Page 9 - index

OBITUARY
ANNOUNCEMENT
MANGO BOARD’S COLORFUL PITCH: GO MANGO!
The National Mango Board, Orlando, FL, has unveiled a new brand identity and strategy called Go Mango! The Super Fun Superfruit. The new brand style combines consumer insights with inspiration from mango growing regions that feature sun-splashed, vibrant colors. “We believe the pops of color, playful imagery and composition of the new brand style will evoke fun memories and inspire more U.S. consumers to relive and share their super fun experiences and boldly delicious mango recipes,” says Valda Coryat, director of marketing.
ANDREW BALDUCCI
Andrew “Andy” Balducci, owner of Balducci’s food store in Greenwich Village, passed away on March
22 at St. Francis Hospital in Rosyln, NY. He was
92. Balducci’s family legacy in fresh produce and specialty foods spanned nearly six decades, from its original open-air fruit and vegetable market started by Andrew and his father at Sixth Ave. and Ninth St. to its high-end European emporium in the 70s, 80s and 90s. The family eventually sold the business,
but it’s still going strong under the Baldor Specialty Foods nameplate. Andy helped put Balducci’s on the culinary map by spearheading the import of many Italian specialty and exotic items. Born in Brooklyn, he moved to Italy before returning as a teenager. He was a member of the U.S. Navy and served during World War II and participated in the invasion of Normandy, where he earned a Purple Heart. During
a stint working for his father-in-law’s masonry busi- ness, he also secured major contracts throughout the city, including laying the marble for exhibition buildings at the 1964 World’s Fair. Andrew is survived by his wife, Nina, two daughters, Marta and Andrea, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
ANNOUNCEMENT
BLAND FARMS WINS GLOBE AWARD
FOR INTERNATIONAL EXPORTING
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal presented Bland Farms, Glennville, GA, with the GLOBE Award (Georgia Launching Opportunities By Exporting) in recognition of
its outstanding international export business at the Go Global reception
in March at the
Atlanta History Center. Bland Farms’ expansion into the sweet potato export market has been beneficial for the company and for the state of Georgia. “The opportunity to expand our business by exporting sweet potatoes not only helps us, but it takes a Georgia-grown product to consumers worldwide, benefiting the state of Georgia as well,” says Jeff Bailey, the company’s chief executive.
ANNOUNCEMENT
SEVERAL UNITED FRESH EVENTS ON
TAP, INCLUDING SALES SEMINAR
The United Fresh Produce Association in Washington, DC, is offering a limited number of sales profes- sionals the opportunity to expand their skills at United Fresh Produce Sales Training on June 27-28 in Chicago. The course, which is $1,500 for members, will cover a variety of sales topics, including how
to identify customer needs and how to close. Participants will receive a complimentary Trade Show registration to the United Fresh convention on June 25-27 at McCormick Place Chicago.
United Fresh is also offering a food safety program on April 10-11 in Salinas, CA. The sessions will focus on the final FSVP rule requiring importers to perform certain risk-based activities to verify food imported into the United States meets applicable safety stan- dards. Contact Erin Grether at 202-303-3402.
TRANSITION
DC VETERAN NOW SENIOR DIRECTOR
OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
The United Fresh Produce Association hired John Hollay as Senior Director of Government Relations. Hollay previously worked for the
National Milk Producers Federa-
tion as Vice President of Govern-
ment Relations, spearheading
strategic efforts for the nation’s
dairy farmers on issues around the
2014 Farm Bill, immigration reform
and bioengineering labeling. Prior
to that he served as a congres-
sional aid for five years for Joe Courtney (D-CT), focusing on issues ranging from agriculture policy to education and labor.
FRESH INNOVATION NOMINATIONS
BEING ACCEPTED
The application period is now open for the 2018 United Fresh Innovation Awards, which will be announced at United Fresh June 25-27 in Chicago. Companies are encouraged to nominate their products and solutions in seven categories: Best New Packaging, Best New Food Safety Solution, Best New Packaging/Processing Equipment, Best New Fruit Product, Best New Vegetable Product, Best New Indoor Growing Technology and Best New Field Technology. Also, the nomination period is open for the United FreshMKT Achievement and United FreshTEC Achievement awards, which honor an individual or company who has made significant innovations through marketing and merchandising and technology, respectively.
ANNOUNCEMENT
BRIGHTFARMS CHOOSES TEXAS
FOR FIFTH GREENHOUSE SITE
BrightFarms, the Irvington, NY-based leader in locally grown salads, will break ground on a sustain- able greenhouse farm in Abilene, TX, this spring.
It will be the company’s fifth facility in the United States and first in Texas. The 195,000 square-foot greenhouse farm will provide locally grown salad greens and herbs that are pesticide-free, non-GMO and Texas-grown to supermarkets in the region starting in early 2019. Additionally, the greenhouse will use an estimated 80 percent less water, 90 percent less land and 95 percent less shipping fuel than some other salad farming operations. The Abilene facility will create as many as 30 permanent “green-collar” jobs for local residents.
ANNOUNCEMENT
GREEN GIANT LAUNCHES NEW
FRESH VEGETABLE MEAL BOWLS LINE
Green Giant Fresh, Salinas, CA, has launched a new line of fresh vegetable meal bowls with six distinct world flavors — Burrito, Fried Rice, Pad Thai, Rancheros, Buddha and
Ramen. All bowls are micro-
wavable and ready in minutes,
making them a convenient
meal option for time-starved
consumers. The bowls are
comprised of different Green
Giant Fresh value-added
vegetable mixes and blends,
including items from their Cauliflower Crumbles line and items from their 2017 Vegetable Noodles line.
MONTEREY MUSHROOMS PROMOTES ‘LET’S
BLEND’ ON MEDIA OUTLETS
Monterey Mushrooms of Watsonville, CA, took to television
to launch its Let’s Blend finely diced mushroom product line, partnering with dietitian and food blogger Shannon Garcia during a cooking segment in San Antonio in early March. Garcia utilized Let’s Blend in a recipe demo during “Great Day SA” and it also was featured on Facebook live as well as Instagram. Let’s Blend packaged mushrooms are available in 8-ounce packages in three pre-seasoned flavors: Classic, Mexican and Italian.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Produce & Floral Watch are regular features of Produce Business. Please send information on new products, personnel changes, industry, corporate and personal milestones and available literature, along with a high resolution image to: Managing Editor, Produce Business, P.O. Box 810425, Boca Raton, FL 33481-0425 or e-mail us at info@producebusiness.com
PRODUCE BUSINESS / APRIL 2018 / 9