Pure Hot House Foods Inc. is excited to announce the acquisition of a new distribution centre and packinghouse in San Antonio, TX. The new facility has been operational since the start of the Mexican and Central American growing season this fall and will help with shipping and packing from the firm’s Mexican grower-partners.

Both Ecuadorian and Peruvian mango production is a bit light this year. But by sourcing from both countries, Freska Produce International LLC in Oxnard, CA, is able to fill its customers’ needs.

“The Ataulfos from Ecuador are winding down,” said Gary Clevenger, co-owner of the company. “Volume will be spotty until they are finished near the end of December. But we are bringing in a lot of Tommy Atkins from Ecuador, and we are starting up in Peru [the week of Dec. 5]. That first load from Peru should arrive by December 19.”

FRESNO, CA — As reported previously in The Produce News, Omar Abu Ghazaleh, formerly a manager at Pacific Trellis Fruit LLC in Reedley, CA, has founded a new grower-direct produce importing and marketing company, OAG Global Inc., headquartered here. In an Oct. 10 press release, the company announced “its debut import season with a prominent stake in the Peruvian table grape category.”

Soon to follow will be other products from Peru such as avocados as well as grapes and premium conditioned tree fruit from Chile.

Nelly Yunta, vice president of U.S. imports, customs brokerage and consulting for Customized Brokers in Miami, the customs brokerage division of Crowley Marine Corp., told The Produce News that the company caters almost exclusively to fruits and vegetables.

“We are solely dedicated to the produce industry and our business is streamlined to handle perishables exclusively,” said Frank Ramos, a partner with his wife, Ana, in The Perishable Specialist Inc. in Miami. “We deal with the same government agencies and departments, the same vendors and the same steamship lines because this is all we do every day, twenty-four hours a day. We are the epitome of streamlined process when it comes to clearing imported fruits and vegetables.”

Ecoripe Tropicals’ Asian vegetable program was in full swing in late November.

The company, in Medley, FL, is an importer and distributor of a full line of quality tropical, Asian and specialty produce. It sources from Central American countries, including Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and Costa Rica, according to Marc Holbik, vice president.