WASHINGTON, D.C. - Three PACA violators in Arkansas and Texas have been restricted from operating in the produce industry, according to a USDA press release.

Twin City Produce of Springdale, a Springdale, AR based company, failed to pay a $7,778 award in favor of a Texas seller. Travis F. Sharum was listed as a member of the business.

Freshpack Distribution, a McAllen, TX based company, failed to pay a $129,324 award in favor of a Colorado seller. Virginio R. Moreno was listed as the sole proprietor of the business.

Sun Belt Commodities Inc., a Houston, TX based company, failed to pay a $10,158 award in favor of an Arizona seller. James C. Lai was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business.

In the past three years, the USDA resolved approximately 4,600 claims under the PACA involving more than $87 million. Individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders may not be employed or affiliated with any PACA licensee without the approval of the USDA. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses operating subject to PACA.

USDA

IRVINE, CA – The California Avocado Commission (CAC) celebrated “California Avocado Month” in June as part of its early season marketing by partnering with artisan chefs across the U.S. to add California avocados to the menu.  The public relations program generated consumer media coverage and showcased the versatility of California avocados in different dishes to promote menu placement at restaurants.

“The Commission continues to tap into the creativity of artisan chefs to encourage new uses for California avocados,” said Jan DeLyser, Vice President of Marketing for CAC. “These chefs put together some awesome menus highlighting California avocado versatility throughout CAC’s California Avocado Month program in June.”

Well-known chefs across the U.S. participated in the promotion and featured California avocado specials in their restaurants, according to a press release.  Seattle chef Eric Tanaka ran month-long specials at three Tom Douglas properties.  His featured dish was Grilled and Chilled Rhode Island Squid, California Avocado, Lemon, Radish, Pea Vine and Squid Ink Aioli.

Carol Wallack of Sola, CAC’s artisan chef partner in Chicago, featured a special of Unagi atop Sushi Rise, Drizzled with Sweet Soy-Sake BBQ Sauce, accompanied by a California Avocado and Banana Puree.  Across New York, New Jersey and Florida, Chef Ivy Stark featured her own spin on guacamole with California Avocado.

Other artisan chef partners who participated include Bruce Auden from San Antonio; Trey Foshee from San Diego; Philadelphia’s Mitch Presnky; Kent Rathbun from Dallas/Houston/Austin/Plano, and Oregon-based Lisa Schroeder.

Chef Schroeder’s restaurant, Mother's Bistro & Bar in Portland, Ore., was the site of a California Avocado Month artisan chef media dinner. Fifteen local food media attended the dinner, including representatives from The Portland Mercury and Oregon Public Broadcasting. Guests enjoyed a meal full of California avocado that kicked off with appetizers and Lucy Brennan’s Avocado Daiquiri. After enjoying a Butter Leaf Salad with California Avocado, Green Onion and Lemon Vinaigrette, attendees were served the chef’s Grilled Chicken Breast Topped with Sautéed Onions, Sliced California Avocado and Fresh Tomato Salsa along with one of her signature side dishes, California Avocado and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese.

During the meal Chef Schroeder demonstrated one of the appetizers – California Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail – while providing facts about California avocados. Avocados also were the key ingredient in the dessert, a California Avocado Lime Pie.

The California Avocado Commission will continue to generate awareness about the versatility and uses of the California avocado.

California Avocado Commission

MCMINNVILLE, OR – HBF International, formerly Hurst’s Berry Farm, has expanded its sales force with the addition of four new members to the team.

Jessica Menke has been hired to Domestic Sales.  She started with HBF International in early 2011 as a sales assistant, according to a press release.  The experience she gained assisting the sales force with orders, customer service and truck transportation has made her an asset to the team.

Phillip Moreland has been hired to Domestic/Food Service Sales.  Previously, he worked as Director of Sales for Sunnyside Packing Company.  Phillip will work out of the HBF International California office and will take on the additional growth of HBF’s domestic and food service sales.

Barry Foley has been hired to Export Sales.  He is an industry veteran with a career going back to 1986.  Barry has held a variety of roles in the produce industry including managing his own export brokerage business for eight years, according to a press release.  He will be working with and growing the export program.

Hollie Spivey has been hired as a Sales Assistant.  She has 13 years of experience in ag-related business.  Hollie worked at Evergreen Agricultural Enterprises for six years.  She will be the go-to person in the sales department to assist the team in putting in orders, doing sales support and follow-ups.  She will also arrange truck transportation for the entire domestic berry output.

HBF hopes that this expanded sales force will be able to deliver even more high-quality berries from the world’s top growers to market.

Congratulations Jessica, Phillip, Barry and Hollie!

HBF International

CHEROKEE COUNTY, SC - This past weekend, karma came knocking for James Lawhorne - the man behind the bankrupted Tennessee Valley tomato company, Cypress Creek Organic Farms, as well as a string of felonies as long as the list of the states he committed them in. Lawhorne has been on the run for almost a year now, but was finally apprehended by South Carolinian authorities in Cherokee County after he was found to be driving under the influences and possessing an open container.

The DUI and open container violations are just the latest in a slew of crimes James Lawhorne has committed over his life. Under the alias Paul Rodger, he was indicted for 10 counts of bank fraud in 1987. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay over $34,000 in restitution payments to his former investors. More recently, he fled Alabama in order to avoid paying $228,000 in damages to Alabama investors which they were awarded in a civil lawsuit. He is also wanted in Tennessee, where there is an outstanding warrant for his arrest, issued after he failed to appear for court. He has been on the run ever since, at least until now.

Lawhorne will be held in a South Carolinian jail until he can be extradited to Tennessee to answer for his crimes. According to reporters at the Waff 48, he must first pay back the $1,400 dollar bond levied against him for his DUI charge before he can be extradited. Regardless, Tennessee prosecutors and Lawhorne's many defrauded investors can take solace in the fact that justice is finally in sight.

LOS ALAMITOS, CA – Frieda’s Specialty Produce has debuted its new season of “Specialty Produce 101” videos on its YouTube channel.  The videos highlight specialty produce and are uploaded monthly.

Check out the latest installment below:

For more, check out Frieda's Youtube channel by clicking here.

“With marketing trends leaning more toward mobile, it is important to us that we have easy to access, short videos for shoppers to watch on the fly,” said Karen Caplan, President and CEO of Frieda’s.

Each new video is about a minute and a half and keeps the quirky charm of the previous seasons while clocking in at about half the length, according to a press release.

According to Caplan, shoppers are not the only group that benefits from these new, shorter videos.  “Many of our retail clients use our videos to train their produce managers,” she said.  “The shorter form of the videos is much more time efficient.”

Alex Jackson, Account Manager and Caplan’s daughter, is featured in the videos and showcases usage tips, interesting facts and recipe ideas.  The videos are all produced in-house in Frieda’s test kitchen.

Frieda's Specialty Produce

WENATCHEE, WA – It's prime time for jumbo-sized apricots in Washington state and with its “All Eyes on Apricots” promotion, Stemilt is making sure everyone knows. Stemilt's growers have a great harvest on their hands this season, and they're excited to share this with consumers and retailers over the next two weeks of their promotion.

“Apricots are a heritage item at Stemilt, and the quality of the 2014 crop is one of the finest we’ve seen in years,” said Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl. “They’re tree-ripened and come from great locales like Tri Cities and growers like the Douglas family, who have farmed fruit for four generations. Warm days produce apricots with balanced sugars and acids while cool nights give them their classic vibrant orange color and beautiful pink-red blush.”

Stemilt hopes that its promotional campaign will drive up hype for its summer apricots, helping retailers to move them off the shelves and into shopper's carts, boosting sales all around.

“Now is the time to make sure all eyes are on apricots in your produce department. It’s the peak season for Stemilt’s premium quality, dessert flavored, and healthy apricots. The next two weeks are key for using apricots to drive sales in order to boost your stone fruit category,” said Pepperl to Stemilt's retail partners.

In addition to being delicious, apricots have long been valued for their excellent nutritional profiles. In particular they are a great source of vitamin A, an essential component to maintaining good vision and overall eye health.

“Apricots are an excellent source of vitamin A, with 13% of the daily recommended value in just one apricot. They also contain vitamins C, E, and carotenoids which protect the retina, the part of the eye with the sharpest vision. Our 'All Eyes on Apricots' promotion is a great way to call attention to Stemilt apricots at your stores during their peak season and promote health, a topic that consumers care a lot about,” Pepperl elaborated. 

According to a press release, Stemilt's main apricot varieties are Rival and Perfection. They will be packing most of their jumbo-sized apricots in panta packs, allowing for quick-build displays at the retail level. Stemilt has also created a 11x7 point-of-sale sign for the  “All Eyes on Apricots” promotion, highlighting the nutritional benefits of apricots as well as display contests and demos that retailers can take advantage of.

 Stemilt

PLANT CITY, FL – Monday morning Wish Farms announced that long time produce veteran Chuck Hollenkamp will be stepping down from his current role as Executive VP of Fresh Sales in order to transition to a new seasonal role with the Wish Farms' grower relations team. As an adviser to the grower relations team, he will be focusing largely on his company's deals with Florida strawberry and Kirby cucumber growers.

“Chuck has been with us for almost 30 years and has become a part of our family,” President of Wish Farms Gary Wishnatzki said. “His field experience and established grower relationships will transition nicely into his new seasonal role. We are grateful he will remain a part of our team.”

With Hollenkamp leaving, James Peterson will now be stepping up to head the Wish Farms sales department.

Hollenkamp first signed on with Wish Farms in 1985 as a warehouse manager. He would wear many different hats during his career with the company, eventually finding a home in sales. According to a press release, Wishnatzki considers Hollenkamp's expertise to have been essential to Wish Farms' growth into one of the leading berry marketers in the industry.

AndNowUKnow would like to wish Chuck the best in his new role with Wish Farms.

Wish Farms

IDAHO FALLS, ID - Fans of America's favorite web-slinging superhero are going to love this latest promotion by Potandon Produce. North America's largest marketer of fresh potatoes is teaming up with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to help customers save big on the soon to be released Spiderman 2 on Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD when they buy a specially marked bag of Green Giant® Fresh 5lb Russet Potatoes.

Starting Tuesday, August 19 when the Spiderman 2 DVD and Blu-Ray release begins, customers can save $5 off the cost of the movie as long as they purchase it along with a sack of Potandon Produce's much loved potatoes. The promotion will run through October 31st, giving movie-lovers an excellent window of opportunity to take advantage of this great deal.

According to a press release, Potandon Produce will be promoting their program at the store level through point of sale materials in conjunction with an aggressive email and social media program.

Potandon Produce

Klondike Brands

Green Giant Fresh

SHERMAN OAKS, CA – Sunkist Growers has released the findings of its S’alternative® research conducted by Master Chef Karl Guggenmos, WACS, AAC and Chef Michael Makuch from Johnson & Wales University.

The research showed that the use of Sunkist® lemons may allow for significant salt reduction while boosting flavor in recipes.  According to a press release, the study concluded that lemons could reduce salt by as much as 75%.

"While Sunkist has put a lot of energy behind informing consumers about our sodium reduction strategies using lemons, this research gives us exciting results that show just how effective Sunkist lemons can be in reducing people's salt intake without compromising flavor," said Sunkist Advertising & Public Relations Manager, Joan Wickham.

Increased use of lemons could play a major role in reducing Americans' dependence on the salt shaker.  The average American consumes twice the recommended amount of sodium, and high sodium intake has been linked to high blood pressure, cancer and osteoporosis, according to a press release.  Sunkist has encouraged consumers to choose lemons over salt as part of its Sunkist S’alternative program, which provides low-sodium tips and recipes using Sunkist lemons.

"The results of this research show that flavor and health considerations do not have to be mutually exclusive," said Global Master Chef Karl Guggenmos, WACS, AAC. "Since the use of lemon juice and zest is such a simple tip for chefs of all skill levels, this information could go a long way in combating our excess sodium intake."

The taste tests were used to test the use of Sunkist lemon juice and lemon zest in dishes including meat, grains, soups and salads.  The recipes were re-created using salt in decreasing amounts with lemon juice and zest to find the ideal combination.  Most participants actually preferred recipes made with reduced salt and added lemon juice and zest, according to a press release.

Additional research results include:

• Using lemon juice and zest in vegetable recipes allows for a potential 75 percent reduction in sodium per recipe

• Incorporating lemon juice and zest in recipes for pork tenderloin, tuna, halibut and salad dressing allows for a potential 50 percent reduction in sodium per recipe

• Adding lemon zest to dry rubs for meats like chicken and beef allows for a potential 30 percent reduction in sodium per recipe

New recipes were created by Registered Dietician Nutritionist, Cordon Bleu-certified Chef and best-selling author of “Clean Eating for Busy Families,” Michelle Dudash to incorporate the optimal blends of Sunkist lemon juice, zest and salt discovered from the taste tests.  For those recipes, additional tips and more information about Sunkist S’alternative, click here.

Sunkist

SALINAS, CA – Mann Packing has reached a milestone – its 75th anniversary.  Mann celebrated the event with a party at the Monterey County fairground.  The event featured food, entertainment, activities and a walk through the Mann Museum for all the visitors, which chronicled the past 7 ½ decades since the company was established.

“We are honored and proud to celebrate our 75th anniversary in a very competitive industry often filled with trials and tribulations,” said Lorri (Nucci) Koster, Chairman and CEO. “We credit our adherence to quality and ability to adapt to changing market needs as a key to our success. We thank our employees and growers for their contributions towards helping us reach this significant milestone. Our core values of honor, quality, vision and passion are something we focus on daily. Where we come from matters; it’s important to remember the amazing people who helped build this company to what it is today. It’s our turn at the helm to shepherd Mann Packing into the future for many years to come.”

The company was founded in 1939 by H.W. “Cy” Mann and was a carrot packing operation.  Soon after, it started growing broccoli for frozen food companies.  Mann saw potential in the relatively unknown vegetable and began shipping broccoli around America.

Mann Packing Company funded the first market basket nutritional study of broccoli at the USDA along with the Produce Marketing Association.  With the publication of that study, shipments of fresh broccoli increased 940% between 1970 and 1985, according to a press release.

Mann Packing has been a family-owned and operated company for three generations and is currently owned by the Nucci and Ramsey families.  With more than 65% of its shareholders being women, it is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBENC).

Congratulations on reaching this milestone!

Mann Packing