Harps Food Stores, an employee-owned retailer operating 160 stores across Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma, is rolling out a new postharvest technology designed to reduce broccoli shrink and improve freshness. 

The company has partnered with Verdant Technologies to implement HarvestHold Fresh, which are sheets added to its iceless broccoli supply chain, following a successful pilot in late 2025.

Joolies is expanding national distribution of its Date Pops product line into Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Meijer, The Fresh Market and Hy-Vee. The expansion marks a significant milestone in scaling one of the fastest-growing value-added date formats at retail.

The new placements build on an already robust lineup of more than 45 retail banners, including Target, Walmart, Albertsons, Safeway, Ralphs, Wakefern, Thrive Market and regional independents — positioning Date Pops for continued ACV growth in 2026.

ADS Management, the Westhampton, NY-based parent company of Hapco Farms and Freshouse, is continuing to invest in its mission to support local farmers through strategic grower partnerships and expanded infrastructure across key agricultural regions.

ORLANDO, FL – JOH, a leading food brokerage based in Billerica, MA, which services clients throughout the Northeast, North Central and Mid-Atlantic regions, held a reception for its clients and partners Feb. 26, here, ahead of the annual SEPC Southern Exposure conference. Attendees were treated to a relaxed and convivial atmosphere as they prepared for the festivities of the popular SEPC event.

As the spring months approach, Divine Flavor is entering a key period in its produce calendar, with vegetable programs underway in West Mexico and the seasonal return of its exclusive Honey Pearl grapes from Chile.

Divine Flavor’s spring vegetable season in Sonora and Sinaloa is now in progress, centered on its hot-house and greenhouse programs. Core items include Bell peppers, mini peppers, cucumbers (Long English/European, Persian and slicer), tomatoes and yellow squash and Italian zucchini. 

Fresh produce remains a critical growth driver for food retail, with $97 billion in sales and a 2 percent increase in unit sales, according to Circana. FMI - The Food Industry Association’s The Power of Produce 2026, which is based on a survey of consumers about their produce purchases, debuted at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure 2026 event and reveals the category’s future is increasingly shaped by generational shifts in how shoppers discover, shop and engage with fruits and vegetables.