Vista Vineyards has named Shawn Caldwell director of sales, bringing more than 30 years of table grape industry experience to the company's newly launched leadership-owned supply platform.

Sustainabloom by the American Floral Endowment has introduced a new sustainability planning template to support wholesale florists in assessing their operations, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing a clear framework for measurable progress toward their sustainability goals.

Sustainabloom Senior Manager Amanda Solliday and AFE Executive Director Debi Chedester shared the template at the WFFSA Floral Distribution Conference luncheon.

Continental Floral Greens, a family-owned grower of premium American-grown foliage and specialty cut floral, has added two experienced sales professionals to its sales team and promoted Lucia Narciso to wholesale sales manager.

The announcements reflect the company’s continued investment in building an exceptional, experienced team to support its customers and drive growth across all channels.

Dollar General Corp. has appointed Jerry W. (JJ) Fleeman Jr. to succeed Todd Vasos as CEO of Dollar General effective Jan. 1, 2027. The board intends to appoint Fleeman to serve as a director upon the effective date of the transition.

To assist in the transition, Vasos will continue to serve as CEO until the effective date of the transition, at which time he will serve as senior advisor through April 2, 2027. Following the transition, Vasos is expected to remain a member of the board.

Taylor Farms has acquired Equinox Growers, a state-of-the-art leafy greens greenhouse in Louisa, VA, from Generate Capital. As the leading global producer of salads and healthy fresh foods, this strategic move complements Taylor Farms’ commitment to delivering an assured supply of the freshest, highest quality produce to consumers.

The watermelon category surpassed 3.5 billion pounds at retail in 2025, and new research from the National Watermelon Promotion Board delivers a clear roadmap for sustained growth. NWPB released its 2025 State of the Category Marketing Guide, equipping retailers, marketers and category managers with fact-based insights to drive year-round watermelon sales. The new research highlights how whole and cut watermelon play distinct, but complementary roles throughout the year.

The findings point to three clear opportunities for the industry to maximize retail sales: