PHILADELPHIA -- In recent weeks, three businesses have closed on the Philadelphia market, here. This follows the debt-ridden closing of Ellis Fleisher Produce Co. in April 2007. The remaining merchants on the market are now left pondering the reasons for the closings. One of the closings is simply the result of a shocking tragedy. Mark Stout, who owned Eckert's Produce Inc. on the Philadelphia market, was doing what he loved most -- skiing in Steamboat Springs, CO -- when he fell into a tree well as he descended a Colorado slope Jan. 15 and died of suffocation. In Philadelphia, his widow tried

WILMINGTON, DE -- The ports of the Delaware River trade supporting the imports of Chilean fruit gathered in force April 30 at the third annual Taste of Chile dinner, here. According to Sheryl Rothberg, executive director of the Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, all 156 seats available for the posh event were sold. The menu featured a variety of Chilean products, including avocados, grass-fed beef, wines and white honey. Presiding over the meeting was Robert Palaima, president of both the chamber and the Delaware River Stevedores, which is based in Philadelphia

Price has long been the main driver that suppliers have used to entice retailers to promote their products, but it's not the only factor -- and maybe not even the best one. There are at least a half-dozen different reasons that drive a consumer's decision to buy fresh produce, according to Stacey Larson, president of Consumer Effects, a Rocklin, CA-based company that designs and implements retail promotion programs for fresh produce. Consumer Effects' forte is creating promotions that emphasize one of the reasons other than price -- such as brand loyalty, seasonality and big displays that can

Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. N.A. Inc. in Coral Gables, FL, is looking to fire- up this summer season's produce sales by partnering with Char-Broil for the "Fresh Grill Thrill" Sweepstakes. Starting May 19, consumers can visit www.fruits.com for a chance to win prizes. Two lucky winners will receive the grand prize of a Char-Broil Red three-burner grill, and six first-prize winners will receive a Char-Broil designer stainless steel grill. More than 50 additional prizes will also be awarded. Information about the promotion can be found on Del Monte Gold pineapple, banana, melon and fresh-cut

Earthbound Farm and parent company San Juan Bautista, CA-based Natural Selection Foods have settled out of court with a woman who claimed that an Earthbound manager trespassed on her property, took clippings from her rare, heirloom apple tree and propagated a 150-tree apple orchard for Natural Selection's own benefit. Earthbound and Natural Selection are not admitting wrongdoing, but will pay apple tree owner Priscilla Higuera a six-figure cash settlement as compensation. In addition, they have agreed to turn over their entire fall harvest to Ms. Higuera. In November or December, they will

"The Florida cabbage deal is winding down. It's pretty much finished for us," Terry Granzier, president of Lakeside Produce Distribution Inc., told The Produce News May 14. The firm, which is based in Westlake, OH, was "moving into the Memorial Day push" in mid-May. This cabbage will be shipped from southern Georgia. North Carolina cabbage is to begin in early June. "The crop looks nice, but freight is an absolute bear right now," he said. "Our only big issue now is trucking. Rates have gone through the roof." Truckload rates for the 800-mile trip to Baltimore in mid-May were $2,600 - an