CHICAGO — “Ethnic items are our specialty. That is what we do and what we do well,” said Steve Chmelovsky Sr., the president and chief executive officer of EveryDay Fresh Produce Inc., located on the Chicago International Produce Market. In its product mix, “we are nicely positioned. We did that from the start,” when Chmelovsky founded the company 11 years ago. “Things are going very well.”

CHICAGO — After a record-breaking cold winter, the owner of a Chicago fruit house is especially pleased to see summer’s arrival.

Nick Gaglione, who owns Dietz & Kolodenko Co., a few weeks ago said, “It was a very hard winter for our customers, who had a lack of business. It was a long cold winter, even for Chicago. Now we’re starting to see summer fruit.” Chilean fruit was finishing and Gaglione anticipated the arrival of California summer fruit. “We are a fruit house,” so the summer is a key time for the firm.

WOODRIDGE, IL — Over the last 24 years, a company that started as a produce industry accounting software supplier learned and spread its wings to become a preferred perishable software solution.

Marc Hatfield, Produce Pro’s national sales manager, said that Produce Pro now provides software for the complete produce operation, such as inventory management, traceability, pricing, routing, sales order entry, repacking, processing, picking, packing, receiving, reporting and related realms.

KENOSHA, WI — Chicago-area independent retail grocery strength is being capitalized upon by Heartland Produce Co., situated in a new industrial park, here, a few miles west of the scenic shores of Lake Michigan.

Heartland has operated from Wisconsin since 1994, according to third-generation family member Ryan Dietz, director of business development. His father, Bill Dietz Jr., heads the company, which operates from an 80,000-square-foot warehouse.

The Vidalia Onion Committee and Applebee's have partnered to bring consumers a unique summer dish that boasts Georgia pride and farm-fresh flavor with the introduction of the new Grilled Vidalia Onion Sirloin, part of Applebee's new summer menu.

Wenatchee, WA-based Stemilt Growers recently added Jocelyn Gerard to its marketing team.

In her new position as regional merchandising manager, Gerard will be based out of the company’s Chicago office and will work directly with partner customers to develop marketing programs for Stemilt’s range of fresh fruit products.