The damage from what south Texas produce professionals will know as the infamous freeze of St. Valentine’s week started with a hard freeze that began on the night of Feb. 14. The Texas produce industry has deemed the event the “Valentine’s Day massacre for the fruit and vegetable industry of south Texas.” Cold continued off and on through that week, with more freezing temperatures forecast for the night of Feb. 18-19.

The California Fresh Fruit Association has announced the results of the “Top Issues Survey” for 2021. CFFA members were recently surveyed to rank the top issues for the Association to focus its efforts on this year.

Walmart Inc. announced that the Issa brothers, founders and co-CEOs of EG Group, a global convenience and forecourts retailer headquartered in Blackburn, U.K., and investment funds managed by TDR Capital LLP, a leading U.K.-based private equity firm, have completed the acquisition of Asda, Walmart’s wholly owned U.K. business, for an enterprise value of $8.8 billion, on a debt-free and cash-free basis.

Vanguard International grape harvest and packing seasons are under way in Peru, Chile and South Africa. Peru and Chilean grape demand is particularly strong in Mexico, and increasing in Canada, the U.S., and Asia as California completes their “storage season.” Vanguard is seeing the first arrivals of grapes from their own ranches in Peru into various markets around the world and the results have been very positive season to date. Overall quality and condition have been very well received.

Misionero, a leader in organic salads, prepared lettuces, value-added vegetables, and a pioneer in plant-based salad products, announced a new strategic partnership with Grupo Altex, a leading agricultural company in Mexico.

CMI Orchards announced that Ambrosia apples are dominating sales in the Southern Region, with strong sales reported throughout the rest of the United States.