The weather in the Central Valley of California this growing season has been ideal for grapes, and the season “has really set up beautifully for what we are seeing is going to be … an excellent pick and excellent quality” for the fall harvest, said Jim Llano, sales manager at Castle Rock Vineyards in Richgrove, CA, in an interview with The Produce News Aug. 9.

“We are excited about the quality. We are excited about the condition. We are excited, certainly, with the size as well … so really this past month has been I deal for the industry,” he said.

Empire Grape Co. LLC in Dinuba, CA, is a new marketing entity formed in February by Peter Vallis, who has been involved in growing grapes since childhood and is a former partner in Farmer’s Fresh Fruit Co., and his wife, Demitra Vallis.

Handling sales for Empire Grape are Jay Stover, who was also previously with Farmer’s Fresh and prior to that spent 10 years at Fazio Marketing Inc., and Susan Lucas, who has been in the produce business for 30 years.

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. announced the appointment of Courtney Parker as vice president of food safety and quality.

Parker will have responsibility for Chiquita’s Fresh Express salad quality assurance and quality control programs, as well as global responsibility to serve as Chiquita’s primary liaison to regulatory agencies and other industry stakeholders, coordinating cross-functionally for the company’s bananas and salads business units.

Western Growers has appointed Jeff Janas as its new communications manager in its Irvine, CA, office.

Janas comes to WG from Arizona, where he served as vice president of public affairs and communication at the Arizona Charter Schools Association.  He has extensive experience in government and communications, having served previously as an appointee at the Ohio Department of Insurance in former Ohio Gov. George Voinovich’s administration and for 11 years as a congressional staffer at the U.S. House of Representatives.

Angel City Brewery & Public House, a craft brewery located in downtown Los Angeles, just one-and-a-half miles from the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market, held an avocado festival Aug. 24 to introduce a new light brew, avocado ale, created by Angel City brewer Dieter Foerstner.

A guacamole-inspired beer, the avocado ale is Angel City's 100th batch in 2013.

PLOVER, WI — As September digging swings into full tilt, Wisconsin's potato crop is expected to be of very high quality.

At Okray Family Farms Inc., located here, President Mike Finnessy said Wisconsin's potato crop this year "looks like much higher quality. Last year there was a high percentage of culls. There was a lot of grade-out. This year we have a very good quality crop and the yields are equal to or better than last year."