Douglas Kling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Village Farms LP, headquartered in Heathrow, FL, told The Produce News that the company will continue to feature its exclusive “Heavenly Villagio Marzano,” tomato, an authentic mini San Marzano tomato which is exclusive to Village Farms, at the 2015 Southern Exposure Conference & Expo at the Caribe Royale All Suite Hotel & Convention Center in Orlando, FL, on Feb. 26-28.

“And we’ll be promoting our expanded ‘True Rebel Mix’ of tomatoes from our ‘Olde World Flavor’ collection,” added Kling. “‘True Rebel Mix’ is a unique pack which contains a mix of four to six different flavorful plump varieties, each having a distinct shape and flavor. Brilliant colors that range from red, orange, yellow, green and brown result in a rainbow of color distinction each deliciously sweet and intense with flavor.”

He added that at Southern Exposure the company would also be trialing a new variety of high-flavor red and brown cherry tomato, which is also exclusive to Village Farms.

Douglas Kling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, and Michael DeGiglio, president and chief executive officer of Village Farms.Besides Kling, on hand to greet visitors at Village Farms booth, number 220, at Southern Exposure will be Michael DeGiglio, president and chief executive officer; Brett Wiley, senior vice president, sales and sales operations; Helen Aquino, director of brand marketing and communications; Debi Street, director of variety development and innovation; Steve Poklemba, regional sales director; and Alan Kleinman, eastern district sales manager.

The company has been a member of SEPC for 10 years, and has exhibited at Southern Exposure for the past five years. Kling is highly bullish on the event.

“We believe the Southern Exposure expo is one of the best, if not the best, networking events in the industry,” he said. “We have the opportunity to conduct numerous top-level meetings with regional as well as national customers, vendors and the trade press. In terms of the level of engagement, it’s an outstanding event.”

Village Farms is a sponsor of the Southern Exposure Farewell Reception.

Kling also reflected on the great past year the company has experienced. It celebrated 25 years in business, and it completed renovation of its Marfa, TX, facility.

“In May 2012, a major hailstorm hit Marfa, damaging and/or destroying all 82 acres of our glass hydroponic greenhouse in seven short minutes,” Kling explained. “Renovation was completed more than six months ago, and we’re now back up to speed. Our foundation remains solid.”

In July 2014, Village Farms announced that it closed on its previously announced acquisition of Maxim Power (B.C.) Inc. The new name of the acquired company will be VF Clean Energy Inc.

The facility that Village Farms acquired as part of the acquisition will continue generating power under an existing long term power purchase agreement with BC Hydro, as well as focus on improving the sustainability profile of Village Farms’ greenhouse operations in Delta, B.C.

“We are now able to take methane gas out of our landfill and recycle it for maximum power, making us one of the most sustainable companies in the greenhouse industry,” noted Kling.