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CalFlowers grows its leadership team with two distinguished industry professionals

CalFlowers, one of the leading associations dedicated to promoting flower enjoyment and supporting the floral industry nationwide, has appointed Julie Ortiz and John Louie to its board of directors. Both will serve three-year terms and bring extensive experience and a shared commitment to strengthening the floral community. With more than 35 years in the agriculture industry, Julie Ortiz has built her career managing and growing a successful family-operated business. As production and sales manager at Joseph & Sons Inc., she oversees operations from field to customer, ensuring quality

Albertsons launches AI shopping assistant

Albertsons announced a major milestone in its digital transformation journey — the launch of the Albertsons AI shopping assistant, an industry-leading web browser experience designed to make grocery shopping faster, smarter and more personalized. As the industry leans into agentic commerce, the Albertsons AI shopping assistant moves beyond search to execute complex end‑to‑end grocery tasks helping customers complete shopping, from recipe to cart, in minutes. Building on the success of the company’s Ask AI tool introduced earlier this year, the agentic shopping assistant is a customer-friendly

Lipman donates $2 million for hunger relief

Lipman Family Farms is deepening its generational commitment to fighting hunger. Its latest $2 million investment will help to build a new facility for the Harry Chapin Food Bank of southwest Florida in Fort Myers. The center — set to break ground this November and completion by the end of next year — will expand the food bank’s ability to sort, pack and distribute fresh, nutritious food to thousands of families facing hunger. For Lipman, the gift isn’t just a financial pledge. It’s the next step in a decades-long relationship rooted in shared purpose. Based in Immokalee and still family-owned

FPFC’s year-end gathering returns

The Fresh Produce & Floral Council will close out the year with one of its most anticipated traditions: the FPFC Holiday Reception, set for Dec. 11 at the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort. Running from 4 to 7 p.m., the reception has long been considered a signature year-end gathering for the West Coast produce and floral industries, and this year’s event leaned even further into community, celebration and a focus on the industry’s future. Matthew Hayes, the council’s program and events director, said the event stood out because it “brought together the full breadth of the produce and

Sunny Valley International expands its sales team

Sunny Valley International, a leading supplier of domestic and imported fruit on the East Coast, welcomed Kevin Lyons and Paul Pascal to its sales team on Dec. 1. Lyons brings more than 30 years of produce industry experience. Most recently, he was a produce sales manager with UNFI, leading a sales team and managing everything from sales and store merchandising to transportation and procurement. Prior to joining UNFI, he was at Baldor Specialty Foods, where he helped guide the expansion of their retail and fresh-cut business segments. He also brings extensive organic produce sales experience

PRO*ACT Crop Update: Desert volume builds, citrus sizes shift, berries recovering

We're not off to the smooth start we were hopeful for post-Thanksgiving. Load times in Yuma remain long as growers work through muddy fields and backed-up harvest schedules. Crews are doing everything they can to catch up, but customers should still expect delays at the cooler and a slower turn on trucks through early next week. The good news: product quality is improving every day, and weights are trending upward as the fields dry out and temperatures stabilize. On the lettuce front, desert Iceberg, Romaine and green leaf are all showing stronger quality than in recent weeks. There are still
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CalFlowers, one of the leading associations dedicated to promoting flower enjoyment and supporting the floral industry nationwide, has appointed Julie Ortiz and John Louie to its board of directors. Both will serve three-year terms and bring extensive experience and a shared commitment to strengthening the floral community.

With more than 35 years in the agriculture industry, Julie Ortiz has built her career managing and growing a successful family-operated business. As production and sales manager at Joseph & Sons Inc., she oversees operations from field to customer, ensuring quality, consistency and long-term relationships with partners and clients.

Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to sustainable practices, integrity and efficiency. Guided by her father, Jose Ortiz Sr., she continues to build on her family’s agricultural legacy while maintaining the values that define their success in farming.

John Louie, a third-generation member of Green Valley Floral in Salinas, California, supports the company’s sales, marketing and farm operations. Established in 1973, Green Valley Floral is a premier grower and shipper of garden roses, spray roses, gerberas, greens and field flowers.

Louie holds degrees in economics and political science from Middlebury College and previously worked in the fresh vegetable industry with Tanimura & Antle and PlantTape, gaining experience in agricultural technology and business development. His leadership at Green Valley Floral focuses on innovation, product diversification and adapting to changing consumer trends.

In addition to his work in the floral industry, Louie serves on the board of directors for the First Tee of Monterey County, a nonprofit organization helping youth develop character and life skills through golf. He and his wife live in Monterey, where they enjoy hiking and the outdoors.

“Both Julie and John represent the spirit of innovation, collaboration and dedication that drives our industry forward," said CalFlowers President Lane DeVries. "Their combined experience across generations of family farming and modern business development will bring valuable perspective to the CalFlowers board. I’m confident their leadership will help us continue advancing our mission of ensuring more Americans enjoy more flowers more often.”

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