Charles D. Pigliacelli, a member of the John Vena Inc. leadership team from 1985 to 2008 and a long-time Philadelphia produce veteran, died June 17 at his home in Ocean View, DE.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Pigliacelli was a graduate of St. Joseph’s University with a degree in accounting. He began his career in the produce industry during the 1970s at the Philadelphia Food Distribution Center, first at M. Levin & Co. before moving to Ralph D. Hughes Inc. He landed at JVI in 1985.

Crunch Time Apple Growers’ history is a somewhat short one, with the company having formed in 2010 by a group of New York growers intent on working with Cornell to bring to market exciting new Cornell-developed apple varieties.

While the Oppy-Eco Farms network is just a couple years old, the two companies’ combined 200-plus years of experience has since created massive expansion opportunities for customers seeking new avocado solutions. Lauding its 50th year since pioneering the high-demand fruit, Eco Farms President Steve Taft reflects on how far the business has come.

California pear farmers are on track to begin harvest in early July as the season kicks off in the River growing district. Most growers are planning to begin harvest of light volume on July 7 with volume increasing the week of July 11.

The Produce News is proud to present the produce industry’s second annual Concours d' Fresh. We asked to see your wheels and you didn’t disappoint. This virtual car show features anything on wheels worth driving — or seeing. Get a look at what some of your fellow industry friends and colleagues ride in on the way to the airport before meeting up with you at trade shows.

Following the theft of its honeybees earlier in the year, The Giant Co. added two new beehives, housing 30,000 honeybees, near the company’s seven-acre pollinator-friendly solar field at its corporate headquarters. The company will continue to add to the colony over the next several months and will ultimately house 450,000 honeybees in nine beehives by next year.