June is the month for North American retailers to focus on promoting Mexican table grapes, noted Jerry Havel, the director of sales and marketing for Fresh Farms.

The company’s sales and distribution center is in Rio Rico, AZ. Fresh Farms is owned by Mexico’s Molina family, which is one of the country’s largest-volume grape growers.

Havel said that 80 percent of Mexico’s grapes are shipped in June. Thus, making it the prime time for retail promotions.

With a start on the early side, the Mexican grape deal will enjoy a relatively long season, according to Miguel (Miky) Suarez, a partner in MAS Melons & Grapes, LLC, based in Rio Rico, AZ.

AB Acquisition LLC, parent company of Albertson’s LLC, New Albertson’s Inc., and Safeway Inc. announced that Bob Miller, the company’s current executive chairman, will assume the additional role of chief executive officer, effective immediately. Robert Edwards, who had been appointed CEO, will continue on with the company as vice chairman providing counsel to the board and the organization on key strategic and integration matters.

The future of Mexico’s grape industry “is very strong,” in the view of Jerry Havel, the director of sales and marketing for Fresh Farms, in his office in Rio Rico, AZ.  

Mexico consistently produces grapes that are “very sweet and large in size year in and year out.  The grape quality is outstanding.”

Specifically of the coming season, he said, “I am looking forward to another great year.”

The industry indicates that green Mexican grape shipping will begin about May 5. The deal will last until about July 4.  

Publix Super Markets Inc. and Lowes Foods LLC have announced the companies have entered into an agreement under which Publix is expected to purchase two closed and vacant Lowes Foods stores in North Carolina. The transaction is projected to close later in April.

This April, Vision Produce Co. is installing a solar power generation system at its produce distribution center in Phoenix, which also includes offices for its Arizona sales and operational staff. It is expected to supply 59 percent of the electricity Vision Produce consumes in Phoenix every year.