SuperValu Inc., one of the nation’s leading grocery wholesalers, has begun supplying the first of 18 Rainbow stores that are being acquired as part of the transactions that were announced May 7 between Roundy’s and a consortium of SuperValu and independent retailers. Following the store conversions, SuperValu will supply all 18 of the acquired stores out of its Hopkins, MN, distribution center.

In college they call it “crop science” because there are many measureable and technical factors involved in producing a crop, but when your job involves taking that product from field to fork, it is also an art.

Mark Adamek is harvest director of romaine and mixed leaf for Salinas, CA-based Tanimura & Antle, one of the premier vegetable grower-shippers in the country. “They call us harvest managers,” said Adamek, “but each of us are involved in much more than that. We take the product from seed until they close the reefer doors” as the product is being shipped to a customer.

BRIGHTON, CO — Any news of Bob Sakata’s retirement is vastly exaggerated, with the veteran grower-shipper continuing his decades-long office routine with trademark energy.

Mid-June found the elder Sakata, who turned management of Sakata Farms over to his son, Robert T. Sakata, last year, at his desk and ready with updates on the farm’s onions, sweet corn and cabbage.

Louis Hymel, director of purchasing and marketing for Spice World Inc., headquartered in Orlando, FL, said that the company will be represented at the PMA Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey, CA, July 25-27 by himself, as well as Mitch DiMarco, director of foodservice.

“Spice World will be exhibiting at Booth No. 130,” said Hymel. “We’ll be featuring our new crop California garlic along with all of our value-added garlic products. And we’ll be highlighting some new peeled packaging that we’re very excited about.”

New sales figures indicate when it comes to bagged fresh potatoes, smaller package sizes are starting to sell big.

Sales of bagged fresh potatoes under four pounds are up 17.8 percent from a year ago and 112 percent in the past 10 years, according to data from AC Nielson Fresh Facts.

Sunkist Growers released the findings of its S'alternative research revealing that the use of Sunkist lemons may allow for significant salt reduction in recipes while boosting flavor. The research concluded that lemons can be used to reduce salt by as much as 75 percent.