Wenatchee, WA-based Columbia Marketing International, a premier shipper of conventional and organic apples, pears and cherries, announced the addition of KATHARINE GROVE to its marketing team on July 2.

The Grape Guys in Cutler, CA, which had an increase in grape volume last year due to some new plantings and one new grower, will be up in volume again for 2012. This year, most of the increases will be in newer, late-season varieties, according to President Shaun Ricks.

Vintage Red, Scarlet Royal and Autumn King are three varieties “that we have new acreage on, and those are all later varieties,” he said.

PHILADELPHIA — Doing business along the Delaware River, reputation is everything. Tim Brown, president of Horizon Stevedoring Co., which operates from Pier 82 of the port of Philadelphia, is proud that his company has been around long enough to build a reputation for quality service and performance.

Bard Valley Natural Delights offers a convenient new way to enjoy the lusciousness and all-around snackability of Medjools with the introduction of its Natural Delights Pitted Medjool Dates, a pitted Medjool date product. Launching this fall, the 12-ounce package will sell for the suggested retail price of $6.99.

ODENBERG, which designs and supplies highly advanced optical sorters and graders, peeling systems and chilling and freezing solutions, will demonstrate its Halo 500 optical sorter in booth 4310 at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit in Anaheim, CA, Oct. 26-28.

Potato production is ramping up in Washington. "The first fresh potatoes are being harvested, Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission, told The Produce News July 26. "They look really beautiful. Russets started today."

According to Bill Brewer, executive director of the Oregon Potato Commission, the state's producers have 41,000 acres in production this season. "Fresh table stock is approximately 15 percent of the total," he told The Produce News July 30.