SunDate in Coachella, CA, is vertically integrated in the sense that the majority of the dates the company packs and markets are “our own fruit,” according to D.J. Ryan, sales manager.

“We are involved in every step of the growing and harvesting and — cone it is brought into the packinghouse — the sorting, processing, packing and shipping. So w control every aspect of it, which allows us to maintain a level of quality control” that would be more difficult if they were “dealing with a lot of outside growers.”

A California Court of Appeals reversed an earlier Superior Court decision thereby abandoning a $12 million judgment that Fresh Express Inc. had received against an insurance carrier to recover losses resulting from the 2006 E. coli outbreak associated with fresh spinach.

A three-judge panel ruled Sept. 8 that the Monterey County Superior Court had erred in interpreting the recall insurance policy that Salinas, CA-based Fresh Express had in place at the time with Lloyds of London.

Southern Specialties, based in Pompano Beach, FL, will ship Royal artichokes in its “Southern Selects” packaging.

Royal artichokes, which are named for their royal purple highlights on the leaves that indicate sweetness, are packed in six-count modified-atmosphere bags with 10 bags to the case.

The medium-size artichokes are an excellent choice for home meals, and they cook quickly and fit perfectly on the dinner plate as an entrée accompaniment.

Stephanie Marchini loves growing pumpkins, but she loves teaching kids about growing them even more. She is the wife of Jeff Marchini, president of J. Marchini Farms in Le Grand, CA, a leading producer of specialty Italian produce including radicchio, fennel, Tuscan cabbage, Puntarelle, Cardone and Romanesco. The company is particularly well-known for its Black Mission and Kadota figs, and its Marchini almonds.