Maximize bang for your buck at PMA Foodservice Conference
The Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Expo is a venue that makes dollars and sense. “More than 70 percent of attendees (including distributors, operators and growers/shippers) influence or recommend purchases,” the PMA website states. “Both buyers and suppliers highly value the opportunity to connect and conduct business during the event.”
Albertsons files for IPO
Albertsons has filed a registration statement with the Securities & Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of shares of its common stock. The company said it plans to raise $100 million in the IPO; however, The Wall Street Journal suggested that the number is likely to change.
A&P teams up with local farms to bring farmer’s market to its stores
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. has teamed up with over 30 local farms from Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania to offer its customers locally grown produce fresh from the farm this summer. Local produce will be in stores when in season in A&P, Food Basics, Pathmark, Superfresh, The Food Emporium and Waldbaum’s.
Seasonal produce will include fruits and berries such as blueberries, apples and peaches. Growers will also provide over 35 varieties of vegetables, including beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, herbs, onions and tomatoes.
Sprouts names new executives
Sprouts Farmers Market, one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, announced that Shawn Gensch has joined the company as chief marketing officer, and Dan Sanders has joined the company as executive vice president of store operations.
“Shawn and Dan share deep retail leadership experience, and with their marketing and operations expertise, Sprouts will continue to grow as a healthy grocery store offering fresh, natural and organic foods at great prices,” Doug Sanders, president and chief executive officer of Sprouts, said in a press release.
Oceanside tomatoes ripe for summer
July is here, which means it’s harvest time at West Coast Tomato Growers, home of the famed Oceanside Pole vine-ripe round and Roma tomatoes from grower Harry Singh Jr. and marketed exclusively by Oppy.
Following an excellent growing season and impressive first pick, Oppy is now shipping both types of tomatoes.
Vision Produce promotes Caldwell and Nichols
Vision Produce Co. has promoted John Caldwell to Arizona division manager/vice president and Lance Nichols to Phoenix sales manager.
SunSelect expansion to yield more peppers
Construction is on track at SunSelect Produce’s new facility in Tehachapi, CA, promising significantly greater volumes of sweet bell peppers — and more — this fall, according to a company press release.
The high-tech greenhouse expansion will double the capacity of SunSelect’s original 32-acre Tehachapi facility, which opened in October 2014.
Van Solkema debuts organic line, implements weight-embedded labels
In 2015 for the first time a new organic produce line is being offered by Van Solkema Produce Inc., based in Byron Center, MI, according to Talbert Nething, the firm’s sales manager. The company’s initial organic offerings include cucumbers, zucchini and yellow squash, as well as the hard squashes — butternut, acorn and spaghetti.
Also this season, Nething noted, “We’ve implemented a weight-embedded label program.” This means, for example, if a 12/3 (12-count, three-pack) zucchini weighs 23 ounces, a 23-ounce item-specific UPC code will be applied.
Driscoll's sets sights on increased organic strawberry volume
Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc. is set to launch the first phase of a strategic business plan to increase organic strawberry volume in the coming decade.