ORLANDO, FL — The Southeast Produce Council Southern Exposure conference is underway at the Caribe Royale Resort, here.

Attendance is expected to exceed previous records with a “Back to the ‘80s” gala planned for March 1 and a keynote address from legendary college football coach Lou Holtz March 2 among numerous other networking and educational opportunities.

It has been a busy 12 months for Herndon Farms LLC of Lyons, GA. The perennial Vidalia onion powerhouse has beefed up its sweet onion deal with increased Peruvian imports, expanded its offerings in other categories and launched a new label for its booming baby Vidalia onion category.

Produce wholesalers and distributors will have more opportunity to network at this year's United Fresh convention in San Diego after the association announced that its Wholesaler-Distributor board will host a new reception May 14.

Ciruli Bros. LLC continues to push the yellow-skinned Ataulfo variety mango that it markets under its proprietary “Champagne” moniker.

Chris Ciruli, chief operating officer at the Nogales, AZ-based company, said that the Champagne mango makes up the vast majority of sales for the longtime importer, though the firm does sell some red-skinned Kent variety mangos later in the season.

“Yellow mangos are growing at about a 10-15 percent clip per year,” said Mr. Ciruli. “And we expect to continue that growth this year.”

Demand for avocados continues to grow at a dramatic pace, and that increase in demand is not limited to the U.S. market. Mission Produce Inc. in Oxnard, CA, sees opportunities in export markets as well as domestically for California avocados and is working to capitalize on those opportunities.

“What we really see developing around the world is that the United States is not the only market for California Hass avocados, which is a good thing for growers” in California, said Ron Araiza, director of sales, in an interview with The Produce News Feb. 20.

Ciruli Bros. LLC in Nogales, AZ, is involved in marketing a number of vegetable commodities from Mexico throughout the fall and winter season. Come spring, the company continues with many of its vegetable items and also adds mangos to the mix. Mangos, and particularly the yellow Ataulfo variety which Ciruli Bros. markets under the brand name “Champagne Mango,” are a major focus for the firm.