PLANFIELD, WI - Syngenta Vegetable Seeds wrapped up its Future of Veg event in Plainfield yesterday, an all-new event series, with visitors from around the world. The event, held Aug. 12–14, gave customers a closer look at standout varieties in fresh and processing sweet corn and garden beans.

“This event brought together industry leaders, commercial partners breeders, and growers to collaborate and discover more opportunities in sweet corn and garden bean,” said Juan Pablo Lopez, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds Regional Commercial Head, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. “By seeing how varieties work in real-world conditions, our customers can succeed more.”

Growers, distributors, and other visitors interfaced with the experts behind the varieties on the market today and provided feedback for the upcoming pipeline, a press release stated. They also learned more from trialists and other experts who help with product placement to find the best fit based on geography, local challenges, consumer demands, and grower goals.

“We take pride in putting our customers at the forefront of everything we do – and this event accentuates that commitment,” said Ana Grau, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds Brand and Customer Head, Americas. “In Plainfield, we’re excited to bring solutions to the unique processors market and the customer-facing fresh market in garden bean and sweet corn.”

The event showcased leading crop varieties in:

• Fresh sweet corn – bred for better eating quality while maintaining good agronomics to support higher yield potential – including traits such as the herbicide tolerance in Attribute® II sweet corn.
• Processing sweet corn – created with processor priorities in mind, not only yield in the field but recovery in the plant and attention to how the kernels perform when canned and frozen.
• Fresh and processing garden beans – crafted to maintain quality, yield potential, and taste. Visitors learned more about Syngenta’s attention to breeding a better bean that serves not only growers, but the end consumer as well.

From lab to field to fork, every step of the journey matters in vegetable production. At Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, our commitment to serving growers with quality products is without compromise.

“For us, it’s all about our customers and helping them succeed,” said Andre Cariou, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds Regional Commercial Head, LATAM and AGH. “Thank you to everyone who joined us and see you next year!”

For more information on Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, please visit www.syngentavegetables.com.

LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO, CANADA - Highline Mushrooms is turning National Mushroom Month into a full-scale celebration with its biggest, boldest campaign yet. A coast-to-coast omni-channel takeover built to excite the next generation of shoppers, re-engage loyal customers, and drive measurable growth across the mushroom category.

From Aisle to Online: A Category-Wide Celebration

With retail partnerships spanning North America, Highline is meeting shoppers wherever they are; online, in-store, and at the digital point of purchase. The high-impact campaign blends in-store inspiration with digital activation, featuring geo-targeted campaigns across multiple platforms and engaging content partnerships designed to inspire, educate, and drive purchase.

Turnkey POS kits make it easy for retail partners to join the celebration, a press release noted. Each kit showcases Highline’s bold rebrand with impactful visuals and educational elements, creating a fresh, connected shopping experience that captures attention and encourages discovery.

Driving Excitement and Increasing Consumption 

Every element of this campaign is designed to spark excitement, grow consumption, and position mushrooms as a versatile, nutrient-rich, and must-have everyday staple.

"National Mushroom Month is our biggest campaign yet and a launchpad for our vision to make mushrooms the most exciting and shoppable category in produce year-round. For retailers, it’s a turnkey program that delivers traffic, builds loyalty, and increases purchase frequency.

We’ve built this around what today’s shoppers want most: transparency, nutrition, convenience, and bold flavor. Our rebrand is the foundation for telling the mushroom story in a fresh, engaging way that inspires consumers to choose mushrooms more often and keeps them coming back." — Sabrina Pokomandy, Director of Business Development and Marketing, Highline Mushrooms

National Mushroom Month activations will run throughout September, keeping mushrooms top of mind, and top of cart, long after the month ends.

FOWLER, CA - As the 2025-2026 academic year draws near for many households, the Bee Sweet Citrus team is encouraging families to incorporate their citrus products into back-to-school meals and snacks.

“Citrus fruits are perfect for busy families because they’re easy to peel, delicious, and are a great source of vitamin C,” stated Bee Sweet Citrus Director of Communications Monique Mueller in a recent release. “They require minimal preparation, making them an ideal snack choice for families juggling work, school, sports, and more.”

In addition to maintaining a steady supply of lemons, oranges, and mandarins for its customers, Bee Sweet Citrus is also sponsoring the Healthy Family Project’s annual Back to School campaign for the tenth consecutive year.

“The back-to-school season is a fun, yet crazy time for many families, and Healthy Family Project is excited to partner with companies like Bee Sweet Citrus to make things a bit easier for everyone,” stated Healthy Family Project Partnership Manager Tracy Shaw. “Over the next few weeks, you can count on us to share fun, back-to-school blog content, RD-led social media segments, and even upbeat Spotify playlists that will help fill households with fun tunes.”

The Healthy Family Project’s annual Back to School campaign provides families and educators with helpful resources that highlight the role produce plays in healthy diets. This year, the company and its sponsors donated $16,000 to the International Fresh Produce Association’s Foundation for Fresh Produce to increase accessibility to fresh fruits and vegetables in schools.

“As families juggle the back-to-school season with hectic work and school schedules, the last thing they should worry about is their accessibility to fresh produce,” continued Mueller. “We’re proud to provide families with citrus year-round and support organizations that combat food insecurity.”

Bee Sweet Citrus currently offers offshore mandarins, lemons, and Navel oranges, as well as California grapefruit, Meyer Lemons, and Royal Red oranges, to its customers. To learn more about the company’s variety availability, please call 559-834-4200 or visit www.beesweetcitrus.com.

CORAL GABLES, FL - Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, announced a new joint venture with Managro Group, a Colombia‑based agricultural company and leading exporter of limes and avocados. The strategic partnership includes a shared investment to expand an avocado and lime packing house in Colombia, further strengthening Fresh Del Monte’s supply chain capabilities and broadening its presence in two high-growth categories: avocados and limes.

The facility will service Fresh Del Monte’s North American and European markets, enhancing the company’s ability to deliver consistent, high-quality avocados and limes year-round, according to a press release. With Colombia’s favorable growing conditions and reliable sourcing potential, this investment supports the company’s long-term strategy in both lines, while also solidifying its commitment to diversifying its sourcing and expanding its presence in Colombia.

“This joint venture is a bold step in advancing our long-term ambition: to lead in the most dynamic, high-growth categories in fresh produce,” said Danny Dumas, Fresh Del Monte Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Product Management for North America. “Through our partnership with Managro in Colombia, we’re enhancing our vertical integration, expanding our global footprint, and reinforcing our position as a trusted, year-round supplier of premium avocados and limes.”

The avocado and lime markets are experiencing strong, sustained growth, driven by rising global demand for nutrient-rich foods. According to Fact.MR, a global market intelligence and advisory firm, the global lime market is projected to grow from $48 billion in 2024 to $62 billion by 2034, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5%. The global avocado market is expected to expand from approximately $19 billion in 2024 to about $34 billion by 2034, reflecting a robust 5.9% CAGR. This joint venture leverages Colombia’s strategic production advantages, Managro’s deep product-line knowledge, and Fresh Del Monte’s global distribution expertise to meet growing demand with consistency, quality, and scale across both categories.

This strategic move strengthens Fresh Del Monte’s commitment to growth, innovation, and the delivery of premium produce that meets the evolving needs of today’s consumers.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Trader Joe’s will make its debut in New Orleans today, August 14, with a grand opening celebration at its new 2501 Tulane Avenue location. The store marks the chain’s third in Louisiana, joining Metairie and Baton Rouge, and will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

According to ABC News, a second New Orleans location is planned for later this year.

The location will feature the company’s signature nautical-themed décor and offer its full selection of private-label products, including specialty foods. In keeping with Trader Joe’s tradition, opening day festivities will include product samples, giveaways, and a warm welcome from the store’s “Crew” members.

"Please join Captain Rachelle and Crew for the Grand Opening Celebration," said Trader Joe's announcement. "We look forward to seeing you!"

As Trader Joe's makes its debut in The Big Easy, we're curious if the retailer will be making any more strategic moves down South.

Be sure to stick with ANUK for continued Trader Joe’s store expansion coverage!

MONTRÉAL - METRO INC. announced its results for the third quarter of Fiscal 2025 ended July 5, 2025.

2025 Third Quarter Highlights

• Sales of $6,871.0 million, up 3.3%
• Food same-store sales up 1.9%
• Pharmacy same-store sales up 5.5%
• Net earnings of $323.0 million, up 9.0% and adjusted net earnings(1) of $331.8 million, up 8.8%
• Fully diluted net earnings per share of $1.48, up 13.0% and adjusted fully diluted net earnings per share of $1.52, up 12.6%

President's Message

"We are pleased with our results in the third quarter, marked by solid comparable sales growth in food and pharmacy, and good cost control. We successfully opened five new food stores in the quarter, a pace that will continue in the fourth quarter, on track with our plan to accelerate the development of our growing discount banners. We are confident that our sustained investments in our retail network and supply chain, combined with strong execution, will continue to fuel our growth and create long-term shareholder value(2)", declared Eric La Flèche, President and Chief Executive Officer, in a recent release.

Operating Results Sales

Sales in the third quarter of Fiscal 2025, which ended on July 5, 2025, were $6,871.0 million, up 3.3% versus the third quarter of the prior year, which ended on July 6, 2024, driven by higher sales in our retail network.

Food same-store sales were up 1.9% in the third quarter of Fiscal 2025 (2024 — 2.4%). Online food sales were up 14.4% versus last year (2024 — 34.3%). Our food basket inflation was generally in line with the reported CPI for food purchased from stores. Pharmacy same-store sales were up 5.5% (2024 — 5.2%), with a 6.2% increase in prescription drugs and a 4.0% increase in front-store sales, primarily driven by over-the-counter products, cosmetics, and health and beauty.

Sales in the first 40 weeks of Fiscal 2025 totalled $16,898.0 million, up 3.8% compared to $16,281.5 million for the corresponding period of 2024.

See the full report here.