BAKERSFIELD, CA - As the second half of summer unfolds, Creekside Organics is delivering a fresh, flavorful lineup of organic fruit designed to bring energy and momentum to produce departments nationwide. With organic grapes and melons now shipping in peak volumes, Creekside is meeting the moment with consistent availability, strong varietal diversity, and packs that align with retail execution strategies.

Fruit World, a part of the Creekside Organics family of brands, is currently shipping its seasonal grape program through late September. This year’s standout offerings include organic Thomcord and conventional Kyoho varieties. The company’s signature Thomcord grapes—a cross between Concord and Thompson Seedless—are beloved for their nostalgic, intensely “grapey” flavor and wide consumer appeal.

These are available in one-pound clamshells and two-pound paper totes to meet a variety of merchandising needs. Each Thomcord retail pack features Fruit World’s signature “Thomcord Tales” card, which invites consumers to text the team directly with feedback, stories, and questions, creating a memorable and engaging connection with the brand.

“We look forward to grape season every year,” said Bianca Kaprielian, Co-CEO of Creekside Organics, in the recent release. “Our organic Thomcords capture that old-school grape flavor—bold, juicy, and deeply nostalgic. The best part is getting texts from customers sharing their stories. We pioneered this text engagement six years ago, and it’s just as fun and rewarding as it was when we started. We even get people reaching out via text before the season starts to ask when they can find the grapes at their local grocery store. People share photos of their kids enjoying the grapes, stories of how the grapes remind them of a Concord vine from their childhood, and encouragement to keep farming delicious fruit. And we respond to each text.”

Creekside Organics is also in the heart of its organic melon season, with cantaloupes, honeydews, Hami, and mini seedless watermelons now shipping in promotable volumes through the end of October. Organic cantaloupes are consistently measuring high on the Brix scale, delivering the sweet, juicy flavor consumers expect in a peak-season melon. Honeydew melons, known for their smooth yellow skin and light green flesh, are a standby that performs well at retail. Creekside is also offering seedless and black seedless watermelon and galia melons through August.

“Our melon program is all about delivering consistent high quality and making things easy for our customers,” said Brenda Haught, Co-CEO of Creekside Organics. “We focus on reliable sizing, timely harvests, and a packout that gives retailers the flexibility they need across different stores and promotions.”

All Creekside Organics programs are backed by the company’s dedication to food safety and organic integrity. Creekside brings together a strong network of trusted partners and family farms—offering a robust portfolio rooted in deep respect for the land and the people who farm it.

As summer merchandising strategies shift into late-season promotions, Creekside Organics and Fruit World provide a cohesive solution for retailers looking to refresh the summer set with quality organic fruit. To learn more or place an order, contact the Creekside sales team at [email protected].

MILWAUKIE, OR - USA Pears has named Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDN, as director of nutrition affairs and communications, effective immediately.

Ruhs is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and leader in retail health promotion who brings ‘wellness to the shelf.’ As a successful nutrition communications consultant, she is the former nutrition marketing dietitian for Avocados From Mexico and launched a conference for retail dietitians.

A trusted nutrition expert, she knows how to blend science and storytelling to build influence with dietitians, media, and consumers.

“We’re excited to welcome Barbara as we lean into the nutritional benefits of fresh U.S.-grown pears,” said CarrieAnn Arias, president and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest, in the recent release. “Barbara is a nationally recognized dietitian and wellness strategist with a strong track record of helping brands bring nutrition to the shelf. Her insights will help USA Pears speak clearly and credibly about the important role pears can play in everyday wellness.”

“As a dietitian, I believe working in the food industry is a critical piece to helping Americans eat healthier,” said Ruhs. “Now, more than ever, shoppers are hungry for foods that deliver health benefits, and pears are well-positioned for nutrition stardom. As an excellent source of fiber, just one medium pear provides 6 grams of fiber, which is more than 20% of the daily goal. They pair perfectly with protein, and with more than 10 varieties to choose from, there's a pear for everyone."

CORAL GABLES, FL & MARSEILLE, FRANCE - Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., a global leader in fresh produce, has announced a new partnership with the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, to introduce containerized shipping service for fresh banana and pineapple exports from the Philippines to Japan and South Korea. The collaboration marks a significant departure from traditional breakbulk shipping methods, ushering in a new era of quality, reliability, and cold chain precision for banana and pineapple imports in Northeast Asia.

The containerized service operates on two key shipping routes, provided by CNC, the Intra-Asia specialist of the CMA CGM Group:

• JP8 Service – A newly enhanced route offering fast, direct connections from Davao to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, and Moji, ensuring efficient delivery to Japan.
• BMX Service – A flagship route providing a premium, stable weekly connection from Davao to Busan, South Korea.

For decades, breakbulk vessels have been the standard in transporting bananas and pineapples to Japan and Korea. But this legacy method—where fruit is exposed to fluctuating temperatures and handled multiple times—has long posed challenges for maintaining fruit quality. By moving to fully containerized shipments, Fresh Del Monte and CMA CGM are delivering a strategic leap in logistics excellence.

“Customer satisfaction starts long before the fruit reaches the shelf—it begins with how we move it,” said Raul Saca, SVP, Global Logistics at Fresh Del Monte, in a recent release. “By transitioning to dedicated container vessels, we’re not only improving cold chain reliability and minimizing damage but also creating a more agile, scalable logistics model that better serves our retail partners across Asia.”

Unlike breakbulk methods—where the fruits may face hours of exposure to extreme heat or cold and frequent handling—the new containerized approach keeps fruit in consistent, temperature-controlled conditions from farm to customer. It also mitigates carbon footprint due to its inherent efficiency. Each container acts as a mobile cold room, preserving quality and extending shelf life. The result: more capacity, less waste, and consistently better bananas and pineapples for retailers and consumers alike.

CMA CGM's CLIMACTIVE controlled atmosphere containers and smart container solutions slow down ripening and preserve the nutritional value of fruits while allowing customers to obtain extensive, reliable, and real-time information about their goods.

“This partnership with Fresh Del Monte reflects our shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction,” said Bo Wegener, Chief Executive Officer of CMA CGM Asia Pacific. “In addition to benefits from containerization, CMA CGM’s expertise in fruits and fresh produce logistics offers improved solutions that add value to both producers and consumers.”

As climate pressures and customer expectations rise, Fresh Del Monte and CMA CGM are improving more than just delivery timelines. By cutting fruit waste, reducing handling, and increasing cargo efficiency, this shift marks a smarter, more resilient way to move fresh produce, benefiting both quality and the planet.

GOLETA, CA - Apeel Sciences issued a public statement in response to H.R. 4737, the Apeel Reveal Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN.), affirming the company’s longstanding commitment to transparency in food labeling and addressing widespread misinformation surrounding its products and operations.

The full statement from Apeel Sciences is as follows:

Apeel Sciences welcomes the opportunity to work with Congressman Marlin Stutzman on the important issue of food labeling to advance badly needed transparency in the U.S. food system. We agree with Rep. Stutzman: Every consumer deserves to know where they can find safer, higher-quality, fresher produce in their grocery stores. And this has been a longstanding company belief since our founding in 2012.

For decades, anonymous chemical substances have been used on fresh produce in the U.S. without transparency or clear consumer-facing information. Typical methods of protecting fresh produce after harvest often rely on single-use plastics, designer pesticides, synthetic waxes, and intensive refrigeration—each with significant downsides.

Our plant-based, edible coatings help keep produce naturally fresh for longer, reduce food waste, and lower grocery costs for American families. Our products are among the safest and most rigorously tested on the market. The ingredients—plant-based simple fats called mono- and diglycerides, baking soda and citric acid—are common, naturally occurring food ingredients found in the edible peels, pulp, and seeds of fruits and vegetables that also have a long history of safe use in everyday foods such as baby formula, dairy products, baked goods, meats, and nut and seed butters.

Apeel Sciences has consistently exemplified and advocated for greater transparency in the U.S. food system. We’ve urged the industry to exceed existing legal requirements and share more information with consumers. That’s why produce protected with our products features the Apeel logo or sticker and why we remain the only post-harvest food coating brand most consumers can name.

We also believe elected leaders and media organizations have a responsibility to present truthful facts about food and agriculture, which is essential for earning and maintaining consumer trust in the food system. Please note the following facts about Apeel Sciences and our products:

• Our products fully comply with existing labeling laws established by federal agencies and with retail disclosure requirements for both packaged and loose produce.
• The ingredients used in our products have long been publicly listed on our website (www.apeel.com).
• While first approved for use in 2017, our product for organic produce, Organipeel, has not been commercially available or used for nearly two years, as we are developing new products better suited to today’s needs of the organic industry.
• Bill Gates is not now, nor has he ever been, a shareholder in Apeel Sciences. He has never been an owner, advisor, or held any position within the company.

Apeel Sciences is an innovation company inspired by nature and proudly built in the United States by scientists dedicated to reducing hunger, improving health, and cutting food waste. Innovation means challenging the status quo, which sometimes attracts detractors.

We welcome the spirit of Rep. Stutzman’s legislation, which would clarify for consumers that Apeel Sciences’ products are the healthy alternative to traditional post-harvest solutions that dominate today’s market, and we are keen to discuss this topic further with him.

Apeel’s statement follows a high-profile correction by actress Michelle Pfeiffer, who recently walked back a social media post that spread false claims about the company. Her full statement, posted to Instagram, reads:

“Ugh! For any of you who reposted or shared my story about Apeel…it turns out that I unintentionally reposted inaccurate and outdated information, and I’m very sorry for that. Apeel Sciences has informed me that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded two research grants to Apeel Sciences, and Gates has no role with or ownership in Apeel. And regarding their organic product, Organipeel, Apeel told me it was not JUST approved but was first allowed back in 2017, though it has not been offered commercially in any market for over two years because they have been working (through proper protocol) on new organic formulations to meet the evolving needs of the organic industry. ...Public conversations about food safety and sustainability matter deeply, but they’re only as helpful as they are accurate. Thank you! Xx M”

Apeel Sciences executives praised Pfeiffer’s willingness to correct the record and underscored the company’s concerns about an ongoing disinformation campaign against it that began in 2023. The campaign has featured coordinated online falsehoods targeting Apeel’s leadership, products, and retail partners, and incited harassment and threats directed towards partners and employees. The disinformation campaign was addressed in an open letter from Apeel Sciences executives in 2024.

Last week, Apeel Sciences submitted a formal request to meet with Rep. Stutzman to discuss H.R. 4737 and reiterate its willingness to collaborate on solutions that benefit consumers and producers alike. In the letter, Apeel Sciences emphasized that food transparency supports both informed choice and innovative companies trying to build a safer, more sustainable food system for the future.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and for failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without USDA approval.

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

• G&S Produce Inc., operating out of Los Angeles, Calif., for failing to pay a $4,630 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Guadalupe Serafin was listed as the sole officer, director, and stockholder of the business.
• Fine Mexican Food Products Inc., operating out of Moreno Valley, Calif., for failing to pay a $14,080 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Marcos Doddoli was listed as the sole officer, director and stockholder of the business.
• Kay Lookash Produce, operating out of Vineland, N.J., for failing to pay a $11,200 award in favor of a Florida. seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Kelly Nakash was listed as the sole officer, director, and stockholder of the business.
• Father & Son Sales LLC, operating out of Tora Baja, P.R., for failing to pay a $59,672 award in favor of a Washington seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Alejandro Garcia was listed as the sole member of the business.

PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions, which may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.

For more information, contact Penny Robinson-Landrigan, Chief, Dispute Resolution Branch, at (202) 720-2890, or [email protected].