LOS ANGELES — It has been just under 14 years since Francisco Clouthier, vice president of Maui Fresh International LLC, here, first began working in the Los Angeles produce industry. That is not a long time by the standards of many who have been part of the Los Angeles produce scene for decades, some for well over half a century. And yet in just those short 14 years, Mr. Clothier observes that he has seen dramatic changes in the business.

In fact, the business has changed a great deal in just the last four or five years.

COMMERCE, CA — “Where are all the young people [in the produce industry]?” asked Jeff Weisfeld, president of Fruit Distributing Corp. of California, here.

In a press release dated July 24, Delano-CA-based Paramount Citrus announced that it had acquired Healds Valley Farms, a Texas-based citrus company that represents nearly 50 percent of that state's citrus market. Paramount Citrus, commonly referred to as PCA, is the largest grower of fresh citrus in North America.

Philadelphia wholesaler Ryeco LLC has acquired two additional units on the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, expanding its product line and ability to service customers.

"We acquired two units previously owned by the Lipman Company and operating under Colace," John DiFeliciantonio, a partner with Ryeco, said in a press release.

Stevco Inc., which is headquartered in Los Angeles and has branch offices in Nogales, AZ, and in Coachella and Bakersfield, CA, has seen its California grape program increase steadily at a rate of more than 10 percent a year over the last four years. This year, the growth continues, with much of the increase being in three varieties, according to Jared Lane, vice president of sales and marketing. Those varieties are Scarlet Royal, Vintage Red and Autumn King.

On-ground inspection of grapes always has value, but there are less likely to be problems with the fruit in market situations in which demand is strong and movement brisk and the grapes move out of the cooler quickly. It is when inventories start to build that inspection services really show their worth, according to Kevin Beno, owner of Fresh Buyers Inspections Inc. in Visalia, CA.

FBI is a quality control company specializing in the on-ground inspection of grapes, tree fruit, citrus and melons out of California and Southern Arizona. The company has been in business since 1991.