With a red-hot market for peppers, Boone, NC-based Sy Katz Produce Inc. is well-positioned for a spicy spring and summer, with a focus on bell and variety peppers grown on its North Carolina farms.

The pepper program at Sy Katz has grown steadily in recent years, including a 30 percent jump last season, according to President Owen Margolis.

“It is pretty much business as usual for us,” said Bobby Creel, director of business development. “There’s a lot more interest in locally grown and people wanting locally grown in the Carolinas.”

Northampton Growers, headquartered in Cheriton, VA, expects a good crop in both volume and quality from North Carolina this year. Calvert Cullen, president of the company, told The Produce News that despite a little dry weather in the region, the crops are faring very well.

“With proper irrigation, there should not be any problems,” said Mr. Cullen. “Everything looks to be on schedule, and quality wise the crops look good.”

Flavor 1st Growers & Packers in Hendersonville, NC, is keeping a close eye on its crop timing. The company is managing its Florida, Georgia and Carolinas plantings carefully to make sure there are no overlaps or gaps in its product supply.

“We’re trying to close that window [following the Georgia spring crop] a little bit and grow more and more stuff in the Carolinas earlier,” said co-owner Brian Rose.

Winston-Salem, NC-based Lowe’s Food Stores Inc. is test-driving a new value-driven retail concept in its home state with the opening of two new Just$ave stores.

Lowe’s evaluated extensive consumer research before coming up with the Just$ave model. The studies showed that consumers are looking for more ways to save money and time and want to support the communities in which they live. Just$ave is designed to address those needs.

J&R Orchards in Chowchilla, CA, packs fresh figs in several different pack styles, according to Chris DeBenedetto, who handles sales for the company.

“We have clamshells, trays, half trays and baskets,” he said. Customers are “increasingly liking the clamshells” which come eight one-pound clams or 12 eight-ounce clams per tray. Compared to other options, the clamshell “looks a lot better. It definitely ships better and stores better.”