CERRITOS, CA — The Fresh Produce & Floral Council's annual Holiday Luncheon & Charity Auction raised close to $60,000 for two very worthwhile programs: Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools and the Wounded Warrior Project.

The event, which was held Dec. 12 at the Sheraton Hotel, here, featured Celebrity Guest Auctioneer Frankie Avalon and industry auction hosts Kent Kuwata of Smart & Final and Bill Laliberte of WJL Distributors.

White Diamond Farms, a sister company of Tomato Thyme Corp., based in Wimauma, FL, has launched a new line of salsas that utilizes the Tasti-Lee tomato variety.

Beginning the week of Dec. 17, customers were be able to purchase the line in Publix stores. The new Tasti-Lee salsas are available in three flavors of the fresh thick and chunky style: Mild Mannered, Happy Medium and Hot Tempered.

Salinas, CA-based Mann Packing Co., a leading supplier of fresh vegetables, is increasing shipment of its French bean items for the holidays.

Sales of the eight-ounce bag of washed, ready-to-eat French beans are growing, and the company is shipping promotional level volume through the holidays and into 2013.

Tavilla Sales Co. of Los Angeles, which is headquartered in Los Angeles with branch offices in Nogales and Phoenix, AZ, and which for about the past six years has had half ownership in New Jersey-based Vision Import Group, has changed its name to Vision Produce Co. The transition took place the beginning of September this year, according to John Caldwell, general manager of the company’s Arizona operations.

Kevin Bartolotta, president of Bartolotta Inc. in Torrington, CT, is a prime example of the generosity the produce industry typically displays, and his heart is as big as the moon when it comes to caring about people in need. Even when he’s in the middle of his day-to-day business of overseeing his company; a broker, distributor and logistics provider specializing in Western, Eastern and Southern vegetables, his mind is never far away from the next fundraiser he is organizing or donating to those in need.

Chilean Ambassador Felipe Bulnes, Delaware Governor Jack Markell, Chile’s Exporters Association President Ronald Bown, Pacific Seaways Executive Director Francisco Labarca and Port officials welcomed this year’s first shipment of Chilean winter fruit to the U.S. onboard Pacific Seaways’ chartered refrigerated breakbulk vessel m/v Polarstream on Monday, Dec. 17.