Consumers are constantly changing and altering their perception and retailers must do the same, if they are going to survive and thrive.

At least that was one of the major messages delivered by Phil Lempert, also known as “The Supermarket Guru,” who was the keynote speaker at the Feb. 5 luncheon of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council in Southern California.

NOGALES, AZ — The World Series is the ultimate for every baseball player, coach and fan.  

In 2013,  Jesus (Chuy) Lopez Jr.,  sales manager for Nogales-based Big Chuy Distributors & Sons, Inc. coached his 13-year-old Nogales National Little League team into the Intermediate Division World Series (West).

Just about everyone in the produce industry gives from the depths of their hearts when it comes to natural or man-caused emergencies and in helping organizations to raise money or collect food to help those in need.

For the third consecutive year, Kevin Bartolotta, president of Bartolotta Inc. in Torrington, CT, is stepping up for those in need and is holding his annual fundraiser, which began Feb. 10.

Winter strawberries out of Southern California are normally an up-and-down, on-again-off-again proposition. There is generally some moderate production from mid-December through February before volume starts to build for the more reliable spring deal. But growers expect that there will ordinarily be some cold spells that slow down production and rain that disrupts the harvest from time to time during that period.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets, a new specialty grocer featuring healthy and organic value-priced offerings, announced the Midwest chain will open over 60 new stores and create approximately 5,000 new jobs throughout the Midwest over the next five years.

The company’s first market will open in Mt. Prospect, IL, this spring, followed by eight more grand openings throughout the remainder of this year.

Produce for Kids, a philanthropically based organization that raises funds for local children’s non-profit organizations and brings the produce industry together to educate consumers about healthy eating with fresh produce, has named Amanda Keefer as its new director of marketing communications.