Giumarra International Berry is preparing for the upcoming import blueberry season and expects increased volumes from the 2011-12 season.

“The Florida heirloom tomato deal will be starting soon,” Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties in Pompano Beach, told The Produce News on Oct. 17. “Our ‘Southern Selects’ brand of heirloom tomatoes are packed in single layer variety packs. We ship three varieties to each box, and each variety is selected for its flavor and color.”

“We’re harvesting a few cucumbers and some squash in Central Florida now,” Calvert Cullen, co-owner of Northampton Growers, headquartered in Cheriton, VA, told The Produce News on Oct. 19. “If we don’t have any freeze issues or other weather problems, we’ll plunge forward and go all the way into next spring in Florida.”

He added that the company will start moving peppers in South Florida around Dec. 10-15.

As of mid-October, conditions in Florida seemed to be good, but Mr. Cullen said that anything can happen when growing field vegetables.

After months of denying otherwise, Lakeland, FL-based Publix Super Markets Inc. has moved into North Carolina. The move comes as the company reports soaring profits and other retailers are stepping up their presence in Publix’s home state.

Publix had more than 1,000 grocery stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee before opening its first North Carolina location near Charlotte last month.

Louis-Marie Jutras of Les Cultures de Chez-Nous with his wife and three children received the Moisson d'or Award (Gold Harvest Award) on behalf of Les Cultures de Chez-Nous.The Quebec Produce G

Bozzuto's Inc. has made a $100,000 donation, with the intent of helping its family-owned and operated retailers provide assistance to their local communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

The money will be used to purchase gift cards from IGA Supermarkets, Belmont Market, Big Y, Dave's Marketplace, and King Kullen in an effort to get hurricane victims much-needed food, medicine and supplies. The gift cards will be distributed by local food banks in Connecticut, Long Island and Rhode Island.