The Produce News

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In the Trenches: Keys to boost organic produce growth

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.
North Bay Produce stays true to its longtime cooperative goals

1 week ago | theproducenews.com | Seth Mendelson

How does a company stand out in a crowd? At North Bay Produce it is by offering a truly global cooperative with grower owners scattered around the world. “Our business specializes in key products, including blueberries, blackberries and raspberries,” said Sharon Robb, the national marketing manager for the Traverse City, Michigan-based company. “We also offer a variety of seasonal items, including peas, Michigan apples and asparagus.
Riggio Distribution Co. looking forward to summer

1 week ago | theproducenews.com | Keith Loria

As an anchor tenant on the Detroit Produce Terminal, Riggio Distribution Co. is a trusted, full-service, fresh produce distributor and wholesaler, which has been servicing the entire Midwest from its home base for decades.
Market Minute: Temperatures heating up watermelon promotions

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.
A great blueberry crop is coming from the Garden State

2 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Seth Mendelson

Officials at the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council are proud of what their members are doing with the blueberry harvest. They want residents of the Garden State to be just as proud. With the blueberry harvesting season up and running, officials at the Trenton, NJ-based council, a state-run organization that takes a small fee from growers in New Jersey, are excited about what is taking place and eager for retailers and consumers to get behind the blueberry market.
Safety remains job one at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture

2 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Seth Mendelson

By Seth Mendelson June 16, 2025 Produce safety has always been at the forefront of the activities at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. The department has several programs in place to evaluate its New Jersey-grown produce as well as produce grown in other states and imported from other countries. Its auditors, inspectors and retail reviewers receive extensive ongoing training to remain current with federal and industry standards.
Sonny Boy Produce optimistic about New Jersey blueberry season

2 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Keith Loria

Blueberries are Sonny Boy Produce’s most important item, as the company ships more blues than all of its other items combined, regularly doing around 6.5 million pounds of blues in a year. “For a small outfit like ours, it’s something that we pride ourselves on,” said Tom Consalo, president of the Landisville, NJ-based company. “We usually do around 2.5-3 million pounds of blues here.
New Jersey blueberries top of mind for Sunny Valley International

2 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Keith Loria

Sunny Valley International has long been a supplier of imported and domestic blueberries, with strong supplies in the category 12-months a year thanks to winter programs out of Peru, Chile and other sources of origin, and spring programs in Georgia and North Carolina. “Sunny Valley International has marketed imported and domestic blueberries for the better part of three decades,” said Tom Beaver, director of sales and marketing for the Glassboro, NJ-based company.
Ben B. Schwartz & Sons launches proprietary ERP platform

2 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Keith Loria

It’s been a big year for Ben B. Schwartz & Sons. “We made several, key sales hires to help support our expansion efforts into new areas, such as Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois and Wisconsin,” said Bill Loupée, chief operating officer for the company. The three new salespeople added to the team are Josh Harrison, Scott Bagan and Paul Suttmiller. “They’ve been a great addition to our team, and have contributed to the collaborative spirit here at Ben B.,” Loupée said.
Trendspotting: IFPA addresses MAHA report at annual Washington Conference

2 weeks ago | theproducenews.com | Craig Levitt

By Craig Levitt June 12, 2025 For the second consecutive year, the International Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Conference took place in June (instead of September), bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and advocates to champion and safeguard the future of fresh produce. One of the key themes throughout the event was the recent MAHA report, and how the industry is not exactly thrilled with much of its content.