Is local sourcing a fad in the produce industry or an emerging trend that heralds a new era in the way Americans approach fresh fruits and vegetables?

Houston-based FreshPoint Inc. is betting on the latter. Its just launched "Eat Florida Fresh" program and web site are the first in a series that will help introduce customers to the farmers who grow their food.

A subsidiary of the Sysco Corp., FreshPoint is one of the nation's larger distributors of fresh produce, with 31 locations nationwide catering primarily to the foodservice industry.

Upgrades will double previous capacity

Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms is completing the expansion of its Baja Mist production facility in order to increase its Mexico-grown product offerings. The facility is located in Mexico's Mexicali Valley.

When completed in January, the plant will have double its previous capacity for processing and shipping "Ocean Mist" iceless green onions, Brussels sprouts, leeks and radishes, with room to add other items in the future.

Brian Silvas has joined Bland Farms LLC as West Coast sales manager. To meet Bland Farms' growing demand for sweet onions in the West, Mr. Silvas will maintain customer relationships and develop category and product growth.

Peter (Pete) Galvan, a sales representative at Hronis Inc. in Delano, CA, died Nov. 4 following a short illness. More than 300 family members and friends attended his services in Bakersfield, CA, to pay their respects and tributes to a man with a distinguished career in produce. He was 69.

A diversified client base and a hard-working staff keep the Mesquite, TX, branch of the Tom Lange Co. hopping.

In fact, Darrell Wolven, vice president of sales, wonders what happened to the extra free time technology was supposed to bring to the modern workplace.

"Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, and I suppose it has, but it definitely hasn't cut down on the amount of time we spend working," Mr. Wolven said. “Especially nowadays with the Internet and cell phones and smartphones and texts, we work more hours than we ever have.”

It is business as usual at Combs Produce in Dallas, and that is a good thing.

"We sell a lot of tomatoes, that's for sure," said Brett Combs, vice president of sales and marketing. Given the global economic turmoil of the past three years, “business is still a little challenging, but it’s decent overall.”

Being headquartered in Texas, a state which has weathered the recession better than the most and one that leads all others in economic recovery is “definitely a benefit, but it is still soft here. But business is decent overall and definitely improving.”