KINGSVILLE, ON - Mastronardi Produce, pioneers in the greenhouse industry, continue pushing the boundaries of packaging innovation and design, taking home the coveted Packaging Innovation Award for their new paper lettuce bag at this year's Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Convention and Tradeshow.

The new resealable lettuce bag helps keep leafy greens crisp, fresh, and delicious with a 65% reduction in plastic compared to a traditional PET tray. "Consumers are looking for alternatives to conventional plastic packaging," said Paul Mastronardi, President and CEO, in a recent press release. "This award speaks to Mastronardi’s continued leadership in the industry to meet consumer demands."

The new packaging will be launching soon on Mastronardi's Backyard Farms® brand. Backyard Farms® fresh leafy greens are greenhouse-grown and perfect in sandwiches, wraps, burgers, or salads.

CINCINNATI, OH - Kroger appointed Joe Kelley, president of the Colorado-based King Soopers & City Markets division, to be senior vice president of Retail Divisions. Kelley is an industry veteran of nearly 40 years. He has held a number of executive leadership roles across a variety of retailers, including Price Chopper, Stop and Shop, Star Market, and Shaws Supermarkets. Kelley joined the Kroger enterprise in 2019.

"Joe is a customer-centric leader who brings broad industry experience, with a strong track record of making stores great places to shop," said Ron Sargent, Chairman and CEO of Kroger, in a recent press release.

Kelley succeeds Kenny Kimball, who returns to the Utah-based Smith's division as president after three years also leading as SVP of Retail Divisions. Kimball joined the Kroger enterprise in 1984.

"We are grateful for Kenny's leadership as he stepped up to oversee multiple retail divisions in addition to Smith's," continued Sargent. "His commitment to our associates and customers is inspirational, and he will continue to play a key role in our enterprise, supporting strategic priorities and mentoring young leaders."

Chris Albi, group vice president of Operations at King Soopers & City Markets, will succeed Kelley as president of the division. As a trusted leader, Albi is deeply connected to the division's identity, strategy and associates. She joined the Kroger enterprise in 1981 as a courtesy clerk and has held numerous leadership roles in her tenure, including Grocery category manager, vice president of Merchandising for the Michigan division and president of QFC.

Kendra Doyel will lead the California- and Illinois-based Food 4 Less as president, succeeding Bryan Kaltenbach. Doyel joined the Kroger enterprise in 1998 as a pharmacist in the Fry's division. Since then, she has held several leadership roles across multiple departments for Fry's, Ralph's and Food 4 Less.

Kaltenbach will retire after more than 50 years in the grocery industry. He joined the Food 4 Less team in 1994 and held several leadership positions, including store manager, Director of Store Operations and Director of Sales & Marketing. Kaltenbach was named division president in 2010.

CORAL GABLES, FL - Bananas have long been a staple in the produce department, ranking among many consumers’ favorite fruits. But how familiar are you with the banana’s journey from production to consumption? With National Banana Day falling on April 16, now seems like the perfect time to dive into the various steps it takes to bring delicious, high-quality bananas to market, and Fresh Del Monte Produce has offered to be our guide.

“From the moment a banana is harvested to the moment it reaches the shelf, every step matters,” Danny Dumas, Senior Vice President, North America Sales, Marketing, and Product Management, shared exclusively with AndNowUKnow. “Our vertically integrated supply chain helps us protect quality and freshness—but just as important is the trust we build along the way. A lot of people play a role in getting fruit to the shelf, and we work hard to be a reliable partner to our customers so that, together, we can deliver the kind of bananas consumers come back for.”

The beloved banana takes several important steps on its way from the field to the consumer, allowing Fresh Del Monte to ensure each piece of fruit is harvested and transported with care.

1. Harvesting – Bananas are typically harvested while still green to ensure they can withstand the long journey from farms to markets and retail stores. The timing of the harvest is crucial—bananas are harvested before they are fully ripe to avoid spoilage during transit. Workers use special tools to harvest bananas without damaging them.
2. Pre-Transport Handling – After harvesting, the bananas are carefully packaged and prepped for transportation. This includes washing and sorting the bananas in temperature-controlled environments to slow the ripening process.
3. Transportation to Export Facilities – Bananas are then transported from the farm to packing facilities where they will be prepared for export. Bananas are often transported in special refrigerated containers (reefer containers) to maintain consistent temperatures during the trip. Refrigerated transportation helps preserve the bananas’ freshness, ensuring that the ripening process remains controlled.
4. Packaging and Ripening Control – At export packing facilities, bananas are prepared for international shipment and packed into boxes designed to prevent bruising. The boxes are then sealed to ensure no contaminants can affect the bananas. Bananas are often subjected to a controlled atmosphere (CA) process. This involves managing the temperature, humidity, and gases like ethylene (a natural ripening agent) to slow down or speed up the ripening process based on the market's needs. In some facilities, bananas may be exposed to ethylene gas to help them ripen at a specific rate.
5. Shipping (Ocean Freight) – Shipping bananas across the ocean typically takes several days to weeks, depending on the destination. During transit, the bananas are carefully monitored, and containers are adjusted as needed to maintain the ideal temperature.
6. Arrival at Distribution Centers – When bananas arrive at their destination country, they are unloaded at distribution centers or ripening warehouses. Depending on the market's demand, bananas may be ripened further at a warehouse before being sent to grocery stores.
7. Retail Display – After passing inspection, bananas are distributed to grocery stores, where they are displayed for consumers.
8. Consumer Purchase – Finally, bananas are ready for consumer purchase. At this point, they are often in various ripeness stages, from green (unripe) to yellow with brown spots (ripe).

Across its growing regions in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panamá, Fresh Del Monte Produce implements this complex process while maintaining an affordable price for retailers and consumers.

Fresh Del Monte is a 100% vertically integrated company, allowing the produce supplier to have more effective control over costs throughout the entire production and distribution chain. By managing multiple stages of the process internally, Fresh Del Monte eliminates the need for intermediaries, which reduces additional margins and enables the company to optimize operational costs. Moreover, this integration provides Fresh Del Monte with greater flexibility to quickly adapt to market changes, improve the efficiency of its operations, and negotiate better terms with its suppliers.

For more insights into the banana category and beyond, be sure to leave a tab open to ANUK.