Santa Sweets Inc., based in Plant City, FL, has hired Christopher Grallert as its senior vice president of marketing and sales.

"Our 'Santa Sweets' and UglyRipe brands have grown fantastically over the years," said Don Long, president of Santa Sweets. With new products on the frontier, we welcome the expertise Christopher Grallert will provide in helping structure Santa Sweets expected growth.

BC Hot House Foods Inc. in Surrey, BC, a leader in the greenhouse-grown produce industry, is one of this year's finalists in the 2005 British Columbia Export Awards.

The BC Export Awards recognize companies in British Columbia that are leading the province in developing export markets and channels.

The awards are comprised of three finalists in seven categories: New Exporter, Advancing Technologies, Consumer Products, Manufactured Products, New Media & Entertainment, Primary Products & Resources and Professional & Services.

According to widespread news reports, investment firms are lining up to bid for Albertsons. Knowledgeable sources are saying that both the real estate which the company owns and its geographic diversity are attractive characteristics for investment firms.

Bland Farms in Glennville, GA, and Sweet Clover Produce LLC in Quincy, WA, have entered into a marketing partnership that will allow the companies to offer a year-round supply of high-quality sweet onions.

In addition to Vidalia and Walla Walla sweet onions, sourcing will include onions from South America. All product will be certified for sweetness by an independent lab.

NAPLES, FL  The Florida Tomato Exchange and the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange held their annual membership meetings Sept. 8, at which time representatives from both groups discussed several issues affecting the industry and elected their boards of directors. The meetings were part of the Joint Tomato Conference held Sept. 6-11, here, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Which came first, the "foodie" movement or the specialty produce category? The question is as debatable as the chicken-or-the egg query. It is certain, however, that newly introduced food products  and people who want to enjoy them  continue to complement one another, and each thrives by the mutual benefits the other provides.