Many of our readers have shared their views about what constitutes a “specialty” fresh produce item. When those comments are compared, they condense down to about a paragraph’s worth of similar responses.

Reputation is everything in the produce industry. Fresh Tex Produce of Alamo, TX, knows that and keeps a watchful eye on its client list.

“We are looking at a good total crop coming up” for the 2013 harvest of California kiwifruit, said Nick Matteis, an associate at Ag Association Management Services Inc. in Sacramento, CA, which administers the Kiwifruit Advisory Committee.

The committee is a federal marketing order that maintains industry statistics and specifies grade and size standards for all kiwifruit sold in the United States.

By the end of August, Stemilt Growers LLC had two weeks of solid apple marketing under its corporate belt. “Apple marketing is getting to be pretty dynamic,” said Director of Marketing Roger Pepperl.

Columbia Marketing International and grower McDougall & Sons are excited about the completion of the new packing and storage facility at Baker Flats just outside of Wenatchee, WA. “The vision behind this new CMI facility was simple: to make packing more efficient which, in return, would offer immeasurable benefits for all of CMI’s customers,” said Katharine Grove, a member of CMI’s marketing team. “This new McDougall facility will offer the flexibility to fill multiple packaging types and to do so quickly and with quality care every step of the way.

Broulim's Fresh Foods in Rigby, ID, enticed shoppers to "Make it a Grape School Year," by constructing an interactive school bus display using "Welch's" brand grapes.