C&K Market previewed what customers can expect in the future as it emerged from bankruptcy protection on Aug. 10. Stores will emphasize local produce, including more organic items and a larger selection of general merchandise offerings. Some stores will also see the addition of salad bars, hot prepared food options and sushi.

John Rice, president of Rice Fruit Co. in Gardners, PA, told The Produce News that although the company is well known for its apple production, it also does a sizeable business in peaches.

“We have about 250 acres of peaches that start harvesting the last week of July,” said Rice. “But this year we started about ten days late because of the cold winter and cool spring which delayed bloom. Apples are in the same situation, but that also means that we’ll be harvesting several days later than normal on both.”

There has been a lot of activity in the realm of updates and improvements at Fowler Farms in recent times. Lee Peters, vice president of sales and marketing for the Wolcott, NY, firm shared a list of some of the major projects at the facility.

“We have completed renovated our engine rooms and controls that operate all of our storage capabilities,” said Peters. “This was a two-year project that we’re pleased to report is now completed and in operation.”

“We are a multi-generational, family operated sales company,” Ron Cohn, president of Stanley Orchards Sales Inc. in Modena, NY, told The Produce News. “We represent New York and some New England growers for domestic sales. We also export to Israel, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Russia, the latter of which is somewhat contentious this year. And we import from Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and Peru. In all, we’re dealing in eight countries at this time.”

“ ‘SweeTango’ brand apples herald the arrival of fall,” Timothy Byrne, president of Next Big Thing, A Growers’ Cooperative, headquartered in Lake City, MN, told The Produce News. “The apple is crisp, juicy and loaded with flavor. We tell”people to ‘get some ‘SweeTango” and toast the fall.’ “

The cooperative is the exclusive growing and marketing agent for “SweeTango” apples in the United States and Canada. Byrne said that the 45 growers who are members of the co-op are truly seasoned apple growers, and they are spread across the country.

Matthew D’Arrigo, vice president of D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New York Inc., located at the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Market in the Bronx, NY, said as of early August the Eastern apple crop appeared to be in good condition.

“It looks like we’re set for a very good-size apple crop with nice quality,” said D’Arrigo. “We are looking forward to getting behind a beautiful crop from the Northeast.”