TOMRA Sorting Solutions, through the merger of Odenberg and BEST, has in the last three months been awarded contracts totaling $18.5 million. The order is for optical sorting and peeling equipment to be used at a new high-capacity food processing plant in the United States.

Delivery is estimated to start in early 2013, and the solutions will be used for the processing of both French fries and associated products at the new plant.

BrightFarms Inc. and Schnuck Markets Inc. announced a partnership to build a greenhouse for the 99-store St. Louis-based supermarket chain.

BrightFarms will finance, build and operate a greenhouse to supply Schnuck customers with fresh, local produce year-round.

BrightFarms’ greenhouse will allow Schnuck Markets, which already buys directly from growers, to offer customers even more local produce. A local farmer, in partnership with BrightFarms, will operate the greenhouse and deliver the freshest possible produce to Schnuck Markets within hours of harvest.

 Olivier Banon and Andre Friesen of Mastronardi.

GATINEAU, QC — Outgoing QPMA President Robert Beauregard announced the finalist of the one-year internship program.

David Turcot of Ferme Turcot will spend the year attending QPMA events, meetings, working groups and round tables. The yearlong apprenticeship will offer Mr. Turcot the opportunity to network and learn about all aspects of the industry.

John Shuman knows that one in every three dollars spent on onions is spent on sweet onions. The president of Shuman Produce Inc. in Reidsville, GA, also knows that while the Vidalia onion is king of the heap, consumers can and do enjoy other sweet onions — as long as they have the same familiar shape, aroma and taste profile as Vidalias.

Shuman Produce deals in flat, Granex onions, which makes its Peruvian product a perfect fit for its year-round “RealSweet” brand program.

Autumn King, Scarlet Royal and Vintage Red, all newer late season varieties, will all see increased production this year for The Grape Guys in Cutler, CA, according to President Shaun Ricks.

Those are all “varieties that we have had in development, and we are getting more acreage,” he said. “Some acreage is in full production this year,” and other newer acreage will be in partial production this year. In addition, “There is some acreage that is first leaf” and will not bear fruit until future seasons.