Highest food-safety standards, premium product hallmarks at Eagle Eye
Jake Jacobsen, vice president of sales for Eagle Eye Produce Inc. in Nogales, AZ, said the company has staked its reputation on providing superior fresh produce grown and handled under the highest food-safety standards. "We would just like to really point out that we have generations of growing experience behind us, and that we love to farm and ship fresh, premium produce," he told The Produce News on Nov. 28.
New firm looks to help products realize full potential
With the regular introduction of new varieties in the fruit business a key element of success, growers are always on the lookout for what may be around the varietal corner.
The nursery industry has traditionally provided that service and continues to serve growers well, but a new product company called Proprietary Variety Management promises to add an innovative direction to that activity.
Oppy offers largest Rainforest Alliance grape program from Brazil
The Oppenheimer Group is delivering grapes grown with a little extra heart through the holidays, thanks to Brazil's largest Rainforest Alliance-certified grape producer.
Fazendas Labrunier grows Red Globes, Festivals, Thompsons and more in Brazil's São Francisco Valley. While Labrunier has marketed through Oppenheimer since 2008, this season brings a much-anticipated fully Rainforest Alliance-certified crop.
Giumarra hires East Coast business development manager
Giumarra Cos., based in Los Angeles, announced that Scott Ross has been named East Coast business development manager for the company.
Mr. Ross will promote Giumarra's complete product line in the East Coast markets. He will be based out of Giumarra's office in Avondale, PA, which is also home to its East Coast berry sales and operations.
New food-safety manager at Cal Flavor
IVAN MUNOZ took on the role of sales and food-safety manager at Cal Flavor, a sister company of Los Angeles-based Cal Pacific Growers, in August.
Gourmet Trading packing Chilean blueberries under ‘Green Giant Fresh’ label
Gourmet Trading Co. in Los Angeles distributes blueberries from the 5th Region to the 10th Region of Chile into Canada, Asia and both coasts of the United States.
Luciano Fiszman, procurement manager for the company, said that its season begins in November with a perfect transition from Argentina.
Duda offering ‘Celery Celebrations’ in newly designed seasonal packaging
“New this year, Duda Farm Fresh Foods is offering ‘Celery Celebrations,’ a line of seasonal packaging that is designed to help spur impulse buys during critical holiday sales periods,” said Nichole Towell, marketing director for the Oviedo, FL-based company.
“The line features packs of 30-count sleeved celery stalks, 18-count celery hearts and eight-ounce zip-top celery stick packages,” she said.
Ms. Towell noted that the packaging is festive and features snowflakes to reiterate the holiday timeframe of the product’s availability, which began on Nov. 1.
IPR Fresh increases growing deals, focuses on bell peppers
IPR Fresh, which was founded in 2003, started out as a produce brokerage business, but “we have been growing on the shipper side as we distribute produce directly now” from growers in Mexico, said Jose Luis Obregon, president of the company, in an interview with The Produce News, one year to the day from the day he joined his brothers and father in the family business.
Rene Produce expands production on all items, adds organic Romas
“We are just about to get started in the next week with our season,” said John Hurley Neer at Rene Produce LLC in Nogales, AZ, Nov. 14. Mr. Neer, who is in charge of business development at Rene, is based in North Carolina but covers the country for the company.
“We have increased acreage on all items” for the 2012-13 season and have added, for the first time, organic Roma tomatoes, he said.
Crown Jewels experiences ‘tremendous growth’ out of its Nogales operation
“We are seeing tremendous growth” out of Nogales, said Luis Corella, who works in sales in the Nogales office of Fresno, CA-based Crown Jewels Produce Co., in an interview with The Produce News Nov. 16. “Basically, we are seeing an increase of anywhere between 30 and 40 percent” over last year “depending on the commodity
“We are working with new growers” in different growing regions of West Mexico, “and we are strategically located with them to where we are basically diversifying our risk” by having “two different growers per commodity in two different areas,” he said.