CPAC marketing continues consumer outreach campaigns
Monte Vista, CO — Utilizing the considerable people skills of Olympic figure skater Rachael Flatt to tout potatoes grown in Colorado's San Luis Valley, the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee is reaching out to consumers both in the Rocky Mountain region and across the entire country.
The Great Big Idaho Potato Truck to hit the road again in 2013
SUN VALLEY, ID — The Great Big Idaho Potato Truck will keep rolling in 2013.
Frank Muir, president and chief executive officer of the Idaho Potato Commission, announced Aug. 30 during the commission's annual marketing report, here, at the 84th annual Idaho Grower Shipper Association conference, that the wildly popular semi-truck hauling a replica of a giant Idaho russet potato will embark on another cross-country tour in 2013.
TOMRA wins $18.5 million contracts with large agribusiness company in the U.S.
TOMRA Sorting Solutions, through the merger of Odenberg and BEST, has in the last three months been awarded contracts totaling $18.5 million. The order is for optical sorting and peeling equipment to be used at a new high-capacity food processing plant in the United States.
Delivery is estimated to start in early 2013, and the solutions will be used for the processing of both French fries and associated products at the new plant.
BrightFarms will build greenhouse to supply Schnuck stores
BrightFarms Inc. and Schnuck Markets Inc. announced a partnership to build a greenhouse for the 99-store St. Louis-based supermarket chain.
BrightFarms will finance, build and operate a greenhouse to supply Schnuck customers with fresh, local produce year-round.
BrightFarms’ greenhouse will allow Schnuck Markets, which already buys directly from growers, to offer customers even more local produce. A local farmer, in partnership with BrightFarms, will operate the greenhouse and deliver the freshest possible produce to Schnuck Markets within hours of harvest.
QPMA names finalist for internship
GATINEAU, QC — Outgoing QPMA President Robert Beauregard announced the finalist of the one-year internship program.
David Turcot of Ferme Turcot will spend the year attending QPMA events, meetings, working groups and round tables. The yearlong apprenticeship will offer Mr. Turcot the opportunity to network and learn about all aspects of the industry.
Shuman’s Peruvian product maintains consistency in year-round program
John Shuman knows that one in every three dollars spent on onions is spent on sweet onions. The president of Shuman Produce Inc. in Reidsville, GA, also knows that while the Vidalia onion is king of the heap, consumers can and do enjoy other sweet onions — as long as they have the same familiar shape, aroma and taste profile as Vidalias.
Shuman Produce deals in flat, Granex onions, which makes its Peruvian product a perfect fit for its year-round “RealSweet” brand program.
Grape Guys will see increases in 3 newer late-season varieties
Autumn King, Scarlet Royal and Vintage Red, all newer late season varieties, will all see increased production this year for The Grape Guys in Cutler, CA, according to President Shaun Ricks.
Those are all “varieties that we have had in development, and we are getting more acreage,” he said. “Some acreage is in full production this year,” and other newer acreage will be in partial production this year. In addition, “There is some acreage that is first leaf” and will not bear fruit until future seasons.
Potandon Produce offers Box Tops for Education on Klondike Rose bags
Green Giant Fresh Klondike Rose Potatoes is participating in the Box Tops for Education program, according to Potandon Produce.
Box Tops will appear on all sizes of Klondike Rose packages.
Philly Produce LLC opens on Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market
A new wholesale produce distributor, Philly Produce LLC, opened Aug. 26 on the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market.
Philly Produce is staffed by salesmen Jim Canterino and Jose (Blue) Flores. The firm is a subsidiary of Wuhl Shafman Lieberman Corp., based in Newark, NJ.
Philly Produce offers a full line of fresh fruits and vegetables, with a specialty in tropical products. This includes diverse precut fruits and vegetables, which are processed by Wuhl Shafman Lieberman and shipped fresh daily to Philly Produce.