UTICA, NY -- Chanatry's Market is a family-owned supermarket that has been serving this upstate New York community since William Howard Taft was in the White House. Its practice from the start was to offer high-quality items at competitive prices in a friendly atmosphere. That practice endures to the present time, only in a larger setting.

EW Brandt & Sons, a grower-packer-shipper of premium cherries, stone fruit, apples and pears based in Wapato, WA, introduced a new clamshell that it said represents the next generation of donut peach and nectarine packaging, representing a new level of value-added convenience and usage.

WASHINGTON -- The federal government promotes a diet rich in fruits and vegetables but is silent when it comes to defending its science-based pesticide safety limits in news stories attacking the produce industry.

This was the message delivered by United Fresh Produce Association Chairman Steffanie Smith and other industry representatives who met June 15 with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson.

Fresh & Easy, the U.S. division of England's retail giant Tesco, has agreed to purchase the U.S. operations of both its major produce and meat suppliers. The chain's communications director, Brendan Wonnacott, told The Produce News June 23 that the deal would be completed this summer.

PESCADERO, CA -- Jacobs Farm is expanding its operations to include a new facility in Boston in early June.

This new HAACP-approved packing and warehouse facility, the first on the East Coast for the organic grower and distributor, will allow more timely distribution of organic culinary herbs and edible flowers throughout the region. Currently, the company operates two California warehouse, packing and distribution facilities: in Vernon, near Los Angeles; and in South San Francisco.

SANDPOINT, ID -- Litehouse Inc. announced June 21 the acquisition of Green Garden Foods, a leading Seattle-based provider of dressings, sauces and dips to the U.S. and Canadian retail grocery, foodservice and restaurant industries.

With the addition of Green Garden, Litehouse said that it will be able to facilitate expanded growth and innovation through new production capabilities and product knowledge. Litehouse will make use of the expanded production capabilities through consolidation into its Sandpoint, ID, and Lowell, MI, facilities.