UPDATE: Bruce Peterson resigns from Wal-Mart but will likely stay in produce
Bruce Peterson, 53, has confirmed that he has resigned his position at Wal- Mart and will "pursue other aspects of my career most likely related to the produce industry."
Mr. Peterson, who has been with Wal-Mart for 15 years, told The Produce News Friday, Feb. 2, that he has been considering his future in recent years but the decision to leave Wal-Mart was rather sudden. "But it was my choice," he added.
Tengs loses battle with lung cancer
Debra Tengs, who served as transportation manager and administrative assistant for Snake River Produce in Nyssa, OR, died Dec. 28 after losing her year-long battle with lung cancer. She was 53.
Ms. Tengs was born April 3, 1953, in Tucumcari, NM. She moved to California while in her teens and began working in the produce industry after college. She eventually settled in Nyssa to raise her family.
COA meeting addresses global onion scene and labor issues
GREELEY, CO -- Attendees at the Colorado Onion Association annual meeting, here, Jan. 25, were provided with a snapshot of the condition of the industry on the state, national and international levels, and had an opportunity to learn more about significant changes to the employment verification process in Colorado.
"The onion industry is enjoying prices that aren't the norm," National Onion Association Executive Vice President Wayne Mininger told the audience. "It may be another 36 years before this happens again."
All Things Organic and Fancy Food to break from United/FMI in 2008
The produce industry's United Fresh Marketplace and the Food Marketing Institute's supermarket show will go it alone in Las Vegas in 2008, as the Fancy Food Show and All Things Organic announced they will be staying in Chicago.
Specialty crops big winners in farm bill proposal
WASHINGTON -- Specialty crop producers hailed the Bush administration's new farm bill proposal, saying it would significantly expand nutrition and key market promotion programs and call for new spending of $5 billion over 10 years to help growers.
Warren Wheeler enjoyed long produce career
The produce industry lost "a kind, Southern gentleman" in Warren S. Wheeler, chief executive officer of the company that bore his name and that he founded in 1962 on the Tampa Wholesale Produce Market, who recently died from congestive heart failure. He was 88 years old.
Recycled heat cuts ripening room costs at Warmerdam
HANFORD, CA -- Warmerdam Packing LLC, here, has developed an innovative way to heat its stone fruit ripening rooms and reduce the cost of operating the rooms in the process. It uses waste heat generated by the existing refrigeration systems used for cooling in the company's cold-storage facility.
"Our whole industry here in the Central [San Joaquin] Valley has been doing different forms of preconditioning or ripening of stone fruit," said Mr. Hovsepian.
NewStar to introduce new sleeved asparagus pack
Salinas, CA-based NewStar Fresh Foods has announced the launch of an iceless 2.25-pound sleeved asparagus pack set to hit the national market in late February.
Capitalizing on the increasing popularity of its one-pound sleeved asparagus, NewStar will introduce the new 2.25-pound sleeved asparagus to select club stores.
John Killeen, vice president of sales and marketing for NewStar, said that customers of the iceless 2.25-pound sleeved asparagus pack would include club stores or any box store looking for large quantities.
RonProCon aligns itself with industry veterans
RonProCon, a produce industry consulting firm founded by Ron Pelger, has enlisted the services of three industry professionals to better serve its clients.
Founded in 1998 by Mr. Pelger, who has more than 30 years of experience as a retail produce executive, the firm specializes in helping companies maximize sales and efficiency by keeping abreast of the latest trends in the industry.
Ocean Spray readies new 'Grower's Reserve line
After a year of research and development, Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. is preparing to reap the fruits of its labor when it launches its new "Grower's Reserve" line in early March.