$5.8M and counting: Equifruit celebrates 20 years of Fairtrade bananas
Equifruit has released its inaugural Impact Report, marking 20 years of 100 percent Fairtrade sourcing and positive impact for banana farmers and workers.
D’Ottavio Farms expands blueberry program through innovation and sustainability
Despite a spring marked by unpredictable weather and freezing temperatures across parts of New Jersey, D’Ottavio Farms is entering the 2026 blueberry season optimistic about crop quality, sizing and long-term growth opportunities.“This season started with some unusually cold weather for New Jersey,” said Mike D’Ottavio, president of D’Ottavio Farms. “A lot of growers experienced damage to peaches and blueberries after a couple cold mornings earlier in the spring.”
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with Proven Winners patriotic plant combos
Mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in full bloom with vibrant patriotic container combinations from Proven Winners. From easy-to-create red, white and blue combos to exciting new 2026 plant varieties, these festive planter ideas make it simple to add seasonal style to porches, patios and outdoor spaces.Proven Winners takes the guesswork out of container gardening with expertly designed recipes created to deliver bold color, texture and continuous blooms to celebrate this historic anniversary.
Phillips Mushroom Farms mourns Jim Angelucci
Jim Angelucci, longtime general manager at Phillips Mushroom Farms and a respected leader, mentor and friend whose remarkable career spanned more than 50 years with the company, has died at the age of 76.
Bolthouse launches limited-time patriotic carrot Party Sticks
Bolthouse Fresh Foods is launching limited-time 12-ounce Party Sticks, fresh carrots in bold patriotic packaging designed to drive incremental sales and impulse purchase behavior in the produce department.
Peru remains important source for Pacific Produce
This year, the avocado market has seen record volumes from Mexico and a third straight year of California eclipsing the 300 million-pound mark, so there is no shortage of fruit for the U.S. market.That has led to a slow start for Peru, according to Isabel Tavera, vice president of Pacific Produce, who told The Produce News on May 25 that just 194 containers of Peruvian avocados had shipped to date compared to 1,124 containers the same time last year.
Why floral is one of perishable’s toughest tests
Floral is one of the most operationally sensitive categories in fresh. It moves fast, responds quickly to disruption and leaves little room for error. In a category where timing, temperature, handling and consumer demand all intersect, even the smallest misstep can have immediate consequences.That sensitivity is exactly what makes floral such an important model for the rest of the industry.
Market Minute: Mushrooms ready for summer promotion
Kick off the summer grilling season by merchandising fresh mushrooms in June. Increase the produce department display space and promote mushrooms in weekly advertising flyers to boost your mushroom category sales. Be aggressive by setting up a secondary display through June to support the Mushroom Council’s new It’s not Magic. It’s Mushrooms campaign.
Fox Solutions partners with JASA packaging systems
Fox Solutions has entered into a strategic partnership with JASA, a Netherlands-based leader in weighing and packaging automation, to bring fully integrated packaging and automation solutions to the U.S. produce market. As one of only two authorized U.S. distributors for JASA, Fox Solutions will provide sales, service and parts support for JASA equipment, giving domestic growers and packers direct access to JASA's technology.
Tops Markets captures top honors in IPC’s Potato Lovers Month contest
Tops Markets in Olean, NY, was honored as the Grand Prize winner for the Northeast/Midwest region in the Idaho Potato Commission’s Potato Lovers Month retail display contest.