Pushed by national promotions and a 25 percent increase in distribution, Ambrosia apples are riding a retail wave all the way to the cash register. Over the past 13 weeks, a record 14,022 supermarkets put Ambrosia on the shelves for consumers. As a result, Nielsen data shows Ambrosia ranked No.

SpartanNash Co. has promoted two executive vice presidents to key positions within the company. Dave Staples, SpartanNash's current executive vice president and chief financial officer, has been appointed chief operating officer, and Derek Jones, executive vice president of food distribution, has been promoted to president of wholesale and distribution operations. Both appointments were effective March 1.

WASHINGTON — Lifting tariffs as high as 40 percent on U.S. fruits is one of the reasons the Obama administration is advocating for the Trans Pacific Partnership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said recently.

U.S. trade negotiators are trying to hammer out the biggest trade deal on the TPP with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

USDA pointed to key commodities that would benefit from the trade deal.

Southern Specialties has started shipping Florida-grown blueberries in six-ounce "Southern Selects" clamshells. This year’s blueberry crop will include Farthing, Flicker, Chickadee and Meadowlark varieties. Florida blueberries, Southern Selects blackberries and premium Adelita variety raspberries are distributed from the company’s Pompano Beach, FL, distribution facility.

A mild winter in British Columbia’s lower mainland is setting the stage for an outstanding season at the region’s top organic greenhouse grower, Origin Organic Farms in Delta, BC, according to a company press release.

“With no prolonged cold spell over the last few months, the plants are thriving beautifully,” Raymond Wong, company president, said in the release.

Houweling’s Tomatoes continues to reinforce its position as an innovative world-class leader with the addition of its new greenhouse facilities in Mona, UT.

“The Utah expansion is a significant addition to Houweling’s portfolio, as both a year-round supply of USA-grown tomatoes and as a model for sustainable agriculture,” David Bell, chief marketing officer, told The Produce News.