The 2014 Fresno Food Expo, held on Thursday, July 24, featured 126 food and beverage companies from the Joaquin Valley. Participants had the opportunity to meet with 700 pre-qualified regional, national and international foodservice and retail buyers, restaurant chefs and institutions, as well as more than 1,000 members of the public looking to support local business.

Santa Cruz, CA-based Awe Sum Organics announced that Jodi Carkner joined its team on July 21.

Prior to joining Awe Sum Organics, Carkner worked with CF Fresh for 10 years where she focused on export sales of organic produce. Most recently, she worked for Northwest Farm Credit Service helping farmers secure funding.

Fred Recchiuti, general manager of Basciani Mushroom Farms in Avondale, PA, told The Produce News that the company has begun a new venture into producing blackberries.

“We haul berries for some other companies,” explained Recchiuti. “Over time we’ve learned about berry programs, including that there is an import gap on blackberries in July and August. We decided to start a small blackberry farm to help fill this gap.”

Taylor Farms Retail and Green Giant are shining a spotlight on value-added fresh-cut vegetables this summer. The national promotion features 55-cent instant redeemable coupons for select Green Giant Fresh cut vegetables and QR codes to enter into an exciting summer sweepstakes.

There is an uncomfortable question asked by bosses every so often and especially addressed to the heads of produce operations: “What happened to the produce gross?” I’ve heard it on occasion and the subject is one of instant discomfort.

Dan Wohlford, national marketing representative for Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers, said the company is making it easy for busy parents to incorporate healthy snacks into meal planning for children. “In general, we have become a nation of snackers,” he told The Produce News. “We grab something quick to eat as we are rushing from this activity to that. And parents want something that’s healthy and that kids will eat.”