New Jersey blueberries, peaches from Sunny Valley are sweet, juicy and plump
Bob Von Rohr, director of customer relations for Sunny Valley International headquartered in Glassboro, NJ, told The Produce News that this year’s blueberry and peach crops are trending more towards a normal start.
“We had an early start with New Jersey’s crops last year,” said Von Rohr. “This year we’ll be moving foward on a normal time schedule. Blueberries will start by mid-June, and peaches will start the beginning of July.”
The past winter weather has been perfect for both crops. Von Rohr said there were plenty of dormant hours and moisture during the growing season.
New Jersey distributors count on Customized Brokers for smooth sailing entry into U.S.
Nelly Yunta is vice president of sales, marketing and customer care, liner and logistics business groups for Crowley Maritime Corp., headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Customized Brokers is the Miami-based division of Crowley Maritime.
Yunta said that the company is involved with numerous New Jersey distributors because they bring a great deal of produce in from South and Central America.
Procacci Bros. bullish on seasonal eastern product, including in New Jersey
“We have a buyer stationed at the Vineland Auction during New Jersey’s production season,” said Mike Maxwell, president of Philadelphia-based Procacci Bros. “We purchase just about every product from every grower who comes through the auction house. New Jersey’s season is a very important part of Procacci’s locally grown program.”
The company’s Santa Sweets subsidiary is located in Cedarville, NJ. Maxwell said it is 1,600 acres, making it one of the larger tomato growers in the state.
D’Ottavio commits to major blueberry program
VINELAND, NJ — M. D’Ottavio Produce Inc., a grower-shipper headquartered here in the heart of New Jersey’s fresh produce area and well known for its extensive line of fresh vegetables, announced that it has committed to a strong, full-fledged program of Jersey Fresh blueberries.
Eastern Fresh Growers staying ahead of the food-safety and traceability curve
Tom Sheppard, president of Eastern Fresh Growers Inc., in Cedarville, NJ, told The Produce News that the company is at a higher level of food safety this year.
“We sell a lot of our leaf items to bagging companies, and they have very heavy food-safety requirements,” said Sheppard. “We have GAP’s [Good Agricultural Practices] Harmonized Food Safety Standard and PrimusGFS [Global Food Safety] certification, so we are well ahead of what companies today demand, and we intend on staying ahead in the future.”
Coldsnap, sluggish pollination will affect early Northwest cherry deal
The consensus among cherry growers in the Pacific Northwest is that the 2013 crop will fall within the 16-18 million box range. Growers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah met May 15 to discuss prospects for the coming season, agreeing that the crop size would not be as large as initially expected. The effects will be most directly felt in the marketplace during the early season.
Peak mango promotion period approaching for Freska Produce
As they move into June and July, Oxnard, CA-based Freska Produce International sales people should have their peak volume of Mexican mangos for the year, indicating that it will be a great time for promotions.
“Over the next few weeks, the harvest is moving north into Nayarit and Sinaloa” in Mexico, said Gary Clevenger, managing member and co-founder of this mango-centric importer, in mid-May.
Splendid: Different price points emerging
So far it has been a fairly good mango season with good volume and good f.o.b. prices, said Larry Nienkerk, president of Splendid Products LLC in Burlingame, CA. Like others in the mango business, Nienkerk said the industry is moving more fruit at higher prices, which led to a new dynamic with regard to price points at retail.
“You can’t hit those same price points [at retail] anymore,” he said. “The days of three or four mangos for a $1 are gone.”
NWA announces 2013 research grant recipients; 2014 application process begins July 1
Research is the fuel that drives the watermelon industry, and funding that research is a key component of the National Watermelon Association’s mission. The organization recently announced funding for a half-dozen significant new projects.
Each year, the NWA reviews proposals from educational institutions and research organizations around the country and funds a handful of the most promising. Typically, projects most pertinent to resolving problems from the previous season move to the top of the list.
Giumarra will offer exclusive pear variety from New Zealand
Giumarra Wenatchee will bring a new pear to the market by becoming the exclusive North American supplier for the Angélys pear, grown in New Zealand by Freshmax.
Giumarra will market limited supplies of Angélys this summer, with initial availability in mid-June. The pear has strong consumer appeal, with a sweet, bold flavor profile, according to a company press release. Its smooth, bronze skin has a unique pink blush.