WASHINGTON, DC - International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), with the generosity of Global Produce & Floral Show exhibitors, has donated 226,227 lbs of fresh, quality produce and 30,000 lbs of flowers and plants to the local Orange County and Los Angeles Community.

The annual show, which attracts exhibitors from across the produce and floral supply chain, has established partnerships with food banks in host cities. Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is a member of Feeding America.

“We greatly value the partnerships we have with local organizations that help us to rescue and deliver produce, floral, and compost to benefit the communities that welcome our show each year,” said IFPA Director of Trade Shows, Kyle McMillan, in the recent release. “This allows us to ensure the investments our members and partners make in our show can extend far beyond the expo floor. We’re grateful for our exhibitors for their generosity and for our local colleagues who do such important work supporting the communities who welcome our Show each year.”

The produce, floral, and compost donations cannot be collected and delivered without a core group of professionals and volunteers. Compost and floral are gleaned by professional partners on site and Second Harvest brings together and trains volunteers who rescue, pack and transport the produce donations as soon as the show ends. This year’s donation was so generous, show partner, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County was also able to share produce with LA Regional Food Bank.

“Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is honored to continue our strategic partnership with IFPA at this year’s Global Produce & Floral Show, said Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County CEO, Claudia Bonilla Keller. “This collaboration makes an incredible impact on our community. We’re grateful for the exhibitors and IFPA members for their donations which ensures nutritious, fresh fruits and vegetables reach those in our community who need it most including children, families and seniors.”

This year’s floral donation was bigger than ever before with over 60 community partners signing up to receive floral donations of loose stems, potted plants, bouquets and more. These partners included organizations that support seniors, veterans, children with visual impairments and their families, and the healthcare professionals and volunteers working in the community. IFPA member, That Flower Feeling, also hosted a consumer giveaway at The Grove, a bustling promenade in Los Angeles, to spread the joy of flowers.

Partners who received flowers expressed how the flowers helped them to spread happiness and joy with their clients and colleagues. One partner expressed “so many residents came up to me during and after the event to tell me how happy the flowers made them.” Another said that the donation allowed them to make 261 door to door floral deliveries at their senior community. One partner also utilized the floral to promote wellness amongst their staff members, “the flowers brought so much joy, color, and calm to our office. It was a wonderful way to start the week,” she said.

IFPA implemented a robust back of house waste sorting operation after the show which helped to maximize the collection of green waste for composting, and also additional waste streams for soft plastics, cardboard and single stream recycling.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Welcoming in more talent and bolstering its ranks with added experience, Pacific Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms welcomed industry veterans Russell Lamplugh, Roberto Van de Wyngard and Alex Rotan to the team.

Russell Lamplugh has rejoined the company as Senior Director, National Operations – Fruit Division reporting to Dan Carapella, Vice President of Operations - Fruit Division/Category Director, Treefruit. Russell has over 17 years’ experience in Fruit Operations. In addition to his role in Operations, Russell will also oversee the East Coast QC Department. He is a Philadelphia native, married, with three amazing kids. His spare time is spent supporting their many activities as well as supporting all the local professional teams. Russell will be based in Philadelphia.

Roberto Van de Wyngard will be transitioning to the new role of Treefruit Category Manager. He will also report to Dan Carapella. Roberto first joined Pacific Trellis Fruit in 2024 as the Senior Supply & Inventory Manager before transitioning to his previous role as the National Director of Quality Control. With over 20 years of experience in the produce industry, Robert has extensive experience in grower relations, sourcing, quality, with a heavy emphasis on retail programs. Roberto will be based in New Jersey.

Alex Rotan joins the company as Import Grape Category Manager. He has brought with him a wealth of experience over the past 8 years in the grape category working for HMC Farms (a CA grape and stone fruit grower/shipper) where he managed their import grape program as well as handling export sales for domestic tree fruit and grapes. Alex will be reporting to Josh Leichter, Director of Import Grapes. Alex will be based in Los Angeles.

“We are excited to welcome these talented individuals to our team. They will positively impact our core strategies of providing first-class customer service and growing the Dulcinea brand, which targets high-quality, high-flavor that delight the consumer,” said Eric Coty, EVP - Fruit Division, in the recent release.

SAN DIEGO, CA - Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit dedicated to creating communities of health through fresh food, officially launched its San Diego program at Jefferson Elementary School. The kickoff on September 23 marks an exciting milestone in the organization’s mission to improve long-term health outcomes for children and families through access to fresh produce and hands-on nutrition education.

The 2025–26 school year represents Brighter Bites San Diego’s first full year of programming following the successful merger with +BOX, a locally founded nutrition assistance initiative. Together, these efforts are bringing a proven, evidence-based model to North County schools and families facing increasing food insecurity.

“This has been a year of transition, rebuilding, and quiet determination for Brighter Bites San Diego,” said Wesley Burt, founder of +BOX, in the recent release. “Following our merger, our team has worked tirelessly to strengthen partnerships, align systems, and lay the groundwork for a stronger, more sustainable future. We’re now better positioned than ever to serve families across our community—and we’re just getting started.”

This school year, Brighter Bites San Diego plans to serve 12 schools across the region, providing:

• 384,000 pounds of fresh produce
• 16 biweekly produce distributions per school
• Nutrition education for approximately 6,000 students
• Support for 1,500 families (averaging 125 families per school)

Each participating family will receive about 16 pounds of fresh produce every other week, along with recipes, cooking tips, and nutrition lessons designed to make healthy eating both accessible and enjoyable.

“Brighter Bites continues to make a meaningful difference for our families by providing access to fresh, healthy produce twice a month,” said Erin Feeley, Superintendent, Bella Mente Montessori Academy. “Their generosity supports our mission to nurture the whole child and ensures that families facing food insecurity can bring nutritious meals to their tables. We’re incredibly grateful for their partnership and the positive impact they bring to our school community.”

“With everything rising in cost, it’s been hard to keep fresh fruits and vegetables in our home,” shared a Bella Mente parent. “The support from Brighter Bites has eased our worries and brought more healthy options to our family’s meals. My children look forward to trying new foods, and we’re all eating healthier because of it.”

Brighter Bites CEO Rich Dachman added, “We are thrilled to bring Brighter Bites to San Diego. This expansion allows us to serve even more families with fresh produce and nutrition education, helping children build lifelong healthy habits. We are especially thankful to the Burt family for establishing +Box and for the opportunity to partner with them. Our work wouldn’t be possible without their generosity and vision. San Diego is a vibrant community, and we’re honored to be part of it.”

As grocery prices climb and CalFresh and Medi-Cal benefits are reduced, the need for programs like Brighter Bites is greater than ever. The San Diego team aims to raise $150,000 by December 31 to position the program for expanded reach in 2026.

“Brighter Bites San Diego is about more than food—it’s about stability, dignity, and hope,” Burt said. “Together, we can ensure every family in our community has the opportunity to thrive.”

To hear more about the merger and the vision for Brighter Bites San Diego, listen to “Spotlight on the Community” featuring Wesley Burt and Gregg Burt, former +BOX Board President and current Brighter Bites National Board Member. The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information or to support Brighter Bites San Diego, visit www.brighterbites.org.

WESTERN, US - A storm parade fueled by Pacific moisture is taking aim at the West Coast this week, bringing waves of rain, gusty winds, and mountain snow from Washington to Northern California. Meteorologists at AccuWeather warn that this active pattern could persist through mid-November, as one storm after another surges inland along the jet stream.

Early in the week, rainfall will span nearly 2,000 miles of coastline, from Alaska through British Columbia and into California’s redwood country, before spreading inland toward the Cascades and northern Rockies. Coastal areas could see 2–4 inches of rain, with localized totals up to 8 inches in favored upslope regions. Wind gusts reaching 50mph may lead to spotty power outages and hazardous conditions for mariners.

By Thursday, another round of storms will follow in quick succession, maintaining the region’s wet streak. Snowfall is expected at higher elevations of the Cascades and northern Rockies, where lowering snow levels hint at a winter-like pattern taking hold. Despite occasional breaks, long-range forecasts show the Gulf of Alaska trough continuing to funnel storms into the Northwest well into mid-month.

Keep checking ANUK as storm systems continue to shape conditions across key Western growing regions.

JORDAN, RANCH, TX - H-E-B officially opened its newest Houston-area store, H-E-B Jordan Ranch, Wednesday, October 29th. The 116,000-square-foot store is located at 29711 Jordan Crossing Blvd. in the Jordan Ranch Market shopping center at the corner of Texas Heritage Parkway and Jordan Crossing.

“Opening our doors in this growing community is an honor and we look forward to providing our neighbors with convenient, close-to-home shopping experiences and solutions,” said Juan Siso, Top Store Leader and 17-year H-E-B Partner, in the recent release. “As H-E-B Jordan Ranch will be the furthest west large format H-E-B in the Houston region, we not only have the opportunity to grow with this Ft. Bend County area, but we will have the pleasure of serving those who will find their way to our aisles from nearby Waller and Harris counties.”

Continuing its growth in the Houston market, H-E-B introduces this developing community to a shopping destination with a commitment to deliver unsurpassed freshness and quality at H-E-B’s everyday low prices. Filled with exciting amenities and innovations that H-E-B is known for, the H-E-B Jordan Ranch has distinctive features such as our walk-up Seafood Boil stand just out front – select from shrimp, crawfish, crab, or lobster and let H-E-B do the work; a full-service H-E-B Pharmacy with drive-up spaces; and a massive H-E-B Curbside area with 37 parking spaces; and a fuel station with carwash. H-E-B is serving up its version of the internet’s favorite strawberry cup using premium ingredients with a local touch. This decadent dessert of warm, rich Belgian ganache poured over a cup of fresh, hand-selected strawberries is only available at our new Jordan Ranch location’s strawberry stand in the Bakery Department.

Inside and out, the new store reflects the unique character of the Jordan Ranch community. The store design, which has a modern prairie style, also emphasizes environmental sustainability, incorporating several energy efficient inclusions such as CO2 refrigeration units and LED lighting.

Through its Spirit of Giving philosophy, H-E-B is dedicated to its customers beyond its stores. H-E-B commemorated the store’s grand opening with donations totaling $20,000 to local nonprofits. H-E-B Jordan Ranch will serve three local school districts. Each district’s foundation will receive a $5,000 gift – Katy ISD Education Foundation, Lamar CISD Educational Awards Foundation, Royal ISD Education Foundation. Fulshear’s Texana Cafe will receive $5,000 in gift cards to support its mission to make and serve exceptional food while supporting meaningful employment for neurodiverse individuals and to serve as a training ground for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities to gain important work experience.

As a multi-format retailer, H-E-B operates Joe V’s Smart Shop and Central Market stores throughout Texas, as well as Mi Tienda store formats in Houston. H-E-B also owns Favor Delivery, a fast and convenient delivery service that serves cities across the state.

Additional store highlights include:

• Bakery featuring handmade artisan breads, cakes, and warm tortillas made in store daily
• Deli department with an expansive cheese selection and charcuterie island
• Sushiya offers handmade sushi selections made in-store daily and an Asian grill with rice bowls, teriyaki and more
• H-E-B Meal Simple with fresh, convenient chef-inspired meals prepared in store
• Cooking Connection with live demonstrations and samplings for easy recipes to make at home
• Produce section with large organic and Texas-grown selections
• Meat market with Prime, natural, and organic meats, Wagyu, and fully cooked options
• Blooms floral department, offering online ordering and delivery service
• As the #1 beer and wine retailer in Texas, the store has an extensive craft beer and wine section with a sampling station
• Healthy Living department with bulk food items, sports nutrition products and supplements
• Expansive frozen foods selection
• Beauty department with a wide selection of cosmetics and other beauty essentials
• Pet department featuring Heritage Ranch by H-E-B pet food and fun toys and treats for all your furry friend’s needs
• Household Essentials department with all you need to set your table, including seasonal disposable plates, bowls, and utensils, and Texas Tough brand including the Texas Tough value pack with all your storage bags in one easy-to-use box
• Customers can get additional savings by shopping with the H-E-B Debit Card and H-E-B Credit Card, which gives 5% cash back on qualifying H-E-B brand products as well as other perks and benefits

See the full release here.