SALINAS, CA - Fresh Express, Chiquita, and Planet Harvest are bringing the Fresh Communities Tour: From the Fields to America’s Cities to Salinas this May, delivering thousands of fresh food boxes to families across Monterey County.

Following a successful launch in South Florida earlier this year, the Salinas activation marks the second stop in a growing national initiative aimed at expanding access to fresh, nutritious food and supporting communities with practical, everyday meal options.

Each food box includes a mix of fresh fruits and vegetables, Fresh Express® salad kits, Chiquita® bananas, and pantry staples such as rice, beans, and protein, along with recipe inspiration to help families easily prepare balanced meals at home.

Located in the heart of the “Salad Bowl of the World,” Salinas represents a meaningful moment for the initiative connecting one of the country’s most important agricultural regions with the local families and communities it serves.

“Salinas is central to who we are at Fresh Express. It’s where our roots run deep and where so much of America’s fresh produce begins,” said John Olivo in a press release. “Through the Fresh Communities Tour, we’re proud to support this community by helping expand access to fresh food and making it easier for families to enjoy simple, nutritious meals.”

Fresh Express contributes to the initiative by making fresh eating more accessible through convenient, ready-to-enjoy salads that help simplify meal preparation. Chiquita supports the effort by providing fresh fruit that complements balanced, everyday nutrition, while Planet Harvest enables the initiative by coordinating sourcing, logistics, and partnerships to ensure food reaches communities efficiently.

“At Chiquita, we believe fresh, nutritious food should be within reach for every family,” said Peter Stedman. “Through our collaboration with Fresh Express and Planet Harvest, we’re proud to support communities like Salinas by providing high-quality fruit and reinforcing the importance of simple, everyday nutrition.”

“We’re proud to bring together partners across agriculture and community organizations to deliver meaningful impact,” said Melissa Ackerman. “This initiative is about supporting communities and making fresh food more accessible in a way that’s practical and meaningful for families.”

Food distribution in Salinas will take place across multiple community locations from May 6–8, in collaboration with local partners including food banks, schools, and community organizations dedicated to supporting families across the region.

The Fresh Communities Tour reflects a shared commitment among partners to:

• Expanding access to fresh food
• Supporting local communities
• Championing American growers
• Promoting practical, everyday nutrition

In addition to food distribution, the events include family-friendly recipe inspiration and nutrition resources to help families turn fresh ingredients into quick, enjoyable meals.

The initiative will continue to expand to additional markets throughout 2026, including upcoming activations in Chicago and additional programs later in the year, building a scalable national platform that connects farms to communities across the country.

FRESNO, CA - Strategic mergers and acquisitions continue to shake up the fresh produce industry as companies make tactical moves to position themselves for future stability and growth. While such a deal often presents a wide variety of strengths for two merging enterprises, fresh produce businesses also need to be prepared for the challenges that may arise during the process. Heather Hammack, President, took a moment to explain how Famous Software provides its partners with an advantage in this arena.

Peggy Packer: Heather, can you start by breaking down what unique challenges can arise as produce companies undergo strategic acquisitions and mergers?

Heather Hammack: “Bringing together two enterprises carries inherent challenges, whether that is wading through tough negotiations, integrating two unique cultures, or navigating volatile market conditions. In fresh produce, the challenges can feel more pronounced given the fast pace of our industry. 

Some common challenges we have seen as our customers work through mergers and acquisitions include: integration challenges, cultural misalignment, overestimating synergies—especially when working with different or new commodities, communication breakdowns, talent retention, and technology or IT integration.”

PP: How does Famous Software help its partners overcome or mitigate these challenges?

HH: “Famous Software has been serving the technology needs of the fresh produce industry for over 50 years, and our team of seasoned, fresh produce experts has seen the industry change dramatically since 1975. That level of experience and expertise is rare in a technology company, and as such, Famous Software can provide invaluable insight and guidance to customers navigating through major changes such as a merger or acquisition.

One of the challenges can be merging different processes, especially when bringing on new commodities that may have different production or growing needs. Famous Software serves customers across the fresh produce industry with various business models. That allows us to evaluate different processes and provide guidance on best practices that we’ve observed and, in some instances, helped build across the myriad of customer profiles we serve.

Another piece of the M&A puzzle that can ensure a smooth transition is ensuring technology and IT integration is as seamless as possible. This is where an ERP provider who operates as a true partner and not just a service provider can make a real difference. Mergers and acquisitions can be anxiety-inducing for staff, and retention is always a risk during times of change. The Famous Software team of fresh can be a pivotal resource in providing training, consulting, and recommendations for process improvement so that current and new team members can feel confident that everyone is aligned and works competently within the system.

Church Brothers Farms has been a customer of ours for over 20 years, and during that time, we have helped them through a couple of acquisitions, most recently with Mann Packing. We have developed expertise in assisting our customers through mergers and acquisitions. We have helped some of our larger customers develop unique acquisition playbooks that they can use as they continue to bring in new operations. Whether that’s keeping companies separate or consolidating financial reporting across the organization as a whole. Our BI tool can facilitate dashboards that combine data across different operations so that leadership has one clear view."

PP: What unique advantages did Famous Software provide through Church Brothers Farms' recent acquisition of Mann Packing?

Steve Church, Co-Founder and Chairman, Church Brothers Farms: “Famous has seen us through multiple acquisitions, including Mann Packing. The biggest advantage is that we don’t have to start from scratch; they already know what needs to happen. That level of familiarity and trust is hard to replicate. On top of that, we can call Heather anytime, and she’ll jump in to help us work through whatever challenge is in front of us. From a practical standpoint, Famous is intuitive and easy to use, which is critical when you’re bringing in a new team, as getting people up to speed quickly is often the hardest part of any acquisition.”

PP: How does Famous Software’s industry experience help the company support its partners in this way?

HH: “With our focused experience in the fresh produce industry, Famous Software is familiar not only with our own customers, but we also have a depth and breadth of industry knowledge that can help customers who are evaluating a potential merger or acquisition. Our leadership team has over 100 years of combined experience working with customers and potential customers across commodities, business sizes, and company profiles. We can provide our customers with unique guidance and insight into the cultural and strategic synergies that two organizations may or may not have.

While integrating two companies poses a unique set of challenges, it’s not unlike onboarding a new ERP system. With unsurpassed expertise in onboarding new customers, Famous Software has a tried and tested implementation process that has been honed for over 50 years. That expertise can be directly applied to onboarding a new company and can help unpack potential efficiencies that a non-industry-specific provider or a less seasoned partner simply can’t provide.”

More exclusive insights from the Famous Software team are on the way, so keep reading AndNowUKnow!

FRESNO, CA - The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) commended the House of Representatives yesterday on the passage of the new Farm Bill, H.R. 7567, emphasizing its importance to California’s fresh fruit industry and specialty crop producers nationwide. The Association also recognized the collaborative efforts of lawmakers, industry leaders, and agricultural stakeholders who worked to advance policies that reflect the needs of specialty crop agriculture.

“California’s fresh fruit growers and shippers rely on strong federal support to remain competitive and sustainable,” said Casey Creamer, President of CFFA. “The passage of the Farm Bill ensures continued investment in programs that protect our commodities, expand market opportunities, and strengthen the future of American agriculture. CFFA is proud to be a member of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, which has played a vital role in advancing key priorities for our industry. We look forward to continuing our work with Senate leadership and remain hopeful that a final Farm Bill will be signed into law this year.”

The Farm Bill delivers critical investments in research, trade promotion, pest and disease prevention, and conservation programs that directly benefit California’s fresh fruit industry. These provisions are especially vital as growers navigate rising production costs, increasing global competition, and ongoing supply chain challenges.

The legislation also supports expanded access to healthy, nutritious food for Americans as the Trump Administration moves forward with implementing MAHA initiatives. Specialty crops, which includes fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery products, and greenhouse commodities, play a significant role in supporting public health while contributing substantially to the U.S. economy each year.

CFFA remains committed to working with industry partners on behalf of its membership to ensure timely consideration and passage of the House’s Farm Bill in the Senate.

International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) President and CEO Cathy Burns also released the following statement on the House of Representatives’ passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026:

“The passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by the U.S. House of Representatives is an important step toward delivering the certainty and stability America’s specialty crop growers urgently need. Specialty crop growers supply the fresh fruits and vegetables that are foundational to America’s health. A strong, five-year farm bill is essential to help these producers weather the unique pressures they face and keep fresh produce on the plate for families across the country. Alongside the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, we urge the Senate to build on this momentum and advance a farm bill that provides strong support for specialty crop growers and strengthens the nation’s food system.”