WASHINGTON - Right before the holidays, the produce industry got some good news from Washington. President Bush signed the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act Dec. 21, funneling precious new money into programs that promote fruits and vegetables. Three years in the making, the new law authorizes $54 million annually for five years in grants that are designed to enhance the competitiveness of each state?s fresh produce crops. 'As a model for federal agricultural funding, none of the millions of dollars earmarked for the produce industry will come in the form of direct subsidies," said Western
Frank Basile, long-time employee at Monterey Mushrooms, was 55
Frank Basile, a well-known and well-respected produce industry veteran, died of liver cancer on Dec. 15 at his home in Gilroy, CA. He was 55. Mr. Basile was senior sales manager for the Western region at Monterey Mushrooms in Watsonville, CA, for more than 22 years. As a sales manager in the produce industry, customer relationships are paramount, and Mr. Basile enjoyed the utmost respect of his many customers, according to Monterey Mushrooms. He made a significant contribution at Monterey; he played a major role in building Monterey?s Western region sales portfolio as well as performing a key
L&M taps experienced veteran for position in Northeast
L&M Cos., headquartered in Raleigh, NC, announced that it has hired Arthur O?Leary as marketing manager for its Northeast operations. Mr. O'Leary will use his 25 years of experience with various industry associations to help build and enhance all the company?s produce segments in the New England and New York regions. In addition, he will be involved in advertisement planning, business programs and product development. For nearly 20 years, Mr. O'Leary served as regional manager for the Northwest Pear Bureau. Covering Canada, metro New York, New Jersey and New England, he worked with retailers
United and restaurant industry to hold supply chain meeting
WASHINGTON -- For the first time, top executives with produce companies and restaurants are planning to meet in early October to open a dialogue about supply-chain issues as part of a new partnership between the National Restaurant Association and the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. United said that the partnership, which was announced Jan. 5, is part of a new focus on supply-chain issues, and the group is exploring a similar initiative to formalize the lines of communication with the retail segment. Reaching out to the restaurant industry first was an easy fit since Jennifer Tong
Food-safety certification helps to build interest in sales for New Limeco LLC
By Tad Thompson A new PrimusLabs Global Certification is proving very beneficial for sales at New Limeco LLC, according to Eddie Caram, the general manager of the Princeton, FL, firm. "This has opened doors to what consumers and the chainstore buyers want," Mr. Caram told The Produce News Jan. 11. In December, the firm's distribution facility and Florida avocado fields were certified with a 97 percent approval rating He added, “People we are partnering with in Guatemala and Belize are also into food safety traceability since it became a big concern for us.” Mr. Caram indicated that New Limeco
VIENNA, VA -- The U.S. Apple Association announced Jan. 14 that the National Apple Month program is now being overseen by Allison Parker, USApple's director of consumer health and education. Currently the NAM Retail & Commissary Display contest is sponsored by J.M. Smuckers and Marzetti. The program appreciates its sponsors for their commitment to partnering with the U.S. apple industry on this promotion in an effort to encourage consumption of healthy and delicious apples and apple products along with products that combine well with them like peanut butter and caramel dips. Ms. Parker, a
Oppy has opened a new, significantly expanded office and warehouse facility in south Calgary, bolstering its service capabilities across the Prairies and strengthening its long-term commitment to western Canada.
The new location, which is 50 percent bigger than Oppy’s previous Calgary facility, was developed in response to the company’s continued business growth and increasing demand for value-added logistics solutions. With its lease expiring at the former site and no option to expand, the company seized the opportunity to move to a space tailored for efficiency, flexibility and innovation.
John Anderson and Stewart Lapage
“Our growing core business, combined with the rise in third-party logistics, meant we needed more room,” said Stewart Lapage, vice president of supply chain and logistics. “This new space allows us to offer enhanced services like packing, bagging, grading and ripening, while improving how we move and store produce.”
The new facility features state-of-the-art packinglines, bagging equipment and specialized ripening and grading technologies that support a wide range of produce. Thoughtfully designed coolers, racking and floor plans contribute to greater operational efficiency, enabling the team to optimize produce flow as volume grows.
As a cold storage and value-added service hub, this Calgary location is uniquely positioned to serve not only Alberta, but all of western Canada with increased agility.
“Oppy is committed to evolving with our customers’ needs and finding new ways to deliver excellence across the supply chain,” said Chairman, CEO and Managing Partner John Anderson, who attended the facility’s grand opening. “This space is a physical expression of our promise to grow in step with the Prairies and invest in long-term partnerships across the region.”
Oppy has already hired nearly half a dozen new team members in Calgary and plans to add six more roles in the near future as its logistics and third-party service offerings continue to scale. The site also supports the growth of Oppy Transport, which is expanding to meet increased demand for storage and distribution solutions.
With LED lighting installed for energy efficiency, EV chargers in parking lots, motion controlled lighting and the capacity to invest in future automation technologies, the new space also supports Oppy’s broader sustainability and innovation goals.
“Our team built this facility with the future in mind,” said Lapage. “It gives us the flexibility to right-size our workforce, improve how we serve existing customers and welcome new business with confidence.”
