California industry conducts food-safety tour
More than 20 health officials from the United States and Canada participated in a food-safety tour of California fields and production facilities July 12-14.
The tour, organized by Watsonville, CA-based Alliance for Food & Farming, provided an opportunity for these officials to see first-hand how California cantaloupes, tomatoes and lettuce are grown.
New service deal a boon for Ellis Fleisher and the Philadelphia produce market
PHILADELPHIA -- Ellis Fleisher Produce Co., a distributor on the Philadelphia Regional Produce Center, here, has extended its business through a new affiliation with Liberty Foods Inc., also based here.
Liberty Foods is a distributor of 45 food categories, serving a region ranging from Washington, DC, to New York state.
DRC adds transportation dispute resolution
ANNAPOLIS, MD -- Companies in Canada, Mexico and the United States that are members of the Fruit & Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corp. can now turn to the DRC to resolve transportation disputes for the first time under a new resolution agreed to by top DRC officials during a July 8 meeting, here.
More than 90 percent of DRC members surveyed recently said that they supported expanding the company's negotiating power to transportation disputes, Matt McInerney, DRC chairman and executive vice president of Western Growers Association, said at the meeting.
Stemilt cherry mascot a hit in retail stores
Combine Stemilt Growers' sweet cherries with one of the more popular children's characters and the result is a dynamite promotion that's attracting cherry customers across the nation.
Stemilt's Elmo cherry display, featuring the popular Sesame Street character, is having a definite positive impact on cherry sales, according to Roger Pepperl, marketing director for Stemilt. Retailers have Elmo in produce sections nationwide, and consumers are flocking to the displays for plump Stemilt cherries.
Northwest cherry sales soar with cherry-picked Taiwanese pop icons
Picture this: eVonne, one of Taiwan's pop sensations, strolling under the midday sun through a Yakima Valley cherry orchard. MTV Asia award-winning music video director Kuang Sheng Fu trains his camera on eVonne's expressive face, but also carefully frames in hanging clusters and crates full of shining Bing cherries.
Salmonella find triggers cantaloupe recall
Eagle Produce LP in Scottsdale, AZ -- a division of Scottsdale, AZ-based Martori Farms -- has recalled 685 cases of cantaloupe because it had the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
Idaho potato industry loses Max Herbold
BURLEY, ID -- Idaho potato pioneer Max Herbold, one of the founders of Idaho Potato Processors, died on his 91st birthday June 23 at Highland Estates care facility in Burley, ID.
According to Dennis Herbold, president of Max Herbold Inc., his father's passion "was the potato business and the many friends and associates he made along the way."
Obregon to expand HAB's Network Marketing Center
Veteran international produce distribution and marketing executive Jose Luis Obregon has become the first managing director of the Hass Avocado Board's pioneering Network Marketing Center.
Mr. Obregon was appointed based on his extensive international marketing experience, a requisite for expanding the reach of the boards state-of-the-art NMC and its intranet site, avoHQ.com. The center provides in-depth and timely information on crop volume, shipments, markets and promotions accessible from anywhere in the world.
First shipment of Australian citrus displays high volume and maturity
The 13th is proving to be a lucky number for DNE and the Australian citrus crop it has imported exclusively since 1992. The arrival of the River Phoenix with the year's first shipment of seedless Navel oranges from the Aussie groves, occurred at the port of San Diego July 6, carrying some good news for retailers as well.
California Table Grape Commission's 2005 marketing plan features a multi-faceted approach
FRESNO, CA -- The California Table Grape Commission's 2005 marketing program consists of many different elements, all designed to help retailers increase their grape category sales.
According to Cindy Plummer, the commission's vice president of domestic marketing, there are several new components to the program this year.