Chris Jevne, senior sourcing manager for Walmart Stores Inc. and a longtime member of the potato industry, died suddenly Friday, Nov. 19. He was 54.

The Nardelli family has been involved in the produce business for the greater part of a century and Nardelli Bros. Inc.- Lake View Farms has kept that legacy going.

The Cedarville, NJ-based company ships its own produce that it grows on its large farms in Southern New Jersey, and also offers cooling operations, packing and shipping and delivery and transportation services.

This year, in an effort to address both the extraordinary opportunities and the extraordinary challenges the industry faces, the Hass Avocado Board, with industry participation, launched BOLD: The Hass Avocado Industry Board Leadership Development Program. Helping the industry face an increasingly complex marketplace with sophisticated problem-solvers, BOLD is designed to develop emerging leaders who are both motivated and equipped to meet those opportunities and challenges.

Naturipe announced the debut of its new greenhouse strawberries from Mexico. Naturipe Berry Growers, an owner of Naturipe Farms, has partnered in a strawberry greenhouse project based in central Mexico.

The project is in its first full acreage production and is a partnership between Naturberry and Berry Hill (grower Ignacio Castillo and his son Ignacio Castillo Jr.). The new strawberry greenhouse project focuses on utilizing pioneering technologies to grow strawberries.

Consumers love affair with avocados continue to thrive as sales continue to rise. For the four-week period ending Oct. 3, total avocado dollar sales were up 2.2 percent to $175.7 million, adding $3.8 million to the category compared with last year, according to an analysis by the Hass Avocado Board. The average avocado price per unit in the U.S. was up 16.4 percent at $1.19/unit.

LGS Specialty Sales, a leading importer of citrus, avocados, grapes and persimmons, anticipates a strong grape season from December 2021 through May of 2022.

For six months, LGS will provide shoppers with access to quality red, green and black seedless grapes from Chile and Peru. This will include specialty varieties like Cotton Candy and Candy Hearts. The grapes will be available for purchase in both clamshells and clear bags.