WINTER SPRINGS, FL - The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) is proud to announce the launch of the 18th Annual Retail Merchandising Contest, inviting retailers from across the country to showcase their creativity and merchandising excellence for a chance to win top prizes, including a $5,000 grand prize.

This year’s contest introduces a partnership with Tajín®, encouraging retailers to incorporate the iconic chili-lime seasoning into their watermelon displays. To celebrate this collaboration, the first 100 qualifying entries that feature Tajín® in their merchandising will receive a $20 Amazon gift card. In addition, the first 25 entrants will receive a $20 digital gift card just for participating.

Retailers are encouraged to highlight watermelon’s key attributes, including health, happiness, value, and versatility, through innovative in-store and digital merchandising efforts. Eligible displays may feature any type of watermelon, including whole, fresh-cut, mini, yellow, red, or any mixed thereof.

Judging will be based on several criteria, including:

• Category visibility
• Visual merchandising creativity
• Effective use of materials
• Communication of nutritional benefits
• Inclusion of recipes or selection education
• Integration across print, online, and digital platforms
• Prize Structure:
  • 1st Place: $5,000
  • 2nd Place: $2,500
  • 3rd Place: $1,000
  • Honorable Mentions (3): $500 each

“All year long, retailers play a vital role in connecting shoppers with fresh, nutritious foods,” said Juliemar Rosado in the recent release. “This contest is a celebration of their creativity and dedication. We’re especially excited to partner with Tajín this year to inspire bold, flavorful displays that highlight watermelon in fun and unexpected ways.”

“We’ve proudly partnered with NWPB for several years,” said Eric Patrick, Tajin® fresh produce alliances. "Consumers love this flavor combination, and we look forward to seeing the innovative merchandising and marketing strategies retailers create. Together, watermelon and Tajín generate strong interest and engagement at retail.”

The contest officially begins June 8, 2026, and runs through August 31, 2026. Merchandising efforts must take place a minimum of one week throughout the months of June, July, or August. For more information, including Official Rules and an Online Entry Form, visit here. Entries, including entry forms and photos, can also be submitted via email to [email protected]. All submissions must be received by midnight EST on September 14, 2026.

DELANO, CA - With a promising horizon for California table grapes in our future, retailers will need to employ best practices to keep product moving and top of mind.

“Retailers should take advantage of the earlier start to the California season and look for promotional opportunities sooner rather than waiting for the traditional calendar cycle,” Stefanie Pandol, Marketing and Sustainability for Pandol Bros, tells me. “Being proactive with ordering, merchandising, and ad planning can help maintain momentum and keep consumers engaged throughout the summer.”

This includes implementing early promotions, impactful in-store displays, and consistent communication about quality, freshness, and availability, all of which are key to keeping grapes top of mind during peak consumption periods.

“We believe consumers will be especially drawn to the upcoming California grape crop because of its excellent eating quality, texture, size, and flavor profile. While green seedless varieties currently continue to lead consumer preference, there are exceptional offerings across both green and red grapes this season that we are very proud of,” Stefanie adds.

One of these is Ivory, the earliest variety, which Pandol markets as Sugar Crunch.

“It has shown very consistent quality and strong early-season performance. The Ivory season then helps transition us into Sweet Globe, which, when harvested at peak maturity and optimal brix levels, can be one of the best-eating green grapes of the season,” Stefanie notes.

On the red seedless side, Pandol Bros is happy to announce that Candy Snaps are approximately two weeks earlier than normal, and the fruit is looking excellent this season.

"Consumers, especially children, respond very positively to the candy-flavored varieties because of their unique sweetness and memorable flavor profile. Lastly, we’re especially proud of our Sweet Celebration program, which continues to deliver an outstanding eating experience,” she says. “The variety is large, firm, and sweet, offering consumers a bold burst of flavor.”

Due to the earlier California crop, Pandol Bros has high-quality, promotable domestic fruit available for key summer holidays, beginning with the Fourth of July and extending through Labor Day. In addition to the strong quality, this season is also projected to bring solid volumes, creating meaningful promotional opportunities for retailers throughout the summer.

“Our preparation has focused on maintaining strong communication with our retail partners, so they understand the season's adjusted timing and can plan promotions accordingly,” Stefanie explains. “By aligning early on supply windows, merchandising, and promotional opportunities, we can better support impactful holiday programs and maintain strong movement throughout the season.”

ANUK will continue to report on the domestic grape season, so stay tuned with us here.

KINGSVILLE, ON - This summer, SUNSET® Flavor Bombs® will don red, white, and blue to honor America's 250th anniversary. A limited-edition Flavor Bombs® package will celebrate the national milestone and the U.S. greenhouses producing one of America's favorite snacking tomatoes. The limited-time packaging will be available exclusively in the U.S. from June to July on Flavor Bombs® sourced from Mastronardi™ greenhouses in Iowa, Michigan, Kentucky, and New York.

"We're proud to showcase the new Flavor Bombs® packaging on the tomatoes from four influential states in the U.S.’s produce industry, and America's 250th felt like the right moment to put that on the package. These are American-grown tomatoes from our U.S. greenhouses that deserve to be celebrated," said Paul Mastronardi, President and CEO of Mastronardi Produce®, in the recent release.

Flavor Bombs® are the signature product of the SUNSET® BOMBS® portfolio — tomatoes that live up to their name with an explosion of sweet, rich, intense flavor in every bite. Grown in controlled environment greenhouses year-round, they deliver sweetness and an explosion of flavor in every single bite, making them a popular choice for snacking, entertaining, and everyday cooking.

The America 250 limited edition is the latest chapter for the SUNSET® BOMBS® tomatoes, which have built a loyal following among snacking tomato fans since its launch. This summer, the packaging puts the U.S.-grown story front and center, giving retailers and shoppers a fresh reason to reach for Flavor Bombs® during the country's biggest celebration. The limited-edition America 250 package hits retail shelves in June 2026 and will be available through mid-July 2026.

For more information, visit www.sunsetgrown.com and follow on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and TikTok.