It wasn't too long ago that "seat of the pants" might have been the best phrase to describe the retail produce marketing techniques employed by most suppliers. Retailers at least had their own data on which to rely, so their efforts could have been described as "advanced seat of the pants." After all, it wasn't until the early 1990s that the universal product code began to find its way onto produce packaging. And it was a few years later when the price lookup code was developed to address the specific needs of the bulk- oriented produce department. When these codes started to be used in a

Welcome Sauer has been named to lead AgroFresh Inc.'s growing worldwide horticultural business, the company announced Feb. 12. AgroFresh's new global vice president for horticultural products is charged with growing the company's business by leveraging its expertise in ethylene management and related quality-management systems for fruits, vegetables and flowers. Mr. Sauer's responsibilities include managing AgroFresh's business for the SmartFresh Quality System, which helps growers deliver their superior-quality apples and other fruits and vegetables to consumers by maintaining quality and

ORANGE COVE, CA -- A damaging freeze occurs in the citrus-growing areas of California about once every seven to 10 years, but when it does happen one of the bigger challenges facing the industry is trying to determine which fruit has been damaged by the freeze and cannot be packed, and which is good for sale. Sometimes the damage is evident, but often a damaged orange or tangerine looks fine even to a trained observer -- until the fruit is cut open. The California Department of Food & Agriculture has a standardized protocol for cutting fruit to evaluate freeze damage, but it has limitations

The Southeast Produce Council has a full program to offer the record crowd expected for its fourth annual conference and expo Feb. 22-24 in Tampa, FL. "On the retail-foodservice side, the turnout this year has just been fantastic," SPC Executive Director Terry Vorhees told The Produce News in early February. About 175 retail and foodservice attendees are expected for the conference in Tampa, up 35-40 percent from last year's conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Add the people staffing the exhibit booths as well as the growers, shippers, brokers and others attending, and the total number "is

As the March 19 national rollout date nears, the Produce for Better Health Foundation is putting the finishing touches on its new "More Matters" campaign. As part of that process, PBH President Elizabeth Pivonka is racking up the frequent flier miles pitching the program to various individuals and groups around the country. Recently, she gave a presentation on the new campaign, its background and goals to a couple of hundred attendees of the Feb. 7 membership luncheon meeting of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council in Southern California. She also spoke with The Produce News later in that same

WASHINGTON -- The Food & Drug Administration has the authority to regulate the produce industry, but it needs sufficient funds, staffing and research dollars to do the job, Tom Stenzel, president of United Fresh Produce Association, said at a Feb. 8 hearing on Capitol Hill. At the first of a series of food-safety hearings planned in the powerful House Appropriations subcommittee, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) explored whether the current system needs to be overhauled to prevent future recalls and outbreaks. Although the industry handles over a billion servings of fresh produce daily, "we also