ATLANTA — The industry-wide Produce Traceability Initiative continues to move forward, though very deliberately. At least that is the takeaway message if the opinion of industry members participating in a Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit convention workshop on the topic was typical.

Ouhlala Gourmet Corp. recently introduced two new products to its popular line of 100 percent fruit products marketed under the “Buddy Fruits” brand.

“We now have three products at market,” Fabian Milon, vice president and founder of the Coral Gables, FL-based company, told The Produce News. “We’ve added Pure Fruit Bites and Blended Fruit & Milk Smoothie to our original launch product, Pure Blended Fruit.“

ATLANTA — At least eight grower-shippers headquartered in California’s Salinas Valley will combine their booths at the Produce Marketing Association convention in 2012 and create a location-specific space.

Lorri Koster, vice president of marketing and co-chairman of the board of Mann Packing Co. Inc. in Salinas, CA, is spearheading the effort.

McCaffrey’s Markets and BrightFarms announced an agreement to build a greenhouse farm at one of McCaffrey’s grocery stores, according to an Oct. 12 press release.

BrightFarms will finance, build and operate the greenhouse, which will grow the ultra local fresh produce. McCaffrey’s will purchase the produce from the greenhouse — items such as lettuces, tomatoes and herbs — in accordance with a long-term produce purchase agreement.

ICEBERG LETTUCE

The Iceberg lettuce transition from Salinas, CA, to Huron, CA, is not seamless and the market is quickly gaining momentum. Quality of the last fields in the Salinas Valley is suspect due to the Oct. 4-5 rain followed by several days of warm temperatures.