RETAIL VIEW: Distributor tries hand at new product invention
The ending to this story hasn't been written yet, so it's impossible to classify it. Is it a story with a happy ending showing how a small firm with a good idea can make it in the marketplace? Is it a sad story showing how big the retail industry has gotten so that new product introductions are the sole domain of the multi-national companies? Or will it end up being the tale of an item that seemed to be a good idea but just didn't find enough of a marketing niche to make it?
USDA imposes quarantine on Florida citrus
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced June 6 that a statewide quarantine will be imposed next season on the shipments of fresh Florida citrus fruit to other citrus-producing states.
The quarantine will allow the continued shipment of fresh fruit to non-citrus-producing states and other countries under certain restrictions. The rules governing the quarantine are expected to be published by the end of this summer.
Index Fresh takes steps with food safety role
Dana Thomas, president of Bloomington, CA-based Index Fresh, has announced the appointment of Nate Pidduck to the newly created position of food-safety coordinator.
Index Fresh's initiative represents perhaps the first food-safety coordinator for growers in the avocado industry. As food-safety coordinator, Mr. Pidduck will be responsible for ensuring that food- safety criteria are met by Index Fresh's suppliers. He is working with Index Fresh to prepare a manual that will help in simplifying the process.
Growers Express and its president part ways
Randolph Breschini, who joined Salinas, CA-based Growers Express as its president in August 2004, is no longer with the company, according to a recent report issue by The Blue Book.
The report was confirmed by another source in the Salinas area who wished not to be identified. Attempts to reach Growers Express for comment by deadline for the June 12 issue of The Produce News were unsuccessful, as were attempts to reach Mr. Breschini at home.
Colorado growers crushed by water ruling
Upwards of 200 farmers on Colorado's Eastern Plains are facing the 2006 growing season with limited water resources or, in some cases, with no resources at all following the June 3 rejection of an emergency augmentation plan proposed by the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District.
But while estimates place the losses at more than $1 million as a result of the ruling, some of the farmers are implementing their own augmentation programs in an effort to keep their crops irrigated this year.
Global Berry launches redesigned web site
Need to know the weather in Chile? Got it. What about up-to-date growing conditions for strawberries? Got that, too.
Global Berry Farms, marketer of the "Naturipe" brand, has launched its new web site -- www.globalberryfarms.com -- designed to provide its customers with a "one-stop shop" for fresh berries. Allowing access to real-time harvesting and shipping information, which has traditionally been largely unavailable via the web, will enable faster dissemination of necessary resources in a market with increasing consumer demand.
Monterey County's crop value exceeds $3 billion
Leaf lettuce continued its dominant grip in Monterey County for the fourth straight year as shown in the Monterey County Crop Report 2005, which was released June 6.
The crop report -- compiled by the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner's office -- put the county's production value at nearly $3.3 billion for 2005, the fourth time the county has exceed $3 billion in gross production value. That value was an 11 percent climb over 2004 -- which was 3 percent greater than 2003 -- with more than 40 crops exceeding $1 million in production value.
'Foxy' unveils purple cauliflower products
SALINAS, CA -- The color purple is now available in two new healthy and fresh produce items sold under the "Foxy" brand name.
Tavilla salesman records song promoting mangos
Bobby Locke wasn't through writing and singing about fruit when he recorded "Rambutan" more than two years ago. With his recent recording of "The Mango Selling Song," Mr. Locke has leapt to the center stage of fruit songs.
To be sure, it's not a crowded stage. Still, if Mr. Locke's lively Calypso-style tune about mangos catches hold, he may be able to ditch his tropical fruit sales gig at Tavilla Sales Co. of Los Angeles. This could be his big break, a la Bobby McFerrin and "Don't Worry, Be Happy."
Fourth generation of Dudas sees women in key business roles
One does not have to look further than Oviedo, FL, to find a perfect example of a successful multi-generational family in both its business and family relations. That is where the "seeds" for A. Duda & Sons were planted in 1909 when Andrew Duda immigrated from the then-Austro-Hungarian Empire, and where the headquarters of the now multi-faceted organization are today.