“The New York Produce Show is a great event in that it enables us to network with our partners in the New York region,” said Chris Veillon, director of marketing for Mastronardi Produce headquartered in Leamington, ON. “We have a strong presence in the city and in the regional area, so it certainly helps to have a centrally located event like this to allow for partners to come in for the day.”

Mr. Veillon said that Mastronardi would be at booth No. 546 at the show, noting that it’s the third consecutive New York show that the company has exhibited at.

Bill Litvin, regional sales and national account manager for Giorgio Fresh Co., headquartered in Temple, PA, said that company will be exhibiting at the New York Produce Show & Conference Dec. 4-6 in New York City.

Sal Vacca, president of A.J. Trucco Inc., located at the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market in the Bronx, NY, told The Produce News that the company would be promoting Italian chestnuts heavily at the New York Produce Show & Conference on Dec. 4-6 in New York City. The company has exhibited at the show since it began two years ago.

Nate Stone, chief operating officer for Ben B. Schwartz & Sons Inc., in Detroit, MI, told The Produce News that the company has the absolute perfect combination of management and staff, which results in things moving along flawlessly.

Chris Billmeyer, the company’s president and chief executive officer is the third generation to own and operate the company. His son, Jake Billmeyer, joined the company in 2009, and is working in numerous capacities to learn about every function of the business.

George Wooten, president of Wayne E. Bailey, headquartered in Chadbourn, NC, told The Produce News that the company’s launch of its new “George Foods” rebranding initiative was strongly received at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit in October.

Things are lining up to result in a unique year for the garlic industry, John Duffus, vice president of sales and marketing for The Garlic Co., headquartered in Bakersfield, CA, told The Produce News. The firm private labels for a major distributor in the New York region, and the New York Produce Show & Conference is therefore an important event for company officials to attend, he noted.