Retail data from the Mushroom Council indicates a strong upward movement in mushroom demand across the U.S. market.

Retail sales of mushrooms over the 13-week summer season grew 3.3 percent over the same period last year. For the four weeks ending Sept. 9, retail pounds grew 3.2 percent and retail dollars grew 2.6 percent, outperforming total produce's dollar growth of 1.9 percent.

While The Oppenheimer Group may be one of the better-known names in the international produce community, on a day-to-day basis the industry has long called the full-service marketing and distribution company something else altogether.

"Our friends call us Oppy," John Anderson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Vancouver-based company said in a press release. And as the organization began a brand-refreshment initiative earlier this year, the moniker resonated.

Members of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association’s Emerging Leaders Development Program, Class 2, are Tom Mitchell of Riverfront Packing Co. LLC, Joby Sherrod of A.

On Friday, Oct. 26, the inaugural PMA Robert L. Carey Leadership Award will be presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding volunteer leadership skills and an uncommon commitment to helping the Produce Marketing Association achieve its goals of advancing the produce industry.

PMA President Bryan Silbermann told The Produce News that the award is named in honor of Robert Carey, who served as the chief executive officer of the association for 38 years.

Early-season pomegranate varieties have moved smoothly into the distribution channels, and now the Wonderful, the principal pomegranate variety, is starting to ship.

"Continued warm days and cool nights in California's Central Valley have helped to produce the cleanest and largest crop we've seen in years," Tom Tjerandsen, manager of the Pomegranate Council, said in a press release.

Grant Stanton Produce Co. Inc., located at the New England Produce Center in Chelsea, MA, was started in 1996. Today the company is owned and operated by Shawn Grant. He told The Produce News that the company handles a full line of mushrooms, all of which are sourced from Pennsylvania producers.

“We also handle greenhouse-grown English cucumbers and peppers,” said Mr. Grant. “The majority of our greenhouse produce is from Ontario and Mexico, depending on the season.”