Getting involved in the family blueberry business at Frank Donio Inc. had an inauspicious start for Annie Pape, a member of the company’s sales and marketing department and pretty much jack of all trades around the office. Fortunately, things worked out very quickly.

As a trusted anchor tenant at the Detroit Produce Terminal, Riggio Distribution Co. boasts a long history as one of the Midwest’s largest produce wholesalers.

This third-generation wholesaler excels in all facets of the produce industry, providing a comprehensive selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. Their products are shipped seven days a week to both retail and foodservice customers.

A new travel grant has been established through the American Floral Endowment by a generous bequest from the estate of Ken and Jean Royer.

The Partnership for a Healthier America and the International Fresh Produce Association’s Foundation for Fresh Produce co-hosted the first-ever Produce for All Leadership Summit at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC, on June 10. The exclusive, invite-only event gathered 130 leaders from across the business, public, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors to share knowledge and create an actionable plan to double produce consumption in communities around the United States.

The spring is shaping up very well at D’Ottavio Farms, thanks to a combination of cooler weather earlier in the season and warmer weather later on.

Officials at D’Ottavio, which was founded in 1903 by Callie D’Ottavio when he cleared 30 acres of land in south New Jersey with horses and dynamite to raise sweet potatoes and broccoli, expect the spring harvest to be strong for its growing number of fruits and vegetables.

The big news out of Peru this season is that its avocado crop is smaller than it has been, but that will not be evident in the volume available from Santa Paula, CA-based Calavo Growers Inc.

“Overall, Peru has a smaller crop but our volume coming to the U.S. market will be a little bit more than last year, with a slightly smaller size curve,” said Peter Shore, vice president of product management.