“We are moving our basic lineup of vegetables currently,” Ken Cavallaro, treasurer of John Cerasuolo Co. Inc., told The Produce News. “We continue to handle a full line of vegetables from across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.”

Index Fresh Inc. in Bloomington, CA, will have a larger Mexican avocado program this year than it has ever had, but the same thing was true last year and the year before. “We have grown our program every year since we started, and we plan on growing the program again this year,” said President Dana Thomas.

It is 7,000 miles from Mexico to Japan via the United States, a mere 15 hours of flight time, and Arturo Hernández Campos, chief mango pamperer, wants to be certain his fruit makes it to Japanese dining tables free of pests and blemishes.

Fulfilling this double-mandate underlies the market niche established by Mr. Hernandez, 58, whose twin businesses based in Mexico City employ two dozen and for 14 years has assured Japanese customers the best of a Mexican crop.

The hosts of the popular daytime cooking show, "The Chew," enjoyed Sage Fruit's Crazy Apples so much that they decided to give the value-added product some national face time on Oct. 24.

Crazy Apples, which are flavored inside, were specifically developed to provide children with a healthful fruit option. Bubble gum, pomegranate grape and tropical blast are the featured flavors. Limited-edition holiday and seasonal flavors also available.

Though it’s not a scientific poll, this year’s presidential candidates have spent millions upon millions of dollars on U.S.-based Spanish language media, courting votes. This is a growing population, and politicians have discovered they can’t ignore it. In fact, many are saying that any political party that ignores this group is doomed to long-term failure.

The same might be said for marketers of products such as fresh produce. And the great news for fresh produce is that the Hispanic community tends to consume it at a much faster rate than their Anglo counterparts.

After more than 18 months of research, creative and strategic brand development, Mastronardi Produce is set to unveil its new "Inspired By Flavor" brand creative Oct. 27-28 at the upcoming PMA Fresh Summit convention in Anaheim, CA.

"The evolution of our 'Sunset' brand is an exciting time for us as we continue to grow both nationally and internationally," Chris Veillon, director of marketing for Mastronardi, said in a press release.