Fruit industry veteran Neil Galone recently relocated from the Yakima Valley in Washington state to the mid-Columbia area of Oregon and Washington, where he has taken the position of vice president of marketing for Diamond Fruit Growers Inc. in Odell, OR.

Mr. Galone, who brought 25 years of experience to the Diamond team when he arrived Feb. 14, will eventually replace Marketing Vice President Gerry Jessup, who will retire in late May.

New research shows that people may inherit their sense of taste, and this may influence how consumers can boost servings of certain fruits and vegetables to meet new health recommendations.

Consumers rely on taste as a top factor for buying fresh fruits and vegetables, and using information on taste preference may be the best way to sell more fruits and vegetables.

In the early throes of the Winn-Dixie filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the size of the debt is as much speculation as anything else. With that said, the early speculation is that the produce debt could reach $20 million.

Fresh Kist Produce in Salinas, CA, announced the hiring of Denny Donovan, who recently joined the company?s sales team.

Mr. Donovan has deep roots in the produce industry: his grandfather worked as a buyer in the 1930s for TopCo and Kroger, and his father worked for produce shippers in the San Jose area. Today, his father, uncle and two sons are all active in the produce industry.

?We are extremely pleased that Denny decided to come on board with us," said Jason Lathos, sales manager at Fresh Kist.

What humbly started out as a signature house dressing for one restaurant some 12 years ago is an item that can be found in specialty food stores and conventional supermarkets across the nation.

?Garlic Expressions? " a salad dressing noted for its whole fresh garlic cloves in every bottle " is the creation of Larry Croy, former chef and owner of a Perrysburg, OH-area restaurant where the salad dressing got its start.

SALINAS, CA " Star Market, here, a mid-sized, independent, family-owned store not to be confused with the Star Market supermarket chain acquired by Albertson?s a year ago, prides itself (among other things) on carrying a wide variety of fresh produce from Salinas-area growers.

The single-entity grocery store has long been a favorite outlet for products from growers in the tri-county area of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.