RIO RICO, AZ — Robert Hathaway, a former head of the West Mexico Vegetable Distributors organization, was named FPAA Pillar of the Industry Nov. 8 during the 45th annual Fresh Produce Association of the Americas convention, here.

In recognizing Hathaway as a Pillar of the Industry, Alejandro Canelos, chairman of the FPAA, cited Hathaway's ability to open doors for the association with his experience and connections.

Bruce Taylor, president of Taylor Farms California Inc. in Salinas, CA, was elected chairman of the board of Western Growers for the next 12 months at the group's 88th annual meeting, held in Honolulu Nov. 10-13.

Food Lion has made significant investments in 169 stores in North Carolina and South Carolina and created 500 new jobs. Key markets include Greenville and Wilmington, NC, as well as Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach, SC.

Though parts of the state are drier than normal, Florida is in good shape as its fall and winter vegetable and citrus programs ramp up this month.

The steady rise in offshore avocado production has allowed Henry Avocado to enjoy a similar climb in numbers with its customer base. From the 2007 levels of 970 million to the present, Phil Henry, president of Henry Avocado, calculates the combined imports from Mexico, Chile and Peru have increased at the rate of 10 percent per year.

In February, with the 2013 California avocado season just getting under way, Robert (Bob) Lucy, president of Del Rey Avocado Inc. in Fallbrook, CA, told The Produce News that organic avocados have become “a very big part of our business.” That is true not just with California avocados but with imported product the company handles as well.

With the 2013-14 Mexican avocado season now under way, Lucy said Oct. 14 that Del Rey Avocado is building its organic volume out of Mexico. “One of the things we are really working hard on is expanding our Mexican program,” he said.