RIDGEWOOD, NJ — "How are you guys doing today?" Lisa Suriano, program creator of Veggiecation — a nutrition and culinary education program that introduces young children between kindergarten and sixth grade to the world of vegetables — asked her class of 15 students on Thursday, Jan. 10, at Whole Foods, here.

"Good!" responded the energetic youngsters.

The Produce for Better Health Foundation has named 15 supermarket retailers as Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Role Models and Champions for 2012 in recognition of their support for the national public health campaign and for PBH.

Role Model status, which is the top level of recognition, was achieved by six retailers: Food Lion, Meijer, Roundy’s, Schnuck Markets, Spartan and SuperValu. 

Arroyo Granda, CA-based Regatta Tropicals hired GARRETT SACKS as sales manager on Oct. 25, or “just in time” for the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit Convention & Expo, as he put it.

With all the curve balls Mother Nature can potentially throw out during any given apple season, she allowed Washington’s growers to hit a home run with the 2012-13 crop. And Rainier Fruit Co. is all smiles.

Conditions are ripe for an outstanding apple season for Sage Fruit Co. in Yakima, WA. “The winter months are very important for domestic crops. Condition plays a big part in what volume is shipped from December through February,” President Chuck Sinks told The Produce News on Dec. 7. “The fruit we have in storage right now has great storability. So that should keep things on schedule.” As a general rule, he said more apples are shipped during the fall and winter than during the spring and summer.