Greengate Fresh stresses service to its hospitality business clients
It was just about four years ago that the partners in Greengate Fresh LLC in Salinas, CA, filed their incorporation papers and began to put their business plan in action. By April of 2010, the firm was selling bags of lettuce and other staple commodities to the foodservice industry.
“From the very beginning we put our focus on the foodservice or hospitality industry and that is still the major portion of our business,” said Jay Iverson, vice president of sales and marketing for the firm. “We do a little bit of club store business, but basically we stick to foodservice customers.”
DNE seeing higher Brix levels in Florida citrus
Kathy Hearl, marketing promotions manager for DNE World Fruit Sales, said consumers can expect to see top-quality Florida fresh citrus in the produce department this season. “The eating quality has been very good,” she told The Produce News. “We are seeing higher Brix levels this season, and the fruit is shaping up nicely. The packouts have been higher than last season.”
Although fruit is showing some evidence of wind scarring on the outside, Hearl said this does not affect the eating quality of the fruit.
Lettuce supplied by Midwest Beef a likely source of E. coli outbreak, Arizona report says
Arizona officials say tainted lettuce supplied by Midwest Beef and served at a Federico's Mexican Restaurant may be the most likely source that caused 94 people to become ill from E. coli in July.
William Marler, a Seattle attorney who represents victims of foodborne outbreaks, circulated the 32-page, Nov. 25 report by Maricopa County Department of Public Health on his blog.
PMA Foundation's Executive Leadership Symposium set for Jan. 15
Senior executives from all segments of the global produce and floral supply chain are invited to profit from the leadership-level strategic discussion of industry issues and challenges scheduled to take place during the 2014 Executive Leadership Symposium Jan. 15-17 in Orlando, FL.
Timmy Brennan of Triple T Transport dies at 53
Timothy (Timmy) Brennan, a 19-year veteran of Triple T Transport with previous experience at Sanfillipo Produce Co. and Abbott Foods Inc., died Nov. 22. He was 53.
Sun World names grape marketer licensees in Western Australia and South Africa
Sun World International LLC has appointed two additional grape marketer licensees — Fresh Produce Group‐Western Australia and Freshworld — to distribute the California company’s licensed grapes.
Canada continues move toward single licensing model
Movement continues toward a single licensing model in Canada. Currently the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is conducting a consultation with the industry to determine if there should be a single licensing authority in Canada and if the DRC and its trading standards should be that authority.
Since the implementation of NAFTA, the number of international and domestic transactions between fresh fruit and vegetable firms operating in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. increased dramatically, and so did the potential for private commercial disputes.
Idaho Potato Commission extends big potato truck tour
Seldom, if ever, has a public relations effort by the Idaho Potato Commission garnered as much favorable publicity as the Big Idaho Potato Truck Tour, now completing its second year. “You can’t pay for the kind of coverage we’ve gotten across the country,” said IPC President Frank Muir in an interview with The Produce News.
Prime Time International adds cucumber deal to its winter mix
For the first time, Prime Time International’s winter deal will include cucumbers, as the firm added that product to its mix earlier this year and is continuing it through the winter vegetable deal with production coming from Mexico.
Northampton Growers begins seasonal deal in Sunshine State
“Most of our volume is currently still coming out of Georgia,” Calvert Cullen, president of Northampton Growers, headquartered in Cheriton, VA, told The Produce News in late October. “But we are already harvesting some cucumbers and squash now in Plant City, Florida. We will start with hot peppers in Florida during the first week of November.”
Northampton Growers follows the growing seasons north and back south each year. Its movement runs from Florida, to Georgia, the Carolinas and then to Michigan before starting its return back south again in October.