Following a successful pilot program at select Lancaster, PA, stores earlier this year, The Giant Co. is expanding its partnership with the Flashfood app to an additional 33 stores this month. The Flashfood app allows customers to purchase fresh food, including produce, meat, deli and bakery products, nearing its best before date at significantly reduced prices.

Los Angeles-based grower/packer/shipper Progressive Produce will see an expanded organic Heirloom Navel orange program towards the end of the year and into the first quarter of 2021. Sold under the recently refreshed Nature's Bounty Organic label, the company's perfectly sweet and locally grown organic Heirloom Navels will be available from late December until March. Product can be packed in three-pound bags with bulk sizes also available.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on five produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from USDA.

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

CMI Orchards has announced significant growth in KIKU brand apple sales and production. The popular apple is now outpacing the entire branded apple category.

According to Nielsen Answers on Demand, over the past 52 weeks KIKU is ranked seventh in both sales dollars and volume for branded apples in the US. KIKU sales have increased 37 percent in volume compared to last year and are now sold in 3,800 stores throughout the United States. The entire branded apple category is up 21 percent.  

Nickey Gregory Co., a full-service produce wholesaler with 20 years of service to the Southeast, had just opened up a brand new distribution facility early this year when the coronavirus led to foodservice shutdowns and greatly altered business practices. By all accounts, 2020 has been a very difficult year, but Director of Business Development Andrew Scott said the company has worked through the turmoil and has registered growth in some areas.

Leaders from three of the largest and most respected organic fresh produce companies agree that the outlook for the organic industry is positive heading into the new year, as they explored a wide range of issues during the Organic Grower Summit Roundtable discussion that premiered Dec. 9.