SCHWENKSVILLE, PA - Don’s Prepared Foods is heading to Southern Innovations with a broad selection of its top-selling products and an eye toward growth across retail, foodservice, and commissary.

The prepared foods company will sample some of its best-selling items at the show, giving buyers a look at a portfolio spanning seafood salads, grain salads, cream cheese spreads, dips, and other prepared foods.

While Don’s is holding its next product debuts until January 2027, the company is already looking ahead to three globally inspired dips designed around current flavor trends. For Carl H. Cappelli, Senior Vice President of Sales and Business Development at Don’s Prepared Foods, the message to buyers at Southern Innovations is simple. “Don’s has items others do not have!”

Aiming for "Global Domination"

Asked where the company is concentrating its attention at this year’s show, Cappelli had an equally straightforward answer. “Our focus is ‘global domination!’”

“Consumers are dining out less and seek meal solutions in-store. They seek restaurant-quality foods they can serve at home. Retailers love Don’s because Private Label is on fire in retail,” Cappelli said.

That shift creates room for prepared foods that can bring restaurant-inspired experiences into consumers’ homes while giving retailers something shoppers cannot necessarily find elsewhere.

Don’s offers its products in bulk, with select items also available in retail grab-and-go formats. Rather than telling retailers how to build their sets, Cappelli sees the company’s role as giving them differentiated products to work with.

“There is a lot here. Simply, Don’s offers items consumers and retailers seek. We offer all items we produce in bulk and some in retail grab-and-go. Retailers know how to merchandise. They just need unique items that give them a point of difference,” he said.

Showing Shoppers What’s Possible

While differentiation can draw attention, Cappelli said retailers can go a step further by showing shoppers how prepared foods fit into meals. “Show the consumer how it is used as a side or main dish. Consumers often buy with their eyes. In-store signage as well as digital drives sales,” he said.

That approach can be particularly relevant as shoppers look to stores for meal solutions that bridge the gap between cooking from scratch and dining out.

Attendees will also be able to find Don’s products in the show’s new item area.

For more insights from the companies shaping fresh food and retail, keep reading ANUK.

MISSION, TX - The Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) is now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge, a six-month program designed for produce industry members who are ready to make meaningful, measurable changes in their health. Space is limited, and applicants should be prepared to fully engage in the program from the outset.

Since its launch in 2020, 124 participants have taken part in the Clean Eating Challenge, building a community centered on healthier choices, greater accountability, and the everyday role fruits and vegetables can play in personal wellness. The Challenge is not a diet or a short-term weight-loss contest. It is a structured opportunity to build sustainable habits, learn from health professionals and peers, and put healthy living into practice over time.

This year, the selection process will place an even stronger emphasis on readiness. The Challenge is looking for applicants who are not simply interested in signing up, but who are prepared to invest six months in changing routines, following through on goals and being transparent about their progress. Interviews will take place the week following the Labor Day holiday, and selected participants will begin the program in the fall.

Participants will be paired with mentors who will provide encouragement, perspective, and accountability throughout the Challenge. Craig Slate will serve as head mentor for the 2026-2027 class.

“Healthy living has been a passion of mine because I have seen how consistent choices can change the way we feel, work, and show up for the people around us,” said Craig Slate, head mentor for the 2026-2027 Clean Eating Challenge, in the recent release. “I am committed to helping this year’s participants stay focused through the highs and the hard days, build habits they can carry forward, and discover what is possible when they give their health the attention it deserves.”

What selected participants can expect

• A six-month program focused on practical, lasting health and lifestyle changes.
• One-on-one or small-group support from a dedicated mentor, led by head mentor Craig Slate.
• Guidance from an accredited health coach throughout the program.
• Regular check-ins and active participation with mentors and fellow participants.
• Required baseline and progress measures, including bloodwork, intake statistics, and progress photos, to document the health journey
• and help participants evaluate change over time.
• A culminating experience connected to the Viva Fresh Produce Expo on April 9, 2027.

“The strongest results come from people who are ready to do more than express interest - they are ready to participate, be accountable, and keep showing up,” said Jen Velasquez, Clean Eating Challenge committee chair and VP of marketing at Full Tilt Marketing. “We want applicants who are prepared to make their health a priority for six months, use the coaching and mentorship available to them, and give themselves a real opportunity to create changes that last well beyond Viva Fresh.”

Applications are open now, and space in the 2026-2027 class is limited. Applicants should be members of the produce industry and be able to clearly articulate why they want to participate, what they hope to change, and why they are ready to follow through. Selected participants will also be expected to share their progress and experience during the program and at Viva Fresh.

To apply and learn more, visit www.vivacleaneating.com or apply directly via this link.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA - FiveStar Gourmet Foods is proud to announce a $55 million investment in a new state-of-the-art production and distribution facility in Chicago, scheduled to open in Q1 2027.

This investment marks another significant milestone in the company’s journey to build North America’s premier fresh food manufacturing network. The Chicago campus will become FiveStar’s fifth production and distribution facility, strategically expanding its national footprint and strengthening its ability to serve customers with greater speed, capacity, and flexibility.

As the makers of Simply Fresh® branded products, FiveStar continues investing in the future of fresh food. The new facility will feature advanced manufacturing technologies, world-class food safety systems, and highly automated production capabilities designed to support the next generation of fresh, ready-to-eat foods.

The planned $55 million investment reflects FiveStar’s long-term commitment to its customers, employees, and the communities it serves, creating new jobs, expanding production capacity, and further strengthening the ability to support national retailers, convenience stores, foodservice operators, airlines, and other strategic partners across North America.

With the addition of the Chicago operation, FiveStar Gourmet Foods will further strengthen its position as North America’s largest producer of fresh single-serve salads, meals, snacks, and grab-and-go foods.

“Perhaps what makes this milestone even more meaningful is that, after nearly three decades of growth, FiveStar Gourmet Foods remains a family-owned, privately held company. Our investments are guided by a long-term vision, a relentless commitment to quality, and a passion for serving our customers — rather than by quarterly earnings expectations,” says Tal Shoshan, FiveStar’s founder and CEO, in the recent release.

“This is more than a new facility. It is another step toward redefining what fresh food manufacturing can be,” says Shoshan. “Chicago, we’re excited to become part of your community!”