The Southeast Produce Council successfully hosted its 2026 STEP-UPP Retail Class for their annual spring tour last week. The intensive multi-day journey took participants directly into the fields and through state-of-the-art facilities, providing hands-on experience designed to foster more effective partnerships between retail professionals and growers.

Wegmans Food Markets Inc. has released its 2025 Impact Report, sharing the various ways the company makes a difference for its customers, communities and employees. The company opened three new stores in 2025, creating approximately 1,400 permanent jobs and hundreds of temporary construction positions.

The company invests approximately $100 million annually in roughly 700 store upgrade projects.

Wegmans also sources products from 400 family farms and local suppliers to provide customers with a variety of local goods including produce, meat and cheeses. 

Fresh Pro launched its refreshed Honey Watermelons brand. Designed to support shopper marketing and increase consumer engagement, the updated brand introduces an integrated marketing platform that helps simplify watermelon selection and drive demand at the shelf.

The refresh includes a new consumer landing page, original video content, point‑of‑sale materials and an enhanced PLU system — delivering retail‑ready tools that guide shopper decision‑making and promote engagement at point of purchase.

Members of the 2026 Eastern Produce Council Leadership Class participated in a seminar about making the most of social media prior to the April 7 general EPC membership meeting, sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture at Topgolf in Edison, NJ. The general EPC membership was also invited to attend this timely seminar.

As the California grape season gets underway, Anthony Vineyards Inc. is once again positioning its Coachella Valley program as a key early driver of domestic supply, offering retailers a reliable transition from imports into fresh California fruit.

With operations based in Bakersfield and key facilities in Coachella and Thermal, the company has long been a major player in the early California deal, leveraging its desert growing regions to bring grapes to market ahead of the San Joaquin Valley harvest.

For nearly four decades, North Shore Greenhouses has redefined how fresh herbs reach the retail shelf. The company continues that legacy with new product innovation designed to enhance both retail merchandising and the consumer experience.