WINTER HAVEN, FL -- SunnyRidge Farm continues to expand its operations with plans for a new distribution center in Hawthorne, FL, located 15 miles east of Gainesville, FL.

Columbia Marketing International, one of Washington state's larger shippers of premium conventional and organic apples, pears and cherries, has hired Mike Nicholson to its domestic sales team.

Mr. Nicholson has accumulated a wide range of sales experience representing Washington shippers of fresh apples, pears, cherries and apricots. He has been involved with sales in both export and domestic markets, concentrating for the past several years on the domestic retail and wholesale trade.

Close cooperation, starting with clear communication, between an ocean carrier and produce importers is critical, according to Michael Hopkins, vice president of operations for Crowley Holdings Inc. Mr. Hopkins works from the Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, FL, facility of Crowley, which is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL.         Crowley's ships offer extensive refrigerated container cargo service to Port Everglades and Gulfport, MS, from Central America and other Caribbean ports. Reefer service, Mr.

Deardorff Family Farms in Oxnard, CA, announced Jan. 14 the introduction of its new "Deardorff Organics" brand. The new label is, according to a company press release, “a showcase of the company's commitment to sustainability, expressed through organic farming and environmentally responsible and recyclable packaging.” The rollout coincides with a fivefold increase in acreage Deardorff has dedicated to certified organic production and an expansion in the number of organic items the company is growing and marketing.

Loren Queen, marketing and communications manager for Domex Superfresh Growers in Yakima, WA, said that the company's volume of organic apples and pears continues to grow in response to marketplace demand. "Every apple we produce conventionally, we produce organically," he told The Produce News Jan. 14. According to Mr. Queen, Domex Superfresh Growers marketed 15 percent of Washington’s organic apple volume during the 2009-10 season and 28 percent of the state’s organic pears.

I Love Produce in Kelton, PA, continues to promote organic Peruvian ginger, according to Jim Provost, chief executive officer for the firm. "It's flavorful, fresh, beautiful and healthful, and the price point is amazing," he said. “This heirloom ginger is grown by the indigenous population in the Andes Mountains. The income from the organic certifications has provided a better lifestyle for these people. This ginger is available to ship nationally, and we offer it year round.”