NEWS ROUNDUP 2001-06-04

Wal-Mart Honors Chiquita

Wal-Mart Stores has announced its selection of Chiquita Brands International as Environmental Supplier of the Year, in recognition of the company's "making positive strides in providing environmentally sensitive products and/or implementing innovative environmental practices." Wal-Mart officials cited Chiquita's observance of voluntary environmental and social standards in the Rainforest Alliance's Better Banana Project. Chiquita, based in Cincinnati, has achieved BBP certification on 100% of its company-owned farms in Latin America, and BBP-certified bananas make up approximately two-thirds of the volume sold in North America, officials noted.

Strawberry Brand Hits Shelves

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- C.H. Robinson Worldwide is expanding its Welch's fresh program beyond grapes to include strawberries nationwide. Through a licensing agreement with Welch's, the branded produce purveyor will begin selling premium fresh strawberry varieties under the Welch's brand. All strawberries sold under the label will be subject to quality and packaging specifications developed from consumer feedback, and initially will only be available during the peak season, from April through October, according to officials with both companies. The brand extension will have promotional and merchandising support at the retail level, they added.

PMA Strengthens Floral Programs

NEWARK, Del. -- The Produce Marketing Association announced it will integrate floral programs into the association's lineup of member services, a move designed to facilitate closer interaction between floral suppliers and supermarket produce and floral executives. The decision, which will take effect at PMA's Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition in Philadelphia this October, contains several elements, according to officials. It provides direct representation of floral interests on PMA's Retail Board through the addition of two seats, one for a floral buyer and one for a floral supplier; and creates a PMA Floral Industry Forum to serve as the catalyst for defining floral needs in both retail and food-service channels of distribution, among other actions, they said.