Kings Food Markets will continue to build on its tradition of bringing customers the freshest, highest-quality ingredients by launching its Local Fresh 24/7 program for the second year.

The program, which premiered last May and which begins this year on May 24, allows Kings customers to experience the benefits of a local farm stand in the convenience of their neighborhood food market by delivering locally grown, farm-fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs to its aisles within 24 hours of being hand-picked.

Dole is partnering with Schnucks on a promotion to promote the limitless possibilities of salads.

The partnership, part of Dole's summer-long Taste of Spain initiative, gives salad lovers in Rockford, IL, and other Schnucks cities the chance to host one of 25 exclusive Taste of Spain House Parties for 12 people provided by Dole. The kit includes everything from salad-based tapas recipes, free Dole salad coupons and $500 Schnucks gift cards to a Spanish tapas cookbook, flower hair clips and a Flamenco apron.

The Dr. Potato Blog, the Idaho Potato Commission’s popular resource for frequently asked questions about the state’s top crop, now has its own address. For answers to puzzling ingredient, technique and menu queries about Idaho potatoes, the Doctor is in at dr.idahopotato.com. Even better, operators will find useful tips for maximizing the appeal and profitability of their Idaho potato offerings.

SAN DIEGO — Mike Agostini, senior director of produce for Walmart, expects that several major retailers will fully implement the Produce Traceability Initiative by the end of this year. And he expects that will cause a domino effect with other retailers following suit.

By the end of 2015, he expects at least 60 percent compliance and it could be as much as 85 percent.

Vision Import Group in River Edge, NJ, shares the marketing of the “Van Gogh Mango” with Vision Produce Co., in Los Angeles, and Vision Produce Partners of Texas in Pharr, TX.

“We share a unified national distribution,” said Ronnie Cohen, vice president of sales for Vision Import Group.

“We are three separate companies, and we each do business a little differently,” he continued. “But we are unified in the distribution of the popular ‘Van Gogh Mango’ as well as with our lime program. By being strategically aligned, our goal objective is to have full national distribution.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture maintained its estimate of the 2012-13 Florida orange crop at 138 million boxes. The Valencia variety remained at 71 million, while early-mid varieties stayed at 67 million boxes.