The 2015 Fresno Food Expo, presented by Union Bank, is accepting entries for its third annual New Product Awards through Thursday, July 2, 2015 at midnight. The New Product Awards, presented by Baker Peterson Franklin CPA LLP, showcase innovative San Joaquin Valley food and beverage products and packaging, recognizing food trendsetters with two distinctive awards: the People’s Choice Award and the Buyer’s Choice Awards.

CHICAGO — Absorbing Michael J. Navilio & Son Inc. into the operations of La Galera Produce LLC has boosted sales volume, according to Jose (Pepe) Vega, a La Galera buyer and family owner.

As Jim Navilio actively works from a desk within La Galera, with him came his shippers and customers. Navilio’s product line was primarily made up of American vegetables.

“We were already doing well,” Vega noted, “but this has helped very much.”

CHICAGO — In June 2013, Strube Celery & Vegetable Co. turned over its management to the new Strube generation. Two years later, Robert (Rob) Strube III, the firm’s new president, said the family business is going well: “Everyone is still adjusting. We know we are heading in the right direction. We have been focused on working ‘in’ the business, but now trying to work more ‘on’ the business and the strategic direction we want to take.”

KENOSHA, WI — On July 28 the Heartland Children’s Foundation will sponsor the Heartland Produce 2015 Charitable Golf Outing at the ThunderHawk Golf Club in Beach Park, IL. This will be the second year for the fundraiser, which last year netted $20,000. Customers, suppliers and employees of Heartland are invited to participate.

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Business has been good for Muller Trading Co. Inc., located in a small town on the northern fringes of Chicagoland.

Sarah Miller, the firm’s chief operating officer, said the produce brokerage house has five salespeople that are cultivating business in the Southeast. Five more are working the Northeast and another five are focusing sales in the Midwest. The company is building sales in the Southwest.

The firm offers almost a full line of produce. “There isn’t much we don’t sell,” Miller noted.

WOODRIDGE, IL — As Produce Pro Inc. celebrates its 25th anniversary, Marc Hatfield, the firm’s national sales manager, said, “We are a consulting firm, not just a software company.” The consulting side provides produce industry customers — which include grower-packer-shippers, terminal market operations, retailers and foodservice operations — with “good service and more efficiencies to help the bottom line. We are an ERP (enterprise resource planning with business management software) but people forget we are really consulting with our customers, solving different problems.”