VINELAND, NJ — New Jersey’s 2015 spring vegetable season is starting out “solid,” and “quality has been beyond perfection,” Jonathan Consalo of Vivid Fruit & Produce LLC told The Produce News Tuesday morning, May 12.

Continuing a long history of giving back to the communities it serves, Haggen Pacific Southwest is donating more than 1 million pounds of food to local food banks from the 100 new stores the West Coast regional grocery chain is converting throughout California, Arizona and Nevada this spring. Haggen’s donation represents more than 833,333 meals to help feed the hungry.

Mann Packing, a leader in ready-to-use fresh vegetables, is introducing a new item for foodservice operators: Golden Roasteez fresh-cut golden beets.

Allegiance Retail Services LLC and Foodtown Inc. announced that John Derderian has been named the new president of the companies, effective June 1.

David Peri, president of Peri & Sons Farms, has been named the 2015 Nevada Outstanding Agriculturalist Award winner by the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources.