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Sunshine Sweet Corn hits record levels

The industry witnessed more sweet corn shipping records broken in the Sunshine State this spring. As most of the country experienced one of the coldest springs on record, Florida’s spring deal saw a sluggish start capped off by another record May, with consecutive week totals that exceeded 1.6 million crates shipped. sunshinesseetThe Sunshine Sweet Corn Farmers of Florida and its members have helped to drive this movement by supporting an integrated marketing campaign that reaches multiple audiences across a variety of channels.

“We faced a variety of obstacles, including extended cold in the North U.S. and trucking challenges during a critical period,” Paul Allen, SSCFF president, said in a press release. “Despite that, we shipped nearly 7.8 million crates in April and May.”

The quality of Sunshine Sweet Corn was cited by many retailers as a driving force behind this growth in spring corn sales. Third-party inspections, funded by SSCFF members, have helped to guarantee consistent high-quality throughout the season, and a strong marketing campaign has driven consumer demand.

“When you are able to drive purchase and deliver a great-tasting product to the market, you have the recipe for a successful season, regardless of the challenges you face,” Allen said in the release.

“As an industry, we have invested significant time and resource to change the perception of sweet corn as just a summer vegetable and improve attitudes toward spring corn,” Ted Wanless, chair of SSCFF’s marketing committee, said in the release. “Through an integrated campaign that has included outreach to trade, media, influencers and consumers, we have been able to grow sales in the face of hyper-local and seasonal trends.”

This year’s program included a television advertising campaign in partnership with Fresh From Florida, which aired in three markets: Indianapolis, Buffalo and Raleigh-Durham, NC.

Its marketing agency, PadillaCRT, secured coverage for fresh spring corn in national and local print and online media that reached over 100 million consumers in April and May. Further investment in online initiatives resulted in more than 60,000 visits to sunshinesweetcorn.com, and a successful Pinterest contest generated more than 60,000 pins and repins, and 9 million impressions across the platform.

Sunshine Sweet Corn is grown in Florida from premium non-GMO seed varieties that are reviewed and approved each year.

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Fall Creek expands into raspberries and blackberries with acquisition

Fall Creek Farm & Nursery Inc., a world-leading blueberry genetics and nursery company, has acquired Berryplant, an Italy-based leader in raspberry and blackberry nursery production, and Berrytech, its dedicated breeding and intellectual property company.

The acquisition strengthens Fall Creek's genetics platform with the addition of raspberries and blackberries while maintaining its global leadership in blueberries and extending the company's ability to serve growers who operate across multiple berry categories.

Michael Lopez named Foster's VP of operations

Foster, a leading mid-Atlantic refrigerated supply chain company, announced the appointment of Michael Lopez as vice president of operations, effective May 25.

Grocery Outlet updates leadership

Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. named Paul Miller its executive vice president, chief purchasing and merchandising officer, and Ian Ferry its executive vice president and chief financial officer. These executive appointments support the company’s continued efforts to restore long-term profitable growth and strengthen its operational foundation. 

Miller, a former key executive in the company’s purchasing organization, returns to lead the company’s integrated purchasing and merchandising organization, succeeding Matt Delly, who will depart the Grocery Outlet. 

Cambridge Farms’ Eastern Shore potato deal looks better than average

By
Chris Koger

As the East Coast potato harvest works its way north from Florida, Cambridge Farms anticipates the Camden-Elizabeth City, NC, potato harvest to start on time, around June 15.

Soon after, Eastern Shore harvest will begin, and Easton, MA-based Cambridge Farms is forecasting a steady crop. Despite a lack of rain, the growers Cambridge Farms partners with have their crops under irrigation, although natural precipitation provides better ground saturation.

PRO*ACT Crop Update: Little relief for lettuce market

By
Joey Piedimonte

The lettuce market remains one of the most active areas in produce, with Iceberg, Romaine, and Romaine Hearts continuing to face an unusually long stretch of elevated pricing and limited availability. What makes this market stand out is not just the severity of the shortage, but how long it has lasted with little meaningful relief so far.

Grocery Outlet's Laurie Weaver wins IPC Grand Prize drawing

Laurie Weaver of Grocery Outlet in Waynesville, NC, was recently surprised with a major prize after being randomly selected as a Grand Prize winner in the Idaho Potato Commission's 2026 Potato Lovers Month Display Contest.

Weaver's entry was among more than 2,100 submissions received from retailers across the United States during the annual promotion. As one of three randomly drawn Grand Prize winners, she received a television valued at $3,500.

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