A topsy-turvy 2022 has given way to a more normal year in 2023 for Farm Fresh Direct, and with that the company can focus on growing its business.

With the addition of almost 900 acres to its California table grape deal in the San Joaquin Valley, Delano, CA-based Fruit Royale is flirting with the 2 million carton number.

“We added 897 acres of new plantings over the last couple of years of the newer varieties,” said Managing Partner Louie Galvan, who started the distribution company with his brother John in 2004. “These are first- and second-year plantings, so we are expanding exponentially. We’re getting close to 2 million boxes; we expect to hit 1.7 to 1.8 million this year.”

A year ago, potato supplies were so tight that many growers exhausted their storage crops well ahead of normal in an effort to keep their customers supplied with spuds, leaving the pipeline devoid of product and resulting in an elevated market. This year, it’s a different story.

With a good California summer stone fruit season to build on, Scattaglia Growers and Shippers are expecting to finish the season on a strong note with a solid supply of yellow peaches through October as well as some yellow nectarines and plums lasting into September.

In honor of its 100th anniversary celebrations, The Giant Co. team members recently joined Second Harvest Food Bank to volunteer and donate $100,000 to its school and mobile food pantry programs, expanding food access for nearly 1,500 children in need.

Just in time for football season, Fresh Express is kicking off its first-ever Healthy Game Day promotion to help sports fans everywhere create a winning game day spread. As part of the online and social promotion celebrating better-for-you versions of beloved game day recipes, consumers are invited to enter a contest for the chance to win a range of prizes.