Lee E. Cole is returning to lead Calavo Growers Inc. as president and CEO, effective immediately. Cole agreed to lead the company for three years with the goal of returning it to a position of growth and shareholder value creation. He succeeds Brian W. Kocher, who has stepped down from his role.

Cole served as Calavo’s president and CEO from 1999 until his retirement Jan. 31, 2020. He served as a director of Calavo for 39 years — 28 as chairman of the board.

Partnership for a Healthier America celebrated an expanded nutrition program with Instacart and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett as part of their ongoing collaboration to increase affordable access to healthy and nutritious food in Indianapolis. The program will connect 640 Indianapolis families in need with free grocery delivery on orders over $35 and a monthly Fresh Funds stipend to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables using Instacart.

Shuman Farms, located in Reidsville, GA, the heart of the Vidalia growing region in Southeast Georgia, has been in the Vidalia onion industry for two generations. 

The Vidalia onion is the most famous onion in the world, and it created the sweet onion category.

BJ's Wholesale Club is adding five clubs to its growing portfolio across the United States. The expansion includes plans for a new club in Madison, AL, increasing BJ’s retail footprint to 20 states.

BJ’s will also open clubs in Mt. Juliet, TN, Johnson City, NY, Lewis Center, OH, and North Jacksonville, FL. These clubs add to BJ’s 2023 roster of openings, following the retailer’s newest locations in Davenport, FL, and McDonough, GA, as well as the recent announcement of BJ’s first-ever club in the state of Tennessee slated to open this summer in LaVergne.

With 7,200 acres in the ground for the 2023 season, the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas has the potential for harvesting its largest onion crop in a decade.

At least that’s the view of Dante Galeazzi, president of the Texas International Produce Association and manager of the South Texas Onion Committee. The committee is responsible for managing Federal Marketing Onion 959, which collects assessments from Texas onion producers to enforce quality standards, fund research and conduct marketing programs.

The North American Blueberry Council has selected Alyssa Houtby as its government affairs director. In this newly created role, Houtby will lead the council’s advocacy efforts and will work closely with Monument Advocacy, NABC’s Washington, DC-based lobbying firm.