It was clearly a challenging 2020 for the foodservice-centric fresh lemon and lime crops. While each commodity received a retail boost — as did all citrus — the loss in business from restaurants and bars because of the pandemic was impossible to replace.

Alex Teague, senior vice president/chief operating officer for Limoneira Inc., one of the largest lemon producers in North America for more than a century, noted that more than two-thirds of the fresh lemon crop is typically sold for the foodservice market. The company did what it could to capitalize on the citrus bump at retail for all its

It was business as usual at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure 2021 trade show — which was a wonderful thing and exactly what the industry needed.  Show-goers and exhibitors alike deemed Southern Exposure at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL, an unmitigated success — both professionally and socially.

Trader Joe's, a national chain of neighborhood grocery stores, announced a collaboration with MagnusCards by Magnusmode, a free app dedicated to making the world a more accessible place for people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities. Trader Joe's is the first grocery store to partner with the app, and the launch comes just in time for the commencement of Autism Acceptance Month.

Using digitalized "Card Decks," the MagnusCards app guides users through tasks and activities that might otherwise feel challenging or overwhelming. As Magusmode's very first grocery partner, Trader Joe's is

TerraFresh Organics, an organic fruit company known for supplying organic citrus, mangos, stone fruit and grapes to North America, announced the addition of organic Amber Crest peaches to its Earth Greens label through May 2021.

This season, TerraFresh Organics has been chosen to be Bloom to Box's partner to market and sell Red Globe Properties Amber Crest peaches. Bloom to Box pruned and thinned the trees heavily, which resulted in less volume but a more optimal-sized fruit. Retailers can expect to see high-quality Amber Crest peaches peaking at a larger size than years before.

"The weather

The good news, according to Scott Rossi, is that “we really anticipate it will be a great market for Sonora district grapes” this spring. “There should be great demand to fill pipelines” created by shortages of late Chilean grapes.

“May will be a difficult month for U.S. retailers, and we’ll be ready to put out heavy volume in June,” said Rossi, who is the sales manager of Fresh Farms LLC.

In recent years, Grupo Molina plunged forward in developing its Mexican table grape business by extending its Sonoran vineyard operations southward to the state of Jalisco.

The Jalisco strategy is to

ProSource Produce LLC, an Idaho based grower-shipper of fresh potatoes and onions, has introduced new Idaho russet packaging as part of an overall company growth and development strategy.  The black bags will be available this week in three-, five-, eight- and 10-pound clear or tinted poly.  Mesh bags will be available in a few weeks. 

The company recently announced its new sweet onion carton, which shares the same graphics and brand elements.   

“One of our goals in 2021 is to continue market penetration for the ProSource brand in both potatoes and onions. We’re building on our tremendous