Month: February 2018

As The California Giant Foundation prepares for the fifth annual Tour de Fresh, support from inside and outside the industry continues to pour into the event to get more salad bars to schools across the country. Joining the team for a second year, eight-time Tour de France rider and Olympic Bronze Medalist Axel Merckx will be in attendance offering his expertise and support. …

As mangoes continue to gain momentum nationally, catching up with the rest of the world as the most consumed fruit, the Ataulfo Mango varietal continues to experience rapid growth among the diverse organic consumers who tend to be health oriented, well traveled, and have a more sophisticated palette and culinary repertoire. …

Markon President Tim York was appointed as Chair of the Alliance for Food and Farming (AFF) during the organization’s annual Management Board meeting on January 30. York replaces Chris Zanobini, Executive Director of the California Pear Advisory Board, who is stepping down after two years of service as Chair. Zanobini will remain on the AFF’s Executive Committee. …

With the calendar recently flipping over to 2018, Ambrosia apples from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, the birthplace of the variety, are gaining sharp traction in the marketplace. This recently re-branded variety from BC Tree Fruits Cooperative (BCTF) saw significant growth in brand awareness and movement last fall, and anticipates accelerated growth across U.S. markets through the winter and spring seasons. …

Oceanside Pole Brussels sprouts will be plentiful mid-winter through spring, thanks to expanded plantings and an earlier start—a concerted progression of their highly successful 2017 debut. …