DeVaney to head new tree fruit association
Jon DeVaney, who has served as the executive director of the Yakima Growers-Shippers Association since 2009, has been named as president of the newly formed Washington State Tree Fruit Association, effective Sept. 1.
The new association represents a merger of four industry organizations in Washington state: Yakima Growers-Shippers Association, Wenatchee Valley Traffic Association, Washington State Horticultural Association and Washington Growers Clearing House Association.
Food Lion's free grocery giveaway
Each day through July 29, Food Lion is giving one customer at each of its participating stores the opportunity to win up to $100 in free groceries during the grocer’s “MVP Free Grocery Giveaway.” One grand prize winner will also receive a year’s supply of free groceries.
More than 15,000 winning customers will enjoy immediate savings of up to $100, not to exceed their grocery bill, at checkout, through this “pay it forward” program. All participants are also immediately entered into the drawing to win the grand prize of a year’s supply of groceries.
The Produce Mom welcomes Chelan Fresh to family of partners
Chelan Fresh Marketing has joined The Produce Mom family of partners. The partnership was established with a primary goal of marketing the Rockit apple, which has been promoted on The Produce Mom's blog, social media and WISH-TV/Indy Style news segments.
The Rockit apple promotions were well-received.
Stevco’s growth has been mostly in late season varieties
Stevco Inc., which is headquartered in Los Angeles and has branch offices in Nogales, AZ, and in Coachella and Bakersfield, CA, continues to have an increase in producing acreage across most grape varieties throughout the season, but as with the industry as a whole, “most of our growth as a company has been in the late varieties,” said Jared Lane, vice president of sales and marketing, in an interview with The Produce News.
The Grape Guys sees continued growth in several newer varieties
The changes in variety mix at Eagle Eye Grape Guys LLC in Visalia, CA, a subsidiary of Eagle Eye Produce Co. in Idaho Falls, ID, is really more of an evolution than a revolution, according to Shaun Ricks, vice president of the company.
For the 2014 season out of the San Joaquin Valley, “we’ve got more acreage coming on line of new varieties,” he said July 8. But that has been the case for several successive seasons. “Every year we get more and more.”
VBZ has increased volume of proprietary Sweet Sunshine green seedless grapes
Vincent B. Zaninovich & Sons in Richgrove, CA, which had its first commercial crop last year of a licensed proprietary green seedless grape variety called Sweet Sunshine, will have increased production of the variety this year, according to John Zaninovich, president of the company.
“We will start shipping” that variety “the week of the 21st of July, and our volume has increased from last year,” Zaninovich told The Produce News. “The quality is even better this year, and we are real excited about retail response and the good consumer response with that grape.”
Chuck Olsen Co. expects increases in Sweet Scarlet, Scarlet Royal, Autumn King
The Chuck Olsen Co. in Visalia, CA, expects production increases in two newer red seedless grape varieties for the 2014 season, as young plantings come into fuller production, according to Jeff Olsen, vice president of the company.
Sweet Scarlets will increase about 25 percent for the company, he said July 8. “This is their fourth leaf. We actually had them last year, but bunch size was so small we basically snack-packed all of them.”
The company will also enjoy production increases in Scarlet Royal this year, Olsen said.
Fresh grape volume up just a little this year for Bari Produce
Bari Produce LLC in Madera, CA, expects to harvest and pack around 1.25 million boxes of fresh grapes this year, according to Justin Bedwell, managing partner. “That is up a little bit from last year,” but it is due to production increases in existing acreage, not to new acreage, he said.
The biggest production increases for the company will be in the Scarlet Royal and Autumn King varieties, he added.
Fruit Royale will see big increases in Scarlet Royal and Autumn King varieties
Fruit Royale Inc. in Delano, CA, has increases in several grape varieties for the latter part of the season, according to Louie Galvan, a partner in the company. “Our biggest increases are going to be in Scarlet Royal and Autumn King,” he said July 7.
Autumn King, a late season green seedless variety that for Fruit Royale follows the mid-season Princess variety, has seen a great deal of growth industry-wide in the last year or so. “It has really done well for us,” Galvan said. “It gives us great size. The customers are liking what they see and taste.”
Loblaw Cos. names Galen G. Weston president
The board of directors of Loblaw Cos. Ltd. announced that Galen G. Weston, executive chairman, has been appointed as president, effective immediately. Thomas O'Neill, lead independent director, confirmed the appointment as part of a series of management changes at the company.