Vision Produce Co. has hired Lance Nichols as its new salesperson. Nichols, who has more than 32 years of procurement and sales experience in produce, will partner with John Caldwell, Vision Produce Co.'s vice president of sales and procurement.

NatureSweet Tomatoes is kicking off the New Year with the return of the popular NatureSweet SunBursts MVP promotion with retailers across the United States. Designed to aid shoppers in planning the perfect game-day party, NatureSweet will give away one daily $200 prize and one weekly $1,000 prize from Jan. 5 to Feb. 1 for a total of $6,800.

FirstFruits Marketing, growers of the Opal apple, is seeking applications from nonprofit organizations to benefit from 2014-15 Opal sales as part of the "Youth Make a Difference" initiative, a campaign designed to provide financial support to causes led by youth ages 6 to 25.

The attorney for Sweet Onion Trading Corp. in Grant, FL, was expected to file a motion Jan. 8 to give post-bankruptcy creditors assurances that the company will pay its new debts in a timely manner as it reorganizes under its Chapter 11 petition.

The firm filed for bankruptcy protection Dec. 24 with the goal of moving forward, and in fact, it has continued to operate since that date.

Hillary Femal, vice president of global marketing at IFCO Systems, is the Reusable Packaging Association’s first female chairperson in its 16-year history. She is joined by representatives of 20 additional companies, including four new members.

The group will focus on creating added benefits for members and strengthening the RPA’s position as the industry resource for the adoption of reusables.

Church Bros., a leading grower-processor-shipper of more than 500 fresh vegetable SKUs, recently hired several employees to assist multiple operations within the company.