The Canadian Produce Marketing Association held its annual convention and trade show at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto April 17-19, and this year’s event was one for the record books, according to incoming

Bristol Farms, an upscale California grocery chain with 14 locations primarily in the southern part of the state, announced plans to open a new location this summer in Santa Monica at 3105 Wilshire Boulevard.

Rancho Cordova, CA-based Renaissance Food Group, a fresh food company that creates, markets and distributes healthy, high-quality food products, hired CHRIS SCHULLY as corporate chef.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Amid perfect weather, palm trees, fabulous food, high energy and a goal-shattering registration, the PMA Foundation's first-ever Women's Fresh Perspectives Conference began yesterday evening, as 177 fresh produce women leaders attended the opening reception at FireSky Resort & Spa, here.

Stevco Inc., which is headquartered in Los Angeles and has branch offices in Bakersfield and Coachella, CA, as well as a seasonal office in Nogales, AZ, expects volume in its Mexican grape program this year to be up a little bit, according to Jared Lane, vice president of sales and marketing.

“Last year we did about 1.6 million [boxes]. This year we will do about 1.8 million boxes,” he said.

The Flavor Tree Fruit Co. LLC in Hanford, CA, has brought in some new cherry growers that will increase the company’s already substantial cherry volume significantly this season.

“We are going to add, just in this district, probably another 100,000 boxes of cherries,” said Maurice Cameron, managing partner.