The Kroger Co. announced the opening of the Customer Fulfillment Center in Groveland, FL, powered by Ocado Group, a world leader in technology for grocery e-commerce. This marks Kroger's entry into the Florida market 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.

"The Kroger Delivery network combines the efficiency of technology with the experience of our associates to deliver fresh, affordable food, and a consistent and rewarding customer experience," said

Category Partners has promoted Jashon Newlun to the position of senior analyst. Newlun originally joined the Category Partners team last year as an analyst focused on the core client deliverables, including retail sales analysis, consumer research analytics and data reporting platform (CP Conduit) support.

Newlun’s role will grow to cover additional direct client support and consulting, machine learning capabilities and the mentoring and oversight of the Category Partners analytics team.

“It goes without saying, as 2020 began to unfold, it was anybody’s guess as to how the industry would be

To complement both its San Diego County area and Peruvian production during the summer months, Fallbrook, CA-based McDaniel Fruit Co. has acquired significant acreage in California’s more northern regions.

“We have acquired a significant amount of acreage this year,” said Rankin McDaniel Sr., president of the longtime avocado grower, shipper, packer, importer and distributor. “We have doubled or tripled our volume up north.”

Of course, “up north” in California still refers to the southern half of the state. McDaniel was referring to the avocado production region that that includes Ventura

Last Wednesday, Grimmway Farms hosted an outdoor reception at its headquarters to announce the 2021 recipients of the Grimmway Farms Scholarship Program. The annual program recognizes the superior academic performance of students who have a parent or guardian employed by the company. At the reception, Grimmway honored 25 recent high school graduates and their families.

“Education has always been important at Grimmway Farms and we are grateful to continue the legacy of investing in our employees’ children. We are proud of a team that works hard every day to help feed the nation while raising

Hy-Vee Inc. has signed a multiyear partnership with Google Cloud to stay on the cutting edge of digital technology and drive new and unique innovation for its customers – both in store and online. The company is utilizing a suite of services powered by Google Cloud to make online shopping easier for customers who use its Hy-Vee Aisles Online services, to integrate Hy-Vee’s virtual dietitian services, and to enable customers to schedule vaccinations online, including the COVID-19 vaccine, among other offerings.

While Hy-Vee has worked to stay at the forefront of digital shopping trends, the

Mission Produce Inc., one of the world’s largest avocado producers, also boasts the one of the largest packingsheds in the world as part of its operation in Peru.

“We are vertically integrated in our Peru operations,” said Denise Junqueiro, senior director of marketing and communications for the Oxnard, CA-based company. “We own approximately 3,770 hectares across three farms, as well as the world’s largest avocado packing facility, located in Chao. We pack, bag and provide cold storage for our avocados at the source, and ripen at the destination in one of our 12 global ripening and forward