Except for a late start due to cool, wet weather and somewhat smaller-than-normal sizing for the early part of the onion harvest, Telesis Onion Co. Inc. in Five Points, CA, foresees a normal season for the company, which specializes in onions grown on the west side of California’s San Joaquin Valley, according to Mike Smythe, who handles sales for the company.

Double D Farms in Coalinga, CA, has doubled its organic onion acreage in California’s Central Valley this year and now will be doing 100 percent of its marketing in-house.

With farming operations in both Mexico and California, Double D Farms is a vertically integrated, diversified grower-packer-shipper that grows and markets an assortment of both conventional and organic produce items, but it focuses mainly on fresh organic produce for retail and wholesale customers.

Indianapolis Fruit Co. Inc. is using the latest technology to help retailers promote its “Garden Cut” brand of processed products.

This summer, the Indianapolis-based firm will be launching a smart phone and iPad application using QR codes to help consumers scan “Garden Cut” packages for additional product information.

Indianapolis Fruit and “Garden Cut” both have Facebook pages and Twitter accounts that are used to promote “Garden Cut” according to Shane Towne, who heads marketing and business development for Indianapolis Fruit.

Ray & Mascari Inc., located in Indianapolis, enjoyed “a lot of growth this year,” according to Joe (Rocky) Ray, the firm’s vice president.

Mr. Ray, who works with his family, including his father, also named Joe Ray, in the family business, said that sales are strong in both the retail and foodservice ends of the trade. Ray & Mascari specializes in tomato repacking.

Piazza Produce Inc. seized on an opportunity when another Indianapolis company went out of business this spring.

On May 24, Pete Piazza, president of the firm, told The Produce News that in the prior 60 days, a company that had specialized in providing high-end specialty food items to the foodservice trade had gone out of business.

The Center for Produce Safety's advisory board convened June 27 with a key order of business to welcome new board leadership as well as recognize departing board members for their service.

CPS announced that produce industry veteran Stephen Patricio, president of Westside Produce, has assumed the chairmanship of the center’s advisory board, replacing Tim York, president of Markon Cooperative, who held the position since the center was founded in 2007.