Azzule Systems, headquartered in Santa Maria, CA, has announced that Rebecca Burnworth joined its team as technical manager for the PrimusGFS food-safety auditing scheme.   

In February 2014, PrimusGFS released a new version of the audit when re-benchmarked to the Global Food Safety Initiative 6th Edition Guidance document. As a technical manager for PrimusGFS, Burnworth will be involved with the requirements of transitioning to this new 2.1 version of PrimusGFS, and then with ongoing development and expansion of the PrimusGFS auditing scheme.

The famous "Snoboy" brand of fresh produce is returning to the retail marketplace after an absence of several years.

Amerifresh, owner of the "Snoboy" brand, announced the reintroduction at the recent National Grocers Association annual show.

PATERSON, NJ — South Carolina hosted the Eastern Produce Council's April 22 dinner meeting, the 43rd time the state has done so. "We thank them for their continued support," EPC President Paul Kneeland, vice president of produce, floral, seafood and meat at Kings Food Markets and Balducci's Food Lovers Markets, said in his introductory remarks at the meeting, held here at The Brownstone.

RIO RICO, AZ — Late this year, Grower Alliance, LLC, will add a winter watermelon deal, which will run from December 2014 until mid-March 2015.

“It’s something not a lot of people do,” said Jorge (George) Quintero, Jr., the firm’s managing partner. “There is less consumption in the winter, but there is less production, so the markets are high.” The wintertime fruit will come from Jalisco and Colima, Mexico. “You can grow north of there, but the quality won’t be that good,” he said.

Commerce City, CO — Anticipating some changes in the sweet corn market due to water shortages in the West, Ringer & Son Brokerage Inc. in Colorado expects its Olathe-area sweet corn deal to be up slightly this summer.

Ringer President Joshua Johnson said planting was to commence April 17, and harvest should begin July 8-12. The season is expected to run through Sept. 7, he added.

Answering retail, Mountain Fresh LLC owner Mike Ahlberg and his sons Zach and Seth will grow more bi-colored and yellow and less white this year, Johnson said.

Providing the best quality product and ensuring the safety of the food supply are the two main points that Richard Ruiz focuses on when running his business.

But the president of Ruiz Sales in Edinburg, TX, believes the responsibility needs to be shared throughout the supply chain.

"As an industry, we need to look at the overall bottom line, and the reason we are in business, and that is providing a product that is healthy, flavorful and, most important, safe," said Ruiz. "Anything less and we are failing the consumer, and not only that, we are cheating them."