Kragie: Orderly marketing will ensure retail, consumer satisfaction with kiwifruit
Chris Kragie, vice president of Western Fresh Marketing Services Inc. in Madera, CA, is urging California kiwifruit growers to hold off on their harvests until the fruit reaches a soluble solids content of 7.0, thereby ensuring the best product quality for retailers and a good eating experience for consumers. Conditions, he went on to say, should be optimal for California kiwifruit toward the end of September.
Peruvian sweet onion volume to show uptick this season
Exports of Peruvian sweet onions may grow by as 10 percent during the 2014-15 season. In late July, Miguel Ognio, chief executive officer for KeyPerú S.A., attributed the increase to increased land in production. According to Ognio, approximately 7,400 acres (3,000 hectares) of sweet onions were planted this season. The expansion is primarily occurring in Arequipa, Ica and the north, Peru's main producing areas.
National Mango Board encourages 'Ripe and Ready to Eat' mango program
The National Mango Board is moving forward with its Ripe and Ready to Eat mango program — a program aimed to provide U.S. consumers with a quality fruit that is ripe and ready to eat by the time of purchase. The NMB has done extensive research that shows that ripe fruit has higher acceptance rates within consumers.
Middle-managers: train them or risk them burning out
The Produce Marketing Association Foundation’s 2014 High Performance Management Conference titled “Optimizing the Impact of Mid-Level Leaders,” is one of several initiatives that the organization has developed to help the produce industry by engaging in issues that assist and educate produce professionals to stay successful in the highly technical, competitive and fast moving industry.
RJO foresees variations in fall grape crop, reinforcing need for inspections
There are “a lot of unknowns” moving into the California fall grape crop this year, and a lot of variation can be anticipate in available supplies of grapes throughout the late season, ranging from timing of varieties and length of time in storage to berry size and quality, according to Clint Lucas, an inspector at RJO Produce Marketing Inc. in Fresno, CA.
Northwest pear growers forecast larger crop than originally expected
With harvest currently underway, representatives of the Northwest pear industry have officially updated their initial projections for the 2014 fresh pear crop yield.
Reports of a crop of excellent quality have been confirmed from all corners of the pear-growing regions in Washington and Oregon, and the updated projection is showing a crop larger than previously forecast in the spring.
Food donors providing healthy options through hunger relief programs
Hungry people come from all walks of life. Meet David — a firefighter for 15 years until he broke his back a couple years ago. Unable to work, he depends on his monthly disability to support himself and his 13-year-old son. He barely affords his rent and his food situation is grim.
“By the middle of the month, my son and I are often out of food,” David said. “Until I heard about your mobile food pantry, we really had nowhere else to turn. Thank you for providing this food. It arrived just in time.”
Vice president of Shipping Point Marketing dies at 54
Mark Dirrigl, vice president and partner of Shipping Point Marketing, Inc., passed away on Saturday, Aug. 16 after complications from surgery. He was at 54 years old.
Food Lion plans makeover for North Carolina stores
Food Lion has unveiled a new, easier shopping experience for customers in 31 stores in the greater Wilmington, NC, market. The stores are the first in the Food Lion chain to receive remodels as part of the grocer's new "Easy, Fresh and Affordable...You Can Count on Food Lion Every Day" strategy, which was announced earlier this year.
As California avocado crop winds down, Mexico gearing up to fill demand
With a total crop volume at only 60 percent of a year ago, the California avocado season is winding down as Mexico gears up to fill demand.
Ron Araiza, director of sales for Mission Produce Inc. in Oxnard, CA, told The Produce News Aug. 20 that California was expected to send around 6 million cartons of fruit to market this week and reduce its volume by around 1 million cartons per week for the next several weeks. That means California would send around 4 million cartons to market during the Labor Day week of Sept. 1.