Page 6 - 0619

produce watch
OBITUARY
DOMEX, PRODUCE INDUSTRY MOURNS DEATH OF BOB KERSHAW
Robert “Bob” Chester Kershaw, one of the founders of Domex Superfresh Growers, Yakima, WA, died from pancreatic cancer on May 9. He was 81. Kershaw was born in
1938, growing up on the apple and pear orchards in Washington State that his parents Ron and Betty had cultivated. His first job out of college was working at Gilbert Orchards. He late returned to the family farm in 1969, and he and brother Ed conceived Domex in 1981. Their project to bring other growers’ fruit to market grew into a vertically integrated organization. Bob Kershaw was an avid mountaineer, ski-racer and climber in the Cascade Mountains. He is survived by wife Skippy, his brother Ed, daughter Kristin Snapp and son Robert, along with many other family members.
Bob Kershaw
TRANSITION
NORTH SHORE LIVING
Milas Russell has joined
hydroponic greenhouse grower
North Shore Living, Thermal,
CA, as new general manager.
Russell, the former president of
melon growing operation Savor
Fresh Farms, adds experience in
sales, marketing, food safety and
accounting, as well as leadership
to the Southern California company that features fresh living herbs and microgreens. At Savor Fresh Farms, Russell oversaw all operations and devel- oped new programs from the ground up, helping introduce organic offerings, while growing revenue.
Milas Russell
ANNOUNCEMENT
STUDY: WATERMELON AMONG
FASTEST-GROWING FRUITS ON
FOODSERVICE MENUS
Watermelon on
menus has grown by
54% in the past four
years, according to
a recent Menu-
Trends research
study commissioned
by the National
Watermelon
Promotion Board (NWPB), Winter Springs, FL, and conducted by Datassential. According to the study, watermelon ranks 22nd among most popular fruits but is third with the greatest four-year growth. The NWPB says it is seeing a record number of operators seeking assistance with ideation, usage ideas, education and promotion support ... and seeing far more usage from national chains. “Chefs more than ever before are open to watermelon’s year-round versatility,” says Megan McKenna, director of food- service and marketing for the board.
ANNOUNCEMENT
SATUR FARMS RELEASES NEW LINE OF
ORGANIC SALAD DRESSINGS
Satur Farms, Cutchogue, NY, has unveiled a line of organic salad dressing that are non-GMO, gluten-free and made “exclusively with clean ingredients by real farmers.” The Long Island-based company claims its packaging is highly innovative, with six packs of 1-ounce dressings in single-serve pouches. Satur Farms also says
it will highlight its packages with
photos from its farms, as well as include informa- tion on the company and its sustainability efforts.
ANNOUNCEMENT
TAYLOR FARMS BRINGS OUT
FLAVOR WITH NEW SALAD KITS
Taylor Farms, Salinas, CA, has
launched four chopped salad kits
— Tangerine Crunch, Salsa Ranch,
Steakhouse Wedge and Roasted
Garlic. “These chopped kits offer
more than just a side salad,” says
Charis Neves, salad kit product
director. “You can add them to your
next brunch or grab our Roasted
Garlic kit and add freshly grilled veggies and proteins for a delicious dish in minutes.” The Taylor Farms kit portfolio now includes 18 retail recipes.
TRANSITION
FRUIT WORLD COMPANY
Fruit World Co., a grower-shipper
of organic and conventional fruit
based in Reedley, CA, has hired
Cindy Richter as director of busi-
ness development. Richter, who
spent the past 21 years at Pacific
Organic Produce, will help guide
Fruit World’s strategic growth
and serve as a bridge between
growers, buyers and consumers. “Cindy’s strong grower and customer relationships will allow us to continue to grow,” says co-founder CJ Buxman.
TRANSITION
Cindy Richter
DUNCAN FAMILY FARMS
Will Feliz, who has more than 30
experience working for small- to
Fortune 500-size produce compa-
nies, has returned to Duncan
Family Farms, a multiregional
grower of certified organic
produce based in Goodyear, AZ,
as its president. The company
also announced that Ryan Borer
has signed on as chief financial officer. Feliz origi- nally joined Duncan Family Farms in 2009 and was promoted to president in January 2016. He became chief executive of Wawona Packing in 2017.
ANNOUNCEMENT
SIDE DELIGHTS POTATOES PAIRS WITH
MUSHROOM COUNCIL ON PROMOTION
Fresh Solutions Network, LLC, San
Francisco, has collaborated with
the Mushroom Council to create
an in-store promotion with seven
original potato/mushroom recipes
for “A Week’s Worth of Yum.” The program combines nutritious vegetables from Fresh Solutions’ Side Delights potato growers and the Council’s mush- room growers.
Will Feliz
6 / JUNE 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
Produce & Floral Watch are regular features of Produce Business. Please send information on new products, personnel chang- es, 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 email us at info@producebusiness.com