The Southeast Produce Council is ready to rock and roll.

The council’s eighth annual Retail and Foodservice Conference & Expo will take place March 3-5 at the Caribe Royale Resort & Conference Center in Orlando, FL, with the theme, Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

WILMINGTON, DE – The port of Wilmington in Delaware celebrated the maiden voyage of Seatrade's new refrigerated cargo ship, the m/v Atlantic Klipper.

The new ship, which loaded in Valparaiso, Chile, began discharging containers on its deck Feb. 23. The Diamond State Port Corp., which owns and operates the port of Wilmington, hosted a formal morning celebration of the maiden voyage Feb. 24 and offered a press tour of the ship that afternoon.

The theme of the 2011 annual Vidalia onion industry banquet was baseball -- “What a Team When We All Play Together.” According to Vidalia Onion Committee Executive Director Wendy Brannen, 2010 was one of the more exciting marketing years for the commission -- a “home run” for the famous Vidalia sweet onion.

 California Giant Berry Farms has a new look for its packaging and a new way to engage consumers when purchasing its berries at retail.  The Watsonville, CA-based company has added quick response codes to its clamshells, which can be scanned with a smartphone for a chance to win prizes throughout the season.

Once consumers scan the QR code on California Giant berry clamshells, they are directed to a micro-site (www.calgiant.com/win) that invites them to enter for a chance to win a weekly prize of $100. Winners will be announced each week on www.facebook.com/calgiant.

The Fresh Produce & Floral Council held its annual dinner dance Saturday, Jan. 29, and introduced its new board, led by Chairman Jeff Miller, who is a partner at Westlake Produce Co. in Los Angeles.
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The Peruvian Asparagus Importers Association, an organization that represents U.S. companies involved in importing fresh Peruvian asparagus, announced Feb. 15 that it will be led by co-chairmen in 2011.

Chris Martin of Los Angeles-based Gourmet Trading Co. will serve as co-chairman for the West Coast and Walter Yager of Miami-based Alpine Marketing is co-chairman for the East Coast.