ST. LOUIS, MO - Todd Schnuck, Chairman and CEO of Schnuck Markets, Inc., announced that Ted Schnuck has been appointed Schnucks’ next Chief Operating Officer. In this expanded leadership role, Ted will have oversight for the company’s strategic initiatives and daily execution of business priorities, as well as executive leadership for store operations, merchandising, marketing, communications and supply chain. Ted will be the eighth Schnuck family member and first member of the fourth generation to have day-to-day operating responsibility for Schnucks.

“With Ted’s extensive experience in diverse strategic and operational disciplines across a broad scope of commercial environments, both internal and external, Ted is well prepared to expand his role as a next generation leader, a true history-making moment in Schnucks’ legacy,” said Todd Schnuck. “He is a leading voice in the evolution of the company, in particular, championing the work on our Vision for Schnucks’ 100th anniversary in 2039. Ted’s leadership ensures Schnucks is positioned for continued operational excellence, strong financial performance and sustainable growth.”

According to a press release, Ted joined Schnucks in 2015, bringing to the company significant expertise in developing and executing business strategies, understanding consumer behavior and driving brand growth, developed from key positions in management consulting and consumer packaged goods.

Since joining the family-owned business, Ted has held leadership roles across core company functions, including supply chain, marketing, business development, store operations and fresh merchandising. Reporting to the company’s Chairman and CEO, Todd Schnuck, Ted will continue to serve alongside Schnucks’ senior leaders on the company’s Strategy Team, of which he has been a member for the last four years.

“I am deeply honored to step into the role of Chief Operating Officer, carrying forward our family's legacy while forging the path for the next generation of Schnucks. Our focus remains clear: building the best customer relationships, driving operational excellence, supporting our outstanding teammates and communities and ensuring we deliver on our mission to Nourish People's Lives every single day,” said Ted Schnuck. “Especially considering the recent news of the launch of the Schnuck family’s holding company 1939 Group, Inc., and bringing Schnucks together with Wisconsin’s Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers as one family of companies, it is an exciting time to be a leader at Schnucks."

Last month, in his role as Chairman and CEO of 1939 Group, Inc., Todd Schnuck announced the official closing of 1939 Group’s purchase of Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers, joining the Wisconsin-based grocers with St. Louis-headquartered Schnucks as one family of companies. The completed transaction brings the new family of companies’ footprint to 164 stores in four states, supported by nearly 19,000 total teammates and associates.

For more from the press release, click here.

HOOD RIVER, OR - Growing cherries is an art form. Just as a masterful painting takes passion, skill, and time to come into focus, so too does the act of growing the perfect cherry. Maintaining a strong legacy in the cherry space, Hood River Cherry Company takes a detailed, focused approach to bringing its evolving portfolio to consumers.

“Over the next one to five years, we will continue to grow the volume of our proprietary cherry, Timberline, in addition to other conventional varieties,” notes Jared Gidley, Chief Executive Officer. “We live and farm in the perfect cherry-growing microclimate that is the Hood River Valley. In order for us to increase our volume and maintain the highest quality, we must plant orchards in high-elevation sites. This process takes time, as property turnover in Hood River Valley is infrequent. Hood River Cherry Company has land that allows us to increase our acreage while also maintaining the perfect high-elevation locations.”

While driving portfolio growth, Hood River Cherry Company upholds its historic legacy by committing to growing tree-ripened, high-elevation cherries. Three central leaders are spearheading this company growth.

As CEO, Jared brings 15 years of experience working in fruit packing houses, in addition to working as an agricultural consultant and operating an orchard operation alongside his wife.

Chief Operations Officer Kristoff Fowler adds another decade of experience to Hood River’s executive team, bringing in-depth knowledge in the fruit packing space. Having taken over the COO role two years ago, Kristoff is in charge of the management of Hood River’s packing operations, as well as other special projects throughout the year.

Tony Guisto serves as Head of Sales at Hood River Cherry Company. He joined the team full-time this season after occupying a sales support role for several years. Tony brings a wealth of experience gained from his role as a Sales Agronomist for an agricultural sales company for the last 10 years.

Each of these leaders brings a depth of experience that will support Hood River in its mission to produce only the highest quality, high-elevation cherries.

Rooted in over three decades of family tradition, Hood River Cherry Company continues to honor the values and vision that shaped its beginnings. What started as a family orchard built on integrity, care for the land, and a relentless pursuit of quality now enters a new chapter—one guided by the next generation. With Jared, son-in-law to the founders, alongside Kristoff and Tony, their sons, the company remains firmly grounded in its heritage while embracing innovation and growth. 

Together, they carry forward a shared promise: to preserve the legacy of those who came before while ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy cherries grown with the same devotion and craftsmanship that define Hood River Cherry Company.

“It's easy to cut corners, but by cutting those corners, you lose out on what makes our cherries so special. They need to ripen on the tree, which is a process that cannot be rushed,” Jared explains. “Hood River’s executive team has experience doing it the hard way and will not be deviating from the tried and true way of growing the world’s best cherries.”

Further elevating the sector, Hood River will also be offering 1 and 2 KG export packs as well as gift packs for consumers looking for a fresh addition to the cherry category.

For more category insights, leave a tab open to AndNowUKnow.

YUMA, AZ - As holiday sweets tempt consumers, opportunities are ripe to steer them toward the healthy indulgence found in the produce aisle.

“We recommend creating prominent secondary placements that capture the festive spirit and highlight the premium, giftable nature of Natural Delights Medjool dates,” David Baxter, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Natural Delights, said. “Eye-catching holiday displays near produce, bakery, or deli sections draw shoppers in and remind them that dates are perfect for entertaining, snacking, and baking.”

Because they’re shelf-stable, Natural Delights are an excellent merchandising staple across the store. Among the complementary options David listed were holiday baking ingredients, entertaining displays with cheese and meats, as well as charcuterie and appetizer boards.

“Retailers can also leverage endcaps or shipper displays featuring holiday recipe inspiration like stuffed or wrapped dates to showcase the product’s versatility and drive impulse purchases. Cross-merchandising is a powerful way to showcase how versatile dates can be while tying into the broader momentum happening online,” he shared.

This holiday season, Natural Delights is hosting a sweepstakes on Instagram from November 14 through December 31, partnering with produce heavy hitters like Stemilt, Love Beets, SugarBee®, and Frieda’s for giveaways that celebrate the creative ways dates fit into holiday entertaining and baking. An online buzz retailers can leverage and build on in-store.

In fact, when asked about success stories from retail partners who executed standout holiday promotions or creative merchandising that boosted sales for Natural Delights, David said retailers who have seen the most success during the holiday season are bringing Natural Delights Medjool dates out of the produce section.

“Bringing our products into high-traffic areas where shoppers are planning for entertaining and baking, many have utilized our holiday shippers with clear callouts to recipe inspiration and hosting ideas to capture attention and drive impulse purchases,” he explained.

During the holidays, Natural Delights sees sales lifts of 25–50 percent, with those featuring more prominent displays achieving results on the higher end of that range.

“We’ve also seen strong results from retailers who take advantage of cross-merchandising opportunities, placing dates alongside those complementary staples, so shoppers can easily add them to their carts while shopping beyond produce,” he reiterated. “And with Google searches for ‘date caramel’ and ‘date dessert recipes’ trending 5,000 percent higher during the holiday months, it’s the perfect time for retailers to take advantage of this consumer interest and position Natural Delights throughout the store.”

Retailers can bring the company’s recipes to life in-store through point-of-sale signage, QR codes, or digital promotions that feature holiday favorites like Bacon-Wrapped Dates, Date Bark, or Brie-Stuffed Dates. Who says holiday sweets have to be a guilty pleasure?

For more ways to ensure holiday traffic lifts the produce aisle across categories and beyond, keep an eye on AndNowUKnow.

IMMOKALEE, FL - Modern farming company Ark Foods is highlighting its domestically-grown honeynut squash program as retailers gear up for Thanksgiving. Grown across U.S. regions, Ark Foods’ Honeynut Squash delivers the quality, consistency and flavor buyers expect during one of the busiest produce seasons of the year. The squash’s vibrant color, natural sweetness and easy preparation reflect Ark Foods’ belief that simple, flavorful vegetables can evoke excitement in the produce aisle.

“Honeynut squash perfectly captures what Ark Foods stands for — flavor, simplicity and a genuine love for vegetables,” said Noah Robbins, founder and CEO of Ark Foods, in the recent release. “It’s grown right here in the U.S., farmed in Upstate New York, and packed with natural sweetness that proves seasonal produce can be both comforting and exciting.”

Compact and deeply flavorful, the variety is about half the size of a traditional Butternut but twice as sweet. Its rich orange flesh is high in beta-carotene, a natural antioxidant, and its edible skin makes preparation effortless. Roasted or microwaved and drizzled with honey or maple syrup, Honeynut Squash brings warmth and flavor to every table throughout the holiday season.

“Hard squash season is one of our favorites,” says Lindsay Belfatto, Vice President of Sales at Ark Foods. “We take great pride in growing our squash domestically. It gives our retail and foodservice partners the confidence of knowing they’re offering a U.S.-grown product — one that supports local agriculture and consistently delivers on taste, quality and reliability.”

Consumers increasingly value locally grown products for their freshness and lower environmental impact. By choosing U.S.-grown Honeynut Squash, shoppers know where their ingredients are coming from and can enjoy a delicious, high-quality product while contributing to a more sustainable food system.

“Our hard squash program represents what we love most about this time of year,” Robbins adds. “We take pride in being a domestic grower that brings the best of U.S. agriculture to every table. It’s a story we’re proud to tell, one that continues to grow each season.”

ORLANDO, FL - Two decades of rapid growth, research, and impact are being celebrated as the National Mango Board celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year. Since 2005, the organization has been on a mission to increase mango consumption in the U.S., and it continues to contribute to the success of one of the fastest-growing fruits in the country today.

“As we celebrate our 20^th anniversary, we’re looking ahead with an ambitious goal: to see mangos in every grocery basket by 2030,” shares Ramón Ojeda, Executive Director of the National Mango Board. “We plan to reach this goal by continuing to invest in research, education, and promotion efforts that keep mangos top of mind for consumers, retailers, and the entire produce industry.”

Celebrating this milestone anniversary, the National Mango Board is looking back on two decades of progress for the mango category, including:

• Consumption has nearly doubled from 1.9 lbs. per person in 2005 to 3.5 lbs per person in 2024
• During the first half of 2025, mangos reached the 10^th most consumed fruit in the U.S.*
• In 2024, the ROI on mango promotions reached 16 percent; this means that for every dollar the industry has invested in the NMB programs during the past 10 years, the industry has gained $16 in return
• U.S. mango imports have increased 255 percent, from $262 million in 2005 to $929 million in 2024
• More than 130 million boxes of mangos are delivered to the U.S. annually
• In 20 years, over 40 nutrition and health studies and 100+ production/post-harvest studies have been completed, advancing both consumer awareness and industry innovation

As Ramón tells me, retailers are key players when it comes to uplifting the mango category.

“Retailers play a vital role in keeping mangos top of mind for consumers and driving category growth. The biggest opportunities come from consistent merchandising, engaging displays, and cross-promotions that highlight how mangos fit into everyday meals and snacks. Through retail partnerships, we’re able to provide shoppers with samples, recipe inspiration, and easy access to educational resources on Mango.org. The National Mango Board also supports retailers with promotional materials, data insights, and more,” Ramón explains.

With category demand already strong, rising trends also present the opportunity for additional retail growth.

“One of the most visible consumer trends creating opportunities for mangos is the growing focus on health and wellness,” says Ramón. “Consumers are increasingly seeking foods that support a balanced diet without sacrificing flavor. Because fruit naturally aligns with perceptions of health, mangos are well-positioned to benefit from this trend. By continuing to educate on mangos, we can keep them top of mind for consumers who are making more mindful food choices.”

The NMB continues to drive research, education, and promotion efforts to keep mangos top of mind for consumers, retailers, and the broader produce industry, well on track to put “mangos in every grocery basket by 2030.”

“We plan to continue the momentum, the only way we know how to—by creating fun, joy-filled moments that immerse consumers into the world of mangos,” Ramon shares. “In 2026, the focus will remain on providing year-round education through creative campaigns, influencer partnerships, in-store activations, and more. With major global events coming to the U.S., we also see a timely opportunity to tap into that excitement and bring the energy of mango education to an even broader audience.”

The NMB website receives over 2.5 million visits annually, featuring recipes, research, education, and interactive content.

For more category insights and updates, leave a tab open to AndNowUKnow.

^{*Source: Nielsen IQ data through July 2025}

LAKELAND, FL - Publix has been named by Fortune as one of the best workplaces for women in 2025, one of only two grocery retailers on the large companies list.

“This recognition reflects the culture we have built at Publix to ensure all associates feel appreciated, supported and valued,” said Publix Vice President of Associate Experience Marcy Benton in the recent release. “For 95 years, Publix has been committed to being an inclusive workplace, which allows each associate the opportunity to achieve their personal best.”

Methodology

In a survey conducted by Great Place to Work, women were asked about their experiences in the workplace, focusing on their ability to thrive professionally, opportunities for advancement and feeling valued.

To learn more about Publix’s recognition and see Fortune’s Best Workplaces for Women list, visit greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/women/2025.