IFCO donation benefits hunger-relief group
SAN DIEGO — IFCO Systems, a global leader in reusable plastic containers for fresh products, made a donation of RPCs to support Feeding America San Diego's "School's Out, Hunger is Not" program following the United Fresh Produce Association convention May 14-16, here. FASD's program looks to meet the needs of school kids during the summer.
United Fresh 2013 donates more than 32,000 pounds of produce
United Fresh and Feeding America have long partnered to prevent fresh produce from going to waste. After this year’s expo in San Diego, more than 30 volunteers helped collect donations from the convention floor to benefit those in need serviced by Feeding America San Diego’s partner agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency feeding centers.
DJ Forry introduces new pomegranate aril package
California produce marketer DJ Forry is set to release its new Forry's Finest Sweet Bursts pomegranate arils.
Sweet Bursts will arrive to market in a new two-serving tub package configuration. This new aril package represents the latest in a line of stand-up pouch offerings, which include California grapes, cherries and stone fruit.
Agriculture brings science and math to life for North Carolina high school students
Students and teachers from high schools in Rowan County, NC, are engaged in a new project that seeks to bring science and math concepts alive through agriculture. They are taking a leap from their textbooks to hands-on learning at an outdoor laboratory with access to world-class researchers.
Produce sales jump at Davis IGA after remodeling
KENT, CT — The Davis IGA supermarket, here, has experienced a big jump in produce sales since it completed a major renovation and remodeling project that touched all areas of the store, especially the fresh produce department, according to one of the company’s owners.
Recognition: Reggie Griffin patrolled Kroger’s aisles for more than four decades
Reggie Griffin likes to say he didn’t do too much but rather just surrounded himself with a very good team during his more than 40 years at Kroger. But suppliers and fellow retailers know better.
The Kroger Co. has received very high marks from the produce industry over the years as far as being an innovative retailer that has a great relationship with its suppliers and was not afraid to think outside the box.
Marchini Farms holds the line on figs, looks to opportunities in tree nuts
Demand may be on the rise for fresh California figs, but markets are expanding as well for tree nuts such as almonds, pistachios and walnuts, and J. Marchini Farms in Le Grand, CA, sees greater opportunity in the nuts, with fewer obstacles.
Unlike some growers who have been pulling out fig orchards in order to plant nut trees, “we are going to keep our figs,” said Marc Marchini, sales and marketing manager for the company’s figs. “But I think that we are not going to expand the figs. Rather, I am going to go where the real growth is — tree nuts.”
N.C. Value-Added Cost Share program nears $1.5 million in grants
There was concern that the 2012 beneficiaries of the North Carolina Value-Added Cost Share program would be the last, since initial funding sunset at the end of the year. But the program, which has doled out almost $1.5 million in grants to a variety of agricultural producers since 2009, has found new life and is accepting applicants for the 2013 awards.
Giumarra expands Argentinian blueberry supply with partnership
Giumarra International Berry announced its recently completed agreement with Early Crop-Argentina for the upcoming 2013 import blueberry season. Early Crop is a newly formed company with a primary production region in Tucuman, Argentina, which leads the start of the import berry season each year.
Oppy adds sales and marketing talent
Two seasoned sales and marketing experts recently joined the ranks at the Oppenheimer Group.