Brooks Tropicals enjoying a tremendous ‘SlimCado’ summer season
"We have great volumes, and sales on our ‘SlimCado’ avocados have been tremendous this summer season,” said Mary Ostlund, marketing director for Brooks Tropicals LLC, headquartered in n Homestead, FL. “Brooks starts picking our Florida avocados in May, but out-of-state volumes aren’t available until June. The season picks up steam in July and August, which is perfect for summer’s outdoor eating.”
Ostlund said consumers are adventurous when it comes to avocados. They love choice and when they party, they give their guests a choice.
Gourmet Trading Co. opens new facility
Gourmet Trading Co., one of the larger importers of Peruvian asparagus in North America, moved its headquarters offices in the past year, opening a brand-new facility in the Southern California city of Redondo Beach.
The state-of-the-art warehouse and office is a newly renovated 53,000-square-foot facility. The space has expanded loading capacity, advanced precooling infrastructure and the addition of clean rooms for future value-added programs.
Coastline Family Farms promotes Linda Kivlehan
Salinas, CA-based Coastline Family Farms recently announced the promotion of Linda Kivlehan from retail sales to sales manager.
San Luis Valley Potato Festival celebrates spud harvest
Each fall the San Luis Valley's many potato farms and packing sheds, along with individuals and families who contribute to Colorado's rich potato legacy, are celebrated with a harvest festival — and this year's is shaping up to be one for the history books.
Chiquita receives $611 million buyout offer
Chiquita Brands International, which in March announced a proposed merger with Dublin, Ireland-based Fyffes plc, received an unsolicited $611 million buyout offer from the Cutrale Group and the Safra Group.
The pair of companies proposed to acquire 100 percent of the outstanding stock of Chiquita Brands Inc. at a price of $13 per share in cash to Chiquita shareholders. This proposal represents a premium of 29 percent to Chiquita's closing share price of $10.06 as of Aug. 8; however, since the offer was announced Chiquita's stock has risen to more than $13 per share.
Door to China reopens for California citrus
After more than 14 months of being denied official access to the Chinese market, the California citrus industry was notified verbally the week of July 28 and in writing Monday, Aug. 4 that China was once again open for exports of California citrus.
New deal gives Progressive more volume and flexibility
The addition of Mission Produce Inc.’s asparagus business as well as its top salesman has given Los Angeles-based Progressive Produce Corp. more flexibility, more volume and more customers for its own asparagus business.
The deal, which was announced last fall and included Mission’s Mexican asparagus business, significantly increased Progressive’s presence in fresh asparagus.
Spice World offers many garlic items, with Calif. product nearly year-round
Headquartered in Orlando, FL, with farming operations in California’s San Joaquin Valley and a packing, processing and distribution facility in Coalinga, CA, Spice World Inc. is fully vertically integrated in the garlic business, according to Louis Hymel, director of purchasing. “We are pretty much from seed to plate,” he said.
Although the company sources garlic from various producing areas, including Argentina, Central Mexico and Baja California, Mexico, “we offer California garlic almost all year-round,” he said.
James Collins new packingroom supervisor at John Vena Inc.
John Vena Inc. recently announced James Collins as its new packingroom supervisor.
In this newly created role, Collins will be in charge of all packingroom processes.
Collins has a bachelor’s degree in networking and communications management, as well as experience in production processes. He has spent the majority of his career working in operations, which has allowed him to develop his skills in process technology and lean manufacturing.