Through the growth of its strategic partnerships in Central America and South America, Kingston & Associates Marketing LLC has expanded its mango program to include imports from Brazil.

With established grower relationships in Costa Rica, Peru and Guatemala, the move signals the first of several program expansions marked for 2012-13 season.

Sundale Sales Inc., the marketing arm of Sundale Vineyards in Tulare, CA, continues to expand its table grape production as it has for several years, and most of this year’s growth has been in late season varieties, according to Sean Stockton, president of Sundale Sales.

The big focus for the company’s fall program, he said, will be on Autumn Kings, Autumn Royals, Crimsons and the company’s proprietary Sundale Red, he said. “We’ve increased acreage in each and every one of those varieties over the last year.”

With vineyards at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, Anthony Vineyards in Bakersfield, CA, has historically had some of the earliest grapes in the valley.

But “our retail partners have indicated that they would like to see us stay engaged in the business as long as we can,” said John Harley, vice president of sales and marketing.

SAN ANTONIO, TX — About 400 people packed the Grand Hyatt Riverwalk Aug. 15-17, here, for the annual Texas Produce Convention, which was about one-third education, one-third information and one-third recreation with an agenda that kept conventioneers busy from arrival to departure.

“We have just started harvesting Gala and Ginger Gold apples,” Fred Hess, president of Hess Fruit Co. in Leola, PA, told The Produce News Aug. 8. “Both of these early varieties are very popular and demand is strong.”

Mr. Hess, who co-owns the company with his brother, Jerry, added that the Gala is a sweet-tart apple with orange-yellow skin. The Ginger Gold resembles the Golden Delicious with slick skin. It too has a sweet-tart flavor.

Tanimura & Antle Inc., based in Salinas, CA, is voluntarily recalling a single lot of Romaine lettuce because it may be contaminated with E. Coli O157:H7. The affected product is limited to Tanimura & Antle field fresh wrapped single head romaine packed in a plastic bag with the UPC number 0-27918-20314-9 and a Best By date of “08 19 12.” The product was available at retail locations from Aug. 2 to Aug. 19. No other T&A products are part of the recall.