PHILADELPHIA — Creating a boutique fruit import company involving a variety of unusual offerings requires a staff that is galvanized by diverse experience. That is the backbone for the creation of Marathon Fruit Distributors LLC, based here, according to David Skea, the firm's chief financial officer.

Mr. Skea told The Produce News that a team for a start-up must be multi- talented to bring a company quickly up to speed without enduring the expense of a large staff.

Wilbur (Will) Souza, founder of Babé Farms in Santa Maria, CA, died at Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria Jan. 21 following a long illness. He was 89. Mr. Souza was born June 23, 1921 in Santa Maria to Manuel Souza and Minnie Souza, née Freitas. He was raised on the Souza family farm in the Santa Maria Valley and attended local schools. Upon graduation from high school, he attended Cal Poly College in San Dimas, CA. In 1941, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a naval aviator during World War II in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

WASHINGTON -- The Senate has yet to convene this year, but Congress is already busy introducing legislation to help fruit and vegetable businesses play a role in beating back the obesity epidemic.

Key among Philadelphia's reasons for building what is expected to be the world’s most modern produce market is working from a facility that is totally temperature controlled. The construction is behind schedule, and Mother Nature is the only force controlling temperatures around the old market. The original plan was for the new market to open in moderate weather last October.

Disease issues continue to plague Western lettuce shippers, but good weather has helped bring the California strawberry crop back to normal levels on a daily basis.

Looking forward, experts are predicting that the lettuce market will remain hot well into February, with many other leaf items following suit with better- than-average prices. But the strawberry market has dropped, and both volume and prices should be moving into promotional territories as February dawns.

Bill Litvin, regional sales and national account manager for Giorgio Fresh Co., in Temple, PA, told The Produce News that the company offers organic whole and sliced white mushrooms, Baby Bella, whole and sliced Portabellas and Shiitake mushrooms in retail and bulk packs.