Future ‘peachy’ as new crop makes inroads into Florida citrus groves
While Florida citrus growers have had to battle greening disease over the past decade with shrinking annual production, some are finding a way to take a tough situation and turn it just peachy.
Greening (also known as Huanglongbing or HLB) affects production in bearing groves, and the only solution for a severely infected grove is destruction. Florida has lost thousands of acres of citrus groves over the past decade — prime agricultural land sitting fallow.
Gift of Produce provides 2 million pounds of produce to Houston Food Bank
The Houston Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association held its 27th annual Gift of Produce event Dec. 13 and presented the Houston Food Bank with a gift of 2 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, to be distributed to the food bank's 600 partner agencies serving 18 southeastern Texas counties.
This amount is equivalent to more than 4 million servings of fruits and vegetables for those in need of food assistance.
Chelan Fresh develops digital toolkit for registered dietitians
Reaching out to thousands of registered dietitians, or RDs, across the country, Chelan Fresh has developed and released a free digital toolkit that provides regularly updated nutritional information on the company’s fresh apples, cherries and pears.
Anya Kaats joins San Diego-based Suja Juice
Suja Juice, based in San Diego, hired ANYA KAATS as its digital marketing director at the beginning of December.
Central American Produce launching new offshore mini watermelon deal
Mini watermelons are a new deal for Central American Produce, headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL.
Meanwhile, “Our cantaloupe and honeydew melon season from Central America is under way [in] Guatemala,” Michael Warren, president of the company, told The Produce News in late November. “It will run through early May.”
Mini watermelons were to begin in mid-December. Volumes will be light this first season, Warren said, but he noted that customers have been requesting the product. The watermelons will be available through April.
DNE ringing in the new year with Honey tangerines
Kathy Hearl, marketing promotions manager for DNE World Fruit LLC, said that the company will be “ringing in the new year” with Honey tangerines.
“The Honey tangerine program will run from mid-January through February,” said Hearl. “The grapefruit season kicked off in October and should extend thru mid-May. We expect the peak promotion period on red grapefruit to run from New Years to March. Star Ruby grapefruit started in mid-November.”
Publix Miami division VP to retire, successor announced
After more than 46 years of dedicated service, Publix Super Markets Miami Division Vice President Bill Fauerbach has announced his decision to retire at the end of March 2014. Kevin Murphy will take over the position, effective April 1.
“Bill helped grow our culture and build a solid foundation on which the Miami division will continue to grow," Ed Crenshaw, chief executive officer, said in a press release. "We thank him for his many contributions, and he will be missed by us all.”
Cooseman's Los Angeles debuts new look
A fixture on the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market since 1982, Coosemans Los Angeles Inc. and Coosemans L.A. Shipping Inc. have updated the look of their branding and website to reflect their modern and youthful organization while maintaining a comprehensive library of information on specialty produce.
Theresa Lowden honored at New York Produce Show
NEW YORK — The Eastern Produce Council presented Theresa Lowden with its first Woman of Distinction Award Dec. 11 during the 2013 New York Produce Show.
Lowden is executive vice president of the Mid-Atlantic Division of JOH Produce; she also serves on the EPC board of directors. When the council formed a Women's Leadership Committee almost six months ago, it named Lowden to chair it.
Robert L. Carey: PMA’s Great Promoter
Robert Lee Carey was born in Bridgeville, DE, on Aug. 25, 1931, and died about eight miles down the road in Seaford, DE, on Nov. 29, 2013. In those 82 years in between, he traveled the world and left an indelible mark across the globe.