At this year's Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit Convention & Expositon in Orlando, FL, Dulcich & Sons is encouraging attendees to visit its booth (No. 2089) and boost their sales by discussing its Harvest Hobgoblin Merchandising Program — plus boost their energy with a hit from its free oxygen bar. The popular Harvest Hobgoblin Program, available again this fall, has peaked considerable interest and will feature an all-new Harvest Hobgoblin Bin available for 2011. In addition to the colorful and free-standing bin, the merchandising materials include free Hobgoblin shelf danglers and

In a continued expansion of its year-round onion program, Curry & Co. in Brooks, OR, has purchased the Gerrald's Vidalia Sweet Onions Inc. facility in Statesboro, GA. Curry & Co. partners with two large Vidalia onion growers, Jamie Brannen and Terry Gerrald. The Vidalia Onion Committee named Mr. Gerrald its Vidalia Onion Grower of the Year in 2009. According to information provided by Curry & Co., the Gerrald’s facility will be utilized in the same manner as Curry & Co.’s Oregon corporate headquarters, which provides a consolidation location for the company’s customer base. The Georgia

Rio Queen Citrus in Mission, TX is readying to celebrate its 40th anniversary in the best way possible: with a banner citrus season. "It all looks good right now. We've had a very good year for growing citrus, a wet winter and spring, and then we went through a little bit of dry time. June and July we had quite a bit of rain, then it turned hot and dry from mid-July to first of September, then September’s been wet, so that’s cooled it down some," said Rio Queen President Mike Martin. “We’re really pleased with the crop on the tree. The fruit’s been growing nicely, the shape is nice, the fruit

Clifford Produce is engaging in a fundraising campaign for the National Breast Cancer Foundation during the month of October. Anthony Totta, marketing and business development director for Clifford Produce in Leamington, ON, and co-owner and chief executive officer of Grow My Profits LLC, a fresh produce consulting firm in Lee's Summit, MO, said, "We’ve chosen October because it is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it will help to raise awareness among those in the fresh produce industry." Mr. Totta said that Clifford Produce is challenging its retail customer base to match donations

It is early yet, but all indicators are that the just-begun Texas citrus season has the potential to be among the better ones in several years. Granted, most citrus seasons in Texas are good. But this one may be even better. Texas citrus generates about $150 million in annual revenues, and all production is in the Rio Grande Valley. "There aren't as many players in the citrus industry as there are in the vegetable industry, but it is a very stable industry in south Texas, and assuming we can get a crop off the trees, we don’t have weather or some other problems that actually prevent harvesting

Columbia Marketing International, headquartered in Wenatchee, WA, has a lot to talk about at this year's Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit event. "Our presentations will be very visual," Marketing Manager Brett Burdsal told The Produce News. “There’s a lot of material for retailers.” In addition to Mr. Burdsal, CMI will be represented at its booth (No. 5234) by Bob Mast, vice president of marketing, and Linda McFarland. “There will be a big focus on 'Daisy Girl Organics,’“ Mr. Burdsal said. CMI markets its organic apples and pears under the “Daisy Girl” label. Two new bins — one