Sweet Onion Trading to file motion for post-petition payments
The attorney for Sweet Onion Trading Corp. in Grant, FL, was expected to file a motion Jan. 8 to give post-bankruptcy creditors assurances that the company will pay its new debts in a timely manner as it reorganizes under its Chapter 11 petition.
The firm filed for bankruptcy protection Dec. 24 with the goal of moving forward, and in fact, it has continued to operate since that date.
IFCO’s Femal is first female chairperson of RPA
Hillary Femal, vice president of global marketing at IFCO Systems, is the Reusable Packaging Association’s first female chairperson in its 16-year history. She is joined by representatives of 20 additional companies, including four new members.
The group will focus on creating added benefits for members and strengthening the RPA’s position as the industry resource for the adoption of reusables.
Church Bros. bolsters staff in several departments
Church Bros., a leading grower-processor-shipper of more than 500 fresh vegetable SKUs, recently hired several employees to assist multiple operations within the company.
Cool growing season an added boost to Rice Fruit’s great stored apples this season
“For our company, stored apples are in very good condition at this time,” said John Rice, president of Rice Fruit Co. in Gardners, PA, in an interview with The Produce News Dec. 17. “We had the type of growing season that is conducive to good fruit condition and coloring, and the relatively cool growing season in August and September was an added boost.”
Registered varieties adding to All Fresh GPS’ position
“We have a nice crop,” said Scott Swindeman, a partner in All Fresh GPS LLC. “I would like to see the pricing be better, but we have a nice crop, a good size profile and high quality.”
“Our friends in the Northwest have a whopper” of an apple crop, he continued. “This is keeping prices a little depressed.”
Swindeman indicated that he didn’t expect pricing to change a whole lot in early 2015, but said business was good as of mid-December.
Seedless watermelon and hard squash usher in 2015 for Central American Produce
Longtime melon grower Central American Produce announced the arrival of its first shipments of seedless watermelons and hard squash from Guatemala.
Executive changes at Bi-Lo
Randall Onstead will step down as Bi-Lo’s president and chief executive officer, effective March 1. Additionally, Mark Prestidge, executive vice president and chief operating officer, resigned on Dec. 31. Associates were notified of Onstead's departure last week.
According to Brian Wright, vice president of communications and government relations, a new president and CEO has been identified, but at this point Bi-Lo is not naming Onstead's successor.
Vegetables take hit from freeze, but citrus spared
During the last week of December, six nights of cold weather swept through the San Joaquin Valley, but temperatures did not fall low enough to produce any significant damage to the California citrus crop.
However, that same cold front did pass through the desert vegetable production regions, delaying harvest each morning and limiting supplies as a result.
Citrus prices have remained stable but the f.o.b. price on many vegetable items is climbing because of decreased supplies. The supply situation could remain unstable for most of January.
Produce industry outlines legislative wish list for GOP-controlled Congress
WASHINGTON — Immigration reform and child nutrition legislation top the congressional agenda for the produce industry, but it’s far from clear how the newly minted Congress will handle these issues in 2015.
Chiquita acquisition complete, leadership changes
Cutrale-Safra has completed its acquisition of Chiquita. Additionally, there has been a leadership change: Brian Kocher, chief operating officer of Chiquita, has assumed the position of interim chief executive officer, succeeding Ed Lonergan. Rick Frier, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will be exiting the company as well.
"We are proud of the success of Chiquita's 'return to the core' strategic plan, thank Cutrale-Safra for their support in this transition, and wish them long term success with this great company and team," Lonergan said in a press release.