The Portland, OR-based Pear Bureau Northwest has developed new point-of-sale materials to raise consumer awareness of the April, May and June availability of Anjou pears. The materials spotlight red and green Anjou pears and their usage in spring menus alongside other seasonal produce like strawberries, spring greens and mangos.

Seasonal promotions have proven to be a key element in maximizing the sales of Salinas, CA-based Tanimura & Antle’s “Artisan” lettuce. The most recent “Artisan” lettuce Get in Shape program was credited with significant increases in product distribution and attracting several new retail customers. As a result, the growth in demand has the company planning a doubled production for the fall.

Pink Lady America, based in Yakima, WA, wants moms to feel special this Mother’s Day. A new campaign centered on the Pink Lady apple has been designed to pay respect to the women who do so much for their families.

The first pallets of fresh Chilean figs, off-loaded at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, entered the domestic marketplace April 13. George Kragie, president of Western Fresh Marketing in Madera, CA, said that the company was the first to receive a permit under new rules announced in the April 4 Federal Register governing the fruit’s importation.

Bland Distribution Services in Donna, TX, announced April 7 the completion of an expansion to its cold-storage and dock areas. The distribution center broke ground in January 2008, and subsequent growth since its opening led to a need for expansion of the BDS cold storage space.

With the expansion complete, BDS now has 100,000 square feet of cold, dry, packing, dock and office space at the Donna facility. The cold storage space is divided into eight separately controlled areas with a capacity for 3,100 pallet positions.