KINGSVILLE, ON - A notorious Peter and his generational connection to peppers must have happened at this time of year. Rather than a peck, it is a peak, making for perfect picking for retailers.

“Overall, demand is strong and continues to trend upward year over year as more shoppers prioritize flavour, convenience, and health," Steve Zaccardi, Senior Director of Sales, shared. “Peppers perform really well going into summer. Consumer demand spikes with grilling season and outdoor gatherings. Our snacking and mini pepper options also benefit from the back-to-school mindset that begins to build toward late summer.”

The most successful summer promotions the greenhouse grower has seen combine vibrant, high-visibility displays with strong storytelling, whether that is highlighting local or regional production or the health benefits of vitamin-rich peppers.

“We also offer all of our retail partners branded displays for our annual summer grilling campaign. If the footprint is available, we’ve seen a lift in sales for retailers that have taken advantage of those displayers that we provide at no charge,” Steve explained. "Cross-merchandising is one of the most effective tools we've seen for peppers, pairing them with complementary items like dips, salad kits, and grilling accessories drives incremental sales. Creating color-blocked pepper displays is also incredibly eye-catching and reinforces the freshness and variety we offer.”

Steve added that retailers who rotate seasonal recipes or QR codes for easy meal ideas right at the display consistently see stronger engagement. This is bolstered by the consistency Mucci offers its retail partners in both volume and quality year-round.

"With our industry-leading acreage of bell peppers, which is approaching 400 acres, we offer consistency that helps stabilize pricing. As we move through peak summer, supply is strong across all colors and formats. Buyers should take advantage of promotional opportunities now when volumes are high and quality is optimal, especially for bulk and value packs," Steve advised.

Partnering with Mucci Farms, the Senior Director of Sales assured me, means more than just premium peppers. With a focus on category leadership and collaboration, the company is confident that its innovations in sustainable packaging, marketing support, and data-driven insights help retailers grow the category.

“Plus, with our vertically integrated model, we ensure speed to shelf, traceability, and consistently fresh, flavourful product your customers will love!" Steve concluded.

Put more than a little “pep” in your produce department as the thrill of summer opportunities crack open true veggie potential. AndNowUKnow will continue to report on this and other key categories as the summer begins to heat up.

FLORIDA, BAHAMAS, & CARIBBEAN - Although the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1, forecasters at AccuWeather warn that the first named storm of 2025 could arrive before May draws to a close. Atmospheric signals are building across the southwest Atlantic, with increased moisture, stalled fronts, and a possible tropical wave hinting at early development potential near Florida, the Bahamas, and the Western Caribbean.

While harsh wind shear and dry air typically suppress early-season storms, meteorologists are watching two key triggers:

• A lingering front across Florida waters that may bring showers and thunderstorms
• A developing tropical wave and pooling moisture in the Caribbean that could support storm organization by early June

Though nothing is imminent, a tropical system forming before June would mark an early start to the season. AccuWeather’s forecast calls for 13–18 named storms this year, with 3–6 expected to directly impact the U.S.

Keep checking ANUK for updates on storm impacts to growing regions, transport routes, and produce timing.

GENEVA - New banana brand Trudi’s plans to start by benefiting 200 rural families in Costa Rica through a multi-year partnership with CARE International and Fyffes partner retailers.

Fyffes developed the Trudi’s brand with a clear purpose - 'Good Fruit, Doing Good', with a portion of each sale directly benefiting the communities that cultivate them.

Trudi’s promotes gender equality, improved nutrition, and supports women to set up small agricultural businesses in the communities where Fyffes farms and supplier farms are located.

To ensure Trudi’s bananas fulfil their purpose by giving back to the communities where the fruit is grown, Fyffes has formed a multi-year partnership with CARE International UK, the international development agency.

The project will begin in Costa Rica in the communities of Matina and is designed to scale as more retailers and consumers prioritise good fruit doing good. In that regard, Fyffes is delighted to welcome Coop Norway as a Trudi’s stockist throughout the entire country, along with Spar UK, which are already leading the way by stocking this ethical banana brand.

Speaking about the development, Chief Marketing Officer Adriano Di Dia said in a recent press release, “It is great to see Coop Norway and Spar UK stepping up to bring Trudi’s to life. We know that European consumers really value sustainable and ethical brands, and we are delighted to see Trudi’s on the shelves of our long-term retailer partners.

“These are the first European shops to take the plunge with Trudi’s, and I am delighted to say we already have a number of supermarkets interested in other countries. Consumers already know that bananas are good for them, and we also know that consumers want to feel good about the decisions they make, and Trudi’s provides that opportunity,” he said.

Helen McEachern, CEO of CARE International UK, said, “We are delighted to form this partnership with Fyffes to work together in the banana-growing communities of Central America. With every banana bought, customers will be backing the women who grow and harvest the fruit, improving the lives and futures of women and their communities.”

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - Fresh Solutions Network® (FSN) provides shoppers with Side Delights® solutions that offer a more cost-effective, time-saving option than the continuing take-out trend.

According to a recent article in Food & Wine Magazine, five years after the pandemic shuttered restaurants, takeout is more than a need or a dining convenience - it is a culture. The article states that approximately 95% of consumers rank speed as “critical” to the experience, with younger generations driving demand for convenience and value. The chief economist at the National Restaurant Association noted on the topic of ordering food to go, “Convenience has become part of the overall lifestyle.” Additional factors influencing the movement include busy lifestyles and increasing disposable incomes.

Side Delights® takes take-out one step further with suggestions that save even more money and give consumers the advantage of using healthy ingredients and avoiding allergens. Re-using or recycling food not only reduces time and cost but also cuts down on food and packaging waste.

“In addition to being expensive, restaurant meals typically contain higher amounts of sodium, fat, and calories than home-cooked meals,” noted Kathleen Triou, president and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network, in a recent press release. “A medium-sized Side Delights® potato has no fat, cholesterol, or sodium and only 110 calories. Plus, potatoes are an antioxidant and a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.”

In April, the Wall Street Journal cited a Circana consumer analytics study showing that lunches purchased at restaurants or other establishments dropped 3% in 2024 to $19.5 billion, less than in 2020, the peak of the pandemic work-from-home era. Conversely, the amount of food shoppers purchased from grocery and other stores with the intent to eat at home or bring to work for lunch climbed 1%.

The ‘cook it once, eat it twice’ approach is the perfect solution for professionals who work in offices or at home, as well as for students who bring food to classrooms and campuses. After cooking a meal at home, leftovers can be used right away or frozen for a delicious, healthy lunch without the work of preparing meals twice or the cost of ordering and/or delivering them.

“Potato dishes from dinner make a great second act for lunch, or get creative and turn leftover Russet potatoes into a filling yogurt-based Quick and Healthy Greek Potato Salad or Yellow potatoes into a comforting warm Roasted Potato Garlic Soup with Kale and Sausage,” added Triou. “For students of any age, prepare extra Salt and Pepper Air Fryer Chips and pack them for a snack to bring to school.”

Side Delights® offers a variety of nutritious, economical products, including bagged and bulk potatoes, potato kits, convenience potatoes, petite potatoes, fresh-cut potatoes, and organic potatoes. For more information on Side Delights® products and its network of farms, visit SideDelights.com, FreshSolutionsNet.com, and GrownWhereItMatters.com.

FRESNO, CA - Marketing Plus, a trusted partner in food and agriculture marketing for more than 40 years, announced it will merge with HYPHEN (formerly JP Marketing), a Central Valley-based agency known for providing creative strategy and behavioral science-backed brand solutions for 30 years. Beginning July 1, the combined agency will operate under the HYPHEN name.

This merger brings together two respected firms with deep histories in the food and agriculture sectors, shared values, and a common goal: to offer bold, effective, and deeply informed marketing under one banner.

“For over 40 years, Marketing Plus has built lasting client relationships by working from the inside out, creating brands recognized across the food and ag industry,” said Julie Lucido, President and CEO of Marketing Plus, in a recent press release.

“We’ve always gone beyond traditional marketing, to develop strategy, packaging, and programs that get products onto shelves and into homes. Joining HYPHEN deepens that promise, expanding our digital, media, and research capabilities while keeping the same trusted attention and expertise our ag clients count on.”

“Growers and food manufacturers are navigating more complexity than ever, and it’s up to us to provide simple, effective marketing solutions,” said Jane Olvera Majors, President and Founder of HYPHEN. “By joining forces with Marketing Plus, we are uniting two agencies that know this category intimately and believe in delivering sharp strategy, grounded creative, and measurable results.”

What the Partnership Means for Food and Ag Clients

• Unified Ag Strategy – The new HYPHEN team combines deep industry knowledge and network connections with creative and behavioral insights to deliver smarter, more targeted B2B and B2C marketing.
• One-Stop-Shop Services – Now offering product naming and brand development, multi-lingual packaging, photography, videography, recipe content and blogs, websites, digital and print design, media planning and buying, PR, social strategy, research, activations, and tradeshow support, all under one roof.
• Trusted Relationships, Deeper Bench – Existing clients will retain their account leads, now backed by over 26 experts across strategy, branding, creative, digital, and media for added horsepower and agility.

Marketing Plus has been sharing space within HYPHEN’s current office, so the merged firm will remain at their location near Palm and Herndon Avenues in Fresno.