CHARLOTTE, NC - Latrobe, Pa., resident Leo Sun is the winner of the 2nd Annual Dole Great American Banana Challenge after peeling and eating 11 ½ bananas in the 125-second competition on Aug. 23, topping his own record of 11 bananas set during the inaugural event last year.

One of the signature events of the Great American Banana Split Celebration, the annual three-day festival marking the invention of the iconic dessert in Latrobe in 1904, the challenge was created by Dole Food Company in 2024 to honor its 125th year in the banana business. The produce leader has committed to sponsoring the competition through at least 2027.

According to Banana Challenge rules, the banana fan who peels and eats the most DOLE® Bananas on the Robindale Main Stage of the Great American Banana Split Celebration receives the Dole Banana Challenge Championship Belt, created by Latrobe-based Wildcat Championship Belts, Dole, and event organizers exclusively for the competition.

Sun, 19, is enrolled in the aviation management program at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.

The Great American Banana Split Celebration has been an annual destination for banana and dessert fans since 2013, when the Pennsylvania Historical Society unveiled a marker at the downtown Latrobe site where the banana split was invented. Dole helped organize the inaugural celebration in conjunction with Aug. 25’s designation as National Banana Split Day, and sent Bobby Banana, the company’s 7-foot mascot and healthy-eating ambassador, as representative.

“Dole is proud to sponsor both the three-day Celebration and Banana Challenge and congratulates Leo Sun for bringing home the Dole Banana Belt for the second year in a row,” said William Goldfield, Dole’s director of communications, in the recent release. “It’s rewarding to see this small event that we helped start 13 years ago to honor Latrobe and National Banana Split Day grow into a destination celebration that draws tens of thousands annually.”

Also making an appearance at the three-day festival was Dole’s Bobby Banana, its 7-foot healthy eating mascot, and Punxsutawney Phil of Groundhog Day’s fame.

Banana split lovers wanting to celebrate with a more wholesome version of the famous dessert are directed to Dole’s Berry Banana Splitz and Honey Pomegranate Banana Split recipes, and to a how-to blog post by Melanie Marcus, MA, RD, Dole’s health, wellness, and communications manager.

WASHINGTON, DC - Giant Food, the Washington D.C. region’s leading food retailer, is proud to announce a new partnership with BrightFarms, a national leader in indoor hydroponic farming, to bring fresher, long-lasting, ready-to-eat greens to customers under its private-label Nature’s Promise® products brand.

The partnership introduces several new Greenhouse Grown greens to the produce aisle, including Nature's Promise® Greenhouse Grown Sweet Baby Butter, Nature's Promise® Greenhouse Grown Green and Red Leaf, and Nature's Promise® Greenhouse Grown Spring Mix.

BrightFarms grows leafy greens indoors in high-tech, climate-controlled greenhouses near major cities. Greens are harvested, packed, and delivered to stores in as little as 24 hours, offering maximum flavor and shelf life. Grown closer to the communities they serve, these greens require no washing and can be enjoyed straight from the container, offering customers a more convenient choice.

“This partnership with Giant Food is an exciting opportunity to offer our responsibly grown, nutritious greens under the trusted Nature’s Promise brand,” said Matt DiNitto, Executive Vice President of Sales for BrightFarms, in the recent release. “We’re proud to make healthy eating easier for households across the region.”

“We can’t wait for Giant Food customers to experience BrightFarms ready-to-eat greens under our Nature’s Promise label,” says Rick Manzi, Vice President of Fresh Merchandising for Giant Food. “These crunchy, fresh greens last longer, taste delicious in salads and sandwiches, and continue our mission of bringing customers the very best products at the best value.”

The new Nature’s Promise® Greenhouse Grown lineup includes:

• Nature's Promise® Sweet Baby Butter 4 oz.
• Nature's Promise® Spring Mix 4 oz.
• Nature's Promise® Green and Red Leaf 4 oz.
• Nature's Promise® Crunchy Green Leaf 4 oz.
• Nature's Promise® Crunchy Green Leaf 8 oz.
• Nature's Promise® Green and Red Leaf 8 oz.
• Nature's Promise® Spring Mix 8 oz.

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA - The Allen Lund Company is pleased to announce Paul Ellis' promotion to Assistant General Manager of the Memphis office.

Paul graduated from the University of Memphis in 2008. He began his career in the supply chain industry by working with other transportation brokers before joining the Allen Lund Company in 2017 as a Broker in Training. Since then, he has advanced through the ranks to Broker, Senior Transportation Broker, and Operations Manager.

Jim McGuire, Executive Vice President, stated in a recent release, "Since joining the company eight years ago, Paul has demonstrated a strong work ethic and natural leadership qualities. We are thrilled to congratulate him on his well-deserved promotion to Assistant General Manager. This new role is a testament to his dedication, and we look forward to his continued contributions to ALC and our Memphis team!"

Matt Gronostaj, General Manager of ALC Memphis, remarked, "Paul's unwavering dedication, strong work ethic, and consistent performance have set a high standard within our team. We are confident that his leadership will bring continued success, and we look forward to an exciting future watching his leadership and talents grow."

Regarding his promotion, Paul shared, "I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity. I appreciate the trust and support of Matt and our entire team, and I look forward to driving our office to continued growth and success."

NEW YORK - The New York Apple Association has named Thomas Coene as chairman of the board. Coene and his wife, Lindsey, farm alongside his parents, David and Elizabeth Coene, and his grandparents, Robert and Judith Coene, at Windmill Farms LLC, a fifth-generation family operation. The family cultivates approximately 500 acres across Monroe and Wayne counties on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, growing apples for both fresh and processing markets. They also operate an on-farm controlled-atmosphere storage facility.

Coene holds a degree in agricultural business management from SUNY Cobleskill. “I look forward to leading the organization and working side by side with the other board members,” Coene said in the recent release.

Kristen DeMarree has been named vice president. She earned a doctorate in physical therapy from Nazareth University before returning to the family farm, where she is now transitioning to full ownership.

Newly appointed board members Domenic Porpiglia and Jenna Roberts-Bruning join current members Ely Giroux, Kenny Bowman, Marcus Jones, Helene Dembroski, Joy Crist, Catherine Blackler, Mark Russell, Jeffery Fremouw, Carrie Wafler, and Kent Schwab. Board members are elected by New York state apple growers to serve three-year terms, with the option to serve up to two consecutive terms.

The New York Apple Association is a nonprofit organization representing more than 500 apple growers across 50,000 acres statewide. New York is the second-largest apple-producing state in the U.S. NYAA supports fresh, processing, and direct-to-consumer growers through advertising, promotions, public relations, and educational initiatives aimed at strengthening the industry.

This year, NYAA was awarded two state contracts totaling more than $3 million.

“New York is expecting a robust crop this year, with production projected to exceed 30,500 million bushels,” Coene said. “We’ve had a good mix of rain and warm summer days. Harvest in the Hudson Valley will begin around mid-August, followed by Western and Central New York, and then Northeast New York a few days later. Harvest typically wraps up the first week of November, depending on the weather.”

Cynthia Haskins, NYAA president and CEO, announced an omni-channel consumer marketing campaign featuring a large digital billboard in New York City, 225 panel display billboards, and a targeted social media campaign showcasing digital images of New York apple growers. The campaign will highlight The Big Flavor in The Big Apple, with branded display shippers and signage throughout the city.

“We have a great opportunity to tell the story of New York apple growers,” Coene said. “Consumers are more interested than ever in where their food comes from, who produces it, and how it’s grown.”

NYAA is expanding the Big Flavor campaign nationwide. Retail account managers are securing cooperative advertising partnerships and launching digital and coupon programs. New York apples are available in more than 7,400 retail stores across the country. To help consumers locate them, NYAA is developing a landing page listing participating retailers.

The association also unveiled a new social media initiative that invites the state’s 500-plus apple growers to actively participate in content creation. The grower-driven effort aims to deepen consumer engagement. DeMarree serves as chair of the Social Media Committee.