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.
USDA rolls out new coordinated group to combat citrus greening
WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Dec. 12 a new coordinated effort to contain and combat citrus greening, while calling on Congress to reauthorize the farm bill that pumps funds into urgently needed research programs.
Stephanie Sanchez joins Market Fresh Produce
Market Fresh Produce, based in Nixa, MO, added STEPHANIE SANCHEZ to its business development team at its tomato repacking facility in Florida.
Sanchez has a strong sales background with proven results. Most recently, she was a territory sales representative at G&K Services.
Gourmet Trading kicked off Chile season in November with organic blueberries
Ogranic blueberries led the way for Gourmet Trading Co.’s Chile deal, with shipments beginning in early November.
“Gourmet Trading Company handles conventional and organic blueberries out of Chile,” said Luciano Fiszman, procurement manager for the Los Angeles-based firm, a leading supplier of year round high-quality fruits and vegetables. “We will also have some Chilean asparagus this season.”
Duda Farm Fresh Foods very pleased with quality and color of citrus
Sam Jones is the senior manager of domestic citrus operations for Duda Farm Fresh Foods, headquartered in Oviedo, FL. He said that the Florida citrus season started about two weeks later than last season.
“We are very pleased with the quality and color of the citrus fruits,” said Jones. “We have been challenged this early season with the small size structure of grapefruit and tangerines.”
Overall, Jones said that shipments are down from last season due to a later start, which translates into a later-maturing crop.
Weeklong freeze puts California citrus crops in jeopardy
Temperatures in citrus-growing areas in California’s San Joaquin Valley once again dipped to potentially damaging levels the night of Dec. 10 and early morning of Dec. 11. That made seven nights out of eight that temperatures were low enough to cause concern, and the cumulative effect, in spite of frost-protection measures, could now mean that there is some fairly extensive damage.