CASHMERE, WA - This year’s Global Produce & Floral Show (GPFS) attendees are in for a treat! As the industry flocks to one of fresh produce’s most anticipated events, Crunch Pak is gearing up for the official reveal of its refreshed brand. The newly revamped branding will take the spotlight alongside several new products at the show.

“On the Crunch Pak licensing side, we’ll be highlighting upcoming movie releases tied to our product lineup, as well as partnerships and collaborations with other IFPA members and suppliers,” shares Danelle Huber, Marketing Director, ahead of the show. “The Global Produce & Floral Show is a great place to share all of this because so many of our customers, partners, and industry peers are together in one place.”

An Elevated Show Experience

Global Produce & Floral Show attendees will be welcomed to a brand-new booth that brings the Crunch Pak rebrand to life.

“This year’s show feels like an exciting new chapter for Crunch Pak,” Danelle says. “Between the rebrand, our new booth, new products, upcoming licensed movie releases and collaborations across the industry, there will be a lot to share. Through it all, our focus remains the same: making fresh produce more convenient, engaging, and enjoyable while continuing our mission to deliver snacking that feels good!”

Understanding Today’s Consumer

One of Crunch Pak’s biggest strengths is the company’s ability to combine fresh produce expertise with products that fit the way shoppers prefer to snack today.

“We know how to take an idea, develop it, and bring it to market with the right operational support and industry relationships behind it,” Danelle notes. “We keep moving forward by investing in new products, growing our licensing portfolio, and working with produce partners who bring complementary products and capabilities to the table.”

Industry Collaboration

As reflected by recent partnerships with Alpine Fresh and Bolthouse Fresh Foods™, Crunch Pak recognizes the importance of industry collaboration and the retail advantages it helps create.

“Collaboration across the produce industry is becoming increasingly important,” Danelle tells me. “When suppliers bring complementary products, expertise, and capabilities together, retailers can offer stronger, more differentiated programs with greater variety and broader consumer appeal.”

A Platform for Connection

At this year’s GPFS, the Crunch Pak team is looking forward to connecting with its current and potential partners face-to-face and uncovering new opportunities to collaborate

“There’s really no substitute for being together in person,” Danelle concludes. “The show gives us a chance to connect with customers, strengthen relationships, and start conversations that can lead to new retail programs, product ideas, and collaborations. It’s also a great opportunity to hear firsthand what customers are looking for and where Crunch Pak can help.”

Get a closer look at Crunch Pak’s refreshed brand, new offerings, and more at booth #1953 during the show!

For more updates in the lead-up to GPFS, leave a tab open to ANUK.

EAGLE, ID - The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) has named produce industry veteran Tom Hanyzewski as its new Foodservice Promotion Director – Northeast/Midwest.

Hanyzewski brings more than 44 years of experience in the produce industry, with a career spanning sales, procurement, and business development. He has built a reputation for strong industry relationships and a commitment to service and results.

In his new role, Hanyzewski will work primarily with foodservice distributors throughout the Northeast and Midwest, while also supporting operators and other industry partners across the region. He will focus on strengthening relationships, growing the Idaho® potato business, and serving as a resource for the foodservice industry.

“We’re excited to have Tom join our team,” said Jamey Higham, CEO, Idaho Potato Commission, in the recent release. “His decades of experience and strong relationships throughout the produce industry will be a tremendous asset to IPC and our foodservice partners.”

Hanyzewski and his wife have been married for 29 years and have two grown daughters. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling and seeking out great local restaurants. A lifelong classic car and motorcycle enthusiast, he also enjoys home improvement projects, exploring real estate, and spending time with family, friends, and his dogs.

SUNBURY, PA - Weis Markets announced the promotion of James Godfrey to Vice President of Operational Efficiency.

In this role, Godfrey will continue to oversee the development and implementation of store-level programs focused on financial performance, labor productivity, shrink reduction and the customer experience. He continues to report to David Gose, Senior Vice President, Operations.

Godfrey most recently served as Director of Operational Efficiency. Earlier in his Weis Markets career, he worked in a variety of store and field leadership positions, including Store Manager, Regional Operations Specialist, Center Store Field Merchandiser and District Manager.

GLENNVILLE, GA - Timing is everything in fresh produce, and for a Vidalia Sweet Onion, that clock starts ticking the second it leaves the ground. Bland Farms is taking a serious swing at that ticking clock with refrigeration technology designed to give the grower greater control over quality, consistency, and shelf life.

The company is investing in its refrigeration and storage infrastructure, including a Vidalia facility that will bring its total annual storage capacity to approximately 1.5 million boxes.

And the real magic is in what happens once those onions come through the door. “The biggest change is that we can now dry and cool an onion in the same room without moving it," said Troy Bland, CEO of Bland Farms.

The system uses secondary cooling with glycol running through hot and cold loops at approximately 120 and 28 degrees, respectively, providing a broad temperature range alongside greater control over humidity.

During the process, onions are held at approximately 90 degrees for 24 hours to control Botrytis pathogens before the race begins to bring them down to 34 degrees for storage.

That race used to involve a lot more legwork. Traditionally, onions would move from a drying room into a separate cold room, creating another round of handling, and another chance for the crop to get jostled or damaged. Bland Farms’ hybrid rooms can handle both processes in one place.

The Race to Cool

Even more impressive is how much time that change cuts from the equation. “What once took roughly four weeks can now happen in seven to 10 days.”

For a crop that doesn’t exactly wait around for perfect conditions, shaving weeks off that process can make quite the difference. “Once you plow an onion up, the clock starts.”

That clock doesn’t stop for southeast Georgia weather, either.

“Our goal is to take as many variables out of the equation as possible between harvest and delivery. The sooner we can harvest an onion, properly cure it and get it into controlled storage, the more we can protect its quality and shelf life,” shared Troy.

The additional drying and cooling capacity gives Bland Farms more flexibility to shorten its harvest window, moving onions out of the field when conditions are right instead of asking Mother Nature for a favor.

And if anyone needed an example of just how quickly she can change her mind, the 2025 season delivered one. Bland Farms finished harvest by Mother’s Day weekend, and southeast Georgia received 11 inches of rain that weekend.

“That's a pretty good illustration of why timing matters," Troy said.

Cutting Weeks From the Clock

By increasing capacity, Bland Farms can move more onions out of the field at the right point, with the company pointing to better pack-out, greater consistency, and a more shelf-stable onion as the payoff for retail and foodservice partners.

But speed and storage aren’t the only pieces of the investment.

Bland Farms has also made a substantial shift in the efficiency of its refrigeration infrastructure. At the farm, 77 compressors have been replaced with three, while the Vidalia facility is moving from 30 compressors to four.

The system uses ammonia rather than older refrigerants being phased out, which the company reports runs approximately 30 percent more efficiently than a comparable Freon system. Bland Farms has also doubled its drying capacity while using less natural gas per room than before.

Those are some big changes happening in southeast Georgia, and Bland Farms sees the investment as proof that cutting-edge agricultural technology doesn’t have to come from somewhere else.

“It’s the most advanced refrigeration system in the industry, and it’s sitting in Georgia.” Troy's point is particularly important to the grower.

“That matters for how people think about Southeast agriculture. There's a perception that innovation happens somewhere else. We put millions into this facility because we believe the opposite. The work happening in this part of Georgia is as sophisticated as anything in the industry.”

For Troy, the investment ultimately comes back to controlling more of what happens between field and shelf. But its implications stretch beyond a faster trip into cold storage. “The bigger contribution is that it raises the bar for what's possible here.”

How’s that for raising the bar? ANUK will be watching as Bland Farms puts its investment to work and keeps those Vidalias racing against the clock.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Uber Technologies, Inc. and Wakefern Food Corp. announced that customers can now shop more than 375 Wakefern supermarket locations across the Northeast through Uber Eats, expanding on-demand access to fresh, affordable groceries from trusted neighborhood banners including ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Morton Williams, Dearborn Market, Di Bruno Bros., Fairway Market, and Gourmet Garage.

Customers can now shop their favorite neighborhood supermarkets — many of them family-owned and operated — directly in the Uber Eats app, with access to a broad assortment of items including produce, meat, seafood, pantry staples, prepared foods, and household essentials, plus on-demand and scheduled delivery options for added convenience.

To celebrate the launch, Uber Eats is offering customers discounts of up to 30% off their first order from eligible Wakefern banners. Additionally, Uber One members enjoy a $0 Delivery Fee†† every day on eligible orders, in addition to other exclusive savings.

“As a cooperative made up of family-owned supermarkets with deep roots in communities across the Northeast, our focus has always been on serving our neighbors where and how they shop,” said Darren Caudill, Chief Sales Officer at Wakefern Food Corp., in the recent release. “Uber Eats gives our stores another way to serve customers where they are, making it easier to get the fresh foods, neighborhood service, and the value they count on with added speed and convenience.”

The launch builds on Uber Eats’ continued investment in grocery and retail, as the company grows its footprint with national and regional supermarket brands across the country. The addition of Wakefern’s banners further strengthens Uber’s grocery marketplace, which continues to see strong growth across North America as more consumers turn to on-demand delivery for everyday essentials.

“Customers are increasingly looking for flexible ways to stock up on fresh groceries without compromising on selection or value,” said Prashant Garg, Head of North America, Uber Eats. “By partnering with Wakefern and adding more than 375 supermarkets to our platform, including beloved banners like ShopRite and Fairway Market, we’re continuing to build a marketplace that brings expansive choice—from full weekly grocery runs to last-minute ingredients—into one seamless app experience.”

How it Works

Shopping Wakefern banner stores on Uber Eats is simple:

1. Open the Uber Eats app and tap “Grocery.”
2. Select your nearest ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Fairway Market, Gourmet Garage, Morton Williams, Dearborn Market, or Di Bruno Bros. location and browse a wide assortment of essential household items, fresh produce, pantry must-haves, and more.
3. Add items to your cart, choose your delivery time, and place your order.
4. Track your delivery in real time.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Wonderful® Pistachios is bringing even more star power to its growing sports marketing lineup, signing seven of the country’s most exciting young athletes to its first-ever multi-athlete NIL program, the Don’t Hold Back All-Stars. Spanning six sports and schools representing all four Power Four conferences, the new roster brings together athletes who are already among the best in their respective sports, poised for professional careers and competing on the world’s biggest stages.

Beginning this fall and continuing throughout the 2026–27 college sports season, the Don’t Hold Back All-Stars will star in a series of social-first content showcasing how Wonderful Pistachios helps them get game day ready. With seven athletes, six sports and a content slate spanning fall, winter and spring seasons, Wonderful Pistachios is breaking new ground in a territory traditionally dominated by apparel, technology, beverages and conventional snack foods.

“The Don’t Hold Back All-Stars are incredible competitors with dynamic personalities, and each one embodies what our brand is about: going after what you want without holding back,” said Diana Salsa, vice president of marketing at Wonderful Pistachios, in the recent release. “We’re giving them a platform to show fans their talent, their individuality and, of course, how healthy snacking with Wonderful Pistachios gets them ready for game day and every day in between.”

Developed by the Wonderful Agency, the campaign pairs each athlete with a unique creative concept built around their sport, personality and skills, while positioning Wonderful Pistachios as a tasty, protein-powered snack with six grams of protein per serving for athletes and fans alike.

Meet the Don’t Hold Back All-Stars

Together, the seven athletes give Wonderful Pistachios a presence across football, men’s and women’s basketball, track and field, women’s soccer, softball and women’s volleyball, with representation from the Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and ACC.

• Quincy Wilson – Track & Field, University of Maryland | Runner. Arriving on campus as the under-18 world record holder in both the indoor and outdoor 400-meter sprints, the three-time Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year is a 400-meter phenom who has already won an Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.
• Jazzy Davidson – Women’s Basketball, University of Southern California | Guard. After a breakout freshman campaign at the University of Southern California (USC), Davidson enters her sophomore season as one of the brightest young stars in women’s basketball. The 6-foot-1 guard earned National Freshman of the Year honors and All-Big Ten recognition after leading the Trojans in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game.
• Deron Rippey Jr. – Men’s Basketball, Duke | Guard. One of the top young guards in college basketball, Rippey arrives at Duke as a highly touted freshman ready to make his mark. A 6-foot-3 freshman with the athleticism and skill to make an immediate impression, Rippey joins the Blue Devils for the 2026–27 season and gives the Don’t Hold Back All-Stars another rising basketball talent.
• Deus Stanislaus – Women’s Soccer, University of North Carolina | Midfielder. Stanislaus begins her freshman season at North Carolina, joining one of the most storied programs in women’s college soccer. She is also a member of the U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team. The midfielder brings her global game to the Don’t Hold Back All-Stars roster and represents the next generation of talent looking to make its mark in Chapel Hill.
• Julian “JuJu” Lewis – Football, University of Colorado | Quarterback. One of the most highly touted quarterback prospects from the Class of 2025, Lewis threw for 589 yards and four touchdowns without an interception last season, offering Buffaloes fans an early look at the talent that made “JuJu” one of the most talked-about recruits in college football.
• Taylor Shumaker – Softball, University of Florida | Outfielder. Shumaker has wasted little time becoming one of college softball’s premier players. The Florida outfielder followed a National Freshman of the Year campaign with her second All-American season in 2026, earning First Team All-SEC honors and establishing herself as one of the sport’s most competitive young stars who doesn’t hold back.
• London Wijay – Women’s Volleyball, USC | Outside Hitter. An outside hitter from Southern California, Wijay brings power at the net as the Trojans’ leading scorer and hometown pride to USC and the Don’t Hold Back All-Stars. The redshirt junior adds women’s volleyball to a roster intentionally built to reach fans across some of the fastest-growing and most culturally relevant sports in college athletics.

The launch of the Don’t Hold Back All-Stars serves as the latest evolution of Wonderful Pistachios’ The Don’t Hold Back Snack® campaign, which debuted in 2025 and encourages consumers to embrace bold flavor, better-for-you snacking and a more confident approach to everyday life. Just as these athletes don’t hold back in pursuit of greatness, Wonderful Pistachios invites fans to not hold back when it comes to choosing a snack that’s both satisfying and nutritious. Whether preparing for game day, the workday, or any challenge in between, Wonderful Pistachios delivers the protein, flavor, and crunch to help consumers bring their best every day.

For more information about Wonderful Pistachios, visit wonderfulpistachios.com or follow @wonderfulpistachios on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.