MONTEREY, CA – The 2024 IFPA Foodservice Conference got off to a strong start July 25, here, drawing hundreds of produce industry members to beautiful downtown Monterey, CA.  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on 10 produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

The Kroger-Albertsons merger, first announced back in October of 2022, continues to get pushed back. The current roadblock is courtesy of the Colorado District Court and Denver District Court Judge Andrew J. Luxen, who granted a temporary injunction. An Aug. 12 hearing on the matter was cancelled as well.  

Loblaw Cos. Ltd. has rolled out a new Fresh Promise to Loblaws, Independent, valu-mart and Zehrs locations. The program promises that if customers are not satisfied with produce purchased in store, it will be replaced and refunded, within seven days, no questions asked.

JOH, a leading independent food broker based in Billerica, MA, with 17 offices and strategic partnerships across the United States, announced the addition of a new account executive in the produce division in New England.

Michael Kominsky joins JOH with more than a decade of sales experience in the produce industry. He began his career as a regional sales manager at Hampton Farms, where he helped build and expand the business throughout the Northeast.

In its first year with an organic stone fruit program, Scattaglia Growers and Shippers (SGS) celebrated an impressive entry into the organic market by exhibiting at the Organic Produce Summit.