Sam Jones, Florida citrus operations manager for Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc., headquartered in Oviedo, FL, said that the company’s volumes are ahead of last season on all varieties.

“We were able to capture an early-season start from Southwest Florida in the Gulf growing district,” said Mr. Jones. “We are pleased with the steady movement and firm f.o.b., and we are seeing less volatility in the market this season.”

It takes a high-quality product to make the cut for the Wm. Manis Co. of Plant City, FL’s “Ultra” label. This year, the company has an abundance of large, super-sweet citrus to meet growing demand.

“We’ve had great growing weather. There were no storms so the fruit looks good and the color is outstanding,” said President Rick Sullivan. “After the freezes last December and January, we had a huge bloom. We had rain at the right times and the result is an excellent quality citrus crop.”

As Christmas approaches, Florida Classic Growers of Lake Hamilton, FL, is taking advantage of a bumper crop of top-quality Florida citrus to boost its holiday gift and fundraising programs, according to Vice President of Sales and Marketing Al Finch.

“This has been an outstanding year and season,” Mr. Finch said. “We have had excellent arrivals on our citrus. Demand has definitely picked up — over the last month there has been lots of retail promotion on bagged tangerines and bagged Navels as well as bagged juice oranges.”

Most crops do not start a season at optimal quality, and Florida citrus is no exception — usually. That is not the case this year, according to David Mixon, chief marketing officer of Seald Sweet International in Vero Beach, FL.

Potandon Produce LLC, headquartered in Idaho Falls, ID, continues to expand its presence on the Internet to connect with customers and consumers. The company, one of the larger marketers of fresh potatoes and one of the larger marketers of onions in North America, holds exclusive licensing rights to the “Green Giant Fresh” brand for fresh potatoes and onions. Potandon also holds the licensing rights of the “Sunspiced” brand for retail and foodservice.

Excellent quality and increasing demand are the winning sales formula for Sweet Clover Produce’s Red Wing single-center red onions this holiday season, according to Pat Brownfield, sales agent at the Walla Walla, WA, operation.

Mr. Brownfield told The Produce News Nov. 29 that onion movement was gaining momentum as the Christmas holidays approached, and he said that the week leading up to Thanksgiving was one of the best the sales periods company had seen, with approximately 100 loads shipped.