WASHINGTON, DC - The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) Division has recently received a significant increase in allegations of fraudulent activity involving individuals and entities falsely claiming to be licensed PACA members and legitimate produce buyers. These fraudsters place orders for fruits and vegetables, divert the load to an unknown location, and then fail to pay for the produce.

In these schemes, fraudulent purchasers order product and in most instances arrange for its transport. However, when the shipper invoices the company believed to have purchased the produce, the company confirms it never placed the order or received the product. By the time the shipper begins verifying email addresses, phone numbers, names, and titles, it becomes clear the transaction was fraudulent, and the shipment was stolen. Often, these impersonators use the names of established companies, including the names of personnel within the company, to carry out the deception.

Shippers are strongly encouraged to verify the specifics of any potential transactions in advance. Before completing a sale:

• Confirm buyer details such as delivery destination, company personnel, and contact information.
• Be on alert for slight differences in phone numbers and email addresses of potential buyers, such as subtle misspellings or extra characters.
• Cross-check buyers’ information with the PACA license search tool and other trusted industry resources.

To report suspected fraudulent activity, email [email protected]. You are also encouraged to report any stolen shipments to local law enforcement.

For additional information on your rights and responsibilities under PACA, please visit: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/paca or call 800-495-7222.

RICHMOND, VA - Performance Food Group Company announced that it has entered into a clean team agreement with US Foods Holding Corp. that enables the companies to share information in order to evaluate regulatory considerations and the synergies related to a potential business combination.

In recent weeks, members of the PFG Board and management team engaged with several of PFG’s large stockholders to hear their perspectives, and the Company is committed to continuing that dialogue. The Company also engaged with US Foods on how the two companies could most effectively explore a potential business combination while safeguarding confidential information. Following these conversations, the PFG Board, along with its independent financial and legal advisors, concluded that there was sufficient basis to begin information sharing. The companies are therefore initiating a clean team process consisting of a group of independent lawyers, economists, and consultants who will perform analysis using more detailed confidential information.

According to the recent release, there can be no assurance that this information sharing will result in any transaction proposal, or any assurance as to its outcome or timing. PFG does not intend to make additional comments regarding this matter unless and until a definitive agreement is executed or PFG and US Foods terminate discussions.

DALLAS, TX - Logile, Inc., a global leader in AI-powered Connected Workforce solutions, announced that Vallarta, a leading Southern California grocery retailer, will implement Logile’s Production Planning solution to optimize fresh food operations and support its continued growth. The rollout will extend to include another 24 Vallarta stores, building on the company’s existing use of Logile’s Fresh Item Management suite, including Scale, Recipe and Nutrition Management, and Grind Log.

Vallarta Supermarkets already leverages the majority of Logile’s Connected Workforce Platform solutions, including Labor Planning, Workforce Management, Task Execution, Fresh Production, and Inventory Management. By expanding its adoption of Logile solutions, Vallarta is taking an important step in its broader digital transformation journey, with plans to integrate additional modules such as AI-driven Forecasting for item-level accuracy and other Fresh Item Management capabilities.

“Logile’s Fresh Item Management tools provide scalable solutions that align with our operational and service goals,” said Carr Osborn, Chief Technology Officer, Vallarta, in the recent release. “Production Planning will streamline workflows, improve scheduling efficiency, and help ensure consistent product quality and availability across our stores as we continue to grow.”

Logile’s Fresh Item Management suite equips retailers with integrated tools for production planning, recipe and nutrition management, scale management, grind tracking, and yield management. The solution empowers store teams to reduce waste, improve forecasting accuracy, and maintain product consistency while elevating the customer experience.

Built to work seamlessly with Logile’s AI-driven Connected Workforce and Inventory Management platforms, Fresh Item Management delivers advanced analytics, standardized processes, automated compliance tracking, and real-time operational visibility across multiple store locations.

“By expanding its implementation of Production Planning, Vallarta is making a strategic investment to enhance fresh food operations,” said Purna Mishra, Founder and CEO of Logile. “Digitizing and connecting core workflows provides greater control over production and inventory while laying the foundation for future innovations that will further strengthen operational performance.”

With this latest investment, Vallarta is well-positioned to optimize its fresh food operations, deliver consistently high-quality products, and achieve the long-term benefits of an integrated retail platform that unites inventory management, workforce management, store execution, and food safety.