DENVILLE, NJ -- Every company likes its employees to add depth to the organization as it strives to better serve its customers. In the case of Johnson Associated Fruit Co. Inc., that depth has been supplied most recently by Gregg Johnson and Kevin Johnson, the two sons of company President Bob Johnson.

The produce brokerage company, founded by Bob Johnson in 1992 and headquartered here, buys f.o.b. from all over the country. Its customers are primarily wholesalers and small retailers in the Northeast.

GREEN BAY, WI -- As the new year begins, a healthy, flavorful vegetable is making a comeback to grocery store produce departments, and a new web site is providing meal planners with everything they need to know when adding spinach to the menu.

Oxnard, CA-based Mission Produce Inc. recently announced its entry into the fresh asparagus industry with its agreement to purchase the assets of Salinas, CA-based Lee Pacific LLC.

The purchase includes a California and Mexican program that will strengthen Mission's strategic relationship with a Peruvian company with which Mission works in avocados to enable a year-round fresh asparagus program, said Steve Barnard, president and chief executive officer of Mission Produce.

Dozens of new seedless grapes as well as fresh plums, apricots and peaches -- bred by California fruit researchers -- will soon be more readily available to growers and marketers throughout Europe.

In an effort to expand its new fruit variety development and licensing programs, Sun World International LLC has established Sun World Europe, according to Sun World Senior Vice President David Marguleas.

The office will be based in Cesena, Italy, within the important fruit-growing region of Emilia-Romagna.

SALINAS, CA -- Tanimura & Antle, based here, has unveiled upgraded food- safety measures for its growers to follow, which became effective Dec. 21.

These measures include increased minimum-distance requirements from potential risks, tightened standard operating procedures for crops near flood risks, managing use of certified compost, increased water quality testing and stricter pre-planting ranch assessments.

If truly there is such a thing as a win-win proposition, it might be the new environmentally friendly grocery bags being promoted by several companies including Earthwise Bag Co. Inc. in Commerce, CA.