Two of the fresh produce industry’s leading organizations are each donating $1 million to Center for Produce Safety to continue that group’s work to fund science, find solutions and fuel change in fresh produce food safety.

And while the two contributors’ business structures are very different, their motivations for supporting CPS are the same: to safeguard consumers and the industry’s future, by improving produce safety knowledge.

Schnuck Markets Inc. announced plans to bring a new format grocery store to Jasper, IN, in the summer of 2021. The leased 18,000-square-foot Schnucks Fresh store will include a heavy focus on fresh departments such as produce, meat, seafood and bakery. The store will add approximately 30 jobs to the local economy.

Working in the produce department was one of my favorite experiences when I began my supermarket career. I especially liked helping the produce manager set up colorful displays. I also liked trimming lettuce, celery, cabbage, and other vegetables in the backroom to prepare for the displays, but there was one assignment I was not fond of — when the produce manager would yell to me in the backroom, “Work up 10 more flats of strawberries!”

Sliced apples specialist Crunch Pak hired Andy Kimbrel as director of sales and marketing. Kimbrel comes to the company with 12 years of experience in the footwear industry at LaCrosse Footwear Inc., where he directed regional sales for several premium footwear brands and managed accounts such as REI, Filson, Scheels, Zappos, and federal and local governments.

Sandpoint, ID-based Litehouse Foods has developed a new line of refrigerated salad dressings to deliver on the product attributes today’s consumers are looking for, including fewer calories, less sugar, fewer ingredients, more flavor and a thicker formulation.

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc. announced that two of its energy-efficient container vessels, Del Monte Harvester and Del Monte Valiant, will be moving to the West Coast. These two vessels were launched in July 2020 along with four additional energy efficient reefer container vessels and helped mark a new chapter in environmental sustainability for the company.