This fall, O.C. Schulz & Sons, Inc., the potato grower-packer-shipper located in Crystal, ND, installed an ozone generator for its grader’s wash line. The new system cleanses the company’s grading water system with ozone, as a contribution toward food safety.

“Different markets have different demands during the holidays,” said Bill Litvin, vice president of sales and national account manager for Giorgio Fresh, headquartered in Temple, PA, a leading producer, packer, shipper and marketer of fresh mushrooms and mushroom products. “We find that the metro New York market focuses on stuffer-size mushrooms.”

Alternatively, Litvin noted that other markets look for sliced product to assist in holiday cooking.

The Peruvian Asparagus Importers Association elected association chairmen for the 2014-15 term at its October meeting. Walter Yager of Alpine Fresh was re-elected East Coast co-chair and Brian Miller of Gourmet Trading was elected West Coast co-chair, both by member vote.

Sysco Corp. and US Foods today announced an agreement to merge. The total enterprise value of the transaction is approximately $8.2 billion and the combination has been approved by the board of directors of each company.

Bill DeLaney, Sysco president and chief executive officer, will lead the combined company, which will continue to be named Sysco and headquartered in Houston, TX. At closing, Sysco will have estimated annual sales of approximately $65 billion.

The Nunes Co., the Salinas, CA-based marketer of "Foxy" brand vegetables, has unveiled a new Foxy Organic logo, which will begin appearing on all organically grown Foxy vegetable products this month.

The newly designed Foxy Organic logo maintains the heritage of the "Foxy" brand name while adding a fresh and contemporary focus on the word "organic."

Earthbound Farm, a leading producer of organic packaged salads based in San Juan Batista, CA, will be acquired by dairy producer WhiteWave Foods for about $600 million.

WhiteWave, which makes Silk soy milk, Horizon Organic dairy products and International Delight coffee creamers, said it would operate Earthbound Farm as a separate business with no significant changes after the acquisition closes in the first quarter of 2014.