The stand-up bag (a.k.a. pouch bag, gusset bag, handle bag, etc.) has become a big phenomenon in the table grape industry. Nearly every shipper is doing some, and some are going exclusively with it in their bagging programs. Shippers who once dismissed the stand-up bag as a fad or a gimmick now say they have retail customers who demand it. Some large retailers, it is said, will now accept grapes in no other pack style.

The Center for Produce Safety in Davis, CA, received strong support by its board of directors to continue funding research and bring the industry together to address current food safety issues. The vote of confidence was registered following a review of the CPS strategic plan at the organization's board meeting in June.

ANAHEIM, CA — Apio's Mike Casazza and Harrison Higaki of Bay City Flower Co. were honored with the annual Fresh Produce & Floral Council produce and floral awards, respectively, at the FPFC's Southern California Expo, held Tuesday, July 16, at the Disneyland Hotel, here.

After an early start last year in virtually all items grown in New Jersey, including peaches, the 2013 New Jersey peach season is looking at a more normal harvest schedule, according to Joe Grasso of Frank Donio Inc. in Hammonton, NJ.

In fact, “We’re going to start packing our first Jersey peaches this weekend,” he told The Produce News Tuesday, July 2. “The peach season is definitely back to where it should be” as far as timing is concerned.

Dean Taylor is the director of foodservice sales and commodity planning for Mastronardi Produce/Sunset, a leading producer of greenhouse vegetables with headquarters in Leamington, ON, Canada. He said that the company is exhibiting at booth number 35 at the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey, CA, July 26-28.

As Houston has climbed the ranks toward becoming a world-class culinary city, Hardie's Fruit & Vegetable Co. has grown to meet the exacting demand of chefs throughout the region with expanded and modernized space on Houston's historic Produce Row.

"We've more than doubled our space with the expansion," Tony Stachurski, vice president at Hardie's Houston said in a press release. "This expansion is much more than just added warehouse space. We've also brought the 61-year-old building to the cutting edge of our industry with 40,000 square feet under refrigeration."