LIVERMORE, CA — On Friday night, Aug. 9, about 80 Northern California produce professionals doubling as bocce ball amateurs got together here at the third annual Fresh Produce & Floral Council Bocce Ball Get Together.

Sun World International, a grower, marketer and breeder of premium produce varieties with a full line of seedless grapes, sweet peppers, stone fruits and other fruits and vegetables, based in Bakersfield, CA, has been acquired by a California-based asset management firm with a focus on agriculture and other sustainable resources.

Renewable Resources Group Inc. purchased Sun World International LLC from Black Diamond Capital Management LLC, an alternative asset management firm based in Greenwich, CT.

The Mushroom Council is thrilled about the attention that mushrooms received at the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey, CA, July 26-28.

“For the second year in a row, the Mushroom Council took the top prize in the Produce Marketing Association’s competitive Chef Demonstration Lunch,” said Bart Minor, council president. “Blendability once again proved to be an operator favorite by innovatively meeting all contest requirements to decrease plate cost and feature produce prominently on the plate, all in an appetizing presentation.”

With the Baja tomato season in full stride, grower-shippers looking for specific clamshells now have a locally-based option.

Because of the growth of the grape tomato category it now makes economic sense for Sambrailo Packaging, which is based in Watsonville, CA,to manufacture one-pound RunRite grape tomato clamshells in its Mexican plant.

The basic premise of the Peakfresh pallet bags and liners is to slow down the dehydration of the product they are protecting. This increases shelf life and gives the retailer more pounds to sell.

The volatile summer market for Peruvian asparagus elicited several different schools of thought regarding current conditions, but virtually everyone was in agreement that the fall marketing conditions, in terms of volume, would be typical, barring unforeseen weather issues.