In many ways, Jeff Oberman has been in training his entire career for the California Avocado Commission presidency slot that he just secured.  He was hired earlier this month after close to a year-long search and starts his new position today.

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.

Los Angeles-based company, Verona Roses, shakes up the market for preserved flowers and personalization, creating the first luxury wooden box of preserved roses with a high-definition screen for video playback.

Its founders, Karina Quiroz and Andrea Dominguez, and their husbands, Victor and Raúl, will launch this luxurious product full of innovations that will mark a before and after in the market of preserved roses in the U.S. and the world.

HPGen has won the Iberflora Innovation Award for technological improvement in ornamental production.

Certified American Grown is proud to be the floral and foliage sponsor for the 53rd Annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition held by the Professional Floral Communicators International, during the annual convention of the Society of American Florists at the beginning of Sept. 2022.

This year’s competition saw 20 designers from throughout the U.S. work their artistry with domestic products to develop arrangements that met the whimsical theme elements of classic Dr. Seuss novels.

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 the kindest souls I have had the privilege to know.”