Meijer opened three new supercenters across the Midwest. Located in Seven Hills and Boardman, OH, and Westfield, IN, the 155,000-square-foot stores offer a state-of-the-art shopping experience, providing customers multiple ways to shop in a specialty store environment.

The Southeast Produce Council held its first virtual Produce Inspection Training course session within the SEPC Virtual Garden on Wednesday, May 12. Conducted by International Produce Training through what has evolved into an 11-year partnership, Produce Inspection Training is a two-day course intended for quality control personnel, produce buyers, produce inventory control personnel, and other company associates involved in the receiving, handling, buying, and shipping of fresh produce.

The third Eastern Produce Council Leadership Class experienced key aspects of the produce logistics and distribution system with a tour of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market and Holt Logistics on May 11. “In this first event of our current leadership program we were excited to engage this group of talented industry professionals with such crucial supply chain partners such as PWPM and Holt,” said Susan McAleavey Sarlund, EPC executive director.

GLOBALG.A.P. has successfully achieved recognition against Global Food Safety Initiative’s Benchmarking Requirements Version 2020.1. The recognition encompasses Produce Handling Assurance certification program.

Bodega Latina Corp., a subsidiary of Grupo Comercial Chedraui, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Smart & Final Holdings Inc. from funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management Inc. for approximately $620 million, including the assumption of certain indebtedness.

Foodshed.io, a mobile marketing app and logistics platform, continues to grow in linking local produce growers with buyers. The company performed well in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021 the operation is thriving to an even greater degree.

Last year the young company enjoyed having St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets Inc. as its primary retail client. Daniel Beckmann, CEO of the firm, credits Mike Tipton, vice president of Schnucks, for being highly cooperative and a central factor in boosting the firm’s early success.