Viva Tierra Organic celebrates Washington roots, spotlights growers
Strong local roots and great growers. Those are the key elements that organic produce marketer Viva Tierra Organic Inc. credits for two decades of success in the produce business.
Luis Acuña, president and chief executive officer of the Sedro-Woolley, WA-based company, noted that the company has been privileged to support the development of Washington’s organic tree fruit industry from the start.
George DeLallo Co. to debut SaladSavors at PMA Fresh Summit
The George DeLallo Co. Inc., based in Jeannette, PA, a family-owned-and-operated manufacturer and distributor of Italian and Mediterranean foods, will introduce its new SaladSavors salad toppings at the PMA Fresh Summit in New Orleans.
Frieda’s CEO shares her perspective on women in leadership with Schnuck Markets’ team members
At the August Schnucks Management Development Speaker Series in St. Louis, Karen Caplan, president and chief executive officer of Frieda’s Specialty Produce presented 80 Schnuck employees with insights on women in leadership.
Schnuck store managers, store department managers and teammates in offices and support facilities were in attendance as Caplan offered inspiring leadership lessons to both women who look to grow as leaders and their male colleagues.
Curry & Co. looking forward to PMA Fresh Summit
Visitors to booth No. 713 at this year’s Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit can expect to walk away with a wealth of information from Curry & Co., headquartered in Brooks, OR.
“It is an exciting time for Curry & Co., and we’re eager to share all of our recent developments with our customers during Fresh Summit,” said President Matt Curry.
Intergrow Greenhouses plans for increased Northeast winter production
Intergrow Greenhouses Inc., based in Albion, NY, is planning to start construction on the fourth phase of expansion this spring, along with the addition of lights in the greenhouse for winter production.
The expansion will increase Intergrow’s total acreage to approximately 80 acres of greenhouse under glass in the Northeast region. The addition of lights in the greenhouse will allow Intergrow to supply its customers with premium, locally grown tomatoes 12 months of the year without the need to source from other regions or countries.
Sterling Hill Farms builds new business on industry know-how
Sterling Hill Farms, the newest potato grower-packer-shipper in Washington’s Skagit Valley, is already in the thick of its first marketing season.
Partners Norm Nelson Jr., Jim Nelson and Tony Wisdom opened their doors for business March 1, and the company currently employs 40 people.
“This is the best and most talented team I’ve ever hoped to assemble,” Wisdom told The Produce News.
The vertically integrated company, headquartered in Burlington, WA, grows, packs, ships and markets premium-quality conventional reds, yellows and whites.
Nutrition and exports are key draws for U.S. Sweet Potato Council
The United States’ sweet potato industry is thriving as growers have capitalized on the nutritional component of their crop and built strong export markets, according to Charles Walker, executive secretary of the U.S. Sweet Potato Council, headquartered in Columbia, SC.
The boom took off in the last decade, Walker said. Boosting the nutritional message was a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest that rated sweet potatoes as the most-nutritious vegetable.
Bidding for school programs results in healthy profits
WASHINGTON — Funding for federal programs that support fresh produce deliveries to schools is skyrocketing and so are profits for produce companies that have tapped the young market, panelists said in an Oct. 1 session at the United Fresh Produce Association's Washington Public Policy Conference, here.
Boosting kids' consumption of fresh produce and tapping the youth market are priorities for United Fresh and they're paying off. Companies such as Del Monte Fresh Produce, Gold Star Foods and Muir Copper Canyon Farms shared success stories from jumping into the new market.
Ocean Spray sees sales opportunities for cranberries beyond Thanksgiving
Cranberries, the iconic North American fall fruit, enjoy a surge in demand leading up to the Thanksgiving Day holiday in November. But when the dinner plates are cleared and the pumpkin pie makes it way to the table, the vibrant red berries have a tendency to fade from view, awaiting their re-emergence the following year.
Michigan cranberry deal expanding for Mike Pirrone Produce
Fresh cranberries in recent years have been added to the sales offering of Mike Pirrone Produce, based in Capac, MI.
Joe Pirrone, a consultant to Mike Pirrone Produce, said: “We have been in the cranberry business for maybe three years.”
About two years ago the DeBlouw family bought Mike Pirrone Produce from Joe Pirrone, whose father founded the Capac, MI-based operation in 1951.