As the COVID-19 pandemic heads into its third quarter, it can be tempting to continue working in hunkered-down mode. Instead, we encourage you to get back on track with offense —  with some caveats. Your business, and your team, will benefit for it.

We know these past months have been… well, let’s just call like we see it: crazy. You’ve either been sprinting to meet retail demand to feed consumers eating most of their meals and snacks at home — or like foodservice, your business has slowed to a stroll at best.

Produce Marketing Association Vice President Nancy Tucker announced her retirement at the Fresh Summit 2020 Global Community Reception. Tucker, who has had a storied career in produce, has been a fixture of PMA’s global work since the early 1990s.  Industry veterans were on hand to celebrate her impact and wish her well during the Global Community Reception on Oct. 13.  Tucker will officially step away from her role Dec. 31, 2020.

ACME Markets Inc., a division of Albertsons Cos. Inc., was the successful bidder for 27 Kings Food Market and Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market locations.

After viewing the over-the-top handiwork of retailers from Georgia to Iowa, Bland Farms has chosen the winners of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run & Bland Farms Retailer Display Contest. Bland asked produce managers to build the most fun, creative and interactive Vidalia onion displays inspired by the upcoming SpongeBob movie for the chance to win multiple prizes totaling $10,000.

School may look different in 2020, but Honeybear is helping make lunch and snack time a little more fun. The leading grower, packer and developer of premium apples has created custom PLU stickers that will brighten up the apple deck and consumer’s fruit bowls with more personality.

Driscoll’s and indoor vertical-farming company Plenty Unlimited Inc. announced a joint development agreement to grow Driscoll’s proprietary flavorful strawberries year-round in Plenty’s vertical indoor farms. The companies said Driscoll’s 100 years of farming heritage and focus on delivering only the finest berries is the ideal complement to Plenty’s industry-leading, sustainable, indoor farming technology and commitment to growing the best tasting produce.