Ron Pelger

1 week ago | theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger

By Ron Pelger June 20, 2025 Do you realize how much of a difference it would make if produce department employees fully understood merchandising strategies for organic produce? Those employees could probably sell extreme volumes of organic products without batting an eye. What’s trending in the fresh organic produce trade? Where has this category been and where is it headed? How do we progress further? Jeff Tomassetti at an organic display.

2 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger

Did you know the watermelon was portrayed in Egyptian hieroglyphics? They actually originated in southern Africa well over 5,000 years ago before being cultivated in Egypt. Then they started their spread into China and Europe by trade route explorers. Water can comprise up to  90 percent of watermelons — and the heaviest watermelon on record was grown in Tennessee weighing in at 350 pounds in 2013. Watermelons are now a 52-week item in the produce department.

3 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger

When does summer really start? Some people say it begins when the school year ends and runs until the Labor Day holiday. Scientists tell us that the meteorological summer season starts June 1, lasts for three months and ends on Sept. 1. But to set the record straight in astronomical terms, summer actually starts on either June 20 or the 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and Dec. 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere. Although it’s still officially spring, summer is only a few days down the road on.

3 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger

By Ron Pelger June 6, 2025 With summer in full swing, people love to travel, go camping, grill and watch our national pastime — baseball. Many of us have a national pastime in the produce industry. We’re up early, first on the market and first in the stores. Like ball players, produce people eat, sleep, walk and talk produce. Retail produce people are also very anxious for spring to arrive. Spring is the door to the summer produce sales season. Spring brings us strawberries and asparagus.

1 month ago | theproducenews.com | Ron Pelger

Watermelons, cantaloupes and honeydews are the dominant melons in demand by consumers. Other melon varieties add to the line and help make up an attractive display for customers to choose in the produce department. The imported melons are finished and are transitioning to the new crop of cantaloupes and honeydews out of California, Arizona. Florida, Texas and Mexico. Watermelons: North and central Florida seeded watermelons are light and the market is steady.