New hire at Giumarra Agricom will focus on Midwestern, Eastern business
Giumarra Agricom International LLC in Escondido, CA, has “just recently hired an individual that will be working with our East Coast team to develop Midwest and East Coast wholesale, foodservice and retail accounts,” said General Manager Bruce Dowhan in an interview with The Produce News July 25.
Calavo sees increase in value-added programs keep pace with volume growth
Preconditioning and bagging programs at Calavo Growers Inc. in Santa Paula, CA, have grown steadily through the years, but not always as a percentage of volume, according to Rob Wedin, vice president of fresh sales.
In 2010, which was a large crop year for California avocados and a record year for aggregate avocado volume in the United States, “we saw a smaller percentage of those value-added programs in our sales,” he said.
Chiquita's restructuring plan calls for new CEO
Chiquita Brands released financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2012 and announced restructuring activities designed to increase long-term profitability.
The company said that the restructuring will result in at least $60 million in annual savings, and that a focus on its core banana and salad businesses will be a key element to the plan.
With various sources, Index Fresh moves more avocado volume than ever
“This season, we are moving more volume than we ever have,” Dana Thomas, president of Index Fresh Inc. in Bloomington, CA, said July 27.
“What we see right now [are] markets that are consuming a tremendous amount of avocados,” he said. “The combination of all the different countries of origin” together with attractive market pricing “has allowed a lot of promotions,” and that has allowed “a lot of customers to move a lot of product.”
Mission Produce foresees increases in promotions due to large volumes
Large crops in any commodity generally bring promotional opportunities, and the record aggregate volume of avocados in the U.S. market this year from all sources is certainly providing customers with those promotional opportunities.
Hass Avocado Board shifts marketing focus from sports to health
The Hass Avocado Board in Irvine, CA, which is charged with working to build avocado consumption in the United States for avocados regardless of country of origin, has changed its focus this year.
TV ads, baseball partnerships part of MHAIA 2012-13 campaign
New television ads from the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association for the 2012-13 marketing year are scheduled to run on national cable television, according to a written statement of the organization’s programs furnished to The Produce News July 30.
Giorgio Fresh ‘D’Lightful’ mushrooms provide full day’s vitamin D
Bill Litvin, regional sales and national account manager for Giorgio Fresh Co., headquartered in Temple, PA, said that the company’s “D’Lightful” Portabella caps and Portabella sliced mushrooms provide 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D.
To-Jo shows all the great ways to capitalize on wonders of mushrooms
Representatives from To-Jo Fresh Mushrooms Inc., in Avondale, PA, enjoyed tremendous success at Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Exposition in Monterey, CA, in July.
Paul Frederic, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the company, told The Produce News that the response to its new Simply Sautee item was outstanding.
Green Tree to move quality pears
Green Tree International, headquartered in Visalia, CA, with a brokerage office in Wenatchee, WA, expects to begin marketing a quality crop of pears from the Pacific Northwest in mid-August. “Bartlett, Anjou and Bosc are the main varieties we sell,” said Brett Hull, sales associate. “But we sell all major varieties.” Bartletts will kick off the production season, with Anjous following several weeks later.