Cincinnati-based Chiquita Brands International Inc. announced Feb. 23 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Fresh Express unit of Richmond, VA-based Performance Food Group for $855 million in cash. The move marks the latest " and largest " development in Chiquita?s resurgence after its 2001 bankruptcy filing. In March 2002, the company announced that it had emerged from its pre-arranged Chapter 11 restructuring "as a healthy company with a solid financial structure." Subsequent to that announcement, Chiquita pared its operations to eliminate its non-core business

A new generation of a family entering the greenhouse industry in Leamington, ON, is not an unusual happening. In fact, it's more normal than not in the area and has been for nearly the past 100 years. It all began when a couple of families emigrated from the Abruzzo region of Italy in the early part of the 20th century and did what they knew best: farm. Innovative people that they were, however, they soon learned that they could extend their crop season by growing in greenhouse environments. Fast-forward to the present, and the Leamington area is home to what is now one of the more advanced

MCL Distributing Inc., a grower, shipper and distributor of "4-Earth? brand conventional and organic specialty produce, announced the hiring of Jeanette De-Coninck Hertzler as a senior account manager. Ms. De-Coninck Hertzler brings to MCL over 19 years of sales experience at Frieda?s Inc., where she started in 1985 as a sales representative. First promoted in 1996 to national sales representative, she was elevated in 1998 to a key account manager and ended her tenure at Frieda?s as an account manager. She has extensive experience working with both retailers and wholesalers, and will focus her

WASHINGTON " Top officers with the International Fresh-cut Produce Association are expected this April to give a go-ahead to a plan to create a European division, a model that, if successful, could be exported to other regions of the world. The appetite for fresh-cut produce is growing in Europe, said IFPA President Jerry Welcome, who noted that European processors pitched the idea to IFPA last year. "Obesity is not as hot an issue as over here," he said. But time-starved shoppers, who continue to look for convenient products, are driving the market. At a meeting in Berlin, Germany, earlier

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. announced Feb. 21 that in order to address the financial and operational challenges that have hampered its performance, the company and 23 of its U.S. subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The filings were made in the evening of Feb. 21 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. All 920 Winn-Dixie stores in eight states and the Bahamas are open and serving customers. The company's Customer Reward Card is being honored as usual, and all other customer

PHOENIX " A gathering of nearly 200 people attended the Fresh Produce & Floral Council?s second annual Arizona luncheon Wednesday, Feb. 16 at the Phoenix Crown Plaza Hotel, here. Kevin Easler of Sprouts Farmers Market, served as the emcee for the event, while Wal-Mart?s Bruce Peterson was the day?s keynote speaker. Mr. Peterson gave what he called "a Wal-Mart update and a look ahead." He said that the company had "no shortage of press coverage and no shortage of challenges? in the past year. Joking that Wal-Mart seemed to be blamed for everything including the "moon being out of phase," he