“We are picking and packing new-crop [dates] now and getting ready to ship out our fall produce program,” said Albert Keck, president of Hadley Date Gardens Inc. in Thermal, CA, in an interview with The Produce News Oct. 12.

Atlas Produce & Distributing Inc.in Bakersfield, CA, which specializes in Californa-grown Medjool dates marketed under the “Caramel Naturel” brand, relies on its label and packaging and the quality of its product, combined with good positioning on the retail shelf to boost products sales for customers during the holiday season, according to Robert Dobrzansky, president and sales manager.

“Our label really entices consumers to purchase,” he said. “It is subtle, but a beautiful label.”

At Family Tree Farms LLC, in Reedley, CA, “a lot of times, the story is staying the course,” and the company’s Satsuma Mandarin program, now in its sixth year, “is just that,” said Don Goforth, director of sales and marketing, in an interview with The Produce News Oct. 11.

‘Barnfield’ is one of four fancy-grade citrus labels shipped by Hronis Inc.

With groves located in prime southern San Joaqui

Two years ago, Green Tree International Inc. in Visalia, CA, began a joint venture marketing program with Brandt Farms in Reedley, CA, marketing a portion of Brandt’s citrus production. That program expanded during the second season and is now in its third year. Once again, “we will be helping to market oranges packed out of Brandt Farms,” said Cary Crum, Green Tree vice president.

Sun West Fruit Co. Inc., in Parlier, CA, a vertically integrated grower-packer-shipper of citrus and stone fruit and already one of the larger growers of citrus in California, continues to expand its producing citrus acreage, principally in Navels and Mandarins, according to Doug Sankey, vice president of sales and marketing.