Seatrade has niche in shipping fresh produce but continues progressive approach
TAMPA, FL — Though Seatrade Group Reefer Chartering N.V. has been in business for more than 60 years, the Curacao-based company — with North American operations in Tampa and Philadelphia — is still taking a progressive approach to business, carving out a niche in the produce industry as a leading carrier of international fresh cargo.
Position as first stop along the Delaware River gives port of Wilmington advantage
WILMINGTON, DE — Being the first port along the Delaware River from the coast gives the state-owned port of Wilmington, here, a competitive advantage.
Just four hours upriver from the Atlantic, Wilmington is among the top-ranked North American ports for fresh fruit imports and juice concentrate and has one of the larger dockside cold storage facilities in the U.S. Each year, more than 1.5 million tons of bananas, pineapples, grapes, deciduous fruit out of Chile and Argentina, and citrus from Morocco are offloaded at the port.
Hot temperatures lead to hot lettuce market
Warm weather in California’s Salinas Valley, as well as throughout the nation, has led to a demand-exceeds-supply situation with iceberg lettuce driving that market to $20 f.o.b., and bringing other items along with it.
Producers supply creative campaigns and fresh produce for children
Marketers of fresh produce are creatively crafting campaigns designed to increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables among children.
Avocados From Mexico CEO praises new team
In announcing the new senior executives on his marketing and retail promotion teams, Avocados From Mexico Chief Executive Officer Tim O'Connor said the organization is well poised to move forward and develop some exciting new programs.
Strong demand and decreased supply expected to strengthen sweet potato prices
Recent weather events that have decreased sweet potato inventories combined with strong demand on the domestic and export markets should bolster prices for sweet potato growers this year, according to industry members.
Southern Specialties moving outstanding quality British Columbia blueberries and gearing up for another great Regal artichoke season
“We have begun shipping what will be a bountiful blueberry season out of British Columbia,” Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Pompano Beach, FL-based Southern Specialties, told The Produce News in mid-July. “We have been shipping blueberries from this region for over 10 years. They are available under the ‘Southern Selects’ label in full pint and 18-ounce clamshells.”
Ringer & Son sees impact from Colorado freeze, drought
Sales agents at longtime Colorado broker Ringer & Son are reporting mixed conditions for some of the state’s most popular produce crops. Sweet corn will come in late but should bring volume similar to past years; peaches are down considerably due to early freezes; and Rocky Ford cantaloupe is up 20 to 30 percent over 2012.
According to Ringer President Joshua Johnson, growers Mike Ahlberg and sons, Zach and Scott, will start harvesting famed Olathe-area sweet corn from 600-plus acres near Delta, CO, around July 20, and loads will continue to go out through mid-September.
Stellar Distributing expands its shipments of chestnuts
Stellar Distributing will start shipping California chestnuts Sept. 1, as it have for the past 15 years, according to Kurt Cappeluti, sales manager. Stellar will ship the California chestnuts through September.
New to Stellar’s repertoire are Italian chestnuts, which will start Sept. 20. The Italian chestnuts will extend Stellar’s shipments to mid-January, which will allow for holiday promotions.
Stellar ships around 2.5 million nine-kilo boxes of kiwis a year, domestic and imported. Cappeluti said kiwi buyers have been asking about chestnuts, too.
New Jersey peaches looking to branch out in social media
The New Jersey Peach Promotion Council is now making it easy for buyers to find when and where to buy locally grown Jersey Fresh peaches, by means of an upgraded social media package that integrates its website, Facebook, and Twitter.