Lipman, one of North America’s larger open field tomato growers, is rounding out its fresh produce programs with one of the most diverse vegetables available: potatoes.  

“Fresh from Florida, Lipman’s red and gold potatoes are available to purchase for a 10-week period from the middle of February through April,” Jessica Kerstein, who handles marketing and business development at Lipman, said in a press release. “Our potatoes are consistently delicious and grown with a great deal of care to ensure quality.”

“At DeLallo, we are meticulous about our ingredients, careful to select just the right flavors and use only the best quality ingredients,” said Giuliana Pozzuto, marketing director of The George DeLallo Co., headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA. “What’s so distinct about our family-owned-and-operated company is our passion for great food, and we’ve been doing it for over 60 years.”

She added that while it’s apparent that the company’s “SaladSavors” are made for topping salads, the company makes sure that each single ingredient is good enough to eat straight out of the package.

RIO RICO, AZ — Early April will see the launch of an increased watermelon program for Malena Produce Inc., headquartered here.

Gonzalo Avila, Malena’s vice president and general manager, indicated that this “will be a larger program than we have marketed in the past with volume starting in early April and continuing through mid- to late-June.” Malena will also be offering honeydew melons during the same timeframe.

Supermarket customer satisfaction is down, according to a report released by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Rising food prices played a major role — increasing 3.4 percent last year. But there was good news for some retailers: Trader Joe’s and Wegmans were ranked first in customer satisfaction, the first time Publix didn't lead the category. Walmart was ranked lowest in the category.

Several news reporters in California are claiming that the West Coast ports labor dispute revolves around one remaining issue and may be close to being settled.

WASHINGTON —An expert committee has recommended that Americans eat more plant-based food, including fruits and vegetables. The Produce Marketing Association hailed the advice — as this report serves as a foundation for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015, which is due out later this year. In addition to the health benefits, the report stated that plant-based food is more environmentally sustainable than animal-based food.