The Southeast Produce Council's Southern Innovations event is off to a hot start, with various social networking events. Taking place Wednesday, Sept. 10, to Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC, a big crowd was expected — and delivered.

Last night's Welcome Reception included some activities and games, with a lot of different events as everybody was welcomed to Charlotte. Today will feature various educational sessions, leading into tomorrow's expo. 

Wada Farms, a family-owned farming operation that began in 1943 with 160 acres of potatoes, is now one of the nation’s largest suppliers of fresh potatoes, onions and sweet potatoes, with long-standing partner relationships throughout the U.S. and in countries around the world.

This month, Hy-Vee will begin offering Sponsored Product ads on Hy-Vee.com through Instacart Carrot Ads, enabling brands to secure premium digital shelf space. With this new launch, Hy-Vee RedMedia will further broaden its advertising capabilities, and Instacart’s 7,500-plus brand partners will now be able to seamlessly extend their campaign reach to include Hy-Vee.com.

Display ads through Instacart, which enable brands to promote engaging, targeted, creative content to inspire discovery, will be introduced later this year. 

The International Blueberry Organization has launched BlueCareers, a new recruitment platform developed specifically for the global blueberry industry. Designed to bring together employers and professionals, BlueCareers serves as a centralized hub for career opportunities, job postings, resume submissions and networking.

Idaho’s new crop is off to a strong start, with early signs pointing to a season full of opportunity. Growers are reporting excellent quality, solid yields and a well-balanced size profile, making this year’s crop highly promotable across a wide range of packs and programs.

The Market Basket board has voted unanimously to fire Arthur T. Demoulas, president and CEO of the retailer. The news comes more than three months after Demoulas and other employees were placed on paid administrative leave; in the interim the company fired two executives — Joseph Schmidt, director of operations, and Thomas Gordon, grocery director — for insubordination.