“We are returning to market with another nice crop this year,” Brenda Briggs, vice president of sales and marketing for Rice Fruit Co. in Gardners, PA, told The Produce News. “The crop size is similar to last year, but perhaps down just a smidge. We’ve had very nice weather conditions during the growing season. We’ve enjoyed nice rainfall, but no adverse weather. We anticipate being within five percent of last year’s crop.”

The rapidity with which the Autumn King green seedless grape has gone from its release by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2005 to its present position as the dominant green grape variety for the late season, is something of a phenomenon.

IFCO Systems announced that Wolfgang Orgeldinger would become Chief Executive Officer of the company, succeeding Karl Pohler, who is retiring to pursue other interests.

Orgeldinger will also succeed Pohler as group president of the Reusable Plastic Crates segment of IFCO's parent company, Brambles Ltd.

Market Fresh Produce, based in Nixa, MO, has acquired West Central Florida Produce, located in Tampa. The acquisition was completed on Aug. 11.

"This is an exciting time in the life of our company," Steve Phipps, owner and chief executive officer of Market Fresh Produce, said in a press release. "Having a repacking and distribution facility located in Florida really strengthens our go-to-market strategy, not only in Florida, but in many areas outside of the state."

West Central Florida's shareholders will remain minority partner in the company.  

HLB Specialties, a leading papaya importer and distributor based in Pompano Beach, FL, has launched a campaign to educate buyers about Formosa papayas, also known as Tainung papayas.

As the company approaches its 25th year in existence, the challenge of educating buyers and consumers about their products still remains, according to Sales Director Lorenz Hartmann de Barros, and HLB Specialties hopes to simplify customers' lives by turning them into informed purchasers.

Tops Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania and western Vermont, has partnered with Independent Health on a program that will reward the health plan's members for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables.

Independent Health is the first health plan in New York state to introduce a nutrition benefit as part of its health coverage that provides members with the opportunity to receive money-back rewards for buying fresh fruits and vegetables.