MONTEREY, CA -- Produce companies pride themselves on providing freshness in their products, but what consumers really care about is taste, Steven Little told his audience at a July 25 session during the PMA Foodservice Conference, Tours & Expo, here. Mr. Little hit his audience between the eyes with a sprinkling of comments such as the one about taste, telling attendees at the outset that he was not a motivational speaker but a speaker who speaks the truth and has information to impart. Mr. Little -- a senior consultant for Inc. magazine -- talked about purpose, focus and the opportunity of

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ -- Daniel Jalil, assistant editor of The Produce News, based here, has been promoted to managing editor of the publication, effective Aug. 1. Mr. Jalil, 26, joined The Produce News in May 2002 as assistant editor after graduating from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, where he earned a bachelor's degree in English. As assistant editor, his main responsibilities were coordinating special sections that run each week in the publication, performing layout of special sections, writing news and feature stories, editing and proofing copy, and representing The Produce News

Major League Baseball is heading into the best part of its season, as the race for playoff positions gets more competitive. Knowing that I am a baseball fanatic, my wife ordered the MLB cable television package, and I'm now in baseball heaven. I must admit to being a channel surfer, as I switch from one station to another to try to keep pace with every ball game. We have one of those giant flat screen TVs on the wall, and it actually makes you feel as if you are at the ballpark. While watching one of the games, I couldn't believe my eyes when a player committed a huge base-running error. There

Keith Frosceno, vice president of produce and floral at Bozzuto's Inc., left that company July 15, and will join Supervalu Inc. "Keith is a very polished executive and a very knowledgeable guy," Steve Heggelke, senior vice president of merchandising and procurement for Bozzutos, a full-service food distributor based in Cheshire, CT, told The Produce News July 27. Were very happy for him. The company, which serves more than 400 stores in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, will not be replacing Mr. Froscenos exact position. Rather, stated Mr. Heggelke, Our goal is

MONTEREY, CA  If networking truly is the strength of the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference Tours & Exposition held July 23-25, then produce industry professionals have to be gratified by the more than 1,500 attendees who gathered here. Included among the 1,500 attendees was double the number of foodservice buyers as last year. Stephen Wyrick of San Juan Bautista, CA-based Pride of San Juan said, "This is Disneyland for us," adding that the show gets better every year. Mr. Wyrick had renowned chef Emeril Lagasse  namesake of the PSJ-licensed Emeril's line of products 

A major sampling tour will look to boost consumer awareness of papayas from Brazil and fortify three leading North American markets of the fruit. Initiated by the Brazilian Association of Papaya Exporters, or BRAPEX, the tour will focus on Miami, New York and Chicago, and will consist of 240 sampling demonstrations beginning in September and continuing for a three-month period. The tastings will be accompanied by radio spots in the individual markets that will tout the benefits of Brazilian papayas. "BRAPEX is made up of five different growers, and each one will handle 48 samplings," said