesota and North Dakota, and as the organization moves through the current shipping season, its role as an advocate, promoter and connector for the region’s potato industry remains as important as ever. 

Formed in 1946, the Northland Potato Growers Association (as it was originally called) represents more than 250 growers and shippers farming in the Red River Valley, one of the most fertile potato-growing regions in the world. Today, potatoes are grown on approximately 72,000 acres in North Dakota and 8,800

A sales representative placed a call to the produce buyer of a large supermarket chain. “Hi, I’d like to set up an appointment to show you some new fresh-cut salad mixes of organically grown baby lettuce varieties that include organic salad dressings. The bags are biodegradable and very consumer-friendly.”

Without hesitation, the buyer replied, “No thanks, we don’t need another salad mix. We’re out of shelf space now on packaged salads. Besides, we’ve been doing business with the same supplier for five years and don’t want to change. Sorry, I’m in a hurry, good-bye.”

It’s sad how some buyers

North Bay Produce is a cooperative of approximately 30 grower-owners from North, Central and South America with apples being one of its main commodities. 

“The winter market has been strong, with significant movement in both domestic and export markets,” said Ken Korson, apple category manager for the Traverse City, MI-based company.  “The season is shaping up to remain robust for both processed and fresh apples.”

For North Bay, all the main apple varieties (Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady) have performed well this winter, with stronger pricing as the season

Wada Farms has been part of the potato industry since 1943, and over the decades it has  grown into a national grower-shipper and marketer. 

“Colorado has been an important part of that story for many years,” said Eric Beck, director of marketing for the Idaho Falls, ID-based company. “Our Colorado program complements our product and service portfolio giving customers a true national program with the right potato in the right region. Colorado is a strategic regional hub that gives our retail and foodservice partners flexibility, freight advantages and dependable quality under one coordinated

In an upcoming In the Trenches column, featured in The Produce News' Feb. 9 issue, Ron Pelger writes about produce managers keeping an open mind when it comes to new products and ideas. Breaking routine is hard — for retailers as well as consumers.

According to new research from Kroger Precision Marketing powered by 84.51°, most grocery shoppers say they’re open to innovation. The reality appears to be a bit different as the report suggest that routine still rules the cart. It also touches upon what new really means to consumers, when they decide to try something different and what actually

Giant Eagle has partnered with NationsBenefits, a leader in healthcare fintech and integrated benefit solutions. Eligible health-plan members can pay for fresh produce, pantry staples and over-the-counter wellness items at more than 200 Giant Eagle supermarkets, where item-level eligibility is validated at checkout in just milliseconds. The collaboration also further connects food as medicine benefits directly to where families shop, while giving health plans privacy-safe insights to refine program design and member outreach.

Food access and chronic-condition burdens remain a concern across