FRESNO, CA — The California table grape industry logged its second-highest export volume in 2011, according to Susan Day, vice president of international marketing for the California Table Grape Commission, here. The 2012 crop could set new records for harvest and export volume.

In 2011, many of the industry’s top export markets imported their largest volume ever of California grapes, she said.

“Total exports last year, including Canada, were 344,997 metric tons,” second only to the export volume in 2005, she said.

With the approach of the summer season, Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce in San Diego will be continuing “the roll-out and development of our heirloom tomato program,” according to Mark Munger, vice president of marketing.

In addition, the company’s organic program continues to expand. As part of that, the company will be adding a new organic item this summer: organic beefsteak tomatoes.

Those two changes to the company’s programs are “a couple of fun things going on in the summer season” this year, he said.

As a broker, Bernardi & Associates has one goal in mind: providing its customers with the best tomatoes possible day in and day out, 365 days a year.

This time of year, that means sourcing largely from the Baja Peninsula in western Mexico. Joe Bernardi, who has been president of the family-run operation for more than two decades, said that adding value for its customers is the key to the company’s success. “Things are status quo around here,” he said. “We’re just supplying our customers 52 weeks a year.”

Arroyo Grande, CA-based Talley Farms Inc. welcomed BRENNAN HARRELL to its sales team on June 4.

The bankruptcy case involving Adams Produce Co. in Birmingham, AL, has been continued until July 9, though a proposed PACA Trust settlement plan was expected to be filed with the court by the end of the day June 19, according to two attorneys involved in the proceedings.  

Safeway Inc. announced that it has transitioned to using reusable product containers rather than corrugated boxes to ship many types of produce from the farm fields, through the distribution channel and to final store destination. This transition eliminated the use of over 17 million pounds of corrugated boxes.