Quality Mexican grape deal helps ‘kick start’ California season for Chuck Olsen Co.
The Chuck Olsen Co. Inc. in Visalia, CA, is in the fresh grape business pretty much year round, with product from Chile, Mexico and California — the company’s main deal comes out of California.
In Mexico, “we are not monsters down there,” said Jeff Olsen, president. “We have about 100,000 boxes total,” consisting of about 70 percent red seedless grapes and about 30 percent green seedless, with “a few blacks mixed in there.” The red grapes are all Flames, and the greens are Sugraones. The program is the same as last year.
Grower Direct gets new electronic cherry sorter, names new marketing director
Grower Direct Marketing LLC in Stockton, CA, exclusive sales agent for O-G Packing Co., has “hired a marketing person that will enhance our sales staff,” according to Don Walters, a partner in Grower Direct.
Largest CPMA show already a success
Even before the trade show doors opened to anticipated record numbers, a lot went on at the CPMA Convention & Trade Show in Toronto. Whether in formal meeting rooms, in hotel lobbies or on the shuttle buses to and from the Direct Energy Centre, business relationships are being formed, renewed and strengthened.
Mexican grape crop appears light at start, good volume through June
The 2013 Mexican grape season is expected to start out a little later and a little lighter than normal, but with full crops, abundant promotional opportunities and normal timing from late May or early June through the end of June, according to most of the growers, shippers and marketers The Produce News talked to about the deal.
FDA to double comment period for massive FSMA rules, Hamburg says
WASHINGTON — The Food & Drug Administration plans to extend the May 16 comment period on two food-safety rules by another 120 days, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg announced at an April 18 congressional hearing on FDA's spending plan for fiscal 2014.
Ms. Hamburg appeared before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee to defend the administration's budget proposal when she was asked by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) whether FDA would extend the comment period on the produce safety and preventive controls proposals.
Fresh remains key factor at retail
A survey of shoppers in 58 countries across the globe revealed that fresh food continues to play an increasingly important role in the shopping decisions of most consumers.
The Nielsen Shopper Trends Survey was a global study covering 54 markets with a total sample size of 87,000 respondents. The survey was conducted online or with face-to-face follow-up in home interviews.
Valhalla Sales & Marketing hires Gerry Scheidt
Valhalla Sales & Marketing, Inc., based in Kingsbury, CA, added GERRY SCHEIDT to its sales and customer development team.
Texas 1015s set stage for year-round sweet onion program at Curry
Consumers are always shopping for sweet onions, and Curry & Co. is pleased to include Texas 1015s as part of its year-round sweet onion program. “We believe that the demand for sweet onions is year-round,” President Matt Curry told The Produce News on March 24. “The Texas sweet onion crop is an important part of this year round mix. It is the first domestic sweet available in the new year and helps set the stage for the season.”
CPMA trade show provides great face-to-face time for Westmoreland Sales
“The Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention & Trade Show is smaller than the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit, and that means we get to spend more time with our customers at the CPMA event,” said Ken Green, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Westmoreland Sales, headquartered in Leamington, ON. “The majority of the customers that we see at this show are Canadian.”
The 2013 CPMA expo will be held in Toronto April 17-19.
New account managers will look to boost presence of Michigan apples
The Michigan Apple Committee, based in DeWitt, MI, has hired two account managers, who will facilitate the sale of Michigan apples in retail stores. Michael Bardon of Grand Ledge, MI, and Terry Braithwaite of East Wenatchee, WA, will begin work with the committee this month.