Industry veteran John McGuigan has been named vice president for Ayco Farms-West to spearhead the company’s Western U.S. expansion. He will be responsible for opening offices for Ayco West in Southern California in January, as well as establishing a team of high-quality growers and produce professionals to distribute the company’s current portfolio of products, according to a company press release.

During the sixth annual International Forum on Food & Nutrition, The Kroger Co.'s Lynn Marmer, group vice president for corporate affairs,  discussed the company's efforts — including health-focused incentive programs for employees and lower retail prices in its produce department for customers — to promote a healthy lifestyle and fight obesity.

“The entire Christopher Ranch product line is very popular during the winter holidays, with high demand for garlic and shallots in particular,” said Patsy Ross, marketing manager for Christopher Ranch, headquartered in Gilroy, CA. “These items are available in both whole form as well as peeled.”

While any time of the year is a great time for conventional and organic produce favorites, during the winter months, RBest Produce Inc., headquartered in Port Washington, NY, and its sister company, El Sol Brands, in Medley, FL, are continuously stocked with fresh conventional and organic holiday favorites.

To whet any pallet, the companies offer sweet potatoes, celery, varieties of lettuces, apple varieties, cranberries, pomegranates and sweet Florida citruses, to name just a few.

RonProCon, a produce consulting service headquartered in Reno, NV, announced that due to increased client demand, it will open a second operating office located in Portland, ME, effective January 2015.

Organic grower Wholesum Harvest announced that Whole Foods Market has awarded a “Best” rating to each of the company’s three farms as part of the grocer’s new Responsibly Grown program. The program is designed to help customers make more informed purchases by offering transparency about how their food is grown; it also rewards the growers who are taking steps to protect consumer health and the environment.