BAKERSFIELD, CA - Grimmway Produce Group™ is ready for this year’s Southern Innovations, bringing some of its most exciting innovations yet to the show floor. New offerings across carrots, organic vegetables, and potatoes will be on display at booths #417 and #419, demonstrating how the company is shaping the next generation of category growth.

“Southern Innovations is exactly where we want to bring this story to life,” shares Karen White, Vice President of Marketing Operations. “It's an opportunity to share not only what's new today, but how we're building consumer-led innovation platforms designed to create excitement, unlock new occasions, and drive category growth.”

One of the ways the grower is achieving this is through the introduction of Made for Mealtime™, a new consumer-led innovation platform that starts with usage occasions for carrots.

“We're looking at how consumers prepare and serve carrots and building solutions specifically around those behaviors,” Karen explains. “Made for Mealtime™ Soupers and Made for Mealtime™ Roasters are the first offerings under the platform and just the beginning. Available across Grimmway Farms® and Cal-Organic Farms®, the platform is designed to make carrots easier to shop for, prepare, and serve while unlocking more mealtime occasions and new opportunities for category growth.”

Tasteful Selections® will showcase Cheesy Bliss Potatoes™, a first-of-its-kind innovation in the fresh potato category that pairs bite-size potatoes with a real cheese sauce component. Rooted in the comfort food need state and designed for today’s mealtime occasions, Cheesy Bliss delivers warm, indulgent flavor in minutes.

Offering something for a range of tastes, the lineup touts three distinct varieties:

• Creamy Gouda
• Bacon Cheddar Jalapeño
• Mild Cheddar

Rounding out the company’s SEPC showcase, Cal-Organic Farms® will spotlight Coleslaw and Veggie Crunch, expanding its organic portfolio with convenient, versatile solutions designed for today's mealtime needs.

“Both offerings make it easier for consumers to bring organic vegetables to the table, whether as a quick side, meal starter, or ingredient,” Karen adds. “It's part of our broader focus on growing organic by delivering greater convenience and creating more ways for consumers to incorporate organic vegetables into meals throughout the week.”

Grimmway Produce Group™ operates across 19 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, supported by a network of 20 facilities and hundreds of field operations. This expansive reach allows the company to strategically select growing regions and deliver fresh, high-quality produce to its customers year-round.

Continuing to strengthen this network, Grimmway is investing in new growing regions and processing capabilities closer to the customers it serves. The grower’s expansion into Minnesota is one prime example of how Grimmway is diversifying its growing and processing footprint and strengthening an already robust supply network.

“But leadership in produce is about more than supply,” Karen tells me. “We are connecting our agricultural expertise and scale with category knowledge, consumer insights, and customer needs to identify what is next. That combination allows us to lead from the field through the consumer and continue creating opportunities for growth across carrots, potatoes, and organic vegetables.”

Southern Innovations attendees can learn more about Grimmway Produce Group by exploring the RPE® and Tasteful Selections® brands at booth #419 and Grimmway Farms® and Cal Organic Farms® at booth #417.

“Southern Innovations has always been an important show for us because of the quality of conversations we have with our customers. It gives us an opportunity to showcase what is new across our portfolio while sharing the consumer insights behind our innovation,” Karen concludes. “This year, we can move the conversation beyond the product itself and talk about how these offerings can create new consumer occasions, support our customers’ priorities and ultimately grow the categories together.”

Stick around as ANUK brings you more insights in the lead-up to Southern Innovations!

ANAHEIM, CA - With the fall focus on sugary loot for costumed kids, it’s easy to overlook the Halloween sales potential lurking in fall produce. Retailers will want to sink their fangs into otherworldly items from Frieda’s Branded Produce for fall displays: Rambas® rambutans along with Fire Dragons®, Honey Dragons® and Snow Dragons® dragon fruit varieties.

Like many holidays, the buzz for Halloween starts early. “Summerween” is more popular than ever with mass merchandisers, club stores and houseware retailers. While candy and décor are the first signs of Halloween, consumers are hungry for more. National Retail Federation reports that Halloween spending reached a record $13.1 billion in 2025. That’s a $1.5 billion increase from 2024. Research from Mars found that early Halloween planners are twice as likely to cook foods that are inspired by the holiday at home.

Halloween is when consumers are looking for spooky items across all departments and categories, and there are many reasons to bring Halloween to produce. It strengthens consumer appeal and total store engagement. It also drives sales in the tropical category as consumers’ focus shifts to the holidays. With more than 20 years of experience in spooky foods programs, Frieda’s partners with retailers nationally to leverage the opportunity.

“Everybody loves a ‘wait, what is that?’ moment when shopping,” said Alex Jackson, VP of sales and marketing for Frieda’s, in the recent release. “Specialty produce delivers it. Rambas rambutans and Frieda’s dragon fruit add spooky flair to in-store displays and customer carts. They also bring festive, craveable flavor that’s healthy and fresh, activating sales beyond bags of miniature candies.”

Best-selling rambutans build beastly displays.

“Rambut” is Malay for hair, and rambutans are covered in soft red spines that curl at the tip. When piled high or spread out, Rambas create an eerie, exotic display. And when peeled, they edge out the grape for the best edible eyeball. According to Circana, Frieda’s Rambas rambutan units have increased by 19.2% per store per week, year over year, outpacing all other brands.*

Dragons are in (and out for Halloween sales).

Scaly and spiky on the outside. Sweet and refreshing on the inside. Dragon fruit looks weird enough to stop consumers in their tracks, but it’s familiar enough to be an easy sale in retail. Frieda’s introduced dragon fruit to American shoppers in the ‘70s. About 50 years later, Frieda’s is still the fastest-selling dragon fruit brand.

• Frieda's Snow Dragons: Vivid pink skin. Ghostly white, seed-speckled flesh. Frieda’s Snow Dragons are a mild, refreshing highlight of fruit trays, salads, and party cocktails.
• Frieda’s Honey Dragons: The sweetest of the dragon fruit has vibrant yellow skin and white flesh that sparks creativity.
• Frieda’s Fire Dragons: The sweet, slightly earthy flavor of a Fire Dragon is ideal for salsas, fruit salads, smoothies and cocktails.

Specialty produce stops shoppers.

According to Circana data from October 2025, dragon fruit contributed over $8 million in national sales during October, with rambutan contributing over $2 million. The data also showed double-digit volume sales growth compared to October 2024. Compared to September 2025 sales, dragon fruit increased 17% and rambutan increased 40%.†

Everyone is vying for attention during the spookiest part of the year. In 2021, C+R Research surveyed 1,000 shoppers. 60% said Frieda's products would most likely catch their eye in-store. If you’re looking for the right ingredients for hair-raising displays and high Halloween tropical produce sales, get in touch with the Frieda’s sales team.

Source: Circana Total US MULO

^{* Rambutan: average weekly units per store selling % change vs. year ago.
† Snow Dragon Fruit, Honey Dragon Fruit and Rambutan Segments Rolling 4 weeks ending 11-8-25 as compared to Rolling 4 weeks ending October 8, 2025.}

EXETER, CA - California Citrus Mutual (CCM) applauds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for announcing plans to purchase $57.5 million in fresh citrus through the Section 32 procurement program.

The purchases include:

• $20 million in fresh oranges
• $12.5 million in fresh grapefruit
• $25 million in fresh mandarins

The Section 32 program allows USDA to purchase domestically produced agricultural commodities for distribution through food banks, schools, and other nutrition assistance programs. These purchases help reduce available inventory during periods of surplus, strengthen market conditions, and support returns for U.S. growers while providing fresh, nutritious citrus to families and communities across the country.

California Citrus Mutual has actively advocated for fresh citrus to remain a priority within USDA’s Section 32 purchasing program. As the nation’s leading producer of fresh citrus, California growers are expected to benefit significantly from the purchases.

“This is a substantial investment in the U.S. citrus industry and comes at an important time for our growers,” said Jacob Villagomez, CCM Director of Governmental Affairs, in the recent release. “CCM has continued to advocate for opportunities that strengthen the domestic market and support grower returns. We appreciate USDA and AMS recognizing the importance of fresh citrus and expanding these purchases to include a significant commitment to mandarins.”

CCM has continued working with USDA and federal leaders to communicate current market conditions and advocate for programs that provide meaningful support to California citrus growers.