“Our volume of the ‘Kiku’ club variety is up considerably this year,” John Rice, president of Rice Fruit Co. in Gardners, PA, told The Produce News. “We are getting close to our marketing quota, which means that we have a nice supply of this outstanding apple variety this season. Under our licensing agreement, we’re permitted to sell 100,000 packed boxes annually, and this year we are up to about 75,000.”

As the holiday season approaches, GloriAnn Farms and partner Five Crowns Marketing are getting into the giving spirit. After two months of promotions, GloriAnn Farms announced this year’s charitable contributions totaled just shy of $40,000. For the third year in a row, donations were made to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc.

Whole Foods Market has named Bill Jordan its president of the Rocky Mountain region, effective immediately.

If a retailer is selling blueberries, grapes or stone fruit — such as peaches, plums and nectarines — during the winter months, chances are the fruit is from Chile, said Karen Brux, managing director of the San Carlos, CA-based Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, North America. “As the largest fruit exporter in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile exports more than 800,000 tons of fruit to the U.S. annually, and over half of that is supplied during our winter months. Consumers expect their retailers to have year-round supplies of their favorite fruits, and Chile makes it possible.”

At the 17th annual Friend of Chile Awards Luncheon, the Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia honored accomplished business leaders, including John Anderson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of The Oppenheimer Group, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sunkist has developed a video series called Sunkist Citrus Hacks to inspire consumers to get creative this citrus season.

"The videos are a spin-off of 'life hacks' — the popular clever life solutions that have garnered so much online traction," said Joan Wickham, Sunkist advertising and public relations manager. "Sunkist Citrus Hacks teach tips and tricks that can help make enjoying citrus easy and, of course, fun.