With more than 25 years of produce industry experience under his belt, Patrick Mills has joined the Idaho Potato Commission as retail promotion director West/Canada following the retirement of Kent Beesley.

Lidl US released its first Corporate Social Responsibility Report, highlighting the company’s environmental and social impact initiatives, and progress over the last two years. The advancements align with the company’s efforts to provide customers and communities with high-quality products at affordable prices while acting responsibly.

IPR Fresh recently celebrated its 20th year in business, and it has its eye trained on further growth with a focus on Bell peppers.

“We now have Bell peppers, watermelon and European cukes, and sweet corn will be starting in late November,” Jose Luis Obregon, president of IPR Fresh, told The Produce News in early November. “We had a bit of a delay on peppers from Sinaloa due to the hurricane in October, but only about 10 days. By early December, we should be really cranking.”

FloraCraft, the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of floral and craft foam, has received the MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training Silver Award and MIOSHA CET Ergonomics Award, recognizing the company as a leader in workplace health and safety.

Suntory Flowers has been granted patent protections for plants and breeding methods of mandevilla hybrids with distinct pigments that create orange and yellow tones. 

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.