The warm spring in the San Joaquin Valley of California has moved the expected start date of California pears up 11 full days.

The 2012 California Bartlett pear crop started harvest on July 16. This year, Bartletts will begin harvest on July 5, with significant loading by July 9, according to Dave Parker of Rivermaid Trading Co.

Rivermaid is a leading pear producer in California with significant acreage in both the River and Lake districts. This will be the earliest Rivermaid has begun harvest in several years. In 2011, the pear season began as late as July 22.

Avocados From Mexico Inc., the newly formed marketing agency dedicated to the Mexican avocado industry, is allocating $36 million to grow the category and propel the "Avocados From Mexico" brand.

To implement this strategy, Tim O'Connor, chief executive officer of Avocados From Mexico Inc., will appoint Arnold Worldwide as integrated agency of record, and Ketchum as public relations agency of record. Launching nationally beginning in July 2013, the organization's first fully integrated campaign aims to move the avocado from exotic to everyday.

Gary Margolis, owner and president of Gem Tomato & Vegetable Sales Inc., headquartered in Boca Raton, FL, told The Produce News that its Arkansas growing partner, Triple M Farms, is a fourth-generation family-owned operation and a partnership between the Meeks and Moffatt families in Milo, AR.

Autumn L. Campbell is a sales representative for Delta Blues Farms headquartered in Wynne, AR. The company was founded in November 2009 by Kim Matthews, who with her husband, Terris, owns Matthews Ridgeview Farms, a major sweet potato grower and marketer, also located in Wynne.

Bi-Lo Holdings LLC, parent company of the BI-LO and Winn-Dixie grocery store chains, has entered into a definitive agreement with Delhaize Group, under which Bi-Lo Holdings will acquire substantially all of the stores in the Sweetbay, Harveys and Reid’s supermarket chains from Delhaize for $265 million in cash.

Earthbound Farm, an organic food company based out of San Juan Bautista, CA, recently announced the promotions and hires of several staff members.

CRAIG HOPE was promoted to chief customer and marketing officer and is now responsible for leading the marketing organization in addition to the sales organization. Mr. Hope joined Earthbound Farm in 2010 as chief customer officer. He has 25 years of experience in consumer packaged goods sales organizations and previously held the role of customer vice president at Kraft, Nabisco and Distant Lands Coffee.