The average American is driving food sales. It used to be that chefs drove the trends in foods and creating demand for lesser-known commodities that would eventually translate into more sales in supermarkets.

The Packer’s Tom Karst visited April 7 with Claudia Pizarro-Villalobos, director of marketing and culinary for Salinas, Calif.-based D’Arrigo California.

Ocean Mist Farms, Castroville, Calif., is highlighting health and nutrition aspects or artichokes with the spring Gold Standard promotion.

Oranges were still the favorite on Produce Market Guide the week of March 30, but lettuce inched up a place from the previous week to No. 2, bumping organic pears to No. 3.

The National Mango Board has elected new officers.

March was a very long year.

Farm Journal, the parent company of Produce Retailer and The Packer, is enhancing its Produce Market Guide digital platform by merging it with Produce Retailer, creating a combined brand called PMG.

A new survey by Category Partners indicates shoppers have been adjusting their trip frequency, basket size and packaging preferences due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Consumers are more environmentally aware these days, as sustainability seems to be the buzzword for the new decade.

Fresh produce sales growth slowed significantly at the end of March after two record-breaking weeks earlier in the month due to stock-up buying because of the coronavirus COVID-19.