Wakefern Food Corp. has appointed Chris Ruane its director of Own Brands, reinforcing the company’s continued investment in the growth and strategic evolution of its award-winning private label portfolio.

In his new role, Ruane will report to Darren Caudill, chief sales officer, and lead strategy for Wakefern’s Own Brands portfolio. He will focus on advancing product innovation, optimizing assortment, strengthening supplier partnerships and delivering the quality and value that drive customer loyalty across brands including Bowl & Basket, Wholesome Pantry and Paperbird.

With Mother’s Day demand now behind us, markets should begin to see slight relief, but availability remains uneven across categories. Disease pressure, seasonal transitions and sizing issues continue to drive active markets on key items. As schools and colleges wind down over the next few weeks, demand should ease, but May will remain active across several major commodities.

In berry fields around the world, rows of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries represent decades of careful breeding, research and innovation. Plant Sciences Genetics (PSG) is helping drive that progress—building on a family legacy that began with applied science and has evolved into an advanced berry genetics company serving growers and marketers across diverse production regions worldwide.

Ganfer Fresh, a distributor of fruits and vegetables from Mexico, based in Nogales, AZ, affirms that the company is financially sound despite a recent report that it received an administrative complaint from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s PACA division.

According to the company, that matter relates to a past period during 2024 and early 2025 in which Ganfer Fresh experienced temporary financial disruption resulting from circumstances involving a third-party financial services provider. 

In celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, Washington Fruit Growers is introducing a limited-edition Stars and Stripes cherry bag designed to elevate retail displays and boost cherry sales leading up to the Fourth of July weekend.

The Stars and Stripes bag features the American flag and the company’s long-time logo, the Liberty Bell. This patriotic bag will stand out on the shelf and in displays, encouraging shoppers to add fresh cherries to their carts during one of the strongest sales periods of the year.

Nickey Gregory Co. has named Scott Chapman president as the company's founder, Nickey Gregory, retires after more than four decades building one of the Southeast’s most respected produce businesses. The leadership team, customer relationships and day-to-day operations remain in place. Chapman leads the company alongside the senior leadership team, including Executive Vice President Marianna Gregory Skrine.