Roger Griess, vice president of global business development at Sun World International LLC in Bakersfield, CA, resigned from the company effective March 26 after 13 years with the organization. He will be starting a new business based in Bakersfield involving fresh produce, but details of the new venture have not yet been released. "I value my experience at Sun World and look forward to taking my career in a more entrepreneurial direction with a new venture involving untapped and unique markets for California fruit," Mr. Griess said in a March 29 press release issued by Susan Self Public

It was a scenario predicted two months ago in the wake of two weeks of freezing weather that had Florida strawberry farmers saturating fields to save a crop: Without cooperation from Mother Nature, the entire crop would come on at once, creating a market glut that would butt heads with the onset of the California season. Mother Nature did not cooperate, as Florida nights stayed cool, and rain was overly abundant. The crop did indeed come on all at once, and growers found themselves with more berries than they could possibly market. As a result, many spent the weekend of March 27-28 plowing

Railex LLC is looking to expand service into the southeastern and central United States. Paul Esposito, Railex's Northeast division and corporate logistics vice president, made the announcement March 26 during an Internet-based presentation by the firm, which is a division of Riverhead, NY-based ADS Management. "We have plans to expand Railex into the Southeast and into the Central portion of the United States, and ultimately into Texas and to export," Mr. Esposito said. Railex currently operates four weekly refrigerated, temperature-controlled unit trains that depart from its West Coast

MOSES LAKE, WA - The Washington State Potato Commission's Tuber- Awesome campaign will make a stop in New York City the first week in April with a special appearance by the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian in history, Apolo Anton Ohno. The Seattle-native and potato commission spokesman will skate a special demonstration April 7 on The Rink at Rockefeller Center, followed by a breakfast roundtable at the Sea Grill Restaurant with leading food editors. Mr. Ohno, an advocate for active and healthy living, will welcome participants to the special breakfast buffet featuring dishes from a recipe

Winners of the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee's 2010 Onion Lover's Month retail display contest were announced March 31, with David Dozier, produce manager of G.F.F. Foods in Moore, OK, taking the grand prize of $2,000 cash. The contest ran from Dec. 31, 2009 to Feb. 2, 2010, and featured the famed Spanish Sweets from the Treasure Valley of Idaho-Eastern Oregon. Mr. Dozier's display theme was Sweet Onions Save the Day -- Battling a Blaze of Boring Blandness. The onion committee mascot, Jumbo, was depicted in firefighter's gear, and the shelves were stocked with Spanish Sweet yellows

Open for just less than a year, Above Restaurant & Bar in South Orange, NJ, shows all the signs of staying "above" in its future success, growth and expansion. Terry Hickey, general manager of the up-scale contemporary American restaurant, told The Produce News that the eatery and bar has a flair all its own. "Our executive chef, Paul Lustbader, has a creative ability that is by far the main reason we can label the restaurant contemporary," said Mr. Hickey. "The plates are consistently high quality, but Chef Paul then adds an artistic touch that takes our menu to a level with which other