Oregon potato quality high in 2012
Oregon’s 2012 potato harvest has gone well and is approaching completion. Bill Brewer, executive director of the Oregon Potato Commission, said he is pleased with results. “Quality is high,” he told The Produce News Oct. 29. “Size is a little larger than normal, product is available and Thanksgiving is almost here. People need to get their Thanksgiving dinner potatoes.”
Nunes continues to expand organic offerings
In mid-November as The Nunes Co., which is headquartered in Salinas, CA, was beginning to switch production from the Salinas Valley to the desert regions of California, as well as into Mexico, the company was also getting ready to introduce some new items to its organic product line.
Onions are a key and growing component at Rio Queen
With a name like Rio Queen Citrus it is not hard to figure out that Mike Martin’s Mission, TX-based company offers up the finest in Texas oranges and grapefruit. But many people are unaware that onions are a major — and growing — part of Rio Queen’s program.
Brooks Tropicals ‘SlimCado’ production now back to pre-Hurricane Andrew volumes
“We still have good supplies of ‘SlimCado’ avocados,” Mary Ostlund, director of marketing for Homestead, FL-based Brooks Tropicals told The Produce News on Oct. 22. “We’ll have good supplies through Thanksgiving, and following that we will still have some volumes but we will be off of our peak production. Avocados wrap up in January for the season.”
Wm. Manis Co. looking for holiday surge in wake of presidential election malaise
Rick Sullivan, owner of Wm. Manis & Co. in Plant City, FL, told The Produce News in mid-November that things were a little slow — something he was enjoying while it lasted.
“It hasn’t been brisk, but in another 10 days or two weeks it will be Katie-bar-the-door for a while,” Mr. Sullivan said. “There’s not any excitement heading into this Thanksgiving holiday like we normally experience, but it was that way last year as well. But things really came around and we did have a nice December last year.”
West Coast Tomato appreciates early solid tomato market
The Florida tomato season has gotten off to an excellent start, and Bob Spencer of West Coast Tomato LLC in Palmetto, FL, hopes that a so-far solid market through mid-November will hold.
W.P. Produce expands Miami presence with its new wholesale outlet Fresh Depot
Almost 30 years ago, Willy Pardo started selling exotic and tropical produce from the back of his truck in Miami to neighbors who wanted items that were staples of their diets but not always easy to find in supermarkets. Now W.P. Produce has grown into a full-line purveyor of tropical and exotic items, has recently expanded its lineup to include more common commodities and just last month opened a wholesale location on the Miami Produce Market.
WeisBuy consolidates Florida operations, opens branch in McAllen, TX
The last few months have been busy for WeisBuy Farms of Fort Myers, FL. The company consolidated its Florida operations into the single Fort Myers office, expanded its Dominican Republic presence and opened an office in McAllen, TX, to take advantage of the boom in produce traffic coming across the Mexican border.
While WeisBuy trades in a full line of products, it specializes in tomatoes. That business, said owner and industry veteran Chuck Weisinger, is changing every day.
Florida Classic Growers’ fall heading into holiday season in full swing
As Christmas approaches, Florida Classic Growers of Lake Hamilton, FL, is taking advantage of a great crop of top-quality Florida citrus to boost its holiday gift and fundraising programs, according to Al Finch, vice president of sales and marketing.
“This has been an outstanding year and season to date,” Mr. Finch said. “We have had excellent arrivals on our citrus. Demand has definitely picked up — over the last month there has been a lot of retail promotion on bagged tangerines and bagged Navels as well as bagged juice oranges.”
Ledlow & Associates set up for an excellent Florida tomato season
Florida tomato growers have more reason for optimism this season than at any other time in recent years, said Louis Ledlow Jr., vice president and chief operating officer of Ledlow & Associates Inc. in High Springs, FL.
“We’re all looking forward to a great season. Hopefully we’ll avoid the perfect storm of last season where we had great weather here and in Mexico, and overproduction that held the price down on everybody,” Mr. Ledlow said.