B.E. (Buster) Giovanetti, a longtime California grower, shipper and distributor who was very active in the western produce industry, died Aug. 22 in Woodland, CA, where he resided. He was 94. Just three months ago, Mr. Giovanetti told this reporter from his Northern California office that he wouldn't retire until "they drive the last spike in the box." He got his wish, as he was active in his family-run business until the end. Mr. Giovanetti migrated to a produce industry career in 1933 during the Great Depression. His father was a well-known banker with the Bank of Italy in San Francisco. The

As part of its growing commitment to the Canadian market, Tanimura & Antle has added two industry veterans to help bolster its presence in Canada. Leading the Canadian team is Martin Desrochers, who will manage sales and marketing services for both retail and foodservice customers in Canada. Mr. Desrochers, who will be based in Montreal, will work with B. Terry Lindemann, whose focus will be on retailers in western Canada and foodservice operations throughout Canada from his Calgary office. Messrs. Desrochers and Lindemann will be responsible for strengthening current customer relationships

CHICAGO -- At the U.S. Apple Association Outlook 2009 Apple Crop Outlook & Marketing Conference, held here Aug. 20-21 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, a consensus of the apple producers and handlers present was that the U.S. Department of Agriculture total U.S. apple crop estimate of 240,786,000 42- pound units, which includes fruit for both the fresh market and for processing, was a little high. At the end of the conference events Aug. 20, which included updates on the apple crop in Europe by Frederic Rosseneu from FreshFel Europe and Michael Choi from Zhonglu Americas on the Chinese crop

"The deal is going pretty well," Chuck Olsen, president of The Chuck Olsen Co. in Visalia, CA, said Aug. 18. Industry shipments to date for fresh grapes out of California's San Joaquin Valley were running around 2.6 million boxes ahead of last year, he noted. "We have, overall, a much higher quality of grape this year -- not just us, but everybody does," he said. "Fruit is moving a little better, and prices are a little better." The grapes have better size and color as well as better eating quality than last year, he said. He expected a stable fall deal with good quality and promotable volume

PHILADELPHIA -- New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher continued a longstanding tradition for those in his post when he toured the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market Aug. 13, accompanied by other Garden State agricultural dignitaries. Among those in his party were Al Murray, assistant secretary of agriculture of New Jersey, and the top leaders of the New Jersey Farm Bureau, including President Richard Nieuwenhuis and Executive Director Peter Furey. The visitors were escorted through the market by Lou Penza, an owner of Pinto Bros., which is on the market, and Chuck Zambito of

Aldi, a small-format discount grocer, is on track to open its first Texas stores next spring and has actually bumped the number of initial store openings to 30 from the originally planned 25. The Batavia, IL-based retailer has also announced that it is looking for local suppliers, including produce suppliers, to help stock those stores. Martha Swaney, a spokeperson for Aldi, said that while the retailer will continue to use some national suppliers, it also wants to establish relationships with local wholesalers and grower-shippers, as supporting the local community and economy is an important