DALLAS & HOUSTON, TX - Kroger announced a change in leadership structure for a more competitive future by consolidating the presidents of the Dallas and Houston Divisions into a single executive leader. Rudy DiPietro, currently president of the Dallas Division, has been named president of Kroger’s newly formed Texas Division, effective August 1. Rudy will report to Valerie Jabbar, senior vice president of retail divisions. The change follows the retirement of Laura Gump, president of Kroger’s Houston Division, after 38 years of dedicated service in the grocery retail industry and five years as a Kroger division leader.

Kroger’s newly formed Texas Division consists of more than 210 stores and 26,000 associates in North, East, and Southeast Texas and West, Central, and Southwest Louisiana.

DiPietro brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the retail industry. Over the course of his 21-year career with Ahold Delhaize USA, he held a variety of leadership roles across many of the organization’s family of brands. Most recently, he served as vice president of Omnichannel Planning and Execution, where he spearheaded omnichannel planning and execution strategies across five brands.

He previously served the Stop & Shop brand as the vice president of Omnichannel Merchandising Planning and Execution and senior vice president of Sales and Operations, driving operational focus and customer loyalty throughout the market. Prior to his roles with Stop & Shop, he held leadership roles with the Food Lion and Hannaford brands, including vice president of Merchandising for Food Lion and 2020 strategy vice president and vice president of retail operations for Hannaford’s Western Division.

“Simplifying into a single Texas division is a strategic decision to create more efficiencies, which allows the team to run great stores with lower prices and deeper investments in our associates,” said Valarie Jabbar, senior vice president of retail divisions at Kroger, in a recent press release. “We are confident that Rudy’s leadership and experience will bring together the two teams to create an even better shopping experience for our Texas customers.”

CORAL GABLES, FL - Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., a global leader in fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, announced the appointment of Miles Fraser-Jones as Vice President of Sales & Product Management, Deciduous & Citrus (International) to strengthen global category performance.

Fraser-Jones will oversee North American sales and lead international sourcing and product management for the company’s deciduous and citrus categories. He will report directly to Danny Dumas, Senior Vice President of Sales, Product Management, and Marketing for North America.

With over 25 years of experience in global sourcing, procurement, and new business development, Fraser-Jones has held senior leadership positions at AMFresh, Tom Lange International, and Sierra Produce.

He brings deep supplier relationships and category expertise that will support Fresh Del Monte’s strategic priorities in key categories.

“Miles brings a combined wealth of experience, category insight, and leadership that will be instrumental as we strengthen our commercial strategy and expand our global sourcing capabilities,” said Danny Dumas in a recent release. “This appointment reflects our commitment to sourcing globally and building an expert team focused on innovation for Fresh Del Monte and our customers.”

Strengthening leadership remains a priority for Fresh Del Monte as it drives growth and innovation across key categories, and Fraser-Jones’ sourcing expertise positions the company to expand its presence in the deciduous and citrus markets.

CHARLOTTE, NC - Before Dole Food Company changed frozen desserts and theme park snacking forever with the introduction of the Dole Whip® at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the 1980s, guests waiting for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland enjoyed DOLE® Pineapple Juice and fresh-cut DOLE® Pineapple Spears.

Now, more than four decades later, in celebration of Dole Whip Day on July 17, the fresh produce leader has teamed up with Ninja to create an official, naturally sweet new DIY version of the iconic treat that pays homage to both the Dole Whip®'s original inspiration and the 70th anniversary of Disneyland that falls on the same day.

The new DIY Pineapple Stuffed Dole Whip takes Dole’s DIY Dole Whip® a few steps forward by combining a Ninja Swirl™ by CREAMi® and whole DOLE® Pineapple to create a sweet pineapple puree (curd) filling that elevates the Whip taste experience, according to recipe developer Melanie Marcus, MA, RD, Dole’s nutrition, wellness, and communications manager.

“One great thing about the Dole Whip® has always been the infinite number of variations that are possible. From new flavors and ingredients to (now) new fillings at the core, we can tailor the Whip to any occasion,” Marcus said in the recent release. “Our naturally sweet pineapple curd is piped into the center of the final Dole Whip® mix and becomes an absolute game-changer that we think even Dole Whip® purists will love.”

“Get ready to swirl, pipe, and wow your taste buds right in your own home!” she said.

As part of the recipe-development partnership, Ninja is offering insider tips on making Dole Whip® at home using its Ninja Swirl™, which include freezing the Whip mixture for 24 hours in advance, the best machine settings for soft-serve, and tricks for dispensing the final treat into a bowl or cone to get that classic Dole Whip® swirl.

Dole’s relationship with Disney started with the produce leader’s sponsorship of the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland in 1976, which led to a similar arrangement at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World several years later. The Dole Whip® came along in 1984. Dole Packaged Foods continues the in-park sponsorship today, while Dole Food Company is continuously developing new Dole Whip® recipes and ways to enjoy the iconic treat at home.

Marcus and her team have created a total of 13 fruit-based DIY Dole Whip® variations over the years, ranging from the Blue Hawaiian Dole Whip® and Mint Green Dole Whip® to seasonal favorites Pumpkin Spice-Sweet Potato Dole Whip® and Twisted Candy Cane Dole Whip®. All are posted on the Dole Whip® Wonderland page.

Said Marcus: “The fact that Dole Whip Day falls on the same day as the 70th birthday of Disneyland, where the Dole/Disney relationship began almost 50 years ago, is a very happy coincidence for all of us at Dole.”

EDISON, NJ - Furthering the retail cooperative’s commitment to offering locally grown produce, Wakefern Food Corp. recently hosted its Produce Local Supplier Summit on July 9. Seeking to expand its network of local and regional farmers and producers, Wakefern welcomed suppliers to a one-day event in Edison, New Jersey, to explore new partnership opportunities.

“We’re proud to host the Produce Local Supplier Summit as part of our continued commitment to sourcing locally grown produce and developing meaningful connections with local farmers and growers,” shared Ross Farnsworth, Wakefern's Vice President of Produce, exclusively with AndNowUKnow. “This summit is a chance for small and mid-size growers to connect directly with our procurement team to learn how we can work together to bring their farm-fresh produce to families across the Northeast.”

Providing growers with a unique opportunity to showcase their portfolios, the summit reinforces Wakefern’s strong commitment to sourcing locally grown produce and supporting the communities served by its member-owned supermarkets, which include the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, and Di Bruno Bros. banners.

Producers at this year’s event connected with Wakefern’s produce procurement teams and explored potential retail partnerships with summit attendees. Attendees were also welcomed to hear directly from Wakefern’s leadership and local suppliers during a panel discussion featuring existing grower partners and co-op members.

Wakefern is known for supporting local businesses and brands, and supplier summits are in line with the cooperative’s mission to help small businesses succeed in a big business world, an earlier press release mentioned.

May we soon see some exciting new offerings in the produce department as a result of this unique event? AndNowUKnow will be here to report.