Logistics at border crossing in Nogales look good for 2014 Sonora grape season
One of the major areas of focus for the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas in Nogales, AZ, year after year, has been dealing with various issues affecting the logistics of getting produce from the growing areas in Mexico across the border and into the warehouses in Nogales in a timely and expeditious manner.
Malena Produce looks forward to grape pull for Memorial Day
“The grape deal is off to a good, early start,” in the view of importer and distributor Gonzalo Avila, vice president and general manager of Malena Produce, Inc., based in Rio Rico, AZ.
“We will have more volume for the Memorial Day pull than ever,” he said. Avila added that this season the Mexican grape deal “will be spread over more weeks, which is good for all involved.”
Keying the strong marketing position is a very early start, he emphasized.
Calixtro expands amid 25th anniversary
RIO RICO, AZ — First opening its doors in May 1989, Calixtro Distributing Co., Inc., located here, is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and its success is showing in a very tangible way.
Frank Calixtro, one of five brothers in the family business, walked The Produce News through a major construction site as the firm expands its warehouse facility from 50,000 square feet to 92,000 square feet.
Pandol Bros. will have increased early volume, more balanced program in Mexico
About three years ago, Pandol Bros. in Delano, CA, had a change in its Mexican grape program with the departure of one of its growers. That left the company with a lighter volume during the early part of the season. It became a problem, because since then, "we haven't been able to transition early enough" from southern hemisphere fruit into the Mexican deal, said John Pandol, a director at Pandol Bros.
Miky Suarez pleased by Mexican grape outlook
Of all the factors surrounding the Mexican grape season, most important is that it is early, in the view of Miguel (Miky) Suarez, sales manager of MAS Melons & Grapes, LLC, based in Rio Rico, AZ.
In an April 7 interview, Suarez was asked to describe the upcoming grape deal. “Number one, it is very early,” he said. “We will be ahead of schedule. Chile will finish early and Mexico will be early, so it seems it will be a long season for Mexican grapes. In my opinion, we need a long season.”
The Grape Guys expects increase in Mexican grape program for 2014
Eagle Eye Grape Guys LLC in Visalia, CA, a subsidiary of Eagle Eye Produce Co. in Idaho Falls, ID, expects to ship about 300,000 boxes of grapes in its Sonora, Mexico, grape program, predominantly during the months of May and June, according to Shaun Ricks, vice president of the company.
Crown Jewels marks 15 seasons in Sonora grape deal
Crown Jewels Produce LLC in Fresno, CA, has been involved in the Sonora, Mexico, grape deal since it’s present ownership acquired the company in 1999, according to Atomic Torosian, a partner in the enterprise.
“We have been working with the same grape growers since we started,” he told The Produce News April 1.
Torosian, himself, has been involved with Sonora grapes for almost twice that long. “This is my 29th year working in the grape deal out of Mexico,” he said. “I’ve been in the produce business a lot longer than that, but that long in Mexican grapes.”
Fresh Farms will have promotable volumes of all grapes by May 15
Mexico will have the earliest start on its grape deal in at least five years, according to Jerry Havel, director of sales and marketing for Fresh Farms, located in Rio Rico, AZ.
By May 15, Mexico will be shipping a full volume of table grapes and retailers will certainly have plenty of promotable volumes for the Memorial Day holiday.
On April 2, Havel told The Produce News that, as of May 1, Fresh Farms will be shipping Perlette and Prime green seedless grapes. There will be very small volumes on the market in the last days of April, he added.
Stevco’s 2014 Mexican grape program will mirror previous two years
This year, the Mexican grape program for Los Angeles-based Stevco Inc., “is probably going to mirror the last couple of years. We will probably be around a million six [1.6 million boxes] in volume.” With minor exceptions, “Variety makeup will stay the same,” said Jared Lane, vice president of sales and marketing, in the company’s Bakersfield, CA, branch.
It appeared that the season would be “extremely early, 12 to 14 days early,” said Lane March 31. “As it looks right now, Stevco should start Perlettes May 1 and Flames May 5.”
Watson to resign as executive director of the National Mango Board
William Watson, who has served as executive director of the National Mango Board since its inception in 2005, will resign from that post at the end of this year, the board announced in an April 10 press release.