Joseph P. Jarjura, 89, died Oct. 21 at Saint Mary's Hospital in Waterbury, CT, after a brief illness. The Waterbury resident was the founder and chairman of the board of J.P. Jarjura & Sons Co., a family-run wholesale fruit and vegetable distributor serving the area.

Monterey, CA-based PRO*ACT, a leading fresh produce supplier to the foodservice industry, has been named a primary distributor for Scottsdale, AZ-based Eddie V's Restaurants Inc.

Eddie V's operates three white-tablecloth restaurant concepts with a total of 14 units in Texas, Arizona and California. The concepts are Eddie V's Prime Seafood, Roaring Fork and Wildfish Seafood Grille.

New York Produce Inc. is preparing to open a larger cash-and-carry facility Dec. 1 in the Bronx, NY.

The company, which specializes in tropical produce and is based in Secaucus, NJ, had operated a 9,000-square-foot cash-and-carry on Grinnell Place two blocks from its new facility at 511 Barry Street, which is the former site of Baldor Specialty Foods Inc.

December is National Pear Month, and Cristie Mather, director of communications for the Pear Bureau Northwest, said that she is gratified by the national features focusing on pears.

"This has really been a good year for us," she told The Produce News in early November. “We're really excited about the quality of these stories.”

The holiday season is arriving and Guadalupe, CA-based Apio Inc. has dressed up a few of its more popular trays for the occasion. Beginning Nov. 15, "Eat Smart" is now featuring a festive holiday-themed label applied to all U.S. shipments of “Eat Smart” 40-ounce classic vegetable trays and “Eat Smart” 36-ounce veggie blend trays.

The Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference has been scheduled for Jan. 6-9, 2011. Sponsored by the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association and the South Carolina Peach Council, the event will be held in Savannah, GA, at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.

Featuring informative workshops, classes and demonstrations, the 2011 event also has been expanded to a third day of programs. In addition, The North American Raspberry & Blackberry Association will hold its annual meeting in conjunction with the conference.