J.P. Veggies Inc., doing business as VeggieLand, a leading natural and vegetarian foods manufacturer in Parsippany, NJ, has announced the acquisition of the "Franklin Farms" brand of vegetarian products.

Don Burke, who was vice president of marketing and sales at Franklin Farms prior to the sale, will serve as national retail sales manager for the Franklin Farms division of VeggieLand under the new acquisition.

Ayco Farms, headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL, said that it has received strong response to its new "Super Mini Me" watermelon, which it debuted at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit exposition in Orlando, FL.

The "Super Mini Me" is currently at a semi-commercial level, as production has only recently begun and volumes are not yet large enough to market the item full scale. The orange- to grapefruit-sized watermelon is geared toward single-serving uses.

ORLANDO, FL -- Sister companies Horton Fruit Co. and Grow Farms, based in Louisville, KY, are working together to help promote Kentucky-grown produce and preserve family farms.

Grow Farms, which was founded earlier this year and is a grower and distributor of high-quality regional foods, was the brainchild of Brian Knott, who oversees operations.

According to Mr. Knott, farming inputs are rising across the board, and without some assistance with marketing and distribution, growers are at risk of going out of business.

ORLANDO, FL -- The spring campaign of the Produce for Kids supplier-retail fundraising promotion set a record for the organization and pushed the money raised by the effort since its inception in 2002 to over $1.6 million.

ORLANDO, FL -- A five-year compromise may be signed before Thanksgiving that would establish April 10 as the cutoff date allowing certain Chilean grape varieties to enter the United States without special inspections.

JC Produce, the West Sacramento, CA, firm that closed its doors last month, has at least $700,000 more PACA debt than it has receivables.