NOGALES, AZ — Eggplant is the current focus in the effort of Wholesum Family Farms Inc., to move to year-round shipping programs.

Ricardo Crisantes Sr., vice president of sales and marketing for the company, which is based here, said that eggplant is currently the “biggest gap” in the firm’s year-round vegetable vision. Wholesum is creating nine acres of a poly greenhouse to have eggplant from May until November. This will complement Wholesum’s current availability from December to May.

Del Campo Supreme Inc. has introduced two new packaged vegetable products.

Jimmy Munguia said the firm is offering new sweet baby Bell peppers in consumer bags, and a “T’mates” brand consumer-boxed cocktail tomato-on-vine.

RIO RICO, AZ — A slow roll out toward consumer packaging and labeling is under way by SunFed Produce, LLC. The process began in October with new packages and brands displayed at the PMA Fresh Summit in Anaheim.

Central to the efforts are the creative talents of Brett Burdsal, who was hired in August as SunFed’s director of marketing.

“We will have additional grower-direct deals in chili peppers, honeydew melons, watermelons, squash and bell peppers,” said Donald Souther, vice president of marketing and sales development for Vision Produce Co. headquartered in Los Angeles. “And we are re-introducing our ‘California Chile Company’ brand with a refreshed look and exposure through our print, marketing outlets, social media and our packaging. Our ‘La Visión’ label has expanded into watermelon and squash.”

RIO RICO, AZ — This December, Fresh Farms, located here, will be starting with Culiacan eggplant, fresh pickles, green beans and green Bell peppers, according to Jerry Havel, director of sales and marketing.

In a mid-November interview, Havel said, “I think there will be a tight squash market to Christmas and a decent cuke market through Christmas.”

RIO RICO, AZ — The Nogales shipping season is expanding, Jorge Quintero Jr., the managing partner of Grower Alliance LLC, here, said. “We started earlier than ever” this summer, Quintero noted.

Grower Alliance had an early watermelon deal start Sept. 10, despite two unusual hurricanes struck West Mexico and largely washed out the watermelons. Nonetheless, the start date was 15 days earlier than normal.

At one time the Nogales deal began in November but now Culiacan and Sonora are increasingly shipping in October with products like melons, squash and cucumbers.