Slow but seemingly steady improvements in the economy are starting to be felt among producers and shippers of specialty fruits and vegetables, and the warmer-than-usual winter and spring are an additional help at the foodservice level.

DEMAND: Lettuce and leaf shippers report strong demand on temporarily light volume. Texas and Northwest onion shippers are seeing strong red onion and fairly good yellow onion demand. Idaho russet shippers are experiencing modest carton demand.

TRANSPORTATION & FUEL

MARTIN WEIJTERS joined BrightFarms Inc. as vice president of agriculture on May 1.

In his new position at BrightFarms, Mr. Weijters will be in charge of overseeing current and future greenhouses, which the company finances, builds and operates at or near grocery retailers.

Jim Scattini, vice president of sales and marketing for Sambrailo Packaging in Watsonville, CA, said the company continues to innovate to meet the demands of California’s blueberry industry.

“We can produce the clamshells in our new production facility in Mexico,” he told The Produce News on April 17. “[There is also a] new ‘RunRite’ size on the drawing board.”

CALGARY, AB — Fresh Drinks, a grassroots social program initiated by the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, is set to launch during an inaugural event to be held May 12 in Mississauga, ON.

The get-together will be dedicated to networking and building business.

Fruit Patch, a Dinuba, CA-based provider of management, packing and marketing services for growers of apricots, peaches, plums, nectarines, grapes, pomegranates, persimmons, Asian pears and specialty citrus announced the appointment of Jim Gallagher as chief executive officer, effective April 30.

Mr. Gallagher is currently general manager and executive vice president of revenue of "organicgirl" brand salads, which is owned by NewStar Fresh LLC in Salinas, CA.