To-Jo experiencing increased demand for specialty, wild mushrooms
Shoppers at the retail level are looking for additional choices in the mushroom category. This is driving retailers to promote them more frequently, and it is pushing suppliers like To-Jo Mushrooms Inc. to offer more items in its product line.
Pete Wilder, marketing director for the Avondale, PA-based company, said white button mushrooms are still leading the category.
Sweet potato yields, quality on track for Country Sweet
Cody Rose, commodity manager for Country Sweet Produce, said this year’s sweet potato crop is promising. “The crop is looking really good,” he told The Produce News in late September, adding that yields and quality are just where they should be. Rose said he expects sizing to increase as the season progresses.
Marketing Plus hires Claudia Nicolaou as business development director
Marketing Plus has hired Claudia Nicolaou, an accomplished agribusiness marketer with over two decades of experience in the industry, as its business development director.
Southeastern Grocers lays off 250 in organizational restructure
Southeastern Grocers has laid off roughly 250 associates as part of an organizational restructure of the store support center in Jacksonville, FL, and regional support centers across seven states in the Southeast.
$12.58 million for A&P insiders leading up to bankruptcy
A&P insiders received $12.58 million in payments during the year leading up to the company filing for bankruptcy protection July 19. Chairman Gregory Mays alone received more than $4.5 million in bonuses and consulting fees.
USApple’s Buy an Apple, Help a Student campaign off to healthy start
Just one week in, U.S.
Plan for National Papaya Board advances
Homero Levy de Barros has been around papayas his entire life. As a child growing up in Brazil, he ate them almost daily. Now as president of a tropical fruit company that bills itself as a papaya specialist, he sells them by the container. So there is very little he doesn’t know about the fruit.
SuperValu CEO to retire, executives promoted
SuperValu Inc. announced that Sam Duncan has informed the company’s board of directors of his intention to retire as president and chief executive officer on Feb. 29, 2016, following the end of the company’s fiscal year. The company also announced that Bruce Besanko has been promoted to the newly created role of executive vice president, chief operating officer, reporting to Duncan, and that Susan Grafton has been promoted to executive vice president, chief financial officer, reporting to Besanko.
Montreal Canadiens-Provigo partnership renewed
Provigo announced that its partnership with the Montréal Canadiens is being renewed for three years, confirming its status as the Habs' official grocery store. As a partner, Provigo will do more than ever for customers and Canadiens fans with a series of new initiatives throughout the season, including in-store promotions throughout the year to win more than $100,000 in team-related prizes.
Ready Pac to provide job opportunities for refugees
Ready Pac Foods Inc. said it will open its employment doors for refugees relocating to the United States from the current crisis in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. The fresh foods company has committed to train and hire refugees from among the 10,000 Syrian refugees expected from the recent White House announcement.