The date category grew in 2020 translating $6 million in incremental sales reaching $114.7 million dollars according to a recent baseline and distribution study developed for Bard Valley Date Growers. Bard Valley Natural Delights’ brand stands alone with a dominant share of date category sales (42 percent of volume and 44 percent of dollars).

“We wanted to have a deeper understating of sales trends driving the growth of the date category,” said Neil Merritt, director of North American sales at BVDG. “The breadth of information from this baseline study is critical as we help retailers develop

This morning, GreenWise Market opened its newest location, this time in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The 27,758-square-foot store is the first GreenWise Market to be located in a multiuse high-rise. This is the eighth GreenWise Market and the sixth for the state, including a location in Boca Raton. GreenWise Market features foods for health-conscious and gourmet foodies alike.

“We took all of the things our customers love about GreenWise Market and put them in a centralized downtown location,” said Publix President Kevin Murphy. “We look forward to sharing our unique atmosphere and products with our

Malling Cherry Ventures is moving forward to promote new cherry varieties developed at the renown breeding program located in East Malling, Kent, UK.  The company is a joint venture between NIAB EMR, Berry Gardens Growers, and the Associated International Group of Nurseries.

Marzena Lipska, cherry-breeding program leader at NIAB EMR, recently chose six promising selections to advance to the grafting and propagation phase.  This phase involves off-site trials, which help to determine how the genotype is going to perform under varying climates and conditions. “This decision was based on the

Starting in April 2021, That's Tasty – a Shenandoah Growers brand – will roll out a comprehensive living potted herbs program that makes it simpler than ever for retail partners nationwide to drive incremental spring sales.

Shenandoah Growers is a leading grower of fresh organic culinary herbs with one of the only large-scale USDA-certified organic soil-based indoor growing systems in the United States. With multiple growing locations across the country, Shenandoah Growers delivers organic produce to over 18,000 stores every day.

“Quality and freshness are critical to this product line,”

Floyd Charles Olsen, known best as “Chuck” to those in the produce industry, died Dec. 30 in Visalia, CA, after a battle with health problems related to back pain. He was 77.

Mr. Olsen founded his namesake Chuck Olsen Co. in 1987 and spent the majority of his life in the agriculture trade.

“He was all about integrity,” said his son, Jeff, who serves as president of The Chuck Olsen Co. today. “He always wanted to do the best for his customers, most who became his longtime friends through the years.”

The ag industry was in Mr. Olsen’s blood. His grandfather came over from Denmark in 1910 and

Southern Specialties, a leading grower, importer, processor and distributor of asparagus, is ramping up its expanded Mexican asparagus deal. The company continues to grow its presence in Mexico in order to satisfy demand from retail, club store and foodservice customers. The company will be shipping asparagus, grown in Caborca, Mexico until mid-April.

Southern Specialties’ asparagus from Mexico is available in both 11- and 28-pound cases and packed in all sizes from small to jumbo. The company is also shipping organic asparagus in 11-pound cartons.

“The northern Mexico deal is a vital