Carl Sam Maggio, who had a produce career stretching six decades, died Aug. 19 of natural causes after battling health issues for the previous two years. He was born Jan. 23, 1933, making him 89 at his death.

Two coasts, 12 states, 3,028 miles, 175,000 vertical feet over three mountain ranges, all at an average speed of 17 miles per hour. “And we only had two flat tires,” Karin Gardner, executive director of marketing at Oppy, said of her team’s impressive top-category finish in the 2022 cycling event Race Across America.

BelleHarvest has been involved in the apple industry for more than 50 years and is one of the largest apple shippers/packers in the state of Michigan. The company was established back in 1957, therefore its roots within the apple industry are deep and its reputation is strong.

In a typical year, the company packs around 1.6 million boxes of apples.

This summer, Bako Sweet hosted a retail merchandising contest that ran from May 20 to July 4. Produce managers from Sprouts Colton Distribution Center were challenged to create the most creative displays using the brand’s organic sweet potato bags and Traeger grill-themed bin to promote sweet potato consumption during historically low sales months. As a result, stores that participated saw significant sales lift.

Bobalu Berry Farms continues on its growth track as the company celebrates 60 years of farming fresh strawberries this year in California.  Another staff position has been added to help streamline packaging, supplies and inventory management throughout all growing regions.

Riveridge Produce Marketing is a vertically integrated apple grower, packer, shipper and marketer of apples.

“We market fresh apples on behalf of many multi-generational growers primarily in Michigan,” said Trish Taylor, marketing manager for the Sparta, MI-based company. “Additionally, we are cider makers; Riveridge Cider Co. presses fresh cider year-round at our facility in Michigan.”