Southeast Produce Council raises $100,000 for charity
ATLANTA — The Southeast Produce Council raised the extraordinary sum of $100,000 for charity at its second annual Terry Vorhees Charity Golf Classic, held here May 4-5.
SEPC raises $100,000 for charity
About 160 people attended the Southeast Produce Council's second annual Terry Vorhees Charity Golf Classic, and 127 golfers participated in the tournament, held at the beautiful Atlanta National Golf Club. The annual event is named for Terry Vorhees, one of the founders of the council, who died July 30, 2014.
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Local produce boosting sales at Sanfillipo
Almost a year-and-a-half after buying the Columbus Produce Terminal Market, “things are going well,” according to Jim Sanfillipo Jr.
“We have spent a lot of time and money on the old property, which had had no investment and no maintenance for a couple of decades,” he said.
Sanfillipo Produce Co. Inc. took possession of the Columbus market on Jan. 1, 2014. James (Jamie) Sanfillipo III, 41, operates the company with his father, Jim Sanfillipo Jr.
Holthouse Farms fortifies its ranks with two new family members
Two new members of the Holthouse family have joined Holthouse Farms of Ohio Inc.
Out of college and working full time in the Willard, OH-based business are Mitchell and Carter Holthouse. Their father, Kirk Holthouse, said May 5 that his sons, recently graduated, respectively, from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH, and Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. Carter is 23 years old and Mitchell is 24.
Kirk Holthouse said Carter has become the packinghouse manager, while Mitchell is involved in field production.
Stop & Shop announces executive appointments
The Stop & Shop New England division announced that Russ Greenlaw, senior vice president of operations for Stop & Shop New England, will be leaving the division to take on a new special projects role for Ahold USA, starting June 1. Stacy Wiggins, who currently serves as regional vice president of operations for Giant/Martin’s, will succeed Greenlaw once he starts his new position.
In addition to her work with Giant/Martin’s, Wiggins has also worked for Giant Landover, Stop & Shop New York Metro and Walmart.
Food-safety posters developed for workers, consumers picking strawberries as season gears up
With the strawberry season gearing up in North Carolina, North Carolina State University’s Plants for Human Health Institute in Kannapolis, NC, has published a series of downloadable, printable posters to help educate workers and customers about produce safety and post-harvest handling on strawberry farms.
Diane Ducharme, an agricultural extension associate, stated in a news release, “We hope that growers will post these resources on their farms to help ensure that the berry-picking experience is not only fun, but as safe as possible from field to table.”
Many programs used to market, ensure food safety of North Carolina produce
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services has a host of programs that enable growers to maximize the potential of their quality products. The department has regulatory responsibilities in the production and sale of most agriculture-related products. Furthermore, programs that market products locally and around the world are also used by the department.
Ag commissioner: North Carolina’s produce outlook ‘very promising’
North Carolina’s 2015 produce season looks very promising. The state has just emerged from a long, unseasonably cold and wet winter, but it has not dampened the spirits of growers. Spring has started to bring on flowers and some early fruits, although most crops are about two weeks behind the normal schedule.
Whole Foods to launch affordable organic store concept, triple U.S. stores
Whole Foods Market Inc. plans to launch a new affordable organic store concept to appeal to millennial shoppers as well as those looking for high-quality fresh food. The announcement was made when the company reported its Q2 results, which included a total sales increase of 10 percent to a record $3.6 billion.
Stellar turns to terminal markets for early-season fig movement
It was May 4 and the California fig crop was just starting to hit the top upscale retail operations and restaurants across the country. At around $45 for a four-pound pack, the fruit was high priced and in short supply.
Almost all of that fruit came to those customers via the traditional wholesale produce market. “Right now we are selling almost all our figs through the terminal markets,” said Kurt Cappelluti, sales manager for Stellar Distributing Inc. in Madera, CA. “The terminal markets play such a very important role in the produce industry.”