As demand for convenient, healthy produce snacks continues to grow, Wholesum is expanding its Lil’ Ones brand with the official launch of Lil’ Ones Organic Baby Cucumbers at this year’s Organic Produce Summit.

The introduction marks the next chapter for the company’s snacking-focused line, which debuted with organic pearl tomatoes and was designed to make fresh organic produce more approachable, portable and fun for consumers.

Kroger will acquire Giant Eagle for $1.65 billion, which comprises $1.25 billion in cash consideration and the assumption of approximately $400 million in outstanding liabilities. Giant Eagle is a leading retailer with approximately $9 billion in annual sales and 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies across northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. 

Today Pure Flavor marked the official opening of its new, state-of-the-art distribution center in Romulus, MI. The nearly 200,000-square-foot facility serves as a central hub for the distribution of the company’s fresh, greenhouse-grown produce and is designed to reduce food miles, improve shipping efficiency and strengthen service for retail and foodservice customers across the region.

Trucco Group, one of the foremost distributors of fresh produce in the United States, and Orsero Group, a European leader in the import and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables formed a strategic partnership that will position the businesses for growth in key markets and create significant operational efficiencies.

Orsero and Trucco have formalized the joint venture with Orsero investing into the share capital of Trucco, bringing together complementary strengths and a shared vision for long-term development in the North American fresh produce market.

Phillips Mushroom Farms has plenty of organic packs to meet consumers’ interests as they move up the value chain, searching for premium quality specialty mushrooms on store shelves.

The Kennett Square, PA-based grower-shipper will be featuring new organic items at the Organic Produce Summit, with an emphasis on specialty mushrooms.

FullTilt Marketing has hired Anna Martinez, Billie Lentz and Lizzy Voth as the agency continues to expand its team to meet growing client demand.

The three professionals bring complementary expertise spanning agricultural leadership, public relations, brand strategy, digital marketing and consumer engagement further strengthening FullTilt's ability to serve clients across agriculture, produce, food, nonprofits and allied industries.