LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA - The Allen Lund Company is pleased to announce Brian Piccola's promotion to Assistant General Manager of ALC Rochester.

Brian Piccola graduated from the University of Buffalo in 2007. He joined ALC Rochester as a Broker's Assistant and worked his way up through the ranks. Before his promotion, Brian had served as the office's Operations Manager for the past seven years.

Lenny Sciarappa, Vice President of Sales and Operations, stated in the recent release, "Brian has been a dedicated and hard-working employee at ALC. His effort and dedication have helped lay the foundation for our highly successful Rochester office, making his promotion to Assistant General Manager extremely well deserved. Thank you, Brian, for your loyalty and perseverance. We wish you continued success in your new role."

Todd Piccola, General Manager of ALC Rochester, said, "Through the highs and lows of the Rochester office, Brian has been a pillar of the team for over 15 years. He has been a driving force behind our growth and is highly deserving of the promotion to Assistant General Manager. We look forward to his continued contributions to the office and the company as we move forward."

Regarding his promotion, Brian shared, "I am very excited about this promotion and the opportunity it brings. I look forward to taking on increased leadership responsibilities, and I truly appreciate all the opportunities that the Allen Lund Company has provided for my family and me."

MISSION, TX - The Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) celebrated another successful John McClung Memorial Golf Tournament on August 7, bringing members and industry partners together for a day on the course in McAllen, Texas.

While golf provides the backdrop, the tournament has become much more than a day on the course. It creates an informal setting where growers, shippers, importers, distributors, service providers, and industry partners can strengthen existing relationships, make new connections, and spend meaningful time with fellow members.

"Events like the John McClung Memorial Golf Tournament are an important part of what makes the TIPA community special," said Ed Bertaud of IFCO, TIPA’s Golf Committee Chair, in the recent release. "Our members do business together throughout the year, but opportunities like this allow them to spend time together in a completely different environment. The conversations and relationships built on the golf course are the best part about this event."

The continued popularity of the tournament is reflected in its annual sellout. Teams return each year not only for the competition, but for the opportunity to meet with colleagues from throughout the fresh produce supply chain.

For TIPA, that engagement is central to the association's mission. Throughout the year, TIPA creates opportunities for members to connect through industry events, educational programs, and other activities. Plus, this tournament is a great way to honor the memory of TIPA’s past president, John McClung, whose work brought together the domestic and international industries and reshaped the association to better serve the region.

TIPA extends its sincere appreciation to the companies whose sponsorship and support make the John McClung Memorial Golf Tournament possible. The commitment of these organizations allows TIPA to hold events that bring the industry together and strengthen the relationships at the heart of the Texas fresh produce community.

TIPA also thanks every golfer, volunteer, and industry partner who participated in this year's tournament and helped make it another memorable event.

Don’t miss TIPA’s next event, the TIPA-HFFVA Golf Tournament on September 25th in Houston, Texas.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Target is taking a fresh look at its grocery aisles, putting more space behind fresh produce and trend-driven food and beverage products as the retailer works to strengthen its position in the grocery sector.

According to The Seattle Times, citing Bloomberg reporting, Target has been overhauling its grocery departments since the spring, increasing the size of the section by more than 20 percent in nearly 150 remodeled stores and more than 50 percent in 300 new locations. The additional space is being directed toward fresh produce and trending products, while some slower-moving pantry staples are being scaled back.

The effort comes as Target looks to make food a stronger reason for shoppers to visit its stores. More than half of Target shoppers purchase groceries during their trips, while food and beverage accounts for less than 25 percent of company revenue. The segment has grown by more than $9 billion since 2019.

Target has added roughly 4,600 food items so far this year, along with more than 60 brands during the second quarter. The retailer has also increased space for Asian food products by approximately 75 percent following more than 25 percent sales growth for the category over the past year.

“Food and beverage is a powerful opportunity to make life easier for busy families and drive our business forward,” John Conlin, Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage Merchandising, said in a statement cited by the report. Conlin added that the retailer's grocery assortment is deepening shopper loyalty and driving more frequent trips.

Rather than attempting to match larger grocery competitors across every category, Target is emphasizing a more curated assortment of national, emerging, and store brands designed around evolving tastes and wellness interests. The retailer hopes the approach can create more of the “treasure hunt” experience that has historically characterized other parts of its business.

The grocery revamp is expected to play a significant role in Target's broader turnaround strategy, with the retailer estimating the effort could generate more than $2 billion in growth over the next several years.

As Target continues reshaping its food business, fresh produce is set to gain more room alongside emerging brands and specialty products as the retailer works to give shoppers more reasons to make grocery part of their Target run.

AndNowUKnow will continue tracking grocery strategy as the retailer brings its refreshed assortment to more stores.

OXNARD, CA - As dragon fruit continues to build momentum with consumers, Freska Produce International is putting a renewed spotlight on its Ecuadorian dragon fruit program, combining consistent supply with a tropical fruit that offers visual appeal, versatility, and nutritional value.

Dragon fruit has continued to gain recognition beyond the traditional tropical produce set, driven in part by consumers’ growing familiarity with the fruit and its use across smoothies, beverages, fruit bowls, and other applications. For Freska, that increasing awareness represents an opportunity to continue building its presence in the category while giving retail partners a dependable source of fruit.

“We’re excited about where the dragon fruit category is headed,” said Tom Hall, Sales Manager of Freska Produce International, in the recent release. “Consumers are becoming much more familiar with the fruit, and once they understand how easy it is to eat and the nutritional value it offers, we think there is a lot of opportunity for continued growth.”

Freska’s Ecuadorian dragon fruit program offers 52-week availability, with several strong promotional windows throughout the year. As production moves through its different peak periods, Freska is positioned to provide customers with consistent year-round supply while identifying opportunities to promote the category during periods of stronger availability.

“Consistency is extremely important to us,” Hall added. “As interest in dragon fruit continues to grow, we want our customers to know that Freska has the relationships and supply program in place to support them.”

The fruit’s nutritional profile adds another layer to its growing appeal. According to research available through the National Institutes of Health’s PubMed Central, dragon fruit is a source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds, including phenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids, which are recognized for their antioxidant properties. Its vibrant appearance and mild flavor also give retailers multiple opportunities to introduce dragon fruit to consumers looking to add more variety to their produce purchases.

For consumers who may be less familiar with dragon fruit, its preparation is relatively straightforward. The fruit can simply be sliced in half and scooped from the skin or peeled and cut into pieces, making it easy to enjoy fresh or incorporate into smoothies, salads, and fruit bowls.

“Dragon fruit has everything you want in a category with growth potential; it stands out in the produce department; it has great nutritional value; and consumers are finding more ways to enjoy it,” Hall said. “Our goal at Freska is to continue building a strong, reliable program behind that demand and give our customers confidence in the category.”

With Ecuador entering another important harvest period, Freska looks forward to continuing to support its customers with dragon fruit while building greater awareness of the category.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has entered into a Consent Decision and Order with L Produce LLC, d/b/a Leonardo’s Produce of Detroit. The company, operating from Michigan, failed to make prompt payment to 13 produce sellers in the amount of $794,230 for produce that it purchased, received, and accepted in interstate and foreign commerce from November 2024 to February 2025, in violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).

L Produce has been barred from operating in the produce industry until June 25, 2028, and then only after it applies for and is issued a new PACA license by USDA and posts a USDA-approved surety bond.

USDA is required to publish the finding that a business has committed willful, repeated, and flagrant PACA violations and impose restrictions on those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business during the violation period. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval. By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.

For more information, contact the Investigative Enforcement Branch at (202) 720-6873 or [email protected].

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on seven produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers they purchased produce from and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without USDA approval.

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

• Urapa Produce LLC, operating out of Pharr, Texas, for failing to pay a $528,200 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Roger Pedraza Chavez and Anthony Godinez were listed as the members/managers of the business.
• Barbosa Carrots LLC, operating out of Pharr, Texas, for failing to pay a $29,878 award in favor of a New York seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Erick Velasquez was listed as the sole member/manager of the business.
• Tri Foods Distributor Inc., operating out of Sacramento, Calif., for failing to pay a $4,935 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Diem Nguyen and Kevin Tri Le were listed as the officers, directors, and/or stockholders of the business.
• Alvarado & Sons Produce LLC, operating out of Raleigh, N.C., for failing to pay a $40,488 award in favor of a North Carolina seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Victoria Huerta and Martin Alvarado were listed as the members/managers of the business.
• Fresh Pikd Wholesale Market Co., operating out of Brooksville, Fla., for failing to pay a $32,204 award in favor of an Idaho seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Melissa Canals was listed as the officer, director, and/or stockholder of the business.
• BF Yang Trading LLC, operating out of Shoreview, Minn., for failing to pay a $4,462 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Thai Yang, Teng Yang, and Kong Yang were listed as the members/managers of the business.

PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.

USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it, as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.

For more information, contact Penny Robinson-Landrigan, PACA Dispute Resolution Branch, at (202) 720-2890 or [email protected].