A medley that changes everything
Tomato medleys have always been visually appealing. A mix of varieties brings color to the shelf and naturally catches a shopper’s eye. Cherry Picked goes beyond looks, combining the same three high-flavor snacking tomatoes in every pack. While medleys have sometimes been seen as unpredictable, Cherry Picked proves that a medley can be thoughtfully curated and consistently delicious.
NJDA showcasing New Jersey’s best at CPMA
While it’s still a bit early in New Jersey’s 2026 season to paint a clear picture of 2026, Joe Atchison III, The New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s assistant secretary of agriculture and director of marketing and development, noted the state’s growers have overwintered leeks, early greens, asparagus, spinach and some greenhouse strawberries and basil in market alrea
In the Trenches: Move produce sales forward, not backward
Why has aggressive produce merchandising decreased in many produce departments? Are management policies turning to simpler, more conservative selling displays?I have seen a noticeable decline in enthusiasm and energy within produce sales environments. There has been a passive approach to merchandising lately by simply displaying produce and waiting for customers to make purchases. This method lacks the proactive sales strategies necessary to stimulate growth. It is essential to shift the focus back toward actively generating sales again.
Fun ’N Sun 2026 celebrates 85 years of floral excellence in Pasadena
The California Association of Flower Growers & Shippers will host its highly anticipated Fun ’N Sun Floral Convention Aug. 5–8, at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, CA. This milestone year marks the association’s 85th anniversary, celebrated under the theme “A Legacy in Bloom: 85 Years of Floral Excellence.”
Four Seasons Produce hosts Fresh Fest
MANHEIM, PA – Four Seasons Produce, a wholesaler based in Ephrata, PA, that is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, hosted its fourth annual Fresh Fest Independent Retailer Trade Show & Conference on April 21 at The Junction Center, here. In all, more than 400 attendees gathered in this rural area of the Keystone State to network and promote their items to independent retailers and natural food store leaders.
California ag leader Ernie Dosio killed in tragic accident
Ernie Dosio, owner of Pacific Agrilands and an agriculture leader based in California, was killed April 17 during a hunting trip to Gabon. He was 75. Mr. Dosio’s Modesto, CA-based vineyard comprises more than 12,000 acres. The company also specializes in harvesting and farm-management services. A Lodi, CA, resident, Mr. Dosio was a conservationist with humanitarian efforts tied to his safari expeditions. He was also well known for his charitable support, especially for agricultural groups and children’s organizations.
Windset Farms to showcase new product innovations at CPMA 2026
Windset Farms is bringing fresh innovation to this year’s Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention and Trade Show in Toronto, April 28–30, showcasing its latest greenhouse-grown product introductions and continued focus on delivering high-flavor, premium produce with peak color, quality and consistency.
Warm weather bumps up California fig harvest for Herman Produce Sales
Warmer March weather in California’s fig orchards has given way to more average temperatures in April, but it’s likely fig harvest will be a bit earlier than normal.Erik Herman, who packs and sells California figs grown by his family’s farming operation, Specialty Crop Co., said it’s likely the first variety off the trees, Black Mission, will probably be harvesting in late May instead of early June. That crop, known as the breba crop, is fruit that set on last year’s growth wood.
CPMA 2026 Convention and Trade Show by the numbers
Jim Carroll will be the keynote speaker at the CPMA Delegates Breakfast.
Vick Family Farms set to begin transplanting sweet potatoes as state faces drought
As North Carolina sweet potato growers prepare fields with seed beds, they are facing an extremely dry spring, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture declaring 82 of the state’s counties as natural disaster areas in mid-April.At Vick Family Farms, based in Wilson, NC, sweet potato seed beds are under drip irrigation, but with more than 10,000 acres of various crops, irrigating every field is impossible.“Our water sources are down considerably and we desperately need rain,” said Charlotte Vick, partner/sales and marketing manager at Vick Family Farms.