SunFed turns 20, continues to pursue its defining high standards
RIO RICO, AZ — SunFed is celebratiing its 20th anniversary in 2014.
Second-generation family owner Matt Mandel has worked for the company for seven years and has seen the firm’s sales volume triple in that time. The 33-year-old Mandel is the firm’s vice president of sales and marketing.
The firm’s elegant office, which was built in 2005 and is highlighted by black stone wall etchings of the company’s name and trademark “Perfect Produce,” speaks to high standards pursued by SunFed.
Red Sun an award finalist at Tomato Inspiration Event
Red Sun Farms and its sister companies JemD Farms and Agicola El Rosal celebrated being named one of five finalists last week at a gala event held in Berlin, Germany.
The Tomato Inspiration Event honored the world’s best in the greenhouse tomato industry. Judging criteria was based on marketing, distribution and growing as HoritBiz honored the best in the world at the event.
Produce for Kids campaign to benefit health and wellness classroom projects
Last fall, Produce for Kids teamed up with ACME Markets, Meijer Stores, Publix Super Markets and more than 20 fruit and vegetable suppliers for the second annual Healthy Families, Helping Kids campaign. During the 2013 campaign, more than $190,000 was raised to benefit local health and wellness classroom projects through DonorsChoose.org.
Generation Next: Steven Danner earns shot at operations manager position at Eastern Propak
Steven Danner, operations manager for Eastern Propak LLC in Glassboro, NJ, is the 28-year-old son of Jeff Danner, the general manager for the highly regarded packing operation. The company handles New Jersey peaches and other state-grown produce, summer citrus and a wide range of other products.
“I worked for the company after graduating from high school, but in 2005 I felt that I needed to try something different and so I went to work for a construction firm,” said Danner. “In 2007, I decided to rejoin the company, and my dad and our owners welcomed me back.”
Maj. Dan Rooney to deliver keynote address at NWA’s 100th birthday celebration
“Synchronicity” is an important term in Maj. Dan Rooney’s life. A fighter pilot with three tours of duty in Iraq and a golf pro who owns a Robert Trent Jones-designed course, Rooney believes everything happens for a reason.
And in his life, everything that’s happened to now has simply led to a means for him to help others.
The Perishable Specialist prepared for new fumigation protocol on blueberries from Chile
“Our customers — the importers — are currently bringing in blueberries from Chile, asparagus from Peru, assorted vegetables from Guatemala and mangoes from Peru, among other items,” said Ana Ramos, co-owner with her husband Frank of The Perishable Specialist, a leading customs brokerage firm headquartered in Miami. The company handles fresh produce exclusively.
CMI releases apple variety performance report
Top-performing retailers generate up to three times more apple category dollars even after equalizing for store size, according to a new analysis released by CMI. The report assesses the key differences between top- and bottom-performing retailers in U.S.
Supply volatility makes good inventory management critical for Sambrailo
Sambrailo Packaging in Watsonville, CA, is “a full-service packaging supplier for the berry and fresh vegetable industry here in California, and we also have locations in Mexico,” according to Jim Scattini, vice president of sales and marketing. “We are now in our 91st year,” and berries have a major focus of the company “for probably the last 45 years.”
Every season is different, but this season, at least early on, is bringing unusual challenges to the industry and to suppliers to the industry such as Sambrailo.
Pacific AgPak warehouse in Watsonville improves customer service
It has been two years since Pacific AgPak, a leading provider of plastic consumer packaging for strawberries and other produce, relocated from Exeter, CA, to a new 50,000-square-foot facility in Watsonville. The facility has enabled Pacific AgPak to improve customer service and reduce turn-around times for strawberry shippers, according to President Dave Baum.
Strawberry commission’s O’Donnell enjoys singing with symphonic chorus
Can you imagine an amateur community choir from Aptos, CA (population 6,600), 10 miles up the coast from Watsonville, being invited to perform in the Vatican as part of an observance marking the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Vatican Choir?