Former Ocean Mist executive launches marketing company
MONTEREY, CA In mid-April, Maggie Bezart left a high-profile position as vice president of marketing and sales for Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms. She has resurfaced with a consulting business Maggie Bezart Marketing Services aimed at the fresh produce industry.
The 25-year produce industry veteran's stated mission is to be "the most productive marketing service company for the produce industry." Her services will include assisting companies in marketing, advertising, and setting goals and strategies for growing their businesses.
John Allan of Crews & Garcia dies at 57
John Allan, assistant office manager at Crews & Garcia Inc. in Tampa, FL, and owner of All Seasons Nursery in Seffner, FL, died July 21 after a 10-year battle with cancer. He was 57 years old.
Mr. Allan got his start in the produce industry in 1973 at Ruskin Packaging Inc. in Ruskin, FL, where he managed the packinghouse, said Ernest (Cookie) Garcia, president of Crews & Garcia. By 1989, Mr. Allan was running operations at Crews & Garcia, but left the company to start his own business, All Seasons Nursery.
New agency changes B.C. greenhouse landscape
The B.C. Vegetable Marketing Commission has named a fourth agency to control a slice of the province's greenhouse vegetable pie.
Country Fresh Produce Inc., appointed on June 15, combines the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers grown by Houweling Nurseries Ltd. and South Alder Greenhouses Ltd. of Delta, and Topgro Greenhouses Ltd. of Langley, BC, under one distribution umbrella. The Country Fresh Produce agency will rely on The Oppenheimer Group in Vancouver as its sales, marketing and logistics partner.
RETAIL VIEW: Shippers shouldn't delay move to RFID, says Wal-Mart
Unless shippers think the top retailers in the nation are mistaken about the future, they shouldn't delay in at least getting started on an RFID system, according to Bruce Peterson of Wal-Mart. Mr. Peterson, who is the giant chains well-known senior vice president and general merchandising manager of perishables, is also an outspoken advocate of radio frequency identification the technology that allows for the tagging of merchandise with a computer chip and the tracking of that product through a base station with no human input.
Tops concentrates its efforts
Tops Markets, which is owned by Ahold USA, has announced that it will sell its 31 stores in eastern New York to focus on its core markets in western New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
In a company statement, the retailer said that it has reached agreement to sell six of the 31 stores to Price Chopper, and it is looking for buyers for the other 25 stores.
Tops plans to use the capital raised from the transactions for updates to the company's new prototype, Martins Super Food Stores, which debuted in Perinton, NY, last September.
Matt Simis promoted to director of strategy at T&A
Tanimura & Antle in Spreckles, CA, announced July 27 that Matt Simis has been promoted to director of strategy, reporting directly to CEO Rick Antle, whom he will assist in developing strategic direction for Tanimura & Antle and its affiliated companies.
New PMA foodservice board takes office in Monterey
NEWARK, DE -- The Produce Marketing Association welcomed its 2005-06 foodservice board of directors, which took office during the PMA Foodservice Conference, Tours & Expo, July 23-25, in Monterey, CA.
Foodservice Board Chairman Gene Harris, senior p urchasing manager for Denny's Corp. in Spartanburg, SC, is joined by 16 directors. They are:
* Leonard Batti, vice president of production and processing at NewStar in Salinas, CA.
* Steve Bleeker, corporate manager of sourcing and procurement at The Walt Disney Co. in Orlando, FL.
UC president, others embrace RFID technology
University of California President Robert Dynes expressed his enthusiasm after witnessing a recent Radio Frequency Identification presentation at NewStar Fresh Foods LLC in Salinas, site of the nation's first RFID cold-chain produce testing center.
Sausalito, CA-based QLM Consulting and Michigan State University operate the facility on behalf of Eden Prairie, MN-based C.H. Robinson Worldwide and NewStar -- one of C.H. Robinson's preferred providers.
Mr. Dynes' enthusiasm was understandable to the small group that discussed RFID at NewStar after his departure.
Pear Bureau Northwest to sponsor local Olympic athlete
The Pear Bureau Northwest will sponsor local U.S. National Ski Team athlete Torin Koos during the 2005-06 season.
Mr. Koos, a native resident of Leavenworth, WA, is a premiere Nordic ski athlete who will compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. As part of the
sponsorship, he will make appearances at schools and other events as a spokesperson for USA Pears.
More than 1,500 attend PMA foodservice conference
NEWARK, DE -- More than 1,500 produce industry professionals, including double the number of foodservice buyers as last year, gathered at the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference, Tours & Exposition held July 23 to 25 in Monterey, CA.
"Restaurant operators at the Foodservice Conference are up in caliber and number," PMA foodservice board Chairman Gene Harris, senior purchasing manager of Denny's Corp., said in a July 27 statement. "This reflects PMA's industry leadership and the significance that produce plays on their customer's plate."