SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX - As is increasingly the case these days when producers and purveyors of produce gather, food safety was a dominant topic at the 2010 Texas Produce Association Convention, held here Aug. 11-13 at the Sheraton Beach Hotel.

Although exports of Peruvian onions grew by 38 percent during the 2009 season, volumes imported by the United States are expected to remain relatively stable in the coming years.

"It is not advisable to increase export volume this year," said Miguel Ognio, president of the Onion Subcommittee of the Peruvian Exporters Association. "[The] United States, which is the main market, is consuming more, and we must maintain the volume. Therefore, we must be very careful of not swamping any market. It would be dangerous for our products."

Pandol Bros. Inc. has launched its new rinse-and-serve grape packaging nationwide after the completion of a controlled in-market test this past June.

Pandol Bros., based in Delano, CA, worked in close partnership with two prominent regional retail chains to test a full range of requirements including product positioning, merchandising, in-store communications and package handling.

The retailers provided critical feedback regarding all aspects of a go-to- market strategy and even helped define best practices regarding point-of- sale tactics.

Taylor Fresh Foods Inc. in Salinas, CA, has completed the purchase of River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC, also based in Salinas.

River Ranch processes and distributes salads, salad kits and cut vegetables under private brand and "River Ranch" brands, and spinach under the “Popeye” brand. It also distributes cut vegetable snacks and commodity vegetable products to customers throughout North America. River Ranch operates salad and vegetable processing and cooling operations in Salinas and El Centro, CA.

The new Philadelphia produce market will not open before the first of the year.

That is a reality that Philadelphia Fresh Food Terminal Corp. executives Jimmy Storey, president, and Louis Penza, vice president, shared in an Aug. 18 conference call with The Produce News.

"We've been kind of told it's been pushed back to the first of the year, but no one is going to officially say it," said Mr. Penza. "Call it a 'well-grounded rumor.'"