PHILADELPHIA — “I love it. It is better than I ever thought. I never imagined it would be so nice and easy to work,” Rick Milavsky, vice president of Frank Leone, which does business as B.R.S. Produce Co. said of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market.

What does he like best about the new market?

“Everything!” Mr. Milavsky exclaimed, adding that it is a huge advantage not to break the cold chain. “The product holds up so much better.”

Among the businesses operating out of Philadelphia’s new state-of-the-art Wholesale Produce Market is T.M. Kovacevich Philadelphia, a distributor of premium fruit.

And among TMK’s sources for fruit is Wenatchee, WA-based Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers, a grower-shipper that has been providing the Philadelphia distributor with apples, cherries and pears since the 1970s, according to Oneonta Marketing Director Scott Marboe.

Salinas, CA-based Mann Packing is partnering with the makers of Reynolds Wrap non-stick foil in a cross promotion that aims to encourage consumers to grill vegetables this summer.

Starting July 15, instant-redeemable coupons for $1 off Reynolds Wrap non-stick foil products will be affixed to 12-ounce packages of Mann’s vegetable medley, broccoli and cauliflower, broccoli and carrots, “Broccoli Wokly,” and California stir­­­fry distributed throughout the United States.

This is the second of three promotions the two companies are planning for 2011.

Wenatchee, WA-based Stemilt Growers recently completed two charitable efforts. The company has donated to a scholarship fund and raised money to fund the American Cancer Society.

Education

Kyle Mathison and Jay Fulbright of Stemilt Growers presented Washington Apple Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Witherbee with a check for $8,500 July 5. The funds for the check came from the proceeds of the third-annual Thomas K. Mathison Memorial Golf Tournament, which was held May 19 in Wenatchee.

Epic Roots, a Monterey, CA-based grower and distributor of specialty produce, has debuted new consumer product labels and a renewed focus on its Central California Coast identity.

Since its inception in 1998, Epic Roots has been well known for its Mâche, a sweet and nutty green originally imported from France. Over the years, the company has diversified its offerings to include rainbow chard and two new products to be released this summer: Wasabi Arugula (a hybrid of arugula and Japanese horseradish) and crisp and crunchy salad (petite-size Romaine, green leaf and Radicchio).

For the second year in a row, Gilroy, CA-based Christopher Ranch has achieved a 98 percent score on its annual processing safety audit, earning a “superior” rating. For the firm’s customers, the results assure that Christopher Ranch product is as safe to use as it is flavorful.