Sweet Celebration is a new proprietary red seedless table grape variety from International Fruit Genetics that is being offered by Pandol Bros. Inc. in Delano, CA.

Pandol Bros. introduced the variety to the market last year on a commercial scale, and the “big news” from the company this year is a continuing increase in the volume of that variety, according to John Pandol, a director of the corporation.

Last year, the California table grape industry shipped a record volume of fruit at generally very good prices — a phenomenon growers, shippers and marketers attribute largely to the excellent quality of the grapes.

As of mid-July, the 2013 season was shaping up to be very much a repeat of the prior year, with once again a potential record volume of high-quality fruit moving briskly at good prices. Some said they saw even better quality than last year.

SHANNON BARTHEL has rejoined Pompano Beach, FL-based Central American Produce to take on the newly created role of director of marketing.

Barthel, a 25-year industry veteran, was most recently director of West Coast operations for Southern Specialties. Prior to that, she was with Central American Produce for nine years.

About one month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Belle Foods has announced plans to sell all of its remaining grocery stores.

Belle Foods and C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. have reached an agreement for debtor-in-possession financing to be extended by C&S to Belle, which has been approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Potandon Produce LLC, based in Idaho Falls, ID, will launch a retail display contest in which retailers are encouraged to build an attractive and memorable display using "Klondike" brand potatoes along with complementary fresh produce items to demonstrate healthy eating and drive overall produce sales.

Not long ago, the convergence of foodservice and retail seemed simple. Department stores offered snack bars (think: hot dog, popcorn and ICEE). Convenience stores installed microwaves to heat up the beef stew you might find (if you looked hard enough) beside the motor oil. And grocery store delis just started offering take-home rotisserie chickens in addition to their fried fare.

How times have changed.