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Phillips Mushroom Farms showcasing vegan stuffed mushroom at NYPS

Phillips Mushroom Farms will return to the New York Produce Show & Conference, continuing a long-standing tradition of participation and relationship building at one of the produce industry’s most influential annual events.

AFE donor spotlight: Pete and Brenda S. Garcia

For more than half a century, Pete and Brenda S. Garcia have worked to strengthen and support the floral industry. Together, they grew the Pete Garcia Co., the Garcia Group and several other companies while consistently finding ways to give back. Pete and Brenda have been longtime supporters of the American Floral Endowment, participating in every AFE phone-a-thon and sharing their belief in the Endowment’s mission and its impact on the industry. Pete joined the AFE board when the organization was still known as the Society of American Florists Endowment. As public relations chairman, he

Building relationships key to Nash Produce’s mission at NYPS

The New York Produce Show provides Nash Produce a unique opportunity to connect with its northeastern customers and inform potential customers in the region about its reputation and service as a major supplier of sweet potatoes.

Lettuce point out this meth smuggler has the right to Romaine silent

In a salad unfit for this year’s Thanksgiving table, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility in Pharr, TX, intercepted $10.3 million in alleged methamphetamine concealed in a shipment of lettuce. “Within a shipment of salad greens, our frontline officers discovered contraband that does not belong on any holiday table,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry. “As this seizure aptly illustrates, our officers’ use of tools and technology were instrumental in this massive takedown of hard narcotics.” On Nov

Moonland Produce reinforces industry presence with expanded storage, ripening and repacking services

Moonland Produce Inc., a longtime player in California’s produce industry, is making major strides to strengthen its position as a premier resource for temperature-controlled storage, ripening and repacking services. Based in Vernon, CA, the wholesale distributor has expanded its capabilities significantly in the past year, opening up new opportunities for foodservice customers, retailers and brokers seeking reliable, high-quality solutions for managing fresh product. Owner Julio Manshadi said the company’s vision for the future centers on providing best-in-class storage and ripening support

Hapco Farms hires Kevin Fix to lead carrot program

Hapco Farms , a leading East Coast grower-shipper based in Westhampton Beach, NY, has hired Kevin Fix as vice president of business development, with a primary focus on advancing the company’s carrot program across Florida and Canada. Fix brings more than 24 years of experience in fresh produce, CPG, distribution, logistics and transportation — most recently with Bolthouse Cos. In his new role, Fix will lead sales strategies and operational improvements across both carrot locations, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams. He joins the team as Hapco Farms continues to invest in its
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sefThe tomato category is one of the top sales volume contributors in the produce department. Tomato sales for a 52-week period were a whopping $4.8 billion. That’s a whole lot of sales the category provided for retailers. Conventional tomatoes generated $4.5 billion with organic tomatoes at $325 million.

The round tomato market is steady out of Mexico. Florida is starting to increase production. A steady supply of on-the-vine tomatoes is available out of Canada. Quality of all tomatoes is excellent.

Snacking tomatoes have increased in consumer popularity and have become top sellers in the category.

Plan to promote a different tomato variety in your flyer ad each week to boost high sales volume. Make sure to build up your tomato section with all varieties of loose and packaged choices for your customers.

Get more tomato information from your supplier and plan weekly ads together on a steady basis.  

Ron Pelger is a produce industry adviser and industry writer. He can be contacted at 775/843-2394 or by e-mail at ronprocon@gmail.com.

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