ORLANDO, FL — Brazilian melon producer Itaueira Farms is using feedback it garnered at the recent Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition to help plot its course for future product releases.

Rodrigo Lima, president of Crown International USA Inc., the Key Biscayne, FL-based marketing arm for Itaueira Farms, said that the PMA Fresh Summit, held here Oct. 15-18, was a good opportunity to expose the trade to its "REI" brand Canary melons and other melon varieties it had available for sampling during the expo.

NEW YORK — Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. has solidified a partnership with Walt Disney Parks & Resorts that will bring the Ocean Spray trademarked "Craisins" dried cranberries to a number of retail points at Disney parks in North America, including Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL, and Disney Cruise Line, as well as the 450,000- member Disney Vacation Club timeshare operation.

The five-year partnership was finalized Oct. 19, here, at Ocean Spray's Big Apple Bog at Rockefeller Center.

Westmoreland Sales, a Leamington, ON-based greenhouse vegetable shipper, has added two industry veterans to its operation.

Matthew Wright, a veteran retailer who previously worked at A&P as vice president of procurement and vice president of produce, was hired in June as director of procurement.

Ruben Aboytes, who formerly worked for a seed company, joined Westmoreland in July as director of Mexican operations.

Classic Salads, a supplier of gourmet baby leaf salads and specialty vegetables, launched a new organic salad line for retail customers at the recent Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit in Orlando, FL.

Established in 2000 by longtime Salinas Valley farmer Lance Batistich, the Watsonville, CA-based company has become one of the faster-growing salad processors in the industry, with 100 percent of its products grown in the United States.

The Produce Marketing Association recognized four exhibitors Oct. 17 at its Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition with "Best of Show" awards for their exhibits' outstanding salesmanship and presentation excellence.

The awards were announced on the show floor Oct. 17 with presentations made on the last day of Fresh Summit, held Oct. 15-18 in Orlando, FL.

Brooks Tropicals in Homestead, FL, and Del Monte Foods in San Francisco were first- and second-place winners, respectively, in the Island Booth category.