Red River Valley red potato movement is strong
The Red River Valley potato crop "is moving very well. Demand is especially good," Ted Kreis, marketing director for the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association, said in mid-December.
Weather conditions in the early fall forced a late harvest, which created a slow marketing start.
"In November it picked up momentum," he said. "Now they're moving very nicely. The quality is better than last year. There seems to be a growing preference in consumer demand for red potatoes, which are 90 percent of what we grow (for the fresh market)."
Schnucks Alton rings in new year with newly remodeled store
Customers and teammates of Schnucks in Alton, IL, will celebrate the new year and a new store remodel with a ribbon cutting Jan. 2.
“We are excited for our Alton-area customers to see the store’s amazing transformation, including new décor and expanded services," Scott Schnuck,chairman and chief executive officer, said in a press release. "Schnucks has been serving Alton for more than 40 years, and we believe investing in our stores and their communities is one of the best ways to celebrate our company’s 75th Anniversary in 2014.”
Fresh Farms adds new items to winter lineup, doubles cucumber volume
Fresh Farms in Nogales, AZ, has just finished its seventh year in business. “We are still growing and have plans to continue to grow,” said Jerry Havel, director of sales and marketing.
This year, the company has added “several new items that we think will really add to our mix and make stopping at Fresh Farms more attractive,” he said.
HLB Specialties continues strong growing relationship with Caliman
HLB Specialties LLC in Pompano Beach, FL, continues to import its high-quality papayas from Brazil, Guatemala and Mexico, Homero Levy de Barros, president and chief executive officer for the company, told The Produce News.
Further expansion in progress for Calixtro Distributing Co.
Calixtro Distributing Co. Inc., which is located in the Rio Rico Industrial Park north of Nogales, AZ, already has a sizeable warehouse and office complex that not only serves the company’s own needs, but also accommodates several tenants, and now further expansion is in progress.
“We have an addition coming up on our building over here,” said Frank Calixtro, one of five brothers in the family business. “We are adding on another 25,000 square feet to our warehouse.” It is all “state-of-the-art cold storage,” he said.
Bernardi: New minimum prices just one of many factors affecting tomato market
“I think the big question out there, is how will the higher minimum prices under the new anti-dumping suspension agreement announced by the U.S. Commerce Department in March,” affect the 2013-14 Mexican tomato season, said Joe Bernardi, president of Bernardi & Associates Inc., Nov. 19.
However, “I think there are so many more factors than just the minimum being implemented,” Bernardi said. “A lot of it depends on how much acreage is planted in tomatoes and Romas,” not just in Mexico but in Florida “for the same time period.”
The Perishable Specialist says offshore produce off to strong start this season
The Perishable Specialist, a leading customs brokerage firm headquartered in Miami, handles fresh produce exclusively. Ana Ramos, co-owner with her husband Frank, said that a broker that specializes in fresh fruits and vegetables serves the importer and shipper best because every bit of effort is concentrated within the produce industry.
Jesus Gonzales is now general manager at Crown Jewels’ Nogales office
Jesus Gonzales, who has more than 30 years in the Nogales produce industry and was most recently with Foodsource, is now general manager of the Nogales office of Fresno, CA-based Crown Jewels Produce Co.
Prior to Foodsource, “I was with Sysco here in Nogales, when Sysco had a purchasing office here,” Gonzales told The Produce News. “I ran the [Sysco] office here in Nogales at that time.” Before that, “I was with Carlsbad Produce for nine years, and before that, I was with Mandel Produce, back before it was SunFed.”
G.O. Fresh is also going forward as firm’s strengths lead to growth
MINNEAPOLIS — A variety of strengths are leading to dynamic growth for the pre-cut produce offerings of G.O. Fresh, located here.
A key base for the company is strict cleanliness and food-safety procedures throughout operations. Beyond that, said Marylou Owen, owner and chief operations officer, a good taste profile is critical for her firm’s offerings.
Kroger names senior VP of retail divisions
The Kroger Co. promoted Mark Tuffin to senior vice president of retail divisions. He succeeds Michael Ellis, who will become Kroger's president and chief operating officer Jan. 1.