"L&M continues to enjoy steady growth," said Bobby Creel, director of business development for the Raleigh, NC-based company. "We are always adding to our line of high-quality products and staying on the cutting edge of produce trends and demands."

Mr. Creel said that the cherry crop in Washington state had a full bloom in early April, so a good program is anticipated through the month of June. "We are now finishing our organic apple crops in Washington," he said. "Then we'll start with organic and conventional apricots, peaches and nectarines for the summer."

CHICAGO -- The Organic Trade Association's All Things Organic Conference & Trade Show, held here April 26-29, was a perfect venue for Albert's Organics, a leading U.S. wholesale distributor of organic produce, and Strube Celery & Vegetable Co., the oldest established produce distributor in Chicago, to announce their new partnership that will have Strube distributing Albert's Organics' products throughout the Chicago area.

Four Seasons Produce Inc. in Ephrata, PA, announced that industry veteran John Gilmore joined the organization April 28 in the role of director of procurement.

Ever since the infamous Bugsy Siegel opened the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas in 1946, people from around the world have flocked to the city in increasing numbers every year.

Today, the city offers 124,270 hotel rooms to provide accommodations for over 37 million annual visitors, on top of the resident population of about 60,000. It hosts 3,749 conventions every year.

Any way you cut it, Las Vegas has a lot of mouths to feed.

Mission Produce Inc. will introduce a new processed avocado product line at the United Fresh exposition in Las Vegas May 5-7, according to Ross Wileman, vice president of sales and marketing.

The new line, which will initially consist of two flavors of guacamole, employs high-pressure technology that extends shelf life by destroying the bacteria in the product. "It basically pasteurizes the product to give you a 30-day shelf life," Mr. Wileman said.