Wakefern Food Corp., with member companies that own and operate supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners, announced that Elena Kabasinskas has joined as group vice president, strategy, planning and transformation.

Responsible for leading transformation planning, strengthening business processes and Wakefern’s strategic deployment of new technologies, Kabasinskas will report to Michael Day, who has been promoted to senior vice president, strategy, business development and architecture.

With the Canadian Produce Marketing Association Show back in Toronto, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture will be headed up north to exhibit, as it does each time the CPMA is in Eastern Canada.

Postharvest handling of some fruits involves additional steps that are critical to their success at retail.  Ripening with ethylene ensures that several of these commodities are at their ideal ripeness and will properly reach a dependable, ready-to-eat stage at the right time.  Ethylene is a natural plant hormone that various fruits release as they enter their climacteric stage, the period when fruit respiration increases and starches convert to sugars.  

The International Fresh Produce Association initiated its women’s mentoring program on Monday, April 17 at the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference in Orlando, FL. The purpose of this program is to create mentorship relationships among women in the fresh produce and floral industry.  

The Produce for Better Health Consumer Connection Conference recently took place at the Omni Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, AZ. The conference featured a series of presentations, panels and spark sessions exploring various topics, including the future of the foundation's impact on produce consumption, how to capture people's attention in a three-second world and how to inspire fruit and vegetable consumption by crafting culturally inclusive communications.

Westfalia Fruit kicked off its 2023 Gem avocado season, expecting a strong supply of fruit from mid-April through mid-July.

Gem is a gourmet avocado that Westfalia holds exclusive marketing rights in Africa, the European Union, and many other regions of the world. Gem is truly a unique avocado with gold-flecked skin and a creamy, buttery texture. It is a larger piece of fruit with a slightly nutty flavor.