Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of its plans to sell its stores to the Yucaipa Cos.

Fresh & Easy declared assets between $100 million and $500 million, but debt of $500 million to $1 billion.

The filing "is simply the next step in the restructuring process to sell the business to The Yucaipa Companies and will have no impact on our customers shopping experience," said Brendan Wonnacott of Fresh & Easy. "It’s business as usual as we continue the transition to new ownership."

The chief executive officers for the United Fresh Produce Association and the Food Marketing Institute announced a plan to hold their conventions jointly in Chicago during the month of June for at least the next three years.

The two organizations have co-located their conventions before, and United Fresh President Tom Stenzel said the partnership will help United Fresh get past the typical buy-sell relationship that occurs at conventions and move toward a top-to-top connection, referring to the top level retail executives that typically attend the FMI show.

Turbana Corp. is partnering again this fall with its retail partner, Price Chopper, for the Pink Ribbon Produce campaign to educate consumers on healthy eating habits and living active lifestyles while also raising funds for breast cancer research and awareness.

It is amazing that Texas growers can produce premium citrus in the heart of the second-worst drought in state history, but this season's crop promises to be on-target in terms of quality and volume as the season ramps up in October.

Stellar Distributing of Madera, CA, is a leading importer of Italian and Chilean kiwifruit with conventional and organic California kiwifruit. Now they’ve added a kids’ kiwifruit program to promote healthy eating among children.

The 2013 California kiwifruit crop “looks to be down from last year, probably about 10 to 15 percent,” both for the company and for the industry, Chris Kragie, deciduous fruit manager at Madera, CA-based Western Fresh Marketing, said in an interview with The Produce News Sept. 13.