The National Apple Month program announced the winners of the fall 2009 National Apple Month retail and military display contests. The annual contest, which jump-starts the domestic apple industry's marketing season, provided retailers and the apple industry with increased sales and gave consumers easy access to great-tasting, good-for-you apples and partner products of Marzetti Caramel Apple Dips, Smucker's natural peanut butter and JIF natural peanut butter.

TAMPA, FL - By any and all accounts, the Southeast Produce Council's 2010 Retail and Foodservice Conference & Expo, held here March 4-6, was a major success, drawing more people to the event than ever before.

"If I were to ballpark [overall attendance], it would be in the 1,300 range," SPC Executive Director Terry Vorhees told The Produce News following the conclusion of the event, also known as Southern Exposure. Last year's conference and expo, also in Tampa, drew about 1,150.

Lillian Bozzuto, 95, of Middlebury, CT, and Fort Lauderdale, FL, died peacefully in her sleep March 3 in Florida. She was the widow of Adam J. Bozzuto, founder of the wholesale grocer Bozzuto's Inc. in Cheshire, CT.

Supply gaps in field-grown tomatoes resulting from freeze conditions in Florida have caused a spike in demand for greenhouse-grown product that is expected to last at least another 30 days.

Ger-Nis International will hold a grand-opening gala April 10 for its new Gen-Nis Culinary & Herb Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Nissa Pierson, owner and managing director of Ger-Nis International, a supplier of a full line of packaged organics headquartered in Brooklyn, told The Produce News that expanding the company's network to include consumers is something to which she has been dedicated since founding the firm over three years ago.

A.J. Trucco is having tremendous success marketing Italian kiwi with a little help from the European Flavors' project.

"The program is helping to make consumers aware of the great quality and flavor of the kiwi," Nick Pacia, co-owner of the Bronx, NY-based company, told The Produce News. "We would like the project to be extended to help push the commodity even further."