Sunkist Growers, the 128-year-old fresh citrus marketing cooperative, celebrates the return of citrus season with the classic and vitamin C-packed Navel orange, along with new shopper behavior trends and category management solutions to support retail partners in delivering the best offerings and highest-quality fruit for consumers worldwide. 

“We’re excited to meet with customers and share what we have planned for our new season,” said Jeff Gaston, managing director of North America sales at Sunkist Growers. “Even though we are apart, it is great to see the industry come together to

As the holiday season approaches, Lipman Family Farms will feature their new fresh-cut green beans at PMA’s virtual Fresh Summit. With shipments starting this month, Lipman’s green beans are ready for retail year-round, just in time for the holiday months when fresh green beans are in high demand.

Available in a high-graphic, microwavable bag to eliminate prep time, Lipman’s fresh-cut green beans are clipped and cleaned to provide a dependable, ready-to-enjoy product. The retail packaging is designed to enhance the shelf life and ensure convenient, fresh produce.

With more than 80 years of

Oppy has recently acquired a 65 percent stake in Eco Farms, a leading avocado grower since 1972 and one of the first to grow and market organic avocados in the U.S.

The move is the latest in a series of acquisitions and strategies aimed at strengthening Oppy’s key role as a premier grower, marketer and distributor of fresh produce from around the world. Oppy and Eco Farms’ 360-degree capabilities in the category have combined to create a new avocado tour de force from farm to shelf. The companies will bring to market a new, holistic avocado offering that includes growing and importing premium

Watching customers shop the produce department can be an enlightening experience. The way they handle or touch certain items can send silent messages that are often missed.

While I was observing several shoppers there was one that stood out. This shopper wore a common face mask as she entered the store, took a disinfectant wet wipe supplied at the door and proceeded to clean the handle on a cart. This has become a regular practice during the current “new normal.” She was also wearing gloves on her hands. Obviously, she was quite cautious about handling items in the store.

This was not the

With working and learning from home a new reality for many consumers across the nation, now more than ever the need for fresh, convenient, ready-to-eat meals is surging. FiveStar Gourmet Foods knew it could help and developed Simply Fresh 2Go, its first product line targeted concurrently to both retail and school foodservice channels. With 12 new SKUs, each meal is nutritionally compliant to meet strict national school lunch dietary standards. Each item in the line is a ready-to-eat balanced complete meal including protein, grains, fresh vegetables and fruits — even a healthy fruit and veggies

To help move the produce industry away from plastic and increase recyclability, Markon Cooperative’s new cardboard, fully recyclable strawberry clamshell is now available to foodservice operators.
 
The innovative package, designed for its Markon First Crop two-pound strawberries, is made with food grade adhesives and printed with vegetable-based inks. The clamshell is 100 percent recyclable within operators’ existing recycling options.
 
 “Bringing to market a more sustainable packaging option for our members and foodservice operators is an important step in our commitment to make meaningful