WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Alvarez Farms LLC, operating from Everett, Wash. has satisfied a $39,004 reparation order resulting from unpaid produce transactions under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). The company is now free to operate in the produce industry. Ruben Alvarez was listed as the member/manager of the business and may now be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee.

PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.

USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

Once a reparation order is fully satisfied and it is confirmed that there are no outstanding unpaid awards, USDA lifts the employment restrictions of the previously named, responsibly connected individuals.

For more information, contact Penny Robinson-Landrigan, Chief, Dispute Resolution Branch, at (202) 720-2890 or [email protected].

MONTREAL, QC - Equifruit, North America’s leading Fairtrade-certified banana importer and certified B Corp, is delighted to announce that Owain Hoefle has joined the company as Sales Manager, Western North America. Based in British Columbia, Hoefle will be responsible for developing key retail relationships across Canada and the United States.

Hoefle brings extensive experience in produce, floral, and grocery to the role. During his 17 years at Pattison Food Group, he rose through the ranks from store-level operations to Director of Produce, Floral, and Bulk, a role in which he developed deep expertise in category management and retail produce programs.

He most recently served as Key Account Manager at Rainbow Greenhouses. Having worked on both the operational and commercial sides of grocery retail, Hoefle has a firsthand understanding of what it takes to build and sustain successful produce programs at scale.

“After two decades building relationships across retail, you develop a clear sense of what a great brand looks like, and Equifruit has built something genuinely worth representing,” said Hoefle in the recent release. “I look forward to bringing that story to more retailers across Western North America and growing a program that delivers real impact for farmers and communities.”

“Owain brings deep roots in Western Canadian produce and experience building retail relationships in the markets we’re growing in,” said Kim Chackal, VP of Sales and Marketing and Co-owner of Equifruit. “We’ve long believed that the right people make all the difference in bringing Equifruit Fairtrade bananas to more shelves, and Owain is exactly the kind of seasoned, values-aligned team-member who can do that.”

Hoefle joins Equifruit as the company continues its rapid growth across North America. Recently named to The Globe and Mail’s Top Growing Women-Led Companies list for the second consecutive year, Equifruit has expanded its Canadian footprint through a partnership with Pattison Food Group.

MURRIETA, CA - With the California avocado season officially underway, and peak promotable volume anticipated from April through August, West Pak Avocado shares its excitement for the 2026 season by encouraging retailers to capitalize on the strong projected volume. To drive category performance and meet consumer demand for fresh, locally grown fruit, the global avocado supplier offers strategic programs with seasonal storytelling, bag initiatives, and premium variety differentiation.

"The strong volume projected by the California Avocado Commission for 2026 is a testament to the strength of the California avocado industry,” said West Pak Avocado CEO Mario Pacheco in the recent release. “At West Pak, we are proud to partner with our retailers, providing innovative programs and merchandising support to leverage this exceptional volume and help drive significant category growth."

The California Avocado Commission forecasts the state’s 2026 harvest at an impressive 330 million pounds, marking the third consecutive year the crop is expected to exceed the 300 million-pound milestone. The Commission's estimate includes a crop breakdown of 310 million pounds of Hass and 20 million pounds of premium varieties such as GEM and Lamb Hass.

At peak harvest, the Commission anticipates promotable volumes of 10-15 million pounds per week. This robust volume ensures a steady supply of premium California avocados and provides retailers with a clear opportunity to plan promotions throughout spring and summer.

According to West Pak Avocado Vice President of Sales and Business Development Joe Nava, the California season is the time for retailers to differentiate their produce aisle. “We encourage retailers to showcase high-quality, locally grown fruit through the peak California months, starting now and gaining momentum into California Avocado Month in June. Our California lineup, including California-centric bags and our Farm-to-Table PLU program, provides retailers with a roadmap for a successful season."

West Pak’s California lineup for spring-summer execution offers solutions to drive easy implementation and significant impact for retailers. At the forefront is West Pak’s California Gold bag, which features both conventional and organic varieties. This bag program was designed to enhance key promotional moments while meeting the rising shopper demand for value, convenience, and consistent sizing.

Additionally, the California GEM Avocados bag presents a compelling trade-up opportunity for retailers. These GEM avocados are slightly larger than the popular Hass variety and boast thick, dark green, and easy-to-peel skin with gold flecks when ripe. This specialty fruit offers a creamy, buttery texture complemented by a subtle nuttiness, ensuring consumers enjoy the familiar flavors and eating quality they expect.

To further engage with shoppers who value transparency and local sourcing, West Pak presents its Farm-to-Table story. This initiative provides customized PLUs that emphasize the fruit's California origins and forge a direct connection between consumers and local growers. By fostering this connection, West Pak helps cultivate a community of mindful consumers who value freshness, quality, and the stories behind their food.

Together, West Pak’s offerings provide a roadmap for retailers looking to maximize impact throughout the season. West Pak advises retailers to align merchandising and promotional strategies ahead of peak availability, particularly aligning with California Avocado Month in June, to maintain strong category momentum throughout the season.

PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA - Hortgro, an organization that supports and represents the deciduous fruit producers of South Africa, announces its third annual Endless Plum Possibilities consumer-facing sweepstakes to shoppers in the United States. Now through April 30, participants are encouraged via email and social media platforms to enter the promotion HERE for a chance to win a $500 gift card.

New this year, Hortgro is elevating its South African culture and pride with a distinctive promotional design that showcases the country’s flag and unique regional growing characteristics.

“We’re excited to share a bit more of the South African culture as well as the uniqueness of our growing region with this year’s promotion,” said Wilechia Van Der Westhuizen, Trade Development Manager at Hortgro. “Having the opportunity to continue educating U.S. consumers about what makes South African plums special is key to furthering our presence on grocery store shelves.”

By focusing on new cultivars and taste credentials driven by Mediterranean growing conditions, the South African stone fruit industry has achieved greater product consistency in an otherwise challenging category. Consumers can enjoy a reliable eating experience and consistently trust the product.

“We look forward to engaging with consumers during this third promotion period and encouraging them to enjoy South African plums during peak seasonality!” added Van Der Westhuizen in the recent release. “We’ve introduced a few new recipes this year to showcase all the delicious ways plums can feature in every meal.”

South African plums can be found at Costco, Sam’s Club and Wegman’s with high saturation in the Northeast region.

LEAMINGTON, ON - From new items like Georgia Grown Organic Long English Cucumbers to established tomato favorites like Rocco Reds®, Pure Flavor continues to deliver on its commitment to elevating the produce department with premium products. At this year’s Southern Exposure, the greenhouse supplier showed off its robust portfolio while emphasizing its continued investment in the Southeast.

“Our message centered on regional production, greenhouse growing that supports consistency and year-round availability, and innovation that responds directly to retailer and shopper needs,” shares Matt Mastronardi, Executive Vice President. “That same focus on innovation and flavor-forward produce created the perfect opportunity to spotlight one of Pure Flavor’s standout tomato offerings, Rocco Reds®— The Chef’s Tomato®. As cooking at home remains popular and consumers look for ingredients that elevate everyday meals, Rocco Reds® gives retailers a differentiated tomato that inspires recipe usage and repeat purchases.”

Emphasizing flavor and quality, Pure Flavor® continues to focus on purposeful innovation that helps retailers grow the category while delivering memorable eating experiences for shoppers.

With new regional production, a strong pipeline of greenhouse-grown vegetables, and products like Rocco Reds® designed to inspire cooking at home, the company remains committed to supporting retailers with dependable supply, impactful merchandising programs, and premium produce that keeps shoppers coming back.

“Rocco Reds®, The Chef’s Tomato® stands apart through its bold color inside and out, delivering a rich, classic tomato flavor and versatility across sauces, salsas, and fresh slices,” Matt adds. “Grown in controlled greenhouse environments, it offers consistent quality and reliable supply, making it a dependable choice for both shoppers and retailers. Across the broader Pure Flavor® portfolio, the same focus on greenhouse-grown, specialty varieties and flavor-driven innovation sets the products apart. Each is grown with a specific eating occasion in mind, whether for snacking, cooking, or entertaining, while maintaining consistency, quality, and distinctive flavor profiles that resonate with today’s shoppers.”

Looking ahead, the greenhouse grower will continue to strengthen its partners’ produce departments with a focus on flavor, consistency, and ease. The company is exploring product and packaging innovations that highlight quality and simplify the shopping experience, along with integrated marketing programs that bring these benefits to life in-store and online.

The supplier is also continuing its investments in greenhouse production and expanding its regional growing capacity to support consistent supply and freshness, helping retailers confidently deliver high-quality produce to their customers.

“Southern Exposure provided an opportunity for meaningful face-to-face conversations with retail partners and industry peers,” Matt concludes. “For Pure Flavor®, the event was especially valuable as a platform to share updates on its Southeast expansion, showcase new products, and gather direct feedback from customers. Those discussions help inform future product development and strengthen long-term partnerships and collaboration.”

For more exclusive insights from across the produce industry, look out for that little apple logo.