WASHINGTON, DC - While we celebrate farmers every day here at ANUK, National Farmworker Awareness Week is only a few weeks away. From March 23–31, Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) will be honoring the hard work of farmers across the nation, demonstrating that they are #AlwaysEssential with the release of its free communications toolkit.
Nearly 2.5 million farmworkers are on farms and ranches, greenhouses, and packing facilities across the United States, performing hard and skilled labor, as outlined in a recent release. With the free online event, EFI is encouraging organizations to share social media content or plan in-person events to celebrate farmworkers.
As noted in the release, organizations can amplify this message through multiple strategies:
- Sharing the communications toolkit and information across the agricultural industry
- Sharing graphics and videos included in the communications toolkit or creating unique content for social media highlighting Farmworker Awareness Week and using the #AlwaysEssential hashtag
- Providing “live” content for social media channels featuring farmworker interviews detailing their jobs, safety precautions, and skills/knowledge
- Asking state governors or legislative officials to draft a proclamation supporting Farmworker Awareness Week—a template is available in the communications toolkit
- Hosting events in celebration of farmworkers
- Contacting local media to share information about the role of agriculture and farmworkers in local economies during Farmworker Awareness Week
To download the free communications toolkit and learn more about Farmworker Awareness Week, click here.
AndNowUKnow will continue bringing you the latest industry updates, so be on the lookout for our next newsletter.
MISSION, TX - Members across our industry are preparing to tee off at the Viva Fresh Open charity golf tournament, and the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) recently announced that this year’s event will posthumously honor Founder of Rio Queen Citrus Ken Martin.
“Our industry is fortunate to be rich with icons, like Ken Martin, who have blazed paths for the rest of us to follow. Aside from his success in business, Ken was a charismatic individual with a passion for agriculture,” remarked Ed Bertaud, Director of Retail Sales for IFCO and Golf Tournament Chair. “It has been our hope and intent to honor Ken since 2019, but with the COVID-19 cancellation of Viva Fresh in 2020, it was not possible. This year, we are back again and ready to celebrate the life of one of our own through this event, something I am very confident Ken himself would have loved.”
The Ken Martin Viva Fresh Open will be held over two consecutive days on Thursday afternoon, April 21, and Friday morning, April 22, at Cowboys Golf Club in Texas.
Ken Martin spent most of his career farming in Texas and founded one of the largest citrus and onion grower-shippers in the Rio Grande Valley, as explained in a press release, and was an early proponent of the now-famous Rio Star Grapefruit. Throughout his career, he also served on numerous industry committees and boards. He passed away on August 7, 2019, leaving behind an indelible produce legacy.
“The yearly Viva Fresh Open is an opportunity to provide memorial recognition while raising funds to support what we hope will be the next generation of produce professionals,” Craig Slate, President and Chief Executive Officer of SunFed and golf tournament Vice Chair, noted. “It’s always difficult to lose a friend and industry icon, but we hope that each year we can remember and celebrate those individuals who have had a major impact in our region. Ken, without a doubt, had a major impact on South Texas, the produce industry, and me. I’m grateful that Ken was chosen as this year’s honoree.”
Presented by BEBO Distributing and Wonderful Citrus, the charity golf event will raise funds for an industry scholarship program open to employees, as well as the respective families of TIPA-member companies. The program sets out to provide funding for students pursuing educational opportunities within any field of the fresh produce supply chain. Thirteen scholarships have already been awarded thanks to funds raised from previous Viva Fresh Open events.
Following the event, all Viva Fresh attendees are invited to the 19th Hole Celebration, hosted at the Texan Station inside the Gaylord Hotel from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. to celebrate with food, drinks, music, and more. It will also serve as a pregame celebration for those teeing off on Friday morning.
Spots are limited, so be sure to register here for the event.
For more industry events and opportunities, keep an eye out for the ANUK logo.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Whole Foods Market is stretching its reach by expanding its footprint in San Francisco, California. The Golden City will soon welcome a new 64,737-square-foot flagship store at Trinity Place in the Mid-Market neighborhood.
According to the grocer’s release, the store’s design pays homage to classic San Francisco with inspiration from the former Crystal Palace Market; the modern, industrial feel of the Tenderloin district; and the iconic colors of the Golden Gate Bridge. The location will curate local offerings from Northern California, featuring more than 3,700 products throughout the store, all hand-picked by Patrick Wyman, Local Forager for Whole Foods Market’s Northern California Region.
Additionally, the Trinity store will include:
- An array of organic, conventional, local, and Sourced for Good produce, plus offerings from more than 32 local farms, including Mandarins from Fruit World, salad greens from Plenty’s San Francisco farm, and organic mushrooms from Far West Fungi
- A Prepared Foods section with hot and cold food bars, sushi by Kikka, as well as made-to-order and by-the-slice pizzas
With a grand opening in the works for March 10, 2022, click here to learn more about the new location.
For more updates from Whole Foods and other retail names, keep clicking on AndNowUKnow.
WENATCHEE, WA - This spring season, I have a prime destination in mind. Vibrant colors, sweet indulgences, and a crisp, juicy bite—if you can’t tell by now, I’m not dreaming of a faraway island, but the section of the produce department that is adorned with delicious apples. With merchandising opportunities sprouting for several premium varieties, Stemilt’s Marketing Director Brianna Shales offered a few tips for buyers to boost springtime sales.
“The 2021 apple crop is down nationally, and in Washington State, which leads the nation in apple production. This has led to a demand-exceeds-supply situation on many core apple varieties,” Brianna explains. “That’s where the four varieties—Cosmic Crisp®, Fuji, Pink Lady®, and Granny Smith—come in. They have great qualities and color, and opportunities for promotion, especially within the bulk size profile.”
As Brianna notes, the Pink Lady, Granny Smith, and Fuji varieties combine to make up 25 percent of apple category sales, and Cosmic Crisp is a rising star thanks to increased volume. As varieties like Gala and Honeycrisp see tighter supply this year, retailers can focus on this 25 percent to stimulate category growth.
“Promote often, and promote multiple varieties at one time,” Brianna advises. “Running more than one apple on ad at a time is key in lifting the whole category. There are also good opportunities for in-and-out promotions with these four apples on bags. Bringing in a 5 lb pouch bag for Fuji or Pink Lady and a 4 lb pouch for Cosmic Crisp are great ways to boost the volume moving through the register this spring.”
Complementary to its premium portfolio, the supplier also has a few other strategies up its sleeve to help its retail partners achieve success in the apple category.
“We like to work with each retail partner to build a program that fits their needs for marketing and merchandising. We want to ensure we set the 4 P’s in place: having the right product, placement, price, and promotions. We also want to help build trial for items like Cosmic Crisp and have branded merchandising to help build exciting displays,” explains Brianna. “Packaging is another great vehicle that Stemilt leads in—with our 3 lb Lil Snappers® brand leading the way for kid-size fruit and driving intent purchases with busy parents, and the 4 lb or 5 lb Apple Lover packs as a volume driver. We are happy to work with retailers on customizing programs for social and digital awareness of their promotions.”
With the help of Stemilt and these merchandising strategies, you can make the apple set a go-to destination for even more shoppers. I, for one, already have my ticket in hand.
NEWARK, DE & WASHINGTON, DC - Food safety is one topic that is always on the table in the fresh produce industry, and the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) continues working toward progress. IFPA’s food safety and regulatory team proposed new changes to agricultural water requirements in the produce safety rule during two recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) virtual public meetings.
“We commend FDA for proposing this systems-based approach that not only allows, but expects, growers to account for changes in our understanding of science, testing, and risk mitigations,” Dr. Emily Griep, Vice President of Regulatory Compliance and Global Food Safety Standards, said. “Given that roughly half the fruits and vegetables consumed in the U.S. are imported, and because produce is grown in every region of the U.S., it’s critical that the rule be able to accommodate the very different water sources, uses, and types of risks specific to a grower and region. We appreciate that FDA has proposed a rule that moves away from a one-size-fits-all approach.”
In a February 14 meeting, Dr. Griep also outlined how water testing will play a major role in these changes.
“Many produce growers already test their water to satisfy third-party audit requirements, and we don’t expect this to stop,” she said. “We suggest that growers be allowed to leverage historical testing data that provide insight to their water system, but we also believe that testing for generic E. coli, which FDA proposes as a default, is limiting in some situations, and that the rule, as currently written, ostensibly restricts growers from using more appropriate methods and analytes due to the lack of clarity in how to establish that an alternate method is ‘scientifically valid.’”
IFPA is also urging the FDA to continue working closely with stakeholders as additional guidance and resources are developed, according to a press release. During another meeting on February 25, Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer Dr. Jennifer McEntire and Director of Food Safety and Quality Gretchen Wall discussed the provisions.
“Industry and academia need to continue building the knowledge base for water assessments, implement mitigations, and start the education process,” Dr. McEntire said. She also acknowledged that the current proposal is much more protective of public health, noting how the comprehensive assessment recognizes that “testing is a tool, not an answer.”
IFPA also encouraged FDA to continue working with produce organizations and educational institutions to make effective, accurate, and science-based resources and educational opportunities available.
“Knowledge of how to conduct a risk assessment is needed to determine the real impact (severity) of a hazard; this will be a fundamental shift in thinking for the industry,” Wall stated. “IFPA is prepared to assist the industry by working with our members, commodity-specific associations, Extension partners, and other stakeholders to develop resources necessary to guide hazard identification and risk assessment.”
The proposed provisions allow microbial die-off without corresponding data for appropriate decision-making, the press release continued. The use of a pre-harvest application interval as a mitigation or corrective measure may be appropriate in certain circumstances, but only with support from a robust risk assessment and relevant supporting scientific data.
“We commend FDA for working collaboratively with EPA towards developing a protocol for reviewing antimicrobial pesticide products for treatment of agricultural water,” Wall continued. “Currently, growers do not have adequate access to registered products to meet the microbial criterion proposed, nor has the industry fully addressed the logistical challenges of consistent application of water treatments. IFPA supports a multi-hurdle approach to mitigations and cautions FDA against asserting that water treatment, or any mitigation currently available, is a silver bullet, especially without access to approved products and supporting science.”
In addition to these meetings, the IFPA will submit comments based on input from a diverse member workgroup to the FDA docket requesting feedback on the proposed changes.
We look forward to the progress that will be made as the IFPA and FDA continue to collaborate.
SANDPOINT, ID - As Litehouse builds out its portfolio of brands, it is also growing its portfolio of leaders. Following its acquisition of Sky Valley and Veggiecraft Farms, the dip purveyor is expanding its team with the appointment of Paul Hemingway as Vice President of Marketing as well as promoting Brad Horn to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Together, the pair will collaborate with executives throughout the company to help drive the retail growth of the new brands.
Hemingway joins Litehouse with more than 20 years of brand marketing experience at top food companies, according to a release. Some of these well-known names include J.M. Smucker Company, Coca-Cola, and Wendy’s. Additionally, he served at eegee’s, Abbott Laboratories, and Kimberly-Clark.
Throughout his time spent at J.M. Smucker Company and Coca-Cola, Hemingway created long-term innovation plans to help achieve revenue objectives; oversaw brand launches, including brand strategy, commercialization, retail sell-in, and advertising; led commercialization and marketing plans for new offerings; and managed strategic business relationships.
In his new position at Litehouse, Hemingway will use his previously honed skills to drive growth for retailers by progressing the company’s portfolio of brands.
As Hemingway joins the team, Horn has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He joined Litehouse in 2020 as Vice President of Retail Sales, leading and overseeing the retail sales team. In his new role, he will focus on aligning sales and marketing efforts to best support Litehouse’s strategy, innovation, and product development, in addition to its channel and digital growth, including e-commerce, club, and value-added.
Kelly Prior, President and Chief Executive Officer, shared his insights on the recent appointments.
“The acquisition of brands like Sky Valley and Veggiecraft Farms, coupled with the continued impacts of the pandemic, have created new opportunities for us to shake up our approach to retailer support and consumer engagement,” he said. “In their respective roles, Brad and Paul will focus on implementing new strategies and tactics that further synergize sales and marketing efforts company-wide, while also supporting our multi-brand strategy and positioning and delivering on our employee-owner value proposition.”
Congratulations to both Paul Hemingway and Brad Horn on these new roles!
ORLANDO, FL - Stepping into the rotunda of the Dolphin Resort was overwhelming in the best possible way. This was only Thursday, and already the convention center was bubbling with chatter and laughter, as industry members gathered to celebrate after months apart. For me, Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure is always an amazing show, and 2022 did not disappoint.
With over 530 buyers in attendance and 275 companies exhibiting, the show was a whirlwind of produce companies getting back into the thick of show season—and the appreciation for this was tangible. The Marvel of Produce was certainly an appropriate theme!
Before I break down the high points of show for you guys, David Sherrod, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southeast Produce Council, shared with me how he felt about the show’s success.
“We are truly a blessed organization. Our members came back in a monumental way this past weekend. We set new records for every single session we held, beginning with the Tom Page Golf Classic with 280 golfers. The SEPC University Educational Sessions included over 700 in attendance and were highlighted with the 2022 Power of Produce debut anchored by a powerful panel of retailers. Our Opening Gala may possibly prove to be the biggest networking event in our industry for the entire year, with over 1,700 people in attendance for this high-energy experience, and we marveled at the spectacular reunion of friends and family.
He continued, adding his insights on the rest of the show's highlights.
"The momentum carried over to Saturday with Tim Tebow giving a riveting message of helping others who cannot help themselves to over 1,200 in our sold-out Keynote Luncheon," David noted. "The expo opened to over 2,800 eager members who were clamoring to see each other and get back to business. We closed out the day with a relaxing beachside evening that really capped off the event. We really cannot put into words how great it felt to be back together, but it truly was more than an event, it was a marvel-ous experience!”
Raina Nelson, Southeast Produce Council Chairman of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer of Westfalia Fruit USA, also took the time to share with me her thoughts on the show.
“Every show has its own level of energy, but this year’s Southern Exposure was electric. We had record numbers that brought connectivity to all that attended. The Next Generation of Superheroes was the platform of my chairmanship. There is no better time than the present to invest in the future. It is imperative we cultivate talent and ensure the future of our industry is bright. Tim Tebow delivered inspiration to a packed house. His heartfelt message about living a significant life was the perfect way to shape perspectives as the expo started. We are thankful to all our member attendees for helping us make this year beyond marvelous!”
The show kicked off with the Tom Page Gold Classic on Thursday, March 3, as well as the STARS and STEP-UPP Dinner. Friday then began with the STARS breakfast followed by educational sessions. The first, "Prepare for the Future: Building the Next Generation of Leaders," gave an insightful breakdown into how generational shifts affect how we work, market, and lead.
The next session, "Power of Produce 2022," had a powerhouse cast of folks on the panel, including Robby Cruz, Vice President of Produce/Floral at Target; Jim Hancock, Vice President of Produce and Floral/DMM at Sam’s Club; and Jerry Callahan, Group Vice President of Produce and Floral for Albertsons.
Of the many topics covered in the Power of Produce 2022 report was the state of organics.
“The cost and the retail gap between conventional and organic continues to close. The quality is improving, and the cost gap is getting really close,” Jerry shared to a rapt audience. (When I tell you this room was packed, it was packed.) “The approach that we take on organic is to stop treating it like it’s special. I think we have to do that. Promote organic when it’s right; don’t promote it when it isn’t right. Make sure that you duplicate things, too, like having both conventional and organic parsley.”
After that was the Southern Roots Women’s luncheon, where the amazing women in produce gathered to hear from Heather Chauvin, a leadership coach who helps women conquer their fears. This was followed by the STARS Cocktail and Careers, and then the Healthy Family Project Reception.
Nicole Hulstein, Fruit Category Manager at Food Lion, attended the Southern Roots Women's Luncheon and took a moment to share with me her thoughts.
“It’s so great to be together in Orlando. Kim Lear coached us on leading a multi-generational workforce and the always informative Power of Produce session revealed shifts in buying habits of consumers in 2021. Heather Chauvin challenged female leaders to define success for ourselves and own our role in creating lives that serve us. Sharing time with suppliers and getting creative in strategy for achieving our mutual goals has been energizing,” Nicole remarked.
Next on the docket was the Opening Gala, where Marvel superheroes rubbed elbows with produce superheroes. Quite a few people showed off their marvel-ous industry pride, too.
The atmosphere in the room can only be described as palpable excitement. Everyone was thrilled to have a chance to shake loose the stresses of the past two years, all while making new connections and bolstering the old.
The day of the exposition began with the Keynote Luncheon, where Tim Tebow of University of Florida and NFL fame gave the room a rousing speech on the power of belief and how being successful should not come at the cost of others. I don’t think anyone walked away from his address without striving for significance.
Then it was time to hit the exposition floor. I can only describe my experience as a whirlwind, and I think we can all agree that it felt amazing to get back to doing what we do best.
One of the retailers walking the floor was none other than Mike Roberts, Vice President of Operations for Harps Food Stores.
“The SEPC just showed again why it is the best show in the industry!” Mike shared with me. “Amazing educational sessions, Tim Tebow speaking at the keynote luncheon, Great Southern Roots attendance, STEP UPP and Stars events! You cannot get more out of any other show! I think it will go down as one of the best produce shows ever. The excitement and engagement were at an all-time high!”
As we chatted with folks out on the floor, they had nothing but praise for the event.
“SEPC is always a great show to attend. We were happy to share our new juice product, Squeezed Juice. We received great feedback on both our Mandarin and Pomegranate flavors and look forward to continued success,” Angela Hernandez, Trinity Fruit’s Director of Marketing, expressed.
Lisa McNeece, Vice President of Foodservice and Industrial Sales for Grimmway Farms, also took a moment to share her thoughts with me.
"This show was just what our industry needed! The excitement and energy were exhilarating," she expressed. "The SEPC pulled out all stops—kudos to them. I have been to this show over the years and had never seen so many people in attendance. Our industry is ready to get back to business as we know it. It was truly good to be back in mind, body, and spirit!"
Awarded during Southern Exposure 2022 with the Terry Vorhees Lifetime Achievement Award was none other than Bobby Creel, the Director of L&M Companies. A well-deserved honor!
Check out some of the additional award honorees of Southern Exposure 2022:
Costume Contest Winners
- 1st: Larry Hertzler of National Produce Consultants as The Incredible Hulk
- 2nd: Leslie Harden of Monterey Mushroom as Hela
- 3rd: Patrick Kelly of The Produce Industry Podcast as Spiderman
Booth Decorating Contest Winners
- 1st: Hillcrest Produce
- 2nd: Dave’s Specialty Imports
- 3rd: Ecoripe Tropicals
Best Themed Directory Ad
- 1st: Desbry (WP Produce)
- 2nd: Idaho Potato Commission
The energy on the show floor was contagious, and you could see how excited everyone was to be back and doing business face to face. These past two years have been tough, but as the theme showcased, we're tough enough to fight back.
I know that I speak for many of us when I say that this show was one for the books. Cheers to a great event, everyone!
LOCKPORT, NY - Our fresh produce industry is a resilient and adaptive one. As we continue to face supply chain disruptions and inflation, suppliers like Crunch Time Apple Growers are relying on their strengths to bring what the buy-side and consumers are looking for: fresh, delicious apples. I got in touch with Jessica Wells, Executive Director, to see how Crunch Time jumps to the occasion and delivers in light of the turbulent times.
“We’re fortunate to have a strong distribution network that can effectively and efficiently deliver SnapDragon® and RubyFrost® apples up and down the East Coast. At the beginning of this season, we added three new distribution partners, bringing our total to 11 and allowing us to expand our geographic reach, particularly in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic,” Jessica enlightens me. “These new partners have helped us to deliver the same great product and experience to our new and existing retailers.”
Transportation and logistics continue to pose consistent challenges across the industry, and factors such as the cost of doing business have gone up dramatically in the last two years as well, with labor and packaging costs increasing on the post-harvest side. Crunch Time’s growers are also seeing increased costs associated with labor, fuel, and crop inputs. While none of this has affected supply, it’s important, Jessica notes, that apple pricing across the board helps growers, packers, and shippers absorb these costs.
Luckily, fresh produce is still in high demand, and trends show consumers have adapted over the past few years. Some new habits shoppers have exhibited are packaging preferences.
“Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a shift to bagged fruit from bulk fruit, which means demand for smaller fruit to fill the bags is high,” Jessica notes. “In response, shippers and retailers are getting creative with packaging, offering larger bag sizes and different pack styles in which larger fruit can be used. Lately, we’ve noted the vast majority of our top customers have experienced double-digit growth in the volume of SnapDragon sold compared to a year ago. As a brand, we are tremendously excited by this growth and see it as a great opportunity for new retailers across the country to bring this variety to their customers.”
Both varieties are available to ship now, with trucks regularly going as far west as Missouri, Texas, and Utah. Crunch Time's shipping partners all offer a suite of apple varieties, making it convenient to put together a full truckload of apples to accompany SnapDragon and RubyFrost on store shelves.
To help more consumers experience the Monster Crunch of SnapDragon, Crunch Time recently launched a fundraising program to offer 9 lb boxes of the variety to school groups, churches, sports teams, and community organizations to sell within their communities. The program is ongoing and is structured such that the groups should make a great profit while offering a new and healthy alternative to other fundraisers.
AndNowUKnow will keep an eye on the changing landscape, so stay tuned as we report.
ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - Ahold Delhaize recently provided a peek at the recent growth of its operations with the publication of its 2021 Annual Report. With an in-depth overview of its financial and ESG performance in fiscal year 2021, the retail giant has revealed €75.6 billion (USD 84 billion) net sales for 2021, nearly a €900 million gain over its 2020 €74.7 billion (USD 83.1 billion) net sales, equal to almost USD 1 billion.
“I am proud of our performance and what we have been able to achieve in 2021. Despite expectations that the world would return to pre-pandemic life, COVID-19 continued to have a major impact on our brands’ markets—and kept our people very busy,” Frans Muller, Chief Executive Officer, said. “I have enormous appreciation for associates in stores, distribution centers, and support offices across Ahold Delhaize and its brands who worked so incredibly hard to serve the needs of customers and communities.”
According to a press release, an important milestone for Ahold Delhaize this year was announcing updates to its long-term “Leading Together” strategy and key medium-term commitments during its Investor Day in November. This growth and investment plan includes a step-up in investments in digital, automation, and state-of-the-art infrastructure to drive innovation and support Ahold Delhaize’s accelerated growth plans to 2025.
Some other highlights from the report include:
- €10.4 billion (USD 11.5 billion) in net consumer online sales
- €2.2 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in net income
- €1.6 billion (USD 1.7 billion) in free cash flow
Ahold Delhaize also doubled down on its commitment to its climate strategy and brought forward its net-zero carbon emissions target for scope 1 and 2 by 10 years to 2040. Embedded in Ahold Delhaize’s belief that what is healthy for people is healthy for the planet, another sharpened ambition is the increased target for healthy own-brand food sales to be at least 55 percent by 2025.
Click here to view the full report.
More updates from the retail sector are on their way, so stay tuned to ANUK.
FRIESLAND, WI - Alsum Farms & Produce is bolstering its sales team with an experienced veteran. David Wickline is joining the grower, packer, and shipper company as the new Sales and Business Development Manager, effective February 21.
“I am very excited to work with the sales team at Alsum Farms & Produce and look forward to helping cultivate business development initiatives to grow our presence in the fresh potato and onion categories and beyond,” Wickline commented, mentioning his excitement in interacting with the fresh produce industry.
Wickline joins Alsum after working more than three decades in perishables from dairy to frozen pizzas. In his new position, Wickline will be responsible for working with the Alsum sales team to procure, serve, and grow existing national and retail, foodservice, wholesale grocer, and institutional accounts.
According to the release, Wickline began his career in retail sales and marketing for Conagra Dairy Division. He went on to serve as Vice President at Level Valley Creamery in West Bend, Wisconsin, where Wickline was responsible for sales and marketing of the company’s retail private label cream cheese and butter products. Wickline also owned his own food brokerage company for more than 15 years.
Most recently, Wickline worked with national accounts at Dr. Oetker, a German multinational company, growing its Frozen Pizza Division.
“Alsum Farms & Produce is excited to have David join our team in this role,” said Heidi Alsum-Randall, Chief Operating Officer of Alsum Farms & Produce. “David’s knowledge of perishables coupled with his wide array of work experiences in business development, sales, and customer relations make David a perfect fit for Alsum.”
Wickline’s first opportunity to connect with produce peers was at Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure in the Alsum Farms & Produce booth alongside Chief Executive Officer and President Larry Alsum and Logistics Coordinator Nikki Jedlowski.
Welcome to the fresh produce side, David Wickline!