Produce News Facebook  Produce News Twitter  Produce News LinkedIn  Produce News Instagram

BJ’s Wholesale Club announces grand openings of three clubs

BJ’s Wholesale Club announced that it will open three new clubs in December. Locations in Springfield, MA, and Sumter, SC, will open Dec. 12, followed by the Casselberry, FL, club on Dec. 17. All three locations will include on-site BJ’s Gas stations offering everyday low fuel prices and additional savings through BJ’s Fuel Savers Program. Gas stations in Springfield and Sumter opened in November. The Casselberry station is scheduled to open Dec. 3. The Casselberry club, located at the Casselberry Exchange at 108 State Road 436, is BJ’s 42nd Florida location. The Springfield club, at 1655

Interim CFO Roel to depart; Bootsma returning to Royal FloraHolland

The Supervisory Board of Royal FloraHolland said interim Chief Financial Officer Hendrik Jan Roel will leave at the start of 2026 to join Jumbo Supermarkets, where he has accepted a permanent position. Roel’s temporary appointment followed CFO David van Mechelen’s move to acting CEO after CEO Pieter Bootsma went on medical leave. The company said Bootsma’s recovery is progressing, and he is expected to begin a gradual return in January 2026. “ I am delighted that Pieter Bootsma's health is improving to such an extent that he will be able to return to RFH gradually and step by step from January

Millennium Pacific strengthens West Coast supply with California Grown snacking tomato program

Millennium Pacific Greenhouses is spotlighting its growing portfolio of California Grown snacking tomatoes, a core category that continues to accelerate in consumer demand across the West Coast. With multiple high-flavor varieties grown in both loose and on-the-vine formats, Millennium Pacific’s snacking tomato program delivers the consistent quality, vibrant flavor and year-round reliability that retailers expect from a premium, vertically integrated greenhouse supplier. With U.S. production anchored at the company’s high-tech greenhouse in Tehachapi, CA, Millennium Pacific provides a stable

Windset Farms receives FortisBC 2025 Efficiency in Action Award

Windset Farms has been named a FortisBC 2025 Efficiency in Action Award winner. FortisBC is an energy utility that provides natural gas to homes and businesses across British Columbia. This recognition highlights the company’s commitment to energy efficiency and its proactive approach to sustainable, innovative growing. As part of the lit expansion, Windset deployed 100 percent LED lighting, which uses substantially less power than traditional HPS systems. The company installed additional hot water grow pipes to maintain consistent crop temperatures, vertical airflow fans to recirculate air

IFPA strengthens global sustainability leadership, connections

As part of the International Fresh Produce Association's strategic commitments to both growing its worldwide influence and future proofing the industry through programs and initiatives on topics such as sustainability, the organization has returned from the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (or the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC) having forged deeper connections with global policymakers focused on climate, sustainability, food systems and quality, and nutrition security. “Sustainability is at the core of what the fresh produce and floral industry represents: stewardship

Delaware Valley Floral Group announces acquisition of Georgia State Floral Distributors’ Savannah and Augusta locations

Delaware Valley Floral Group LLC announced that it has acquired Georgia State Floral Distributors, a family-owned floral distributor with operations in Savannah and Augusta, GA. The acquisition supports DVFG’s ongoing growth strategy and its commitment to serving retail florists, event designers and mass-market floral professionals nationwide. The addition of Georgia State Floral Distributors strengthens DVFG’s presence in the Southeast and complements its existing cold-chain fleet delivery service from Maine to South Carolina, as well as service across the Midwest. Founded in 1954, Georgia
Body

Zespri has released its November forecast for the 2025-26 season with forecast per tray returns up for all fruit groups from the last forecast in August.

Forecast per tray returns for Zespri green, organic green and organic SunGold kiwifruit now exceed the top end of the August ranges. At a per-hectare level, record returns are now forecast for all fruit groups.

CEO Jason Te Brake said it’s been a strong season with a record crop of 215 million trays from New Zealand delivered to markets around the world.

“The forecast is positive news for our growers and reflects the continued global demand for Zespri kiwifruit, which has been particularly strong in Europe and North America, with forecast returns also benefiting from marketing spend efficiencies and favourable foreign exchange gains," he said. 

“With just a few weeks of fruit left to sell, our in-market teams are focused on finishing the New Zealand season strongly and maximising the value we return to growers,” said Te Brake.

Zespri will release its final forecast for the 2025-26 season in February.

Copyright © 2025 The Produce News • Covering Fresh Produce Around the Globe Since 1897