Supply gaps in field-grown tomatoes resulting from freeze conditions in Florida have caused a spike in demand for greenhouse-grown product that is expected to last at least another 30 days. "The demand on greenhouse tomatoes has increased due to the shortages in Florida," Jim DiMenna, president of Jem-D International in Leamington, ON, told The Produce News March 9. "But we have felt an increase since last November because of the earlier weather problems Florida experienced. Greenhouse producers are fortunate in that we have consistent outstanding supplies because we're not subject to these

Ger-Nis International will hold a grand-opening gala April 10 for its new Gen-Nis Culinary & Herb Center in Brooklyn, NY. Nissa Pierson, owner and managing director of Ger-Nis International, a supplier of a full line of packaged organics headquartered in Brooklyn, told The Produce News that expanding the company's network to include consumers is something to which she has been dedicated since founding the firm over three years ago. "It's not just about selling produce and making money," said Ms. Pierson. "We are also very community-involved. We offer nutrition and product information to

A.J. Trucco is having tremendous success marketing Italian kiwi with a little help from the European Flavors' project. "The program is helping to make consumers aware of the great quality and flavor of the kiwi," Nick Pacia, co-owner of the Bronx, NY-based company, told The Produce News. "We would like the project to be extended to help push the commodity even further." The European Flavors project is funded by the European Union, the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Forestry, and Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli, which is headquartered in Chiesuol del Fosso, Italy, and which was created

All Things Organic, the trade show put on by the Organic Trade Association, will co-locate to join the Natural Products Expo East under an agreement that will extend for at least seven years. "Beginning with this year's event on October 13-16 in Boston, All Things Organic will be the branded organic pavilion for North American organic companies exhibiting at Expo East to distinguish organic businesses from other natural companies at the show," Christine Bushway, chief executive officer of the Organic Trade Association, told The Produce News. "Organic Products Expo-BioFach America will continue

Ocean Mist Farms' artichokes will be featured on the History Channel's show Food Tech on Thursday, March 11, at 6 p.m. Pacific time. The episode, filmed last fall in Castroville, CA, included interviews with grower-owner Hugo Tottino, his daughter, Michele Pecci, and Dale Huss, vice president of artichoke harvesting. The History Channel's show, Food Tech, is similar to Food Network's Unwrapped in that its host, Bobby Bognar, travels around the country to understand where and how food gets from the ground, farm or even factory all the way to the plate. The Ocean Mist Farms segment includes

TAMPA, FL - Grower-shippers and retailers alike are missing out on opportunities for business from new markets and media, as a series of workshops at the Southeast Produce Council's 2010 Southern Exposure expo, held here March 4-6, revealed. New opportunities representing hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenues exist from expanding WIC produce voucher programs, trending consumer interests, and industry utilization of social media like Facebook and Twitter. Lorelei Disogra, vice president of nutrition and health for the United Fresh Produce Association and one of the pioneers of the 5 A