CINCINNATI -- Chiquita Brands International Inc. announced that its premium "Chiquita" brand ranked No. 5 in overall brand equity in the 2005 edition of EquiTrend, a unique brand quality and equity measurement and comparison tool developed by Harris Interactive.

NEWARK, DE -- Citing growing member concerns regarding transportation challenges, the Produce Marketing Association's Executive Committee approved the creation of a transportation task force at its meeting Aug. 12-13 in Ojai, CA.

Led by PMA board members Bud Floyd of C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. and Bill Schuler of Castellini Co., the task force will examine, and when possible, propose solutions for critical produce industry transportation issues.

RIDGEFIELD, CT -- "We want to run one store as well as we can and concentrate our efforts on this location."

That's the philosophy of Ancona's Market, an independent supermarket here in southwestern Connecticut, as outlined by co-owner John Ancona.

It is a philosophy that has served the retailer well from its beginnings way back in the 1920s as a soda fountain through its position today as a full-service supermarket offering produce from around the world.

Washington asparagus growers that previously packed with Seneca will have a new home at Gourmet Trading Co.'s new packing facility in Pasco, WA.

The volume of California-grown strawberries may well exceed last year's total, but that is owed to a greater number of acres planted, industry experts say. As of Aug. 4, it appeared that yields for the year would be down compared to last year.

The Southern California season got off in fits and starts for many growers, with rain delaying plantings. Once a company falls behind enough, it can never really catch up in the affected region, said Cindy Jewell, director of marketing for Watsonville, CA-based California Giant.

HARTFORD, CT -- The Connecticut Regional Produce Market will look different in a few months from the way it looks today, and could look vastly different just a few years down the road if all plans come to fruition, according to Robert Pellegrino, executive director of the market.

Starting this fall, the entire facility, known commonly as the Hartford market, will be re-painted for the first time in at least 10 years, Mr. Pellegrino told The Produce News as August began.