USA Pears names director of nutrition affairs and communications
USA Pears has named Barbara Ruhs as its director of nutrition affairs and communications, effective immediately.
Ruhs is a registered dietitian nutritionist and leader in retail health promotion who brings wellness to the shelf. As a successful nutrition communications consultant, she is the former nutrition marketing dietitian for Avocados From Mexico and launched a conference for retail dietitians. A trusted nutrition expert, she knows how to blend science and storytelling to build influence with dietitians, media and consumers.
Berry business on cruise control, stressful grape market
California strawberry business continues to muddle along as retailers have put their focus on other commodities. Overall quality is still very inconsistent, so that’s another reason retailers have put berries to the back of the produce department. Fruit quality will start to improve over the next seven to 10 days as growers start harvesting more summer Portola variety. We could see strawberries back on promotions once Northwest cherries finish by the middle of August.
Stemilt’s A Half Mile Closer to the Moon Cherries to close cherry season on a high note
Stemilt’s picking buckets will soon be full of premium, high-elevation cherries from now until mid-September. A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries are available in late summer to offer retailers a grand finale opportunity to drive cherry sales through the end of the season. Stemilt Marketing Director Brianna Shales said volumes were down last season due to record-low temperatures during winter, but 2025 has bounced back with late-season Moon cherry supplies worthy of celebration and promotion until the end.
PRO*ACT Crop Update: Harvests heat up in the Northwest
We’re officially in the thick of the late summer harvest and our Northwest staples are starting to take shape. Onions and potatoes are leading the charge, with growers reporting strong early starts and promising conditions across the region.
Bay Baby shaking things up with expanded line
Bay Baby Produce, a leading grower, packer and shipper of painted pumpkins, is unveiling several exciting new additions to its ornamental pumpkin line for the 2025 season.
Crunch Time’s SnapDragon, RubyFrost apples see sustained growth
Crunch Time Apple Growers, which grows and markets SnapDragon and RubyFrost apples in the state of New York, is expecting its largest SnapDragon harvest this season.
Introducing petals rewards: An online rewards program built for florists
Mayesh Wholesale Florist has announced its new program Petals Rewards, a brand-new loyalty program created exclusively for its valued customers. This innovative program allows shoppers to earn rewards simply by purchasing wholesale flowers online at mayesh.com. Whether placing routine weekly orders or stocking up for major events, customers can now enjoy the added benefit of earning with every qualifying transaction.
Hudson River Fruit sees good things ahead for apple season
Hudson River Fruit Distributors, a leading Eastern apple grower-shipper in New York’s Hudson River Valley, is excited about the upcoming apple season.
Alisha Albinder Camac, vice president and a fourth-generation member of the family-owned company, said favorable weather has set the stage for a good harvest.
USDA restricts PACA violators in California and Texas
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 for 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 USDA approval.
The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
Bolthouse is ready to help retailers capitalize on peak carrot demand
Bolthouse Fresh Foods is helping retailers prepare for one of the busiest carrot-consumption periods of the year, offering a full portfolio of fresh carrot solutions to meet the seasonal surge in demand from back-to-school snacking through New Year wellness eating. To support this high-demand window, Bolthouse Fresh offers a robust portfolio of carrot products that deliver trusted quality, versatility and convenient pack sizes to meet every type of shopper need.