The Washington fresh apricot crop should hit the market by about the middle of June and be fairly close to the 642,000 24-pound cartons that were produced last year, according to James Michael, vice president of marketing for North America for the Washington State Fruit Commission.

Ready Pac Foods' newest products, which feature hemp as a key ingredient, hit Safeway's store shelves April 20. The company said its Hemp Caesar Salad Kit and Bistro Bowl Jamaican Style Jerk Hemp Seed Salad are the first mass-produced, ready-to-eat salad products to feature hemp.

Record numbers of attendees and exhibitors packed the Palais des congrès de Montréal April 15-17 for the Canadian Produce Marketing Association's 90th annual convention and trade show.

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.