On the very day that the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market opened its doors — June 5, 2011 — Jimmy Storey, owner of Quaker City Produce, returned to work following a serious illness that kept him hospitalized for about six months.

Chip Wiechec, president of Hunter Bros., showed his PWPM warehouse to Julie Wong, a Philadelphia-Chinatown entrepreneur who toured the market on January 20.“We’r

Chuck Zambito, owner of Zambito Produce Sales in West Deptford, NJ, said the produce industry is always evolving and changing, “just like the ocean,” making reference to the already apparent changes taking place at the less than one-year-old Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market.

Patrick Kelly launched his California produce firm a couple of years ago with a very simple premise: “If I increase returns to growers, they’ll sign up.”

So far, so good, he said.

California Giant Berry Farms has teamed up with Hamilton Beach Brands in a smoothie sweepstakes campaign kicking off on April 30. “We are excited about including our fresh blueberries in these promotions this year due to the fact they are so versatile, and consumers are continuing to increase consumption,” Director of Marketing Cindy Jewell told The Produce News on April 10.

Ron Milavsky, vice president of BRS Produce Co. Inc., works alongside his brother, Rick Milavsky, president, secretary and treasurer. The company took occupancy at the new Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market when it opened last June, and has units D-2, D-3 and D-4.