Cathy Green Burns, who will join the Produce Marketing Association as president effective Dec. 1, will focus on people and board development, and be the public face of the association, according to Bryan Silbermann, the current president and chief executive officer.

She will report directly to Silbermann and be the No. 2 person at the association, though the rest of the senior management team will also continue to report to the chief executive officer.  

Grand Rapids, MI-based Heeren Bros. Produce is recalling some 5,400 cantaloupes after routine sampling by the Food & Drug Administration detected Listeria monocytogenes, the firm announced Aug. 6.

The Athena cantaloupes, which are not stickered or marked as Athena varieties, were distributed to small, independent grocers in Michigan from July 23-26. The company said it has not received any reports of illnesses to date.

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC announced plans to exit New Hampshire, closing all six of its Stop & Shop stores as well as its gas stations by Sept. 21.

"The industry does a great job of collaborating on food-safety issues. Everyone shares their knowledge and experience for the benefit of the entire sector: growers, packers and shippers," Laura Phelps, president of the American Mushroom Institute in Washington, DC, said. "The Food Safety Task Force of the American Mushroom Institute has been reviewing the proposed rules that will implement the Food Safety Modernization Act, and is preparing comments to be filed by the September deadline."

Anthony Vineyards Inc. in Bakersfield, CA, has increased plantings in several grape varieties for the 2013 season, one of which is a proprietary red seedless variety called Gemma Rose.

The name chosen for Gemma Rose variety, according to John Harley, vice president of sales and marketing, is the name of a granddaughter of Anthony Vineyards President Domenick (Cookie) Bianco.

PHILADELPHIA — Most companies measure growth in percentages. To do that, 721 Logistics and its J&K East division, here, would need a pretty impressive calculator. Formed 18 months ago in a partnership with J&K Fresh of Inglewood, CA — a 50-year fixture on the West Coast — 721 has mushroomed from a mere handful of clients to a current roster of more than 200 customers.

The company has also swelled to 20 employees, with more coming on board as the business continues to grow.