Foodservice and value-added sales key for Southern Specialties
Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties Inc., conducted this Peruvian asparagus interview while in Monterey, CA, shortly after attending the Produce Marketing Association’s Foodservice Conference.
He said that was an important fact “since we have a significant customer base in the foodservice community for our asparagus. And that part of the business continues to grow.”
Gourmet Trading marketing asparagus in three colors
The U.S. consumer is partial to green asparagus, largely because of tradition and familiarity, but that hasn’t stopped Gourmet Trading Co. from aggressively merchandising white and purple asparagus alongside the more popular green variety.
The company sources asparagus year round from Peru and actually has both white and green asparagus throughout the year. The purple asparagus has a much more limited production window for the firm.
The Perishable Specialist registers growth
As Frank Ramos sees it, growth in this economy is a good indicator that business is good.
In 2011, The Perishable Specialist Inc., based in Doral, FL, expanded by adding an accounting wing to its existing building. In 2012, the company added three more people to its staff.
JMB foresees challenging season
Leo Rolandelli, the longtime produce veteran and president of Jacobs, Malcolm & Burtt, based in San Francisco, predicted in late July that this could be a difficult year for Peruvian asparagus.
A year ago, lower prices ended the Mexican asparagus deal a bit early and caused the Bay Area wholesaler to start importing asparagus from Peru a bit earlier than usual.
Customized applauds new fumigation protocol
Through most of the peak shipping period last year, imported Peruvian asparagus was exposed to a more strict and lengthy fumigation process resulting in delays, increased costs and a degradation of quality.
Ayco Farms expects sales gains to continue albeit at a slower pace
In 2011, Ayco Farms Inc., which is headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL, experienced tremendous growth in its Peruvian asparagus deal, but this year company officials say overall volume should be down, which will slow its growth.
Last year Ayco hired Peruvian asparagus veteran Tim Ryan to oversee its planned growth, and 2011 was a great year for the firm, which calls itself one of the top five players in that commodity.
Certified Onions continues to raise the food-safety bar
Certified Onions Inc., which is now in its fourth year of business as a nonprofit organization, continues to operate on agriculture’s cutting edge by bringing the safest-possible quality product to the marketplace. President Kay Riley, who is also general manager of Snake River Produce Co. in Nyssa, OR, said ongoing trade missions continue to validate the organization’s diligence and dedication to food safety.
Sundale volume approaches 4 million boxes and continues to grow
TULARE, CA — Sundale Sales Inc., here, expects to ship close to four million boxes of grapes this year, as the company’s volume continues to grow.
There were increases at the beginning of the season with Suraones and Flames. “We doubled our Flame acreage over last year” as “new vineyards came into play,” said President Sean Stockton.
National Mango Board reaping benefits from outreach programs
As 2012 reaches the halfway mark and the second quarter comes to a close, the National Mango Board is seeing strong results in key programs geared toward national media.
The board works closely with writers and editors to increase fresh mango coverage and knowledge of the versatile and wholesome fruit in magazines, newspapers and on websites throughout the year.
Summer citrus promotion targets military commissaries
South African summer citrus was featured at several product demonstrations in the military commissaries at the MacDill and Patrick Air Force Bases in Florida along with Oceana Naval Air Station and Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia.
The demonstrations, which took place in late July, were part of a joint effort between fresh produce supplier Seald Sweet, the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum and the Military Produce Group to promote the product this summer in more than 80 of the Defense Commissary Agency's stores in the Eastern half of the United States.