Sun World International LLC is expanding the company's line of branded produce offerings with the reintroduction of the "Le Rouge Royale" sweet red pepper brand and “Le Jaune Royale,” its yellow pepper counterpart, just in time for the California pepper season.

NEWARK, DE -- Marguerite (Margi) Prueitt joined Produce Marketing Association's senior management team May 24 as executive director of PMA's Foundation for Industry Talent, succeeding Cindy Seel.

Reporting to Bryan Silbermann, PMA's president and chief executive officer, she will serve as the staff lead to the FIT board of directors and will be responsible for all program activities and fund development.

WASHINGTON -- Fresh Express announced a May 25 recall of ready-to-eat salads after the Food & Drug Administration found Salmonella in a random test.

Salmonella was confirmed in a single package of Fresh Express "Hearts of Romaine Salad" during routine sampling, according to the Salinas, CA-based firm. The company is recalling 27 different products, even though the ready- to-eat salads are labeled with expired use-by dates of May 13-16.

Pandol Bros. Inc., a grower-shipper of premium table grapes based in Delano, CA, hired Scott Reade to the newly created position of vice president of sales and marketing.

In his new position, Mr. Reade is responsible for all aspects of the sales and marketing functions, including growing the company's client base through distribution channel diversification as well as customer segment diversification.

PHILADELPHIA -- The time is almost here for the opening of the new Philadelphia produce market.

Philadelphia's fresh fruit and vegetable distributors will soon occupy one of the larger, more modern produce terminals in the world. The market measures 667,000 square feet in size.

Summerwhites, the California Tree Fruit Agreement's trademarked name for white-flesh peaches and nectarines, are projected to see modest increases in volume for the 2010 season after a sharp decline in 2009. With the early harvest underway, starting dates by variety are projected to be about two days later than last year, and growers said the quality looks exceptional, as it does for California stone fruit in general.