The Canadian Produce Marketing Association announced during a Feb. 16 webinar that it will launch a new consumer marketing campaign March 1.

Melanie Richer, senior manager of marketing and communications for the association, used a slide show to highlight CPMA's new marketing campaign, known as Fruits & Veggies Mix it Up!

SALINAS, CA -- River Ranch Fresh Foods LLC announced that Bruce Knobeloch has joined the management team in the newly created position chief operating officer.

Mr. Knobeloch will direct the sales and marketing, processing, distribution and agricultural operations within the company. His immediate focus will be supporting the sales and marketing efforts of the company, helping guide operations to focus on growth with current and future customers in the salad, spinach, cut vegetable and private-brand segments.

VANCOUVER, BC -- When the Northwest cherry season begins in June, one of the produce industry's older and more experienced companies will become one of the deal's fresher faces.

Through a multi-year arrangement, Orchard View Farms in The Dalles, OR, has appointed The Oppenheimer Group as its exclusive marketing partner. Oppenheimer will market Orchard View Farms' cherry crop both domestically and overseas.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. fresh-market apple holdings of 67.4 million bushels on Feb. 1 reflect a 10 percent decrease compared to January 2009 holdings, according to Feb. 16 statement from the U.S. Apple Association.

Total processing apple holdings as of Feb. 1 were 29.6 million bushels, approximately the same as this date last year.

The total number of apples in storage on Feb. 1 was 96.7 million bushels, 7.5 percent less than last February's total.

Now more than ever is a great time to promote the value of a relatively inexpensive fruit. According to Gordon Hunt, director of marketing for the National Watermelon Promotion Board, the Orlando, FL-based group enjoyed success with retailers last year by encouraging merchandising watermelon's low cost per pound.

With unemployment still high and the nation still suffering a difficult economy, the message will be stronger than ever in 2010.

Mission Produce in Oxnard, CA, announced in mid-February the grand opening of its latest ripe center in Toronto.

Mission, a global avocado packer-shipper, has strategically built state-of- the-art avocado ripening facilities in major U.S. markets. Toronto becomes the first in Canada, and the eighth overall, following centers in Oxnard, CA; Denver; Dallas; New Jersey; Chicago; Atlanta; and Seattle.