Los Gatos, CA-based Foodlink Online hired DAN REIGHN as director of national accounts in April.

WOODBURY, CT — Fresh produce from Connecticut was featured prominently at the LaBonne's Market store here in mid-July, and the retailer said that it will stay featured throughout the summer, much to the delight of the store's shoppers who look forward to enjoying produce from their home state.

MONTEREY, CA — The Produce Marketing Association's Foodservice Conference and Expo, held here July 20-21, was a robust success, according to Bryan Silbermann, president of the organization.

FRESNO, CA — The California Table Grape Commission, here, in a commission meeting July 19, adopted an official estimate for the 2012 California grape crop of 100.8 million boxes, 19-pound equivalent, breaking the 100-million-box mark for the first time ever.

If the crop comes in and ships out as expected, it will, edge out the previous record in 2010 of 97.8 million boxes.

The 2008 and 2011 crops also approached but fell short of the 100-million-box mark, coming in at 97 million boxes and 96.9 million boxes respectively.

With nearly half of American food dollars spent in the foodservice arena, the California Avocado Commission has developed exceptional foodservice programs that feature fresh California avocados throughout the California season.

Highlights of the commission's foodservice promotions this year include programs with Baja Fresh, Chipotle (California), Denny's, El Pollo Loco, Ruby's Diner, Sizzler, Sodexo, Subway (Southern California), Which Wich and zpizza.

Jeff Danner, general manager of Eastern Propak LLC in Glassboro, NJ, told The Produce News June 28 that he is highly optimistic about this season’s New Jersey peach and nectarine programs, which he anticipates will run through mid-September. He also concurred with others who are reporting that New Jersey peaches got a 10-day to two-week jump start on the season due to the warm winter and spring this year.