It’s been a little more than a year since Frieda’s Branded Produce was acquired by Legacy Produce, and the company has been enjoying what has come since the deal.

“When the company was sold in 2023, it was the beginning of a new chapter for Frieda’s Branded Produce,” said Alex Jackson, vice president of sales and procurement for the Los Alamitos, CA-based company. “No longer family, or women-owned, we were strategic in aligning with an organization that has supported our mission to inspire healthy, new food experiences, affording Frieda’s new growth opportunities without compromising the

Edward D. Wengryn has been named the New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture. The State Board of Agriculture unanimously confirmed Wengryn at their meeting, and Governor Phil Murphy approved the appointment.

Assistant Secretary Joe Atchison III has directed the Department of Agriculture since July 1, assuming the responsibilities of secretary after the retirement of Douglas Fisher.

“As the Garden State, agriculture is one of the most important facets of our state’s identity and heritage," said Murphy. "Ed comes from a farming family and is a passionate advocate for our agricultural community. I

Sanford (Sandy) Cohen, a visionary leader in the produce brokerage industry, died March 24, surrounded by his loving family. He was 71.

As the proud owner of Cohen Produce Marketing, a third-generation produce brokerage business, Mr. Cohen transformed a modest local enterprise started by his grandfather and transformed the business to compete in the modern age. He led with an unshakeable commitment to quality and service, which cemented Mr. Cohen as a local Harrisburg success story and an international influence in the produce world.

Born and raised in Harrisburg, PA, Mr. Cohen cherished his

Tristan Simpson is a dynamic senior marketing executive and top corporate officer, specializing in the fresh consumer packaged goods categories, with over 25 years of experience throughout the supply chain — from retailer to processor, manufacturer, distributor to farmer and everywhere in between. A well-rounded, operational marketer who is adept in both brand and private-label initiatives.

Simpson is currently Founder and CEO of tristan michele, a fractional marketing firm specializing in brand strategy and marketing, innovation, and communications.

Hy-Vee Inc. hired Jessica Hendrix, most recently president and CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi X, a full-service and shopper marketing agency. She will begin her position at Hy-Vee on April 16.

With Hendrix’s hiring, Anna Stoermer, executive vice president at Hy-Vee, will transition from the chief marketing officer role into leading Hy-Vee’s merchandising efforts as chief merchandising officer.

Hendrix will join Hy-Vee as executive vice president, chief marketing officer and president of Hy-Vee’s retail media network RedMedia. She brings nearly 25 years of experience in retail, shopper marketing

Ten Acre Marketing has expanded its core capabilities with Sarah Ardantz, the agency’s content creation specialist, a newly created position. Ardantz will be responsible for curating and developing content for the agency’s robust portfolio of clients across agriculture, positioning their compelling stories to strategically reach key target audiences across various channels and touch points.

“We are so pleased to continue to grow our team to further support the needs of our clients across produce and production agriculture,” said Leah Halverson, founder and CEO of Ten Acre Marketing. “Sarah’s