Mariani: Fall period is strongest draw for walnuts, almonds
“As an industry, we have been fortunate to develop a year-round consumption trend with consumers” for California-grown almonds and walnuts, said Matt Mariani, who oversees sales and marketing activities for Mariani Nut Co. in Winters, CA.
“But we are still fortunate to have that key holiday selling season for the nuts” due to their “many traditional uses and applications” during that period. “We get a nice pump during the holiday time,” really starting with “back-to-school” in September and continuing “all the way through the end of the year.”
DeFranco sees highest almond & walnut prices ever
The main business of D. DeFranco & Sons in Los Angeles is doing value added packaging of fresh produce items, specifically washed and trimmed green beans and washed and trimmed ready-to-cook super sweet corn, for retail. But for many years, the company has also had a sizeable holiday-oriented in-shell nut business.
HAB showcased nutrition-driven marketing platform at the Food & Nutrition Conference Expo
As part of its presence at the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics’ annual Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo Oct. 19-22, the Hass Avocado Board announced its new graphic mark and marketing campaign — Love One Today — a new, multi-year science-based food and wellness education program to the more than 8,500 health professional community in attendance.
FPFC's November luncheon
CERRITOS, CA — Nearly 300 produce industry professionals packed the Sheraton Cerritos for the Fresh Produce & Floral Council Membership Luncheon Nov. 6. KNBC4 Los Angeles sports anchor Fred Roggin was the luncheon's featured guest speaker. The FPFC's Annual Holiday Luncheon & Charity Auction is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 4, at the Sheraton Cerritos.
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Meijer celebrates five years of feeding hungry families through Simply Give program
Meijer will double match every customer’s $10 Simply Give donation made Nov. 15-16 to celebrate five years of feeding hungry families through its program that aims to restock the shelves of food pantries in the communities it serves.
Farm Fresh expanding its export line
For Farm Fresh Produce Inc., which is based in Faison, NC, sweet potato production and sales were the basis for domestic growth and international market development. The firm has expanded its fresh produce export offerings, but sweet potatoes will remain its core business.
Farm Fresh ships between 800 and 900 40-foot containers of sweet potatoes a year. About 600 of these containers are exported. The firm has “a large network of growers” who pack the “Farm Fresh” brand, and all Farm Fresh products are GlobalGAP-certified.
San Antonio Wholesale Produce Market could be a game-changer
As Mexico’s Baluarte Bridge nears its official opening — tentatively scheduled for later this year — and the city of San Antonio booming, Mexico’s Abasto Corp. is well-positioned to make the most of the produce industry’s next likely hotspot with the opening of the 80-acre San Antonio Wholesale Produce Market.
Bridges close the gap between Mexican production, Texan imports, eastern U.S.
Whether they span a border or a mountain range, bridges are increasingly important in the Texas produce industry.
The completion of the Baluarte Bicentennial Bridge, officially the Guinness Book Record holder as the tallest cable-stayed bridge in the world at 1,322 feet above the valley below and the second highest bridge of any type, open Texas for the first time to truck traffic from western Mexico.
Construction began in 2008, was completed last year, and the bridge is expected to open to traffic before the end of 2013.
Wolter: Rainier’s ‘rock stars’ stabilize apple category for retailers
Rainier Fruit Co. in Yakima, WA, is providing retailers with the product and support necessary to stabilize dollar sales during deflationary periods. “Gala, Fuji and Granny are the new mainline variety sales in the domestic apple category,” said Director of Marketing Suzanne Wolter. “Additionally, newer apple varieties are the rock stars in the category having a significant impact stabilizing dollar sales in a deflationary period.
Chelan Fresh apple, pear movement in full swing
Product movement for Chelan Fresh Marketing, which represents more than 419 growers from its base of operations in Chelan, WA, is in full swing. “We’re selling everything right now,” said Director of Marketing Mac Riggin.
Apple and pear volume have been good, and Riggin said quality is excellent. By the end of October, Chelan Fresh had moved 12 percent of the overall crops. “The Bartlett deal has gone very well,” he noted.
Chelan Fresh moves product both domestically and to export markets. By the end of October, 26 percent of product movement was to offshore customers.