As retailers plan for a strong start to 2026, Bako Sweet is helping set the stage for an impactful kick-off to January’s healthy eating focus and February promotions centered on heart health and seasonal nutrition. With February recognized as both American Heart Month and National Sweet Potato Month, the timing creates a powerful platform to spotlight heart-smart foods and inspire shoppers to make nourishing choices. Sweet potatoes continue to earn their reputation as a heart-healthy staple, officially certified by the American Heart Association. Naturally rich in fiber to support healthy

Fred Webber, retired president and CEO for the Fruit & Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corp., died Nov. 24. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy shaped by his dedication to fairness and ethical trading in the fresh produce industry. Mr. Webber began his career in the USDA PACA Branch as a marketing specialist, where he developed his signature craft and became an impartial defender of produce industry contract law. He further honed his skills and leadership abilities when he joined Bluebook Services Inc., serving as the company’s chief arbitrator and becoming the vice president of special services

Vidre+ — a next-generation technology of smart labels and active packaging materials developed by Fresh Inset and brought to market in partnership with Avery Dennison, a global leader in materials science and labeling technologies — has been named the winner of the 2025 pre-commercialized Packaging Europe Sustainability Awards. Leveraging Avery Dennison’s deep expertise in advanced materials and global converting capabilities, Fresh Inset has integrated its proprietary active-material innovation into functional labels and packaging substrates at scale. Vidre+ transforms standard label and film

The desert is finally starting to take shape. After a messy stretch of storms that slowed harvests and complicated load times, fields in Yuma are drying out, plants are responding to the warmer days and we’re seeing the first real signs of stability since transition began. Iceberg, Romaine and leaf are all showing steady improvement. Weights are still inconsistent, but quality is notably better than the tail end of Salinas, and processors should see more reliable supplies as we move through the first two weeks of December. If the weather continues to cooperate, most growers expect volume and

Ocean Mist Farms is headed to the Big Apple for the 2025 New York Produce Show where the company will showcase — and sample — its latest innovations in value-added fresh vegetables. “We’ll be featuring our newly rebranded ‘No Shame in a Shortcut’ Roastables line in our booth at the show,” said President and CEO Chris Drew. “The feedback we’ve received on these convenient and delicious items has been phenomenal — and we’re thrilled to see how strongly they’re resonating with consumers.” Launched last year, Roastables ready-to-cook kits quickly gained recognition as one of the most innovative

ShopRite started its annual Check-Out Hunger campaign, a holiday-season fundraiser that invites customers to support local food banks by adding a donation at checkout. Running now through the second week of the new year, the campaign unites ShopRite stores across the region in a shared mission to help neighbors facing hunger during one of the busiest times of the year for food banks. The start of ShopRite’s Check-Out Hunger Campaign comes on the heels of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey’s (CFBNJ) 25th annual Turkey Drive. CFBNJ collected donated turkeys and food items at ShopRite stores