Advancing the health of consumers, the produce and floral industries, and the planet are at the heart of 10 key 2023 impacts from the International Fresh Produce Association.   

Southeastern Grocers Inc. concluded 2023 by celebrating a great year for the customers and communities it serves. The grocer continued to be a steadfast community partner by donating more than $3.727 million back into the community to support neighbors in need.

Finding a way to stand out from the competition is not always easy, but Wholesum Family Farms manages to do it consistently by keeping the focus squarely on its customers.

“We prioritize the customer experience with our tomatoes,” said Joanna Jaramillo, marketing manager for the greenhouse grower, based in Amado, AZ. “We time our harvest to provide the best possible flavor. And we offer a guaranteed minimum 10-day shelf life for our heirloom varieties.”

This holiday season consumers were delighted with the availability of Chilean red currants. The first arrivals of this seasonal specialty fruit hit stores under the Sun Belle label in mid-December and will be available through mid-February.

A federal grand jury last week indicted a Mansfield, TX, man for submitting false inspection reports in exchange for bribe payments, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

Timothy Peppel, 68 years old, was a federal produce inspector with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service. Peppel was responsible for conducting produce inspections and providing inspection reports to companies buying and selling produce.

Schnucks customers and the company donated a total of $230,000 to The Salvation Army’s annual Tree of Lights campaign through the most recent Round Up at the Register. Schnucks customers had the option to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, with 100 percent of donations from the 15-day campaign benefiting The Salvation Army. Customers donated $212,281, and Schnucks added $17,719.