Associated Food Stores names food-safety director
Associated Food Stores, an independent retailer-owned warehouse based in Salt Lake City, which provides complete warehouse facilities and services to more than 400 grocers throughout the Mountain West region, has named Malinda Boothe director of food safety.
Boothe will be responsible for developing and implementing a dynamic food-safety and compliance program for Associated Food Stores’ members, ensuring each one remains compliant with government food-safety regulations.
Bozzuto's holds 2015 trade show and awards gala
MASHANTUCKET, CT — Bozzuto's Inc. held its 2015 Independent Retailer Conference March 10-11 at Foxwoods, here, with the annual Excellence Awards gala just one of the highlights. Another highlight was the trade show, representing all areas of the grocery store, with fresh produce front and center, drawing good traffic, as usual.
PAIA's new West Coast co-chairman
The Peruvian Asparagus Importer’s Association announced its new West Coast co-chairman, Gary Meadows, who is director of sales at Progressive Produce.
“The PAIA co-chairmen help guide the association in our efforts to facilitate asparagus trade and evolve the asparagus category as a whole,” Priscilla Lleras, coordinator for the Peruvian Asparagus Importer's Association, said in a press release.
The Produce News designer’s best work yet
The newest member of The Produce News was born Wednesday night, March 11. Colleen Brozyniak-Redfern, designer in the art and production department, met an early deadline, giving birth to her daughter and first child, Peyton Redfern.
Brian Redfern, the new father, said that all are doing well.
S. Katzman Produce in contract to buy Morris Okun’s units on Hunts Point
S. Katzman Produce Inc., a leading full-line produce house located on Hunts Point Terminal Market in the Bronx, NY, is under contract with Morris Okun Inc., also located on Hunts Point, to purchase Okun’s 16 units on the market.
Stefanie Katzman, fourth-generation family member at S. Katzman, told The Produce News that Katzman currently has 21 units in rows on A, B and D at the market.
“Okun’s row B stores would add another 16 units to S. Katzman,” she said.
California avocados 2015 — more fruit, earlier and bigger
For the 2015 season, the California avocado industry has hit the trifecta in terms of positive attributes. The crop is about a month earlier, there will be about 10 percent more volume in terms of pounds and the fruit itself is larger.
NatureSweet Tomatoes announces roll-out of its tastiest Glorys ever
NatureSweet Tomatoes, headquartered in San Antonio, TX, is the nation’s leader in the small tomato category.
NatureSweet relaunched its flagship “Glorys” brand in February with a unique new package and a great new taste.
Freska Produce to ship Disney-themed mangos by April
Last year, Freska Produce International LLC in Oxnard, CA, signed a two-year licensing agreement with the folks at Disney to use Disney characters on individual mangos and on some of its shipping cartons.
But, in fact, no fruit was shipped bearing the iconic images of Mickey and Minnie or Donald and Pluto.
“To be honest you have to jump through a lot of hoops to be able to use those characters and we weren’t quite ready last year,” said Gary Clevenger, managing member and co-founder of the mango-centric firm.
EMEX helping mango members gear up for season
In the first weeks of March, 20 of the 65 packinghouse members of Empacadoras de Mango de Exportación, A.C. will have ramped up their seasonal production to export about 800,000 boxes mangos per week. Luis Jordan García, who heads the operations department of this group, known as EMEX, said the Ataulfo variety is Mexico’s largest-volume early-season mango variety.
Tanimura & Antle goes back to the basics with old logo
Tanimura & Antle has recently decided to go back to its original T leaf A logo, which has been reintroduced as a mainstay behind the premier West Coast lettuce house. The company said the reintroduction of this logo represents a continued dedication to the foundation of the partnership of two iconic farming families, and it manifests T&A’s core values: natural, sustainable, f