I want to begin this column by thanking all of our members for their continued support. The Southeast Produce Council would not have enjoyed the success it has had over the years without the support of our members and continued sponsorship support. That support allows us to have great venues with record-breaking attendance at every conference and expo.

Southern Specialties, a grower, importer, processor and shipper of a variety of specialty products grown in Central America, South America, Mexico, Canada and the United States, is in the midst of a solid Florida blueberry deal that is expected to last through April.

The Pompano Beach, FL-based firm started shipping Florida blueberries in early March in six-ounce clamshells. The varieties it distributes include Farthing, Flicker, Chickadee and Meadowlark.

Produce Alliance, a produce management, procurement and consulting company represented by a network of best-in-class foodservice distributors and growers throughout North America, unveiled a new rebranding initiative at its 2015 National Conference in Charleston, SC.

More than 200 members made up of Produce Alliance’s top distributors and premium growers attended the annual meeting.

The three-day conference, which took place March 17-19 at the Belmond Charleston Place hotel, highlighted the importance of building existing relationships and strengthening partnerships.

Titan Farms in Ridge Spring, SC, has been chosen to receive the first Bayer CropScience Produce Innovation Award, designated for a grower “whose thinking, practices and use of technology enhance the role of produce in creating better lives,” Bayer CropScience stated in a news release.

The award recognizes improved yield and quality of produce, increased accessibility of produce to a broader group of people or increased demand for produce by expanding awareness of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, the news release added.  

CHARLESTON, SC — South Carolina’s first food hub here, GrowFood Carolina, passed the $1 million mark in payment to growers in 2014, according to Sara D. Clow, general manager.

The food hub began operations in 2011 and had set a $660,000 cumulative payment-to-farmers goal  for 2014, Clow told The Produce News.

GrowFood Carolina operates from a renovated warehouse in Charleston, connecting growers within a 120-mile radius to supermarkets, restaurants and foodservice institutions, serving as a wholesale logistics center for local produce.

AUSTIN, TX — Viva Fresh, a new conference and expo organized by the Texas International Produce Association that made its debut March 26-28, here, saw strong attendance and a sold-out expo floor.

Viva Fresh, dubbed the “Gateway to the Americas” show, was considered a great success by both organizers and attendees.  Even Texas’ spring weather was perfectly cooperative.