Ready Pac goes Italian with Caprese Bistro Bowl Salad
Ready Pac has added a new item to its Bistro Bowl offerings: the Caprese Bistro Bowl Salad, a 210-calorie salad that includes mozzarella over ripened tomatoes with a tangy balsamic drizzle.
Ready Pac expects its latest release to quickly become a customer favorite. The single-serve, complete meal is based on the latest restaurant trends.
Market Basket rejects former CEO's request to return, looking to replace disgruntled employees
As Market Basket enters its third week of employee unrest — a result of the board of directors firing Arthur T. Demoulas, now-former chief executive officer — James Gooch and Felicia Thornton, current co-CEOs, have started a three-day job fair to replace employees who have not returned to work.
The Aug. 4 deadline for employees to return to work, which coincided with the first day of the job fair, has passed without any reported firings.
Big Apple’s apple harvest set to start mid-August
New York state’s apple harvest is anticipated to get under way Aug. 15, right on schedule, and growers are expecting this year’s crop to be a strong encore to last year’s vintage yield. Meanwhile, an all-new consumer website dedicated to New York state apples offers variety information, recipes and locator maps to help find local apples.
Christine Fries joins the Jersey Fresh team
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s marketing and development division announced that Christine Fries has joined the team as an agricultural marketing specialist.
Southern Specialties moving ‘bountiful’ British Columbia blueberries
“We have begun shipping what will be a bountiful blueberry season out of British Columbia,” said Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties, headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL.
“We have been shipping blueberries from this region for over 10 years,” he continued. “They are available under the ‘Southern Selects’ label in full pint and 18-ounce clamshells.”
Ecoripe Tropicals’ rambutan season on strong roll
Marc Holbik, director of grower relations for Ecoripe Tropicals in Medley, FL, told The Produce News that rambutan is truly an exotic gourmet fruit with an appearance that will impress food lovers around the world.
“The translucent flesh of this tree fruit has a crisp, agreeable and sweet grape-like flavor with just a hint of tartness,” said Holbik. “The reddish exterior shell is covered with soft, flexible, hair-like bristles that give rambutan one of the more exotic fruit appearances.”
O'Brien to retire from Schnuck Markets, but open to new opportunities
After 42 years with one of the Midwest's most well-known retailers, Michael O'Brien is planning to retire from Schnuck Markets Inc. at the end of October, but he is planning to pursue other opportunities within the produce sector.
The 61-year-old vice president of produce and floral told The Produce News Aug. 4 that the plan for retirement from this phase in his career has been in the works for a while.
Bob Antle, industry pioneer and a founding member of Tanimura & Antle, dies at 78
Robert Victor Antle, an industry pioneer who was the patriarch of the Antle family and a founding member of Tanimura & Antle Inc., died Aug. 3 at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital with his family at his side. He was 78.
Sunrain Varieties announces major land investment
Sunrain Varieties LLC, a producer of fresh potato seed, recently purchased a 1,600-acre farm located in the Victor-Driggs, ID, area.
“This acreage will be used primarily for early generation seed production and we look forward to a great fall harvest,” Aron Derbidge, business manager at Sunrain, said in a press release.
The company also plans construction of a world-class storage and grading facility on the property.
Sunkist heads to Sesame Street to 'eat brighter'
Sunkist Growers is showing that “C” truly stands for citrus as part of the Produce Marketing Association and Sesame Workshop ‘eat brighter!’ initiative.