Elephant Garlic Kings now shipping organic elephant garlic
KING CITY, CA -- Elephant Garlic Kings began shipping certified-organic elephant garlic the week of Aug. 20.
The company, based here, received its organic certification May 1 by Agricultural Services Certified Organic. According to Elephant Garlic Kings partners Chris Pope and Pier Azcona, the company is the first to grow organic elephant garlic in any real volume. Mr. Pope anticipates that the company will have 50,000 pounds for sale this first year, mostly to existing customers.
Potatoes added to supply mix at Imagination Farms
Imagination Farms, based in Indianapolis, continues to expand distribution of the "Disney Garden" brand with the addition of a comprehensive potato category, supplied by Rigby Produce of Rigby, ID, and Russet Potato Exchange of Bancroft, WI.
Glen Reynolds, East Coast sales manager for Imagination Farms, said in a press release, "Potatoes are an important category in every produce department. The use of the 'Disney Garden' brand creates unique opportunities for us to introduce kids to the health attributes of potatoes."
Interfresh introduces line of branded tomatoes
Interfresh Inc., a national supplier of fruits and vegetables, has introduced a newly branded line of tomatoes. Packed in the "Interfresh" label, this expansion of its product portfolio launched in early July and has seen tremendous success, according to the company.
Grower vote ends tomato commission
The California Tomato Commission, which has not been in full operation since early spring, will suspend all operations early next year because an overwhelming majority of producers approved suspension in a recent referendum vote.
The California Department of Food & Agriculture announced Aug. 16 that assessments would continue to be collected through the remainder of the 2007-08 season but that the commission will close its doors by the Feb. 29, 2008, statutory deadline.
Salinas producers turn out for Social Security mismatch forum
SALINAS, CA -- Jim Bogart of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California and two attorneys closely connected with agriculture held a forum Aug. 20 for area grower-shippers on the Social Security mismatch rule.
About 100 people attended the forum, which was held at the Richard Nutter Ag Conference Center.
Philadelphia produce trade looking at last chance for new market
PHILADELPHIA -- Like wandering nomads seeking a new home, Philadelphia's produce wholesalers have endeavored to find a new market location for the last five years. Potential sites have come and gone in a series of mostly political events. The effort to move this spring was even disrupted by a bald eagle's nest on a proposed site that was reclaimed by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.
Bay Cities Produce receives organic certification
San Leandro, CA-based Bay Cities Produce Co. Inc. recently received organic certification from Agriculture Service Certified Organic.
Bay Cities is the largest exclusive restaurant purveyor in the San Francisco Bay area. The company also services institutions such as clubs, hospitals and cruise ships with a full line of fresh, frozen and prepared fruits and vegetables. Its coverage extends west to the coast, south to San Jose, north to Richmond and east to Livermore.
Sun World program to aid earthquake relief
Sun World lnternational LLC in Bakersfield, CA, had recently begun a new program of marketing imported Minneola tangelos from Peru when the devastating earthquake on Peru's south coast struck, with an epicenter near the agricultural community of Pisco.
The company is responding to the disaster by donating a portion of the proceeds from Peruvian Minneolas to an earthquake fund to help the victims.
Co-founder of Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. dies at 75
The year 1953 was quite eventful for Tanya Auerbach, a wife, mother, grandmother and produce industry executive who died earlier this month. It was the year she graduated from college, co-founded a garlic company and got married.
Tanya (nee Kaplan) Auerbach was born Jan. 28, 1932 in Brooklyn, NY, where she was raised. She and Irwin Auerbach founded Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. in Mr. Auerbach's mother's home in Brooklyn in 1953 as a distributor handling a single item: garlic. The company was named for Mr. Auerbach's father.
Whole Foods and Wild Oats cleared to proceed with merger
Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats Markets Inc. announced Aug. 23 that they are now legally cleared to proceed with their merger as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has denied the Federal Trade Commission's request for a stay to preclude the closing of the merger pending the FTC's appeal and has dissolved the Aug. 20 administrative injunction, which had prevented the transaction from going forward while the court considered the FTC's motion.