The New England Produce Council is moving the date of its annual expo, from spring to fall, beginning in 2014.

The NEPC Produce & Floral Expo traditionally has been held in the early spring. The 14th expo was held April 2-3, 2013, for example.

But the 2014 expo will be held in the fall, according to NEPC Executive Director Laura Sullivan, who said that the exact date and venue will be announced in late August or September. The council then will continue to hold its expo in the fall on an annual basis, she added.

Joe Caldwell, vice president of Monterey Mushrooms Inc., headquartered in Watsonville, CA, said that the company’s new innovations in the past few years continue to build traction and are truly national in distribution now.

Paul Frederic, senior vice president of sales and marketing for To-Jo Mushrooms Inc., headquartered in Avondale, PA, told The Produce News that the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey, CA, on July 26-28 was “the best ever show from our prospective.”

Besides displaying its full line of fresh mushrooms and processed mushroom products, To-Jo featured its new “Bella Blended” meatballs.

Bill Litvin, regional sales and national account manager for Giorgio Fresh, headquartered in Temple, PA, said the popular trend in the mushroom category, which is currently being promoted by the Mushroom Council, is the idea of Swapability.

“Consumers are encouraged to eat healthier by swapping out an ingredient in a standard meal with mushrooms, or using mushrooms as a topping,” said Litvin. “This can include topping a burger with a Portabella mushroom, chopping up mushrooms and combining them with meat to create a unique burger and many more ways.”

Maurice A. Auerbach & Co. in Secaucus, NJ, is a major player in the whole fresh and whole-peeled garlic business across a broad section of the northwestern United States.

About a year-and-a-half ago, the company relocated from South Hackensack, NJ, to its new Secaucus facility with more than twice the space and eight times the cold storage capacity. The state-of-the-art facility has “full temperature control and cold chain throughout, including the docks and the packaging area,” said President Paul Auerbach.

“One of the things I think really sets us apart is we have control over the garlic all the way from seed through distribution,” said Patsy Ross, vice president of marketing for Christopher Ranch LLC in Gilroy, CA, in an interview with The Produce News July 22.

That distinction contrasts Christopher Ranch garlic particularly with imported product, according to Ross. “We know where the garlic has been and where it is going. I don’t think that can be said of imports.”