Melissa's launches the prized Sicilian Tarocco orange season
Melissa's/World Variety Produce Inc. in Los Angeles began shipping Sicilian Tarocco oranges the week of March 12, and Robert Schueller, director of public relations for Melissa's, said that this season's crop is living up to its reputation for high quality.
Five Crowns hires VP of retail sales, plans to build citrus packinghouse
Five Crowns Marketing in Brawley, CA, has announced plans to build what will be the Imperial Valley's first citrus packinghouse and to do its own marketing for the fruit packed in the facility. In conjunction with that expansion, the company has also announced the hiring of Mike Maler as vice president of retail sales.
Sun World Chile opens in Santiago
After years of importing fruit from and introducing its new fruit varieties to Chile, Sun World International LLC in Bakersfield, CA, has established an operation in the capital of Chile.
Sun World Chile, based in Santiago, is managed by long-time Chilean fruit industry veteran Rafael Parada, who coordinates all of Sun World's fruit exports to North America as well as its variety development and licensing programs, according to Sun World Senior Vice Presidents David Marguleas and Dirk Winkelmann.
Mango supplies light as Mexico begins its early shipments
Mango importers in the United States have entered a rare demand-exceeds- supply situation as shipments from Peru have just about stopped and the early part of the Mexican deal is marked by light supplies.
Good market greets the 2007 Texas onion deal
As Texas growers and shippers welcome the start of the onion season this year, they begin with a market that has demand exceeding supplies. In fact, as March began, 40-pound cartons of onions from Mexico saw an f.o.b. price above $30 - a number seen only once or twice over the last 35 years.
Study on generic Hass promotion has implications beyond avocados
In the winter 2006 edition of Review of Agricultural Economics, Hoy F. Carman, a professor in the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics at the University of California-Davis, published a study regarding the effectiveness of generic advertising being done by the Hass Avocado Promotion & Research Order.
"The California avocado industry provides a case study of the economic pressures from increased imports and ongoing efforts to expand the demand for all avocados using government-mandated marketing programs," wrote Mr. Carman.
USDA delays Canadian quarantine inspections until June 1
WASHINGTON -- New quarantine inspections and fees for U.S.-bound fruits and vegetables transported by truck and rail from Canada are being delayed until June 1 while U.S. and Canadian officials work out details of the controversial plan.
U.S. officials, who have been in talks with Canadian officials, needed more time to conclude these discussions for trucks and rail shipments, said Melissa O'Dell, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service.
Produce maintains strong foothold at restaurant show
NEW YORK -- The strong presence of produce professionals at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, held here March 4-6 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, was a clear indication of the importance of the restaurant category to the industry. Fresh produce distributors, importers, producers and marketers increasingly recognize the need to maintain a strong promotional hold on the foodservice industry.
RETAIL VIEW: Mixed-use projects drawing retailers
In Miami, real estate developers say the location of a Whole Foods supermarket on the ground floor of the 74-story Met 3 condo tower helped drive sales. In San Francisco, Bristol Farms' first entry in that eclectic market is its the basement store in a high-rise shopping mall. Twin condominium buildings towering 20 stories near downtown Atlanta opened last year with a Publix supermarket anchoring the ground-floor retail space.
Spain will 'romance' the product at Kingsburg
Dan Spain, whose produce industry experience includes 20 years with Vons Supermarkets, was recently named vice president of sales and marketing for Kingsburg Orchards in Kingsburg, CA.
In an interview with The Produce News, Mr. Spain said that "there is a story to be told" to the trade about Kingsburg Orchards that largely has to do with the special varieties, many of them proprietary, that the company offers. Mr. Spain said that he plans to "get out in front of customers" to tell them about "what proprietary new products we have going on."