The National Mango Board’s very successful “Mangover” campaign made a significant and positive impact among consumers and media in 2013, so the board is capitalizing on that success and expanding the program this year.

According to the NMB’s 2013 Consumer Marketing Program Tracker, more than 1.7 billion mango impressions were delivered in 2013, largely because of the Mangover program initiatives.

Fresh Solutions Network LLC has launched Side Delights Gourmet Petite Potatoes, With Side Delights Gourmet Petite Potatoes, consumers can add the flavor and color of specialty potatoes found in fine-dining restaurants to the meals they make at home.

The Southeast Produce Council has completed what is surely another hugely successful event — its 2014 conference and trade show — with record overall attendance, including record attendance by members of the retail and foodservice sector, all leading SPC Executive Director Terry Vorhees to state, "I'm very pleased."

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Kitayama Bros. Inc. in Watsonville, CA, announced on its company website that it has diversified into selling directly to mass merchandisers.

“For most of our history we have relied on wholesale florists as our main market,” Robert Kitayama, chief executive officer and president of the company, said in a statement on the website. “We still hold a large percentage and have great relationships with the leading wholesale florists in the U.S., but in order to increase our flower production we had to be able to increase our customer base.”

While Administrative Professionals Day is not classified as a public holiday, there are 4 million administrative professionals in the United States alone, with a projected growth rate of 16 percent over the next eight years. As we in the floral industry are striving to add incremental sales growth to our organizations, Administrative Professionals Day may just be a sleeping giant.

The World Floral Expo in Chicago continues to gain momentum with over 80 exhibitors representing more than 12 countries registered at last count.

The three-day international trade event will be held March 26-28 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, with 27,500 square feet of exhibit area just a few minutes from O’Hare International Airport. Flower design demonstrations by six master floral designers from Holland, a panel discussion about changing fresh flower distribution channels and tours of the Chicago Perishable Center will be featured.