DUARTE, CA - Vallarta Supermarkets, the family-owned Latin grocery chain known for its authentic and fresh offerings across California and Arizona, is celebrating the opening of its first Duarte location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, October 21st. Located at 1470 Mountain Ave, Duarte, CA 91010, the new store marks Vallarta Supermarkets' 66th location and continues the company's growth across Southern California.

The grand opening celebration will bring the Duarte community together with live entertainment, special giveaways, community contributions, and a chance to experience Vallarta's fresh and authentic offerings, according to a press release. The first 300 customers through the doors on grand opening day will receive a complimentary reusable grocery bag filled with groceries. In celebration of the new location, five local schools and charitable organizations will receive a share of $10,000 in donations from Vallarta, furthering the company's commitment to supporting the communities it serves.

"We're excited to open our doors in Duarte and become part of this community," said Allie Garcia, Vice President of Marketing at Vallarta Supermarkets. "With every new store, our goal is to create a welcoming destination where families can find fresh, high-quality ingredients that reflect the cultures and traditions they love. We're equally proud to give back to the communities we join, and we look forward to building lasting connections with Duarte residents and local organizations."

The new store will also introduce SushiOro, Vallarta Supermarkets' new in-store sushi concept featuring rolls with flavors developed by Vallarta's in-house chefs. SushiOro will debut six signature sauces, ranging from sweet and zesty to bold and spicy, with select sauces paired with core Vallarta rolls and all six available separately for customers who like a little extra flavor.

The Duarte store will bring 200 new job opportunities to the community, from department staff to store leadership roles, along with a vibrant 45,839 sq. ft. space, featuring all of Vallarta's signature departments, creating a convenient and welcoming shopping destination for local residents.

Signature departments include:

• Made-Fresh Daily Foods: From warm corn and flour tortillas crafted in-house, to hand-decorated cakes and pan dulce in the Panadería, and ceviches prepared with freshly squeezed lime, Vallarta's signature freshness is front and center.
• Authentic Flavors at the Heart of the Store: The Carnicería, known as the Home of the Original Carne Asada™, offers premium cuts of meat marinated in signature spices. Guests can also experience the Cremería, which showcases traditional cheeses like queso fresco and cotija, while the Pescadería and in-house Cevichería deliver ocean-fresh seafood, aguachiles, and more.
• Grab-and-Go With a Cultural Twist: Shoppers can stop at La Cocina for hot, ready-to-eat meals inspired by Mexico and Central America, sip aguas frescas straight from traditional vitroleros at the Juice Bar, or personalize their guacamole at the made-to-order station. They can also find convenient refrigerated meals ready to heat and enjoy at home, including tortas de jamón, fresh salads, and our signature rice and refried beans. For a sweet finish, the Dulcería offers candies, piñatas, and celebration essentials.
• Global Meets Local: Alongside staples of Latin American cuisine, Vallarta brings variety with hand-rolled sushi at SushiOro, fresh-pressed juices, fruit bowls topped with Tajín and chamoy, and a wide selection of organic produce sourced both locally and worldwide.
• More Than Groceries: The Florería brightens every occasion with vibrant flower arrangements and potted plants, rounding out the store as a true community destination.

Vallarta Supermarkets is just a few taps away! Get your favorite grocery essentials and La Cocina hot, ready-to-eat meals delivered straight to your door through all major delivery services, including DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart. From fresh produce to delicious carnitas tacos, enjoy the best of Vallarta anytime, anywhere.

PLEASANTON, CA - Americans spend about $5.4 billion annually on strawberries, according to the California Strawberry Commission, but quality problems threaten that value. In an analysis of online strawberry reviews from a major national grocery retailer, DeltaTrak found that 78% mentioned mold or rot, highlighting a quality issue that can begin long before berries reach a shopper’s refrigerator.

For growers, shippers and retailers, those complaints reflect lost value and damaged shopper trust, often from problems that start in the supply chain.

“Long before mold becomes visible, strawberries may have already lost valuable shelf life,” said Dr. Jeffrey K. Brecht, emeritus professor of postharvest physiology at the University of Florida. “Cooling promptly after harvest and maintaining proper temperatures throughout distribution help preserve quality. Understanding how much shelf life remains gives suppliers and retailers a better opportunity to act before the fruit deteriorates.”

To examine shelf-life loss during distribution, DeltaTrak analyzed more than 8,000 inbound berry shipments using UBQ Freshness Index™ (FreshIDX™), which combines temperature history, transit events and commodity-specific biological models to estimate remaining shelf life. The analysis found that 31.5% of strawberry loads had lost at least half a day of remaining shelf life by the time they reached the distribution center.

For suppliers and retailers, that means less time to inspect, distribute and sell berries before quality declines. Delays in cooling, transportation or receiving can shorten the selling window before mold or other problems become visible, reducing opportunities for full-price sales and increasing markdowns and shrink.

DeltaTrak modeling estimates that recovering just one day of usable strawberry shelf life could improve revenue retention by approximately 27%. The model evaluates how earlier prediction of mold growth can enable retailers to preserve more full-price sales while reducing losses associated with markdowns and product removal from store shelves.

“This analysis puts a financial value on freshness,” said Karl McDermott, chief SaaS revenue officer at DeltaTrak. “For strawberries, one additional day of advance warning can mean more time to sell at full price and less product lost to markdowns or waste. The industry has become very good at tracking the journey. The next step is understanding what that journey did to the product and acting on that information before value is lost.”

FreshIDX turns shelf-life estimates into practical guidance for produce teams. Using those estimates, teams can:

• Identify at-risk shipments before quality visibly declines.
• Prioritize inspections and reroute or expedite deliveries.
• Move products based on remaining shelf life and predicted mold growth rather than arrival order alone.

FreshIDX is delivered through the UBQ Network powered by DeltaTrak, a digital ecosystem connecting growers, shippers, logistics providers, buyers and retail store managers with meaningful produce quality and shelf-life data to make informed decisions to reduce shrink and increase profitability. In the two years since opening its membership program, the network has grown to support more than 1,000 organizations worldwide.

To learn more about FreshIDX or the free UBQ Network membership program, visit ubq.network or stop by booth 2826 at the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show, Oct. 15–16.

NEW ZEALAND - Zespri’s final charter shipment of the 2026 New Zealand kiwifruit season has departed the Port of Tauranga and is on its way to Shanghai.

The vessel, Whero, is carrying more than 1.7 million trays, or 6,120 tonnes of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit for consumers in China. It’s the 57th charter vessel for Zespri to help deliver a record crop of around 225 million trays (810,000 tonnes) this season, with final container shipments to depart New Zealand in the coming weeks.

CEO Jason Te Brake says the sailing of the Whero marks an important milestone as the industry enters the final stages of the New Zealand season.

“The departure of our final charter is an opportunity to recognise the significant effort from growers, post-harvest, logistics partners and our teams around the world to deliver another large crop to consumers in more than 50 markets.

“Sales have been encouraging in Europe, while North America continues to perform well. In Greater China, our in-market teams worked hard to capitalise on the recent Mid-Autumn Festival where we saw strong sales, with fruit from the Whero due to arrive in market in the coming weeks.

“Despite a more challenging global trading environment and a more competitive fruit category, demand for Zespri Kiwifruit has remained strong across many of our key markets, helping deliver strong value back to growers and shareholders.

“The strong demand we've seen this season reflects the value consumers are placing on high-quality, nutritious fruit and the efforts of our teams and partners across the supply chain. It has also been supported by the rollout of our new global brand platform, Grown for Good, across our core markets, which champions natural nutrition and the role fruit can play in supporting healthier lives.”

With the New Zealand season drawing to a close, Zespri’s focus is turning to ensuring a smooth transition to its Northern Hemisphere-grown fruit and preparing for the 2027 season.

“We’re expecting around 36 million trays (129,000 tonnes) from our Northern Hemisphere growing regions this season. This includes 28 million trays (more than 100,800 tonnes) of Zespri SunGold and a further eight million trays (28,800 tonnes) of Zespri Green Kiwifruit, with the transition to our Northern Hemisphere SunGold fruit getting underway in Europe in the coming weeks week,” says Mr Te Brake.

“Working with our Northern Hemisphere partners to provide our consumers with 12-month supply is a key part of our strategy for maximizing long-term value back to growers.”

FRANCE - Fyffes and Miles Import SA have announced a new three-year strategic partnership in France, bringing together the complementary strengths of two experienced fresh produce businesses to develop opportunities in the French market.

Under the agreement, Miles Import will become the sole distributor for Fyffes in France. The two companies will work together to strengthen the supply and commercial development of bananas and pineapples in the French market.

The partnership combines Fyffes’ international sourcing capabilities and extensive experience in the production, procurement and supply of high-quality tropical fresh produce with Miles Import’s established commercial capabilities, customer relationships and knowledge of the French market.

For Fyffes, the agreement represents an important step in developing its presence in France, where the company sees opportunities to bring its fresh produce expertise, responsible sourcing approach and international supply capabilities to more customers.

Frank Burkhardt, Chief Commercial Officer at Fyffes said: “France is an important fresh produce market and one where we see significant potential for Fyffes. We recognise that succeeding in a market requires strong local expertise, relationships and an in-depth understanding of customers, which is why we are delighted to enter this strategic partnership with Miles Import.

“Fyffes brings more than a century of experience in fresh produce and an extensive international supply network, while Miles Import brings strong knowledge of the French market and established relationships with customers. We believe those strengths are highly complementary.

“This is very much a long-term partnership. Our ambition over the next three years is to build the business together by providing French customers with quality fresh produce, reliable supply and a high level of service.”

Guy Lesvenan, Chairman and CEO of Miles Import SA said: “When I founded Miles Import in 1994, our growth was initially built on strong expertise in citrus fruits and grapes. In the 2010s, we took another step forward by specializing in air-freighted mangoes for the French market.

Since 2020, we have proudly developed the Fyffes brand across the French retail, foodservice and food processing sectors. Our partnership is built on a shared vision: a commitment to quality, traceability, transparency and long-term relationships.

Today, I am particularly proud to announce that Miles Import is becoming the sole distributor of Fyffes products in France and will now lead the development of Fyffes bananas in France, in addition to its ongoing pineapple business. This milestone reflects six years of mutual trust and our shared ambition for the French market.”

The partnership reflects both companies’ commitment to developing resilient, long-term relationships across the fresh produce supply chain and responding to the evolving needs of customers.

Fyffes and Miles Import will begin working together under the new agreement from 1st January 2027.

MIAMI, FL - Consumers want to differentiate their seasonal tablescapes, and what better way to do so than with fresh produce? Both French beans and white asparagus are a natural fit for holiday entertaining and elevated meals, and Crystal Valley Foods has the supplies to meet demand.

“French beans are already a holiday staple and work especially well for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other seasonal gatherings. They offer convenience, versatility, and an upscale presentation while still being very familiar to consumers,” Katiana Valdes, Marketing Director, told me. “White asparagus brings something different to the holiday table. Its delicate flavor, tender texture, and distinctive appearance make it a great option for special occasions. We see an opportunity for retailers to use white asparagus to add variety to their asparagus assortment and give shoppers a premium vegetable option during a time of year when they are looking for something a little more special.”

Katiana relayed that Crystal Valley is in a good position with its French bean program this season. The supplier has continued to strengthen its grower network and has additional volume available to support both existing programs and new opportunities. Quality has reportedly been very good as well.

“One of our strengths is our experience with specialty produce and the relationships we have built with our growers over many years. With French beans, we have developed a strong program that allows us to offer consistent quality and volume while working closely with customers on their individual needs. We have also diversified our sourcing to help ensure consistent volume throughout the year,” Katiana explained.

White asparagus, on the other hand, is a much more specialized program, and Crystal Valley is excited about continuing to build awareness and demand for the item. Katiana pointed out that it is much less known in the United States than in Europe, where it is well loved. Supply is more limited by nature than green asparagus, and there can be small gaps throughout the year, but Crystal Valley works closely with its growers to secure quality product and maintain continuity for customers. It is a unique item that offers retailers an opportunity to bring something different and premium to the asparagus category.

“White asparagus is particularly exciting because, although it has been available in the U.S. for decades in both fresh and jarred forms, it is still relatively unique in the market. Crystal Valley has extensive experience in the asparagus category, and we see an opportunity to help educate retailers and consumers about white asparagus, how to prepare it, and how versatile it can be,” Katiana relayed. “We want to make the item more approachable while still maintaining the premium qualities that make it special. As part of that effort, we are now adding special tags to our white asparagus that give consumers a quick rundown on how to prepare it, helping take some of the mystery out of an item they may not have cooked with before.”

On a final note, Katiana told me how Crystal Valley is continuing to invest in the future of the business. The company is currently working on integrating AI into its systems and upgrading technology across different areas of the company. The focus is on building a stronger technology foundation that enhances both the customer and employee experience, improves operational efficiency and helps Crystal Valley stay ahead of rising costs and an increasingly complex produce industry.

“For us, technology is not about replacing the relationships and experience that have always driven our business,” Katiana stated. “It is about strengthening them. With these upgrades, we are improving visibility, efficiency, and access to information so our teams can make faster, better-informed decisions. Ultimately, those investments should translate into better communication and an even higher level of service for our customers.”

Katiana concluded, “At the same time, we continue to focus on what has always been important to us: strong grower partnerships, quality products, reliable service, and finding new opportunities within the specialty produce category. French beans and white asparagus are great examples of categories where we believe our experience and relationships can bring added value to our customers.”

Advantageous grower partnerships and investments in long-term growth will carry Crystal Valley far into the future. Stick with ANUK as we observe the journey.