The inaugural Southeast Produce Council Charity Golf Classic, benefiting the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, will be held June 18-19 at Chateau Elan in the beautiful mountains of Braselton, GA.

In an effort to better serve customers and business partners, Crowley Maritime Corp.'s Guatemala-based liner and logistics teams have moved into a new office space in the heart of Guatemala City, the country's bustling metropolis and most populous city in Central America.

Modeled after Crowley's Jacksonville, FL, headquarters, the office's open layout maximizes the workspace while promoting a collaborative environment and synergy between the two business units, which were previously housed in separate buildings.

Healthy roots are absolutely essential to orchids, according to the American Orchid Society. Without a substrate conducive to root establishment, growth and function, an orchid cannot absorb the nutrients and water it requires.

What are the properties of a suitable growing medium? It should be firm and yet well aerated. Having these two characteristics, such a medium can offer a foundation to which the roots can attach themselves, while at the same time allowing the aeration necessary for their proper function.

Orchids sell because they are beautiful, long-lasting and they’re priced within a range that customers are willing to pay. In addition, consumers are learning that orchids are simple and easy to care for. Commercial orchid growers are doing an effective job of conveying this message through catchy marketing campaigns such as Green Circle Grower’s Just Add Ice.

The Kroger Co. and Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc. completed their merger transaction Jan. 28. The two companies also announced the retirement of Thomas W. Dickson as chairman and chief executive officer of Harris Teeter.

"We are pleased that our merger is complete and look forward to bringing together the best of Kroger and Harris Teeter to benefit our customers, associates and shareholders," W. Rodney McMullen, CEO of Kroger, said in a press release.

Changes in the types of cut flowers that a floral department carries have been shifting from simply offering traditional cut flowers and bouquets to including specialty cuts. As traditional floral shops continue to close, floral consumers are looking for alternative places to purchase their flowers. Floral buyers and floral managers who are willing to incorporate high-margin specialty cut flowers, such as orchids, will position themselves for repeat business.