Wayne E. Bailey’s ‘George Foods‘ label works well on convenience items
Last year, Chadbourn, NC-based Wayne E. Bailey placed an additional focus on its brand names and packaging.
“We pack sweet potatoes for ‘Green Giant Fresh,’ for example,” said George Wooten, president of the company. “Our initial focus was on bulk packs for the label, but we have learned that people want more convenient items, such as three- and five-pound bags, which we now offer with the ‘Green Giant Fresh’ label.”
Excellent quality for J. Roland Wood Farms
In late January, Michael Wood, operations manager of J. Roland Wood Farms Inc., in Benson, NC, told The Produce News that the company was currently shipping excellent-quality stored sweet potatoes.
“We will have ample volumes to get us through until the 2013 crop is dug,” said Mr. Wood. “There will not be any green sweet potatoes shipped from here — we’ll be running from cured to cured this year.
Burch Farms reporting very nice and very large crop this season
“We harvested a nice big crop in 2012,” Jimmy Burch Sr., a partner at Burch Farms LLC in Faison, NC, told The Produce News. “It is selling well and it should last until the 2013 harvest.”
He added that sweet potato production is increasing faster than consumption can keep up with it, despite the hefty increase in demand on both the fresh and the foodservice sides of the business.
Tommy McCloskey joins Sun Coast Farms
Santa Maria, CA-based Sun Coast Farms Sales hired TOMMY MCCLOSKEY as sales manager on Dec. 1.
In his new role, Mr. McCloskey is responsible for managing the company’s sales office in California. He will be handling lettuce, romaine, broccoli, green leaf and red leaf.
Organic production continues to be big business at Rainier Fruit
The world of organic production and marketing continues to blossom at Rainier Fruit Co. in Yakima, WA. “In the last decade, Rainier Fruit has made a significant emphasis in developing a viable organic program,” Director of Marketing Suzanne Wolter told The Produce News Jan. 17.
Duda Farm Fresh Foods’ Meyer lemon program growing nicely
Duda Farm Fresh Foods, headquartered in Oviedo, FL, introduced new and highly innovative packaging for its citrus line last year. The Meyer lemon one-pound smart bag is one of the packages the company introduced.
Nichole Towell, director of marketing for Duda Farm Fresh Foods, said that the company continues to grow its Meyer lemon program.
CPMA’s 2013 trade show could be largest ever
The Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s annual convention and trade show will descend upon the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto April 17-19.
The 88th edition of CPMA’s keystone event is already 96 percent sold out and, with only 18 exhibits spaces still available, is on target to be the largest yet.
The location of CPMA’s convention and trade show is on a four-year rotation, taking place in Montréal, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. Returning to Toronto this year with 500 exhibit spaces, the 2013 event will claim 25 percent more space than it did in 2009.
Richard Binks joins FreshXperts
Richard Binks joined produce consulting group FreshXperts as an associate member. His technical horticultural and agricultural project management experience will benefit FreshXperts' global list of clients.
Rise in fruit snacking bodes well for marketers
Consumers are finding more and more occasions to eat fresh fruits and retailers might be wise to try to capitalize on this trend.
That’s the takeaway message of a two-year study recently completed by The NPD Group, a leading market research company headquartered in Rosemont, IL. Darren Seifer, who has been an NPD food and beverage industry analyst for the past six years, said that fresh fruit consumption is climbing the charts, largely fueled by changing demographics in the United States. But he said increased awareness of health concerns is also a driving factor.
Tanimura & Antle Artisan Lettuce gets Heart Check certification
Just in time for February Heart Month, Tanimura & Antle’s Artisan Lettuce has received certification as a heart-healthy food from the American Heart Association. Packages of Artisan Lettuce will feature the Heart Check mark, which easily identifies it as a sensible food choice in an overall heart-healthy diet.