Del Monte Fresh Produce, one of North America’s leading marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, announced that industry veteran Robert (Bob) Spence has joined the company as vice president of sales and product management for its tomato and vegetable program.

The Produce Corner with Bob Corey, which spanned 23 years as a local news insert on TV stations throughout the country and for three years on the Food Network, is now available on YouTube.

Costco Wholesale Corp.’s sales of organic produce have seen tremendous growth recently. In 2014, the company’s organics were approaching $3 billion in sales, which Richard Galanti, chief financial officer, said was more than twice what the company did two years earlier.

Southern Specialties presented the company’s first “True Partner” award to Sysco produce at the Southeast Produce Council’s Annual Southern Exposure convention.

Southern Specialties created the award to recognize the customer that best supports the sustainable efforts of the company.

The number and sales of produce items at retail that fit into the convenience or value-added category continue to grow, according to Galina Zelfond-Orlosky, category business manager for produce for Daymon Worldwide.

Zelfond-Orlosky is stationed in New England for Daymon, an international firm that specializes in representing branded product at the retail level.

“We are seeing significant growth in retail business for these items,” she told The Produce News.