Several weeks ago, Supervalu announced its poor fiscal first quarter results along with a number of cost-cutting and revenue-making measures in an effort to soften the economic blow on Wall Street. But neither Wall Street nor the business community were surprised by the poor performance of the nation’s third-largest grocery store company.

FRESNO, CA — As part of its promotional support programs for retailers this year, the California Table Grape Commission, here, is offering tagged radio ads, magazine ads and online banner ads to retailers who meet some basic performance criteria.

“We have a volume-based promotion agreement with retailers, to increase their volume over the previous year,” said Cindy Plummer, vice president of domestic marketing for the commission. “That goes to mid-January [2013] this year.”

Jay Pack of the Pack Group with Wyatt Meiggs of FoodSource.

When Mastronardi Produce Ltd. developed its Sunset Kidz program, it was all too aware that one problem would have to be overcome for the line to be successful.

“One of the biggest challenges in getting kids to eat their fruits and veggies is the taste,” Chris Veillon, director of marketing, told The Produce News.

Brian Peixoto, sales manager of Lakeside Organic Gardens LLC, headquartered in Watsonville, CA, said that the company grows, markets and ships a wide range of items that fall into the specialty gourmet category.

“We feel that any of our high-quality specialty items lend themselves to gourmet dishes when they’re in the hands of the right chefs who have the clientele to support the establishment’s budget,” Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties in Pompano Beach, FL, told The Produce News. “We offer moderately priced products that enable chefs to create high-priced works of art on the plate.”