Hoping to capitalize on the "tremendous potential" of the North American produce market, Karatzis Group S.A., a Greek manufacturer of packaging materials marketed under the brand "Hellasnet, with numerous applications in the produce industry, has begun to establish plans to set up a manufacturing facility in the United States.

KANSAS CITY, KS -- Liberty Fruit Co. Inc., here, celebrated its 40th year in business Saturday, June 18, with a wonderful party at its facility.

The name "Liberty" was originated by Issie and Lee Caviar, who had a weekend fruit stand on Highway 50 in the 1950s and '60s. In 1965, Liberty Fruit Co. was founded and opened at the City Market in Kansas City, MO. Mr. Caviar and his wife, Mary, had one stall and sold mostly to the public and later to some small stores. They used a yellow Dodge pickup as their first truck.

A former vice president of the National Food Processors Association and scientist with Campbell Soup Co. and Kraft Foods has joined the Alexandria, VA-based International Fresh-cut Produce Association as its new vice president for technical services.

Bryan Silbermann, president of the Produce Marketing Association, is of the belief that with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's newly released Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid, fresh produce marketers have a wealth of federally funded tools to bolster fruit and vegetable sales. Because of this position and in light of the new information, PMA hosted a webinar June 28 to discuss these topics and tools.

Thermal, CA-based Rivera Vineyards Inc. has settled a lawsuit brought by the Los Angeles office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September 2003 on behalf of a group of employees -- mostly Hispanic women -- who alleged they were sexually harassed, retaliated against for complaining and segregated into certain jobs based on gender.

The first shipment of New Zealand kiwifruit destined for A.J. Trucco at the Hunts Point Market in the Bronx, NY, arrived in the United States on June 10. That shipment set a milestone for the company, which is an importer of specialty and conventional produce, nuts and dried fruit. A.J. Trucco will now be able to offer its customers an uninterrupted annual supply of kiwifruit.