Demand for onions is high going into the holidays and new year, and Sweet Clover Produce Sales Manager Bill (Sweet Willie) Brownfield said his Walla Walla, WA-based sales office was seeing brisk movement in its Red Wing reds as well as its yellow hybrid and sweet onions.

Bartolotta opened its Glassboro, NJ, facility in October 2012. “I am very pleased with how that operation is going, primarily because my manager there, Damon Twomey, is highly motivated,” Kevin Bartolotta, president of Bartolotta Inc. in Torrington, CT, told The Produce News.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture initial forecast for the Florida citrus season shows yet another in a series of declining annual production totals due to the effects of Huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease. But the Sunshine State’s industry overall remains strong with 532,000 acres in production, representing 65 percent of the U.S. citrus crop at an annual value of some $9 billion.

The California Avocado Commission announced the winners of its advertising and display contests for 2013, which ran concurrently from May 1 through Sept. 11 to encompass the period of American summer holidays that included Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Save Mart Supermarkets earned the top spot in CAC’s advertising contest and Food Town store No. 7 in Houston claimed the grand prize in the display contest.

A second night of cold temperatures is expected to leave behind some damage to the San Joaquin Valley's citrus crop, according to a Dec. 6 press release from California Citrus Mutual in Exeter, CA.

"Although the extent of damage cannot be known for certain at this time, the industry along with county and state regulators will begin assessments as early as next week," the release stated.

Gourmet Trading Co. is debuting its new tray and flow-wrapped asparagus product. The packaging features a modern, natural look that is expected to garner a positive response from consumers. The new pack is state-of-the-art — extending shelf life to ensure the product is at its freshest — all while having a natural, eco-friendly look and feel.