Lidl coming to U.S. market
Lidl, a leading European retailers, has confirmed its plans to expand into the U.S. market. The company will locate its U.S. corporate headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia, and will open a regional headquarters and distribution center facility in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Brendan Proctor will be president and chief executive officer for Lidl US.
Proctor made the announcement alongside Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe after meeting with leaders of the company at Lidl's international headquarters in Neckarsulm, Germany.
Bananas continue to remain at the top when it comes to imports
Bananas continue to maintain a commanding presence in produce departments and consumer shopping carts. “Bananas claim over 50 percent of the volume of fresh fruit imports,” said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service.
Mann Packing's fresh take on sweet potatoes and Butternut squash
Sweet potatoes and Butternut squash have a new look thanks to a unique way of cutting fresh vegetables into shapes that will inspire creativity for everyday meals.
Potandon Produce announces new packing location
Potandon Produce LLC has announced the addition of another Idaho packing location to its production group. SunRiver of Idaho Inc., located in Aberdeen, ID, will pack and ship Idaho russet potatoes starting this month.
Babé Farms bringing fresh specialty vegetables to the nation’s tables
The creation of Babé Farms Specialties can be credited to its visionary founder, Will Souza, a third-generation farmer from a pioneer farm family in the Santa Maria Valley, CA.
With over 600 SKUs and growing, it is one of the busiest specialty vegetable farming operations on the West Coast.
ICE’s $2.25 million fine has chilling effect in Pacific Northwest
The summer air in the Pacific Northwest turned decidedly frosty on June 4 with the news that Broetje Orchards LLC will pay a record $2.25 million civil penalty fine following a settlement agreement with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement.
Representatives of the fresh produce industry took the time to speak with The Produce News to provide their reactions and comments.
Bernardi: California mature green deal looks solid despite drought
Though California is suffering through one of its worst droughts in history, the California mature green tomato deal appears to be fairly normal this year, according to longtime participant and observer Joe Bernardi, president of Bernardi & Associates, with headquarters in Nogales, AZ.
On this late May day, Bernardi was driving through the San Joaquin Valley in California, which is the backdrop for his summer office in Turlock. “The deal should start around June 1 and last until mid-November,” he said. “Right now it looks fairly normal” in terms of volume.
Peri: ‘We’re in the size profile we need for our retail customers’
With more than 100 years of experience and three generations of family members serving at its helm, Peri & Sons Farms knows what it takes to move premium onions to the marketplace. The company is headquartered in Yerington, NV, and has growing operations in Central and Southern California.
New cooling unit is the latest upgrade at Vineland Produce Auction
VINELAND, NJ — A new cooling unit was installed at the Vineland Produce Auction around the end of March, “just in time” for the 2015 New Jersey spring vegetable season, the auction’s Carol DeFoor told The Produce News Monday afternoon, May 11.
The new unit, which does hydrocooling, vacuum cooling and wetvac cooling, is in addition to the existing cooling equipment at the auction. “One of the benefits of this new cooling unit is that it shortens the cooling process,” she said. It has the capacity to cool nine pallets at a time.