Idaho potato industry convenes at annual IGSA conference
2007-09-06
SUN VALLEY, ID -- As a wildfire raged just a few miles from the site of the Idaho Grower-Shipper Association's 79th annual meeting, held here Aug. 29-31, members of the Idaho potato industry tackled their own hot topics and explored ways to better manage and promote the state's most important produce crop.
Sean Villa and others get promotions at Great West
2007-09-05
Sean Villa, son of Great West Produce Inc. owner Paul Villa, who has been working for the family business for about six years, has been named vice president of the Commerce, CA-based company. He also continues in sales, according to Paul Villa.
Sean Villa's new title of vice president is part of "a process," Paul Villa said. "He is taking on more and more as time goes on. ... Eventually, he will be running [the company] and I will be calling him to see how things are going," but that will be several years "down the road," he said.
Web sites are necessary, but is there an ROI?
2007-09-05
During the seven-day period beginning Aug. 13, 16,496 visitors came to The Nunes Co. web site and spent an average of one minute and 46 seconds leafing through the pages on www.foxy.com. Two sections in particular, "What's New" and "Great Recipes," garnered the most attention.
Hass Avocado Board targets tailgating to promote avocados
2007-09-05
When tailgaters across the United States prepare for their next parking lot picnic, they may be thinking a lot more about adding a produce favorite to their usual burger, hot dog and salad fare. The Hass Avocado Board has pulled out its marketing playbook to create a game plan to encouraging consumers to include Hass avocados in tailgating events.
Felix hits Nicaragua and Honduras, then diminishes to tropical storm
2007-09-05
Hurricane Felix, which reached Category 5 status and slammed into the Nicaragua-Honduras border Sept. 4, was reduced to a fast-moving tropical storm over eastern Guatemala.
The storm broke up and lost strength as it hit the Honduran mountains, according to Martin Maldonado of Miami-based Team Produce International Inc.
Wild Rocket Foods to launch processing facility in Southern California
2007-09-04
Building on its success in the United Kingdom, Wild Rocket Foods soon will launch its first fresh produce-processing facility in the United States in Riverside, CA.
The company celebrated its upcoming fall launch on Wednesday, Aug. 29, with an event that included city officials.
Wild Rocket will supply whole produce, fresh-cut produce, fresh dips and salsas, plus freshly squeezed juices and lemonades, and it will have a mix of both conventionally and organically grown products.
Los Angeles Salad voluntarily recalls baby carrots
2007-09-04
City of Industry, CA-based Los Angeles Salad Co. recently recalled its "Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots" with sell-by date codes of Aug. 8, 2007, and Aug. 16, 2007, because the product may have been contaminated with the bacteria Shigella.
Shigella infection can cause diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, nausea and vomiting. Illness usually lasts from four to 14 days. Infection can occur after eating and drinking food and water that is contaminated with Shigella, and can be passed from person to person.
Shakeups in executive ranks at Sobeys
2007-09-04
MONT-TREMBLANT, QC -- Sobeys Inc., Canada's second-largest supermarket chain, recently went through a major shakeup in its produce division, both nationally and in Ontario.
Joseph Sbrocchi, Sobeys' national senior director of produce procurement, tendered his resignation Aug. 20, while two key staffers in its Ontario division, Stephen Rodrigues, its vice president of merchandising and replenishment for produce, floral and bulk, and Brian McDonald, its director of produce operations in Ontario, were let go within an hour of each other on Aug. 22.
Hurricane Dean crop damage in Mexico mixed
2007-09-04
In Mexico, Hurricane Dean dealt a sizable blow to limes, but its effects on other crops appear to be negligible or non-existent.
J.B. Cutsinger, who oversees the lime program for Burlingame, CA-based Splendid Products LLC, said that Splendid's limes, grown in Veracruz on Mexico's eastern border, took "a good hit" from the storm.
"It takes a few days to assess the damage," Mr. Cutsinger said. "I guarantee that at least 50 percent of the crop was damaged." Splendid grows limes year round in the Veracruz area.
Nash Finch Midwest Fall Food Show draws record attendance
2007-09-04
Harry Morford, senior director of produce, procurement, merchandising and marketing for the Nash Finch Co. in Minneapolis, said that over 1,200 people attended the company's second annual Fall Food Show Aug. 20-22 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
"We operate in three regions of the country: the Midwest, Great Lakes and Southeast regions," said Mr. Morford. "We hold two shows in each region annually. This was our second, or fall show, for the selling season in the Midwest region."
