EDINBURG, TX - Little Bear Produce will be bringing added value to the Viva Fresh Expo this year, according to Bret Erickson. I recently sat down with the Executive Vice President of Business Affairs to discuss his excitement, expectations, and more for the upcoming show.

“We are incredibly excited to showcase our newest fresh-cut value-added offerings. Our fresh-cut program has grown significantly in the last couple of years, and the customer response has been outstanding, so much so that we have expanded our fresh-cut footprint and are developing new and exciting mixes, blends, and package sizes,” Bret told me. “It has never been clearer that consumers love the convenience of washed, chopped, and bagged items.”

Little Bear offers smaller serving sizes for convenience and minimal food waste at home, as well as large foodservice packs. Bret said that no matter what size the customer needs, the shelf-life on these bags are some of the best in the business, which means less food waste in the store and at home.

“Without a doubt, our favorite part of Viva Fresh is being able to connect in person with customers, colleagues, and friends. Viva is such a unique and intimate event—it’s always a great opportunity to catch up in person and mingle with folks. The produce industry is loaded with the best people in the world, and we love sharing our passion for produce with other attendees,” Bret explained. “In addition to seeing friends, old and new, I am particularly interested in the keynote speaker this year. Max Lugavere is not a household name, YET, but attendees are in for a potentially life-changing presentation on health and wellness, his perspective has blown my mind. I definitely suggest people check him out.”

One of Little Bear’s primary goals at the expo is to showcase its newest and most innovative offerings and to connect with customers, both current and future. The company has some impressive items rolling out this year, and Bret and the team are eager to get customer feedback.

“Networking is the number one reason people should attend. The Viva Fresh Expo is designed to maximize networking time for buyers and suppliers, in particular for the companies doing business through the Texas/Mexico corridor,” Bret went on. “Attendees have the opportunity to see people at Viva Fresh that they don’t normally see at any other expo the rest of the year.”

Last year at the show, Little Bear served a mixologist-inspired Dino-melon Margarita in the booth and was swamped by margarita lovers. This year, the team is bringing back the mixologists and will have a very sweetly sensational adult beverage that incorporates one of Little Bear’s special varieties of melon.

“I hope attendees can feel our passion and energy, and that our presence and unique high-quality offerings show the strength of the Little Bear brand. We are ready to work with our current and future customers to blaze new trails ahead,” Bret concluded.

If you plan to attend the show, be sure to stop by this exciting booth!

FORT WORTH, TX - For nearly 100 years, the DiMare family has been operating in the fresh produce space. With decades of expertise at its back, DiMare Fresh is jumpstarting operations and showing the industry just how much it’s able to do.

Let’s dive in with Jeff Busch, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

“We recently expanded our service offerings to diversify and vertically integrate our tomato farming business, which was purchased from Fresh America 20 years ago by the second generation of the DiMare family,” Jeff begins. “This transaction included five food-grade warehouses to combine with DiMare’s four tomato farms. Twenty years later, DiMare Fresh is an industry-leading provider of supply chain services, specializing in fresh produce and floral.”

The company’s tagline, A Fresh Take on Value-Added Distribution, is apt.

“Our food-grade warehousing and distribution services are more than just logistics—they’re a testament to our dedication to excellence, freshness, and reliability,” Jeff asserts. “Utilizing our nine company-owned, food-grade facilities, we can offer a nationwide distribution program to grower/shippers and manufacturers.”

From its inception in 1928, DiMare Fresh has worked hard to position itself as a market leader.

“As a result, DiMare Fresh is positioned nationwide, to offer a full line of fruits, vegetables, and value-added products and services, including warehousing and distribution services. For 96 years, the DiMare name has been synonymous with quality, superior service, and industry-leading technology. We got that reputation through our core values of hard work, integrity, and excellence in everything we do,” Jeff added.

Stick with AndNowUKnow as we continue to check in with companies across the fresh produce biz.

YUMA, AZ - Whether it’s your cup of tea or not, the marketing power of social media is not to be denied, and Bard Valley Natural Delights® recognizes that. With its focus on growing brand awareness, the date provider has collaborated with registered dietitians (RDs) to share the healthy benefits of the category to boost basket share throughout National Nutrition Month and beyond.

“Natural Delights prioritizes collaborating with registered dietitians due to their expertise and ability to inspire beneficial changes in healthy eating habits. We engage RDs in developing digital and printed health materials, hosting TV segments, sharing social media content, and offering expert insights to the media,” says Natalia Toccoli, Digital Marketing Manager for Natural Delights. “We also ensure that our RD partners participate in our Harvest Tour to deepen their understanding of our growing and packing practices, empowering them to represent the brand as trusted allies effectively.”

The supplier’s RD partners go beyond offering advice on healthy snacking and meals featuring dates; they also guide consumers on where to find them, greatly benefiting retailers. Notably, the brand’s media dietitians are directing individuals to their local stores to discover Natural Delights products, amplifying their visibility and desirability.

"When people ask me what my favorite trip is, I'm always elated to tell them about my experience getting to harvest Medjool dates as part of the Natural Delights annual harvest tour. Through this experience, my eyes were truly opened to the intricate journey these nutrient-dense gems go on before reaching our grocery shelves. This first-hand experience equipped me to speak to Natural Delights in several different ways, including trade show appearances, live TV segments, crafting quotes for top-tier online outlets, and recipe creation,” adds Mackenzie Burgess, RDN, nutrition partner for Natural Delights, and recipe developer at Cheerful Choices. “It's clear that Natural Delights is dedicated to partnering with registered dietitians and spreading positive health messages to diverse audiences."

RDs’ reputation for providing accurate, science-backed information makes them trusted consumer sources. Natural Delights also appreciates their ability to translate complex health terminology into easily digestible language, empowering everyday shoppers to grasp the significance of integrating fresh Medjool dates into their daily routines.

Although many retailers employ registered dietitians, Natural Delights suggests utilizing social media to amplify the content generated by RDs across various platforms. A wide variety of valuable content is available, ranging from nutritional recommendations to snacking and recipe tips, which prove immensely beneficial to consumers and serve as user-generated content for grocers.

“Because Natural Delights Medjool Dates have been such an easy solution for my family and the audiences I speak to, they have always been a dream brand to work with,” said Annessa Chumbley, RD, Emmy-nominated TV host and nutrition spokesperson. “It's easy to be enthusiastic and speak genuinely about a brand I know will be an amazing, delicious, and nutritious solution for others.”

With the summer approaching, retailers can continue to promote dates alongside Natural Delights’ RD partners to capitalize on snacking demand.

“National Nutrition Month doesn't have to conclude in March! This year's theme, Beyond the Plate, inspired families to consider nutrition on the go and at the table. Given that Medjool dates are a convenient portable snack, we encourage retailers to continue promoting this message throughout the spring and summer months,” details Natalia. “Remind consumers that dates are ideal snacks for student athletes, convenient grab-and-go options for the office, satisfying snacks during travel, and excellent appetizers for spring and summer gatherings.”

If you are looking for a date partner, contact Bard Valley Natural Delights here.

EMERYVILLE, CA - Back in February, we reported that Grocery Outlet had plans to acquire United Grocery Outlet (UGO) from affiliates of Gen Cap America and current and former UGO management. Now, the acquisition has been finalized.

"We are pleased to complete this transaction and extend our footprint into the Southeast," said RJ Sheedy, Grocery Outlet's President and Chief Executive Officer. "These stores have a track record of strong performance and give us immediate scale and a platform for future expansion in this new region. Our similar opportunistic buying strategies, customer value propositions, and shared mission of serving our communities make this acquisition a natural fit for our business. We are excited to welcome the United Grocery Outlet team to the Grocery Outlet family and work together on the many growth opportunities ahead."

According to a press release, UGO is an extreme value, discount grocery retailer operating throughout the Southeastern United States.

With 40 stores and a distribution center, the acquisition of UGO expands Grocery Outlet’s presence into Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, and Virginia.

Forward-looking statements and more can be found in the company’s press release here.

As always, ANUK will continue bringing you the industry’s latest acquisition news.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - GrubMarket is back at it again with the expansion efforts. The wholesaler recently launched GrubAssist, an enterprise AI software solution built for the food supply chain. The intuitive and powerful suite of AI-powered virtual assistants instantaneously delivers real-time business insights and analysis through an easy-to-use conversational interface and generates downloadable reports with contextual data.

"GrubAssist, powered by GrubMarket AI, represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to revolutionize the food supply chain industry through transformative technologies. Food is inherently an information-powered business, and the more information you have on hand, the better you can do your job. GrubAssist undoubtedly makes users' lives easier and helps them extract value from the decades of data that their businesses are sitting on. By harnessing the power of AI, we can empower food supply chain businesses with essential new tools that will help them thrive in an increasingly complex and dynamic market environment. The launch of GrubAssist also makes GrubMarket the first enterprise AI solution provider for America's food supply chain industry," said Mike Xu, Chief Executive Officer.

Accessible via any mobile device or web browser, GrubAssist's AI assistants empower employees with information to make better purchasing and selling decisions, offer better customer service, and complete their daily tasks faster. Business leaders and managers can leverage GrubAssist for immediate access to performance metrics, lists of exceptions and anomalies, and suggestions for new growth opportunities.

According to a press release, GrubAssist is platform-agnostic, meaning it integrates seamlessly with any company's existing ERP, accounting, or bookkeeping system. With this release, GrubMarket solidifies its commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI to fundamentally transform how food supply chain businesses operate.

We will continue following along with the wholesaler, so stick with us.

UNITED STATES - Those who prank together stay together. That’s totally how the phrase goes, right? Whether or not the phrasing is accurate, our industry got its share of pranks yesterday during April Fools Day.

As we were scrolling through Instagram yesterday, a few creative posts caught our eye—mainly because we were nearly tricked! Let’s walk through some of the tricksters’ posts now and see if you'll be inspired come next year's premium pranking holiday.

Grimmway Farms

New product alert? You know that our eyes are trained to seek out any innovations to hit the market, but the flavors here might not work out for anyone over the age of six. You got us Grimmway!

Prime Time International

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, but I bet he didn’t account for any of them being pink! Although cotton candy as a flavor has yet to hit the pepper segment, we’re not entirely ruling it out.

Frieda’s Branded Produce

Now this one hurts my heart. Not only would this be the most stunning thing to hit my plate, but I just know it would be refreshing to boot. Frieda’s, if you can make this happen, you would make me one happy customer!

Dole Food Company

Honestly, if this were an option for swag at an industry event, I would take home four. It looks like a Viking ship and a banana had a baby. I mean, the sides peel, guys! Why wouldn’t you want this?

Here’s to next year’s April Fools! Let’s see if we can top this one.