Page 85 - Roduce Editorials News Today

Produce industry veteran Monty Robison, whose fresh fruit career spanned more than four decades in Arizona and California, died unexpectedly on Oct. 2 at the age of 58. Mr. Robison spent the past 10 years of his career with Dayka & Hackett LLC in Reedley, CA, serving in various senior marketing and category management roles. “Monty touched and influenced many different people and we will miss him in many ways,” said Dayka & Hackett CEO Tim Dayka. “He was a dear friend with one of t...

While at our local supermarket I complimented the produce manager on his very fresh, clean and attractive department. He thanked me and began stocking the onion section. I mentioned seeing his onion section much larger in the past and questioned why it was cut back so much. He replied that it was because of an onion shortage. I immediately pointed out that his nearby competitor has an end cap fully stocked with bagged onions as well as a large 15-foot bulk onion section.

Joolies is thrilled to welcome this year’s harvest and is confident about the crop, yielding an abundant amount of high-quality medjool dates. "This year, our family farm invested in innovative equipment to provide extra safety and efficiency to the harvesting process," the company said. "The entire Joolies team is looking forward to marketing our organic, medjool dates to the United States and beyond, as international markets love dates from California.

Avocados From Mexico is partnering with Susan G. Komen to "Share The Good" for the second consecutive year by highlighting Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the produce aisle this October. AFM will feature limited-edition pink packaging to support the world's leading nonprofit breast cancer organization with a "Good Fats. Good Cause" shopper promotion.

It will be more tasty treats — without the tricks — this Halloween as Jazz apples ramps up its successful "it’s Boo Time!" campaign. Audrey Desnoyers, Oppy’s director of business development and key account management, said Halloween is the perfect time to get the family together and enjoy Jazz apples. “Halloween is a fun, colourful holiday, to tie into promotions at a time that coincides with our fresh Washington Jazz harvest — it’s a fantastic time to enjoy Jazz apples,...

Initial spring projections from New York apple growers called for a solid season of regional varieties with volumes expected to return to the previous three-year average. As picking of early varieties began in mid-September, the crop has shown even stronger results than anticipated.

California Giant Berry Farms, a leader in fresh sustainable berries, shared a strawberry crop update, forecasting for giant volumes of organic and conventionally grown strawberries ahead. The company reports its Santa Maria-based grower partners are on track to deliver strong volumes of California strawberries forecasted for early to mid-October. 

The International Fresh Produce Association announced the winners of the IFPA Retail Merchant Innovation Awards Program. The program, sponsored by Sage Fruit Co., recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of a vice president or director (or equivalent position) in the produce departments of a retail banner that demonstrates passion and purpose in developing innovative strategies to drive produce consumption. IFPA honors five of the industry’s top retail directors and vice presidents for th...

On Wednesday, Sept. 29, about 20,000 pounds of colored Bell peppers arrived at the port of Miami from Colombia, marking the first time fresh Bell peppers were shipped to the United States from that South American country.

There’s a lot of enthusiasm at SunDate this season and the company is positioned for continued growth. “As we are every year we’re experiencing growth due to young plantings coming to maturity,” said DJ Ryan, sales and operations manager for SunDate. “As those trees get older the tonnage goes up so we’re definitely increasing in volume.”