The first grapes shipping from California’s San Joaquin Valley will see some overlap with the last of Mexico’s crop, but Grapeco Farms Co-owner Jared Lance said the high quality of both crops is a good sign for retail demand for the fruit from California. Lane said Mexico’s harvest started several days later than normal, and that lag carried throughout the season. In late June, Grapeco was shipping fruit grown in Hermosillo and Caborca from Nogales, AZ, distribution facilities. “San Joaquin (Valley) appears to be three or four days earlier than normal, so there’s a bit of an overlap,” Lane

Longtime California agricultural leader Don Smith, who remained active in the industry and in his farming operation until the end, died on July 3 at the age of 95. “He worked his entire life,” said his son and business partner Stephen Smith. “He was very involved in every aspect of the company (Turlock Fruit Co.) until the day he died. In fact, he was out walking the fields and checking the crops just a week ago. He was involved in picking and packing and was also active on the sales end. With some customers he worked with five generations of buyers — especially the wholesalers.” Donald J

With its 2025 campaign, Savor Summer’s Sweetest Moments, Bland Farms invites families to do more than enjoy a harvest — it encourages them to pause, connect and savor the simple joys of the season: meals shared, memories made and the unmistakable sweetness of summer. “Bland Farms has always been about family, and this campaign is a natural extension of the values the company was built on,” said Sloan Lott, director of sales at Bland Farms. Centered around farm-grown Vidalia sweet onions, it blends timeless nostalgia with fresh ways to connect — from music and recipes to giveaways and retail

Festival Foods is kicking off the peak of cherry season in a big way – literally. On July 16, the De Pere, WI, Festival Foods location will host the largest cherry display in company history: a nine-foot wide, 30-foot long, six-foot-high mountain of fresh cherries hand-picked from Pacific Northwest orchards. Guests can view the cherry display on Festival Foods' social media pages — if they’re not visiting the De Pere store — and enter the contest by commenting their guess of how many cherries were used on the cherry display post. The four closest guesses will each win a $50 Festival Foods gift

The Independent Grocers Alliance and the National Watermelon Promotion Board partnered to launch a robust second-half 2025 shopper marketing and retailer education campaign designed to boost watermelon awareness, drive in-store engagement and support IGA retailers in delivering fresh, family-friendly solutions to their customers. Kicking off this month, the multimedia campaign will leverage IGA’s retail media network, digital circulars and in-store promotions to feature watermelon as a healthy, fun and versatile option for summer and holiday meals. The collaboration includes: Co-branded Retail

Greenyard USA/Seald Sweet has named Andrea Montagna co-CEO. The company said the introduction of the co-CEO structure is part of a thoughtful, long-term succession plan designed to build on Seald Sweet’s rich heritage while accelerating growth and innovation across the United States. Montagna will serve alongside current CEO Mayda Sotomayor, combining their expertise to further strengthen the company’s position as a trusted leader in fresh produce. “I’m honored to join Greenyard USA/Seald Sweet at such a pivotal time, and to partner with Mayda and the entire team in this next chapter of growth