PBH board of trustees elects 2006 executive committee and officers
Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing for the California Avocado Commission in Irvine, CA, was elected chairman of the Produce for Better Health Foundation's board of trustees at its 2006 annual meeting earlier this month in San Francisco. Ms. DeLyser most recently served as vice chairman of the organization.
The board of trustees recognized the service of outgoing 2005 Chairman of the Board David Parker, director of marketing for Fruit Patch Sales in Dinuba, CA, who remains on the executive committee as immediate past chairman.
United and IFPA to join forces, giving members a greater voice
WASHINGTON -- The United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association and the International Fresh-cut Produce Association announced April 19 that they will pool their resources and merge thir organizations to become the United Fresh Produce Association by the end of the year.
The new marriage reflects a consolidating industry, stepped up food-safety pressures and the ever-increasing blurred line between processing and other sectors of the supply chain.
Farmer's daughter dives right in at Dayka & Hackett
Joneen Jackson, a product manager at Dayka & Hackett LLC in Reedley, CA, is leading a double life. A swim instructor and coach, Ms. Jackson is also a farmer's daughter who has found the perfect means of balancing her two passions in life. "You can't keep me out of the water and you can't keep me away from produce," she said.
Pathmark-A&P merger doesn't resonate with experts
A stock dividend payment has financial experts predicting a merger between The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. in Montvale, NJ, and Pathmark Stores Inc. in Carteret, NJ. But retail produce industry experts don't see the possible marriage as a good fit.
A spokesman for Pathmark told The Produce News, "There is nothing I can or will say about that. We don't comment on rumors." Efforts to reach a spokesman for A&P were unsuccessful.
Indianapolis Fruit to host organic seminar
With the rapid growth of organic sales in supermarkets, retailers need more information about the category. In grand style, Indianapolis Fruit Co. in Indianapolis is answering many of the questions.
On April 24-25 the produce distributor will host 200 industry members for a sophisticated, invitation-only seminar titled "Winning at Retail: Developing Organics as a Strategic Point of Difference."
IFPA and United announce intent to join forces
WASHINGTON -- The leadership of the International Fresh-cut Produce Association and the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association announced April 19 their intent to combine forces to deliver the highest possible level of value to members and meet today's critical challenges facing the fresh produce industry.
Innovator Grady Auvil the apple of new documentary's eye
Filmmakers Jamie Howell and Guy Evans are finding the Wenatchee, WA, area to be fertile ground for their upcoming documentary.
"Gee Whiz: the Story of Grady Auvil" will chronicle the legendary Washington orchardist and the unique ways in which he "forever changed the tree fruit industry."
Mr. Auvil, founder of Auvil Fruit Co., died in 1998 at the age of 93, but he passed along his sense of innovation and commitment to his descendants, who still operate the business.
Weather delays California stone fruit
Rain, hail, frost, cloud cover and below-normal temperatures have all had an impact on California stone fruit this spring. But as growers evaluated their orchards in mid-April, they were much more optimistic about what they were seeing than the general mood in the industry seemed to be a week earlier.
Imperial Valley crop looks strong; Central Valley could be challenged
The California spring onion season starts around mid-April with onions out of the Imperial Valley in the state's southern desert region. That deal normally runs about six weeks, leading into the San Joaquin Valley onion harvest which starts around late May or early June. A late spring and summer deal, the San Joaquin Onion harvest begins around Bakersfield at the southern end of the valley and moving northward to the west side of the central San Joaquin Valley. The harvest generally continues into late August in the San Joaquin Valley.
Strawberry industry shows interest in corn-based clamshells
The strawberry industry was among the very early segments of the produce industry to embrace the use of clear plastic clamshells for retail consumer packs. The majority of fresh strawberries now goes to market in clamshells. They are popular for many reasons: They display the product well, they protect it, they extend shelf life and reduce shrink, and they reduce labor costs at store level.
But there are downsides, one being the amount of non- biodegradable plastic waste generated by their use.