Sundale Sales Inc., the marketing arm of Sundale Vineyards in Tulare, CA, continues to expand its table grape production as it has for several years, and most of this year’s growth has been in late season varieties, according to Sean Stockton, president of Sundale Sales.

The big focus for the company’s fall program, he said, will be on Autumn Kings, Autumn Royals, Crimsons and the company’s proprietary Sundale Red, he said. “We’ve increased acreage in each and every one of those varieties over the last year.”

With vineyards at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, Anthony Vineyards in Bakersfield, CA, has historically had some of the earliest grapes in the valley.

But “our retail partners have indicated that they would like to see us stay engaged in the business as long as we can,” said John Harley, vice president of sales and marketing.

SAN ANTONIO, TX — About 400 people packed the Grand Hyatt Riverwalk Aug. 15-17, here, for the annual Texas Produce Convention, which was about one-third education, one-third information and one-third recreation with an agenda that kept conventioneers busy from arrival to departure.

“We have just started harvesting Gala and Ginger Gold apples,” Fred Hess, president of Hess Fruit Co. in Leola, PA, told The Produce News Aug. 8. “Both of these early varieties are very popular and demand is strong.”

Mr. Hess, who co-owns the company with his brother, Jerry, added that the Gala is a sweet-tart apple with orange-yellow skin. The Ginger Gold resembles the Golden Delicious with slick skin. It too has a sweet-tart flavor.

Tanimura & Antle Inc., based in Salinas, CA, is voluntarily recalling a single lot of Romaine lettuce because it may be contaminated with E. Coli O157:H7. The affected product is limited to Tanimura & Antle field fresh wrapped single head romaine packed in a plastic bag with the UPC number 0-27918-20314-9 and a Best By date of “08 19 12.” The product was available at retail locations from Aug. 2 to Aug. 19. No other T&A products are part of the recall.

There is no stopping the growth of the sweet onion category. And Matt Curry, president of Curry & Co. in Brooks, OR, said Peruvian sweet onions are a critical part of the company’s year-round sweet onion program. “Peruvian onions remain an important part of it,” he said Aug. 8. “Many consumers and retailers consider Peruvian sweet onions to be the closest onion to the ever-popular Vidalia onion. It has the same shape and is very similar in color as well.