"We are just coming off our Ecuadorian fruit," and the Peruvian product has begun to arrive, making for "a very smooth transition from Ecuador to Peru compared to last year," Jesus (Chuy) Loza, a principal at Freska International LLC in Ventura, CA, told The Produce News Jan. 21. Mr. Loza founded Freska Produce International LLC along with partner Gary D. Clevenger in August 2004. Both were previously with Fresh Directions International, also in Ventura. Freska, one of the top mango importers in the United States, marketed around 7 million boxes of mangos last year, according to Mr. Loza. He

Charles (Buzzy) Blyer has been appointed sales manager for Bon Campo, Bon Campo Trattoria and Winterglow consumer packaged goods for Merex Corp., which has operations in Miami, Yonkers, NY, and Phoenix. Mr. Blyer will work out of the New York area, calling on retail accounts, offering year-round programs, launching the new "Trattoria" brand, and coordinating in-store promotions that feature Bon Campo's three-star chef, Mathieu Frey. A veteran of the produce business with more than 25 years of experience in the trade, he came to Merex from Herb Thyme Farms in Compton, CA, where he worked for

A produce seller using electronic data interchange when invoicing for product may not be protecting its PACA Trust rights because of a potentially inherent flaw in that system. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued an advance notice of a proposed rule-making in response to these concerns raised by Western Growers Association and other industry members. Tom Oliveri, WGA's director of marketing services and trade practices, said that the association has warned its members of the potential problem and proposed solutions. Mr. Oliveri said that regulations governing trust protection under

The International Federation for Produce Coding is incorporating in England in the first quarter of 2006. The organization will become an independent entity, and "if all goes as planned," it will "probably" become the International Federation for Produce Standards, according to the group's secretary-general, Alicia Calhoun. Ms. Calhoun serves in that capacity from her post as director of industry technology and standards for the Produce Marketing Association in Newark, DE. The International Federation for Produce Coding is a coalition of fruit and vegetable associations from around the globe

Salinas-based Ag Against Hunger, a clearinghouse for surplus crops grown in the Salinas Valley and the Pajaro Valley, distributed more than 11.9 million pounds of fresh produce to families in need in 2005. Food banks in California's Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties distributed much of this produce. Ag Against Hunger President Joe Pezzini, who also works for Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms, said that Ag Against Hunger is the "local agricultural industry's way of fighting hunger in our community." Local food banks make Ag Against Hunger's fresh produce donations available to

There is a new addition to Dole's packaged salad line, and it is a corker. Consumers are in for a happy surprise as corkscrew pasta (and bow tie, shell and penne) make their debut in the produce section, thanks to Westlake Village, CA-based Dole Fresh Vegetables' line of four innovative Fresh Makes Veggie Pasta Salad Kits. Developed by chefs for the busy home cook, each kit is complete and ready-to-prepare in less than 14 minutes. Consumers need only boil the pasta, toss it with the provided fresh, pre-washed, pre-cut veggies and mix it all with the kit's Dole-proprietary dressing and other