After seven years with Church Bros. in Salinas, CA, Ernst Van Eeghen, vice president of marketing and product development, is leaving the firm to take a position in San Antonio, TX, with a non-produce industry organization.

In an email to friends and colleagues, Van Eeghen said he was making the move to be closer to family. He characterized the new organization as "outside the produce industry, yet involved with manufacturing of food products."

C.H. Robinson and recently rebranded produce division Robinson Fresh have utilized their strengths to support two nationwide hunger-relief efforts. In recognition of a unique and collaborative effort, C.H. Robinson was presented with Second Harvest Heartland’s 2014 Hunger Hero Innovation Award for the company’s contribution to a large-scale agricultural rescue project.

Canadian fresh fruit and vegetables suppliers will soon lose preferential status when exporting to the United States if the Canadian government fails to follow through on its commitment under the Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council.

Fairway Group Holdings Corp. has named Jack Murphy, a seasoned retail executive with strong experience in specialty food retailing, as its chief executive officer. Murphy was a co-founder of natural foods grocer Fresh Fields Inc. before it was sold to Whole Foods Inc., and most recently he served as CEO of Earth Fare Inc., an organics and natural food chain with locations in the Southeast and Midwest.

C.H. Robinson recently announced the opening of a new office in Hamburg, Germany, as well as the promotion of two office managers.

Oliver Schmidt, who joined C.H. Robinson in April 2014, will now manage the new road transportation office in Hamburg, which focuses on new customer sales and executing road transport services. Schmidt has been working in the produce industry since 1994, developing a comprehensive background in road transport, air, ocean, project cargo, and supply chain consulting while working for large and mid-sized German logistics companies.

Cranberry Partners LLC, based in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, has allied with Naturipe Berry Growers Inc., headquartered in Salinas, CA, to offer a new fresh cranberry sauce kit.

Cranberry Partners takes title to, and markets, a “significant” volume of fresh organic cranberries, according to Bob Wilson, managing member.