The Chilean Cherry Committee, which represents more than 85 percent of the volume of global Chilean cherry exports, released its second estimate for 2023-24, which factors in the impact of rains this season. The committee forecasts global exports of 81.48 million boxes (five kilogram each), a decrease of 14.6 percent from their first estimate in October, and slightly lower (1.89 percent) than last season's total exports.

What is Kurt Zuhlke’s objective at the New York Produce Show? It is to connect and even reconnect with retailers and repackers and get them more familiar with the idea of product reuse.

The president of Kurt Zuhlke & Associates, a nine-person Bangor, Pa.-based company that produces 44 different packaging molds, Zuhlke has been on what seems a lifelong mission to explain to everyone and anyone that benefits of recycled packaging.

After 27 years in the produce industry, Michael Muzyk, Baldor Specialty Foods’ longtime president, is saying goodbye.

Muzyk announced earlier this year he would be retiring at the end of 2023. Over the course of his career, he’s made a huge impact on the business. Baldor had just a handful of trucks when he first started, and today it has 2,400 employees with 420 routes, serving 13,000 customers, from Maine to Virginia — much of that success coming from his leadership.

In early November, the Texas International Produce Association opened up booth registrations as it continued its quest to curate a great experience for its Viva Fresh Expo, which will be held April 11-13 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Houston.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses — Cadence Gourmet, San Isidro Fresh Produce and First Quality Produce — for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from USDA.

Smith’s Farm made its name growing broccoli and potatoes in Maine, but Florida has played an important role for the company in building the strategy that continues to fuel its growth today.