FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - This summer, Chiquita is making the streets of New York City a little brighter – and a lot more fun. The iconic banana brand is rolling out a fleet of eye-catching, Chiquita-branded buses across Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, bringing smiles and sunshine to the Big Apple’s everyday commute.

“From Times Square to Central Park, Chiquita is going bananas in the best way possible,” said Juliana Furlan, Director of Marketing at Chiquita North America, in a recent press release. “This campaign is all about joy, quality, and connection. It’s a moving reminder of what makes Chiquita different: our history, our values, and the fun we bring to the everyday.”

This NYC activation follows successful out-of-home initiatives in Europe and supports Chiquita’s continued mission to uplift everyday moments and connect with consumers in unexpected and memorable ways. By turning one of the city’s most iconic transportation symbols into a moving billboard of joy, Chiquita invites travelers to join in a moment of fun, right in the heart of the Big Apple.

Whether you're a lifelong fan or discovering Chiquita for the first time, keep your eyes peeled, as the Chiquita branded buses will be on the move from now through mid-July! To learn more about Chiquita’s latest news, visit www.chiquita.com/.

LONG BEACH, CA - If you’ve longed to experience Long Beach, California, with the warm weather and the cool Pacific breeze, a debut fresh produce event is the perfect reason. The Fresh Produce and Floral Council (FPFC) is introducing its Annual Harvest Forum and Fair, which it has boldly billed as the premier event redefining networking, education, and innovation in the fresh produce and floral industry.

Matt Hayes, Program and Events Director, took some time to tell me why this is one​ opportunity industry members don't want to miss, both buy- and supply-side.

“The 2025 FPFC Harvest Forum & Fair is a standout event for both buyers and suppliers in the fresh produce and floral industries due to its dynamic combination of high-value networking, targeted business matchmaking, and timely educational content. For buyers, especially qualified retail professionals, the opportunity to attend at no cost—including complimentary access to all sessions and events, plus reimbursement for eligible travel and lodging—removes traditional barriers to entry and enables deep engagement with suppliers and thought leaders. Suppliers, on the other hand, benefit from direct access to decision-makers through the popular Business Buyer meetings, exhibit opportunities with over 150 booths, and brand exposure across a high-traffic trade show floor,” Matt shared.

The event will create a focused environment where business conversations are not only welcomed but actively facilitated, making it an essential marketplace for connection, discovery, and deal-making in the heart of the industry.

Matt noted that, while 2025 marks the first year under the “Harvest Forum & Fair” name, it builds on the legacy of the former FPFC Expo, which has long been a cornerstone event in the industry’s calendar.

“The evolution into a more experience-driven format reflects the council’s commitment to providing richer engagement, more actionable content, and greater ROI for participants. The shift signals a new chapter—one that honors tradition while embracing innovation—and early interest in the sponsorship packages and booth sales suggests strong momentum and participation,” he pointed out. “With enhanced programming, expanded networking, and an increasingly tailored buyer experience, this year’s event is poised to set a new benchmark for future industry gatherings.”

Attendees can expect exciting additions to the 2025 program, including:

• A keynote speaker meet-and-greet opportunity for select sponsors
• Exclusive themed networking receptions
• Giveaways throughout the event that bring a fun, engaging energy to the business-focused agenda
• Over 150 booths
• Brand-new sponsorship activations like branded lanyards, name badges, and box lunches

Taking place August 7th-9th at the Long Beach Hyatt and Convention Center, the event’s location also offers a scenic, accessible venue that enhances the attendee experience.

“There’s something fresh and impactful for everyone planning to attend,” Matt concluded. “The FPFC Harvest Forum & Fair is distinguished by its hybrid format, which combines two days of immersive educational sessions (the Forum) with a high-energy, interactive trade show (the Fair). This structure allows for both depth of learning and breadth of business exposure, setting it apart from traditional expos or conferences. The networking opportunities are also uniquely structured, ensuring connections are made in a variety of settings. In terms of information access, the Forum offers expert-led sessions on key industry challenges such as FSMA 204 compliance, sustainability, labor strategies, and consumer trends, making it not only a marketplace but also a learning hub.”

With the August timing falling in a position ideal for stakeholders looking to prepare for the fall and holiday retail seasons, a critical planning period in the fresh calendar, this is a debut I do not plan to miss. See you on the water!

NOGALES, AZ - Food safety. Social responsibility. Traceability. These are just a few of the hallmarks that make Divine Flavor’s Better Grower Program one of the best in the business. In this article, two of the company’s leaders share insights on this one-of-a-kind operation.

“The Better Grower Program is not just about quality and flavor—which are first and foremost and forever the main focuses—but there's a lot to do with food safety, which has become crucial in securing a consumer purchase. Food safety requires a lot of detailed work and making sure the thousands of people handling products throughout the supply chain uphold our standards,” Alán Aguirre Camou, Chief Marketing Officer, started off.

Social responsibility is another key factor in Divine Flavor’s Better Grower Program.

“It comes from our parent company, Grupo Alta. They provided the know-how and the ability to educate growers on having top-notch facilities to improve the quality of life for our workers that come from the southern states, mostly from the southeast states of Mexico,” Alán continued. “They have health benefits, so they have an additional reason for leaving their homes for the season besides earning money for their families.”

Traceability, he added, plays another major role.

“Being fully transparent in information and organics is not a trending fashion for us. We started doing it in the '90s with Grupo Alta,” Alán imparted. “Sustainability is also playing a bigger role in every platform, whether it’s media, consumers, or retailers.”

It is these six pillars—quality, flavor, food safety, social responsibility, traceability, and sustainability—that sustain the Better Food for a Better World slogan. This six-pillar system is audited, monitored, and improved together with Divine Flavor’s growers through the Better Grower Program.

“We work with growers that operate at a high level, like Grupo Alta, who's the parent company to Divine Flavor. Then we also have smaller growers—growers that think and share similar values to Divine Flavor that are new to the group,” Michael DuPuis, Quality Assurance and Public Relations Manager, noted. “Even though they might be lacking in some areas when it comes to compliance, the Better Grower Program is there to help standardize.”

Michael continued, adding, “The Better Grower Program is such a powerful campaign and tool that basically allows every single grower that packs for Divine Flavor to be operating as one. The same certifications, methods, and practices regarding social responsibility and traceability programs, combined with giving us information that allows us to speak to the retailers about how we can better promote and sell our products, are at the heart of the Better Grower Program.”

That just about sums it up! For more from Divine Flavor, keep clicking back to AndNowUKnow.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Berry Fresh is proud to announce that its premium blackberry variety, Sweet Karoline®, has earned a Superior Taste Award from the International Taste Institute in Brussels. Judged in a blind tasting by a panel of over 250 world-renowned chefs and sommeliers, this award recognizes the exceptional flavor and eating experience of Sweet Karoline®—a variety that’s redefining what consumers expect from a blackberry.

“We’ve always believed Sweet Karoline® is something special, and this award validates the years of work our team has put into bringing a consistently sweet, high-quality blackberry to market,” says Jyoti Bhogal, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Berry Fresh.

Sweet Karoline® is grown with care in Mexico and soon in the Pacific Northwest, as Berry Fresh expands its production to meet rising demand across North America.

Known for its sweet, complex flavor and reduced tartness, the variety has gained a loyal following among retailers and consumers alike.

CHESAPEAKE, VA - Dollar Tree, Inc. reported financial results for its first quarter ended May 3, 2025.

“Our strong first quarter performance underscores the progress we’ve made against our strategic priorities and is a clear signal that our customers are responding positively to the changes we are making,” said Mike Creedon, Chief Executive Officer, in the release. “History has shown that we have the resilience to emerge stronger from periods of economic uncertainty, and in today’s rapidly evolving environment, we see a meaningful opportunity to further elevate the value, convenience, and discovery that our customers depend on Dollar Tree to provide.”

Additional Business Highlights

• Opened 148 new Dollar Tree stores
• Converted approximately 500 stores to our 3.0 multi-price format
• Generated $379 million of net cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations and $130 million of free cash flow from continuing operations

First Quarter Results

Results for the first quarter, ended May 3, 2025, are reported on a continuing operations basis and reflect the Family Dollar segment as discontinued operations. Continuing operations reflect the results of the Dollar Tree segment and corporate, support, and other.

Also, unless otherwise noted, all comparisons are to the prior year’s first quarter, ended May 4, 2024, which also have been adjusted to reflect the Family Dollar segment as discontinued operations.

Net sales increased 11.3% to $4.6 billion. Same-store net sales increased 5.4%, driven by a 2.5% increase in traffic and a 2.8% increase in average ticket.

Gross profit increased 11.7% to $1.6 billion and gross margin expanded 20 basis points to 35.6%. The expansion in gross margin was driven primarily by lower freight, improved mark-on, and lower occupancy costs due to sales leverage, partially offset by increased distribution, shrink, and markdown costs.

See the full report here.

ELGIN, MN - Honeybear Brands, a leading grower, marketer, and developer of premium conventional and organic apples, pears, and cherries, and its exclusive brand Pazazz® teamed up with Professional Hockey standout Taylor Heise to “Assist Second Harvest Heartland” during the 2024-25 hockey season. The partnership paid off big time, with the Frost winning their second national championship and Pazazz donating 12,000 pounds of apples to the Second Harvest Heartland food bank.

“Our food shelf partners appreciated the generous infusion of fresh apples this winter. We were thrilled to partner with Pazazz and Taylor Heise on this inaugural campaign. It’s been fun to watch Taylor compete and bring attention to the cause, helping to put hunger on ice,” said Lindsey Ochmanek, director of sourcing and demand planning, Second Harvest Heartland, in a recent press release.

Honeybear Brands donated 600 pounds of apples each time Heise fed a teammate an assist – otherwise known as an “apple” in hockey – during Frost hockey games this season, running December through May. Heise broke last season’s assist record of 9 assists – with a total of 20 assists.

"It’s been an amazing season for many reasons. The Pazazz Apples partnership benefiting Second Harvest Heartland has been an incredible opportunity to give back to the community that has supported me throughout my career. I was doubly motivated throughout the season, knowing that each assist on the ice translates into apples for those in need. I broke my record and we brought another Walter Cup home in the process!" said Taylor Heise, professional hockey player.

Doing Good While Promoting Good Health

Throughout the hockey season, Heise helped promote the campaign to her avid followers on social media – marking each “apple” and resulting donation. Honeybear amplified the campaign on its Instagram and Facebook platforms in markets where Pazazz is on shelf. In addition to fighting hunger, the campaign promoted the importance of fueling the body with fiber for overall good health.

Apples offer numerous health benefits, thanks to their fiber-rich peels. One medium apple has approximately 4.4 grams of dietary fiber, which is 16% of the daily requirement. Apples, which are about 85% water, are also a hydrating snack.

Pazazz is a popular option for apple lovers. Perfectly sweet and tangy, with an explosive, loud crunch, Pazazz is also a late season apple that remains delicious long after other premium apple flavors start to fade.

“Taylor Heise has been an amazing ambassador this season. Not only does she genuinely love apples, but as an elite athlete she has helped educate her followers on the importance of fueling their bodies with healthy options.” said Kristi Harris, brand manager, Honeybear Brands. “Just like Heise, Honeybear is passionate about giving back to our community. We were thrilled to see Taylor amplify our Pazazz brand of apples in a genuine spirit of filling the need to alleviate hunger. It’s been a WIN all around.”