Caruso opens logistics facility in Florida
Cincinnati-based Caruso Inc. opened Caruso Logistics Florida, Jacksonville, Fla., this fall, said Jeffrey Busch, chief operating officer.
In October, Caruso hired Rick Dominick as transportation manager there. Dominick worked in trucking and logistics before joining Caruso, Busch said.
In addition to its Cincinnati location, the company also operates Caruso Logistics Pennsylvania, Ephrata, Pa.
The company offers food warehousing, shipping, repacking, technological services and other logistics assistance, and Busch said it plans to continue adding locations.
Busch said Caruso obtained its fourth “superior” rating in as many years from AIB International, Manhattan, Kan.
Caruso next year will celebrate its 80th anniversary, Busch said. The third-generation family-owned company plans to kick off a marketing campaign tied to its anniversary in early 2012.
DNO Inc. moves, buys Ritchey Produce
DNO Inc., Columbus, Ohio, moved to a new location last fall, said Tony DiNovo, president.
The new facility is about 10 times larger than the previous location. Before moving in, DNO remodeled the two buildings, which have more than 20 coolers combined.
Two coolers were renovated into a fresh-cut processing area, DiNovo said.
In the past year, DNO acquired Zanesville, Ohio-based Ritchey Produce Co. Inc.
DNO also has doubled its number of employees, including adding several who are experienced in fresh-cut processing, DiNovo said.
ProduceOne sponsors university foods lab
Dayton, Ohio-based Produce-One, a Pro*Act network foodservice distributor, this fall began sponsoring the University of Dayton’s School of Education and Allied Health’s foods lab, said Erv Pavlofsky, principal of business development.
The sponsorship helps support nutrition studies.
ProduceOne continues to grow its line of specialty items, Pavlofsky said.
In addition to specialty produce, the company is adding local cheeses and other refrigerated products.
ProduceOne plans to expand its Columbus, Ohio, facility in 2012, Pavlofsky said.
Produce Packaging adds new onion peeler
Cleveland-based Produce Packaging Inc. installed a new onion peeler this summer, said president Greg Fritz.
The peeler will allow the company to operate more cost-effectively and to increase its volume of whole peeled, sliced and diced onions, Fritz said.
Roth Produce makes green changes
Columbus, Ohio-based Roth Produce Co. is making environmentally friendly changes to its operations.
Its sales staff’s vehicles have been replaced with hybrid vehicles, said Ben Roth, chief executive officer.
The company also instituted recycling and composting programs. Last year, Roth Produce installed LED lighting throughout its facility.
Roth Produce also installed new tracking software that minimizes shorts and makes responding to problems easier, Roth said.
The company can notify its customers of a recall within 15 minutes, he said.
Roth Produce sponsored the 6th annual Jack Roth 5K Rock & Run/Walk in honor of Roth’s brother, who died after being diagnosed with lung cancer. This year, the 5K raised about $100,000 for the Jack Roth Fund, which supports lung cancer research and treatment.
Sanfillipo expands at terminal market
Columbus, Ohio-based Sanfillipo Produce Co. Inc. in August moved into a seventh bay in the Columbus Produce Terminal Market.
A year earlier, the company had just four bays, said Jim Sanfillipo, partner and sales manager.
Each bay is 2,000 square feet.
The expansion allows the company to carry more volume of its existing produce, dairy, paper goods and frozen gourmet pasta lines.
Sanfillipo said company sales are up 32% as compared to last year, and he expects 2011 to be another year of growth.
Sirna & Sons upgrades traceability system
By early 2012, Cleveland-based Sirna & Sons Produce plans to implement a new traceability system that is in compliance with the Produce Traceability Initiative, said Tom Sirna, president.
The system will use bar codes on each case of produce.
Sirna & Sons also has added 12,000 square feet and six docks to its Norwalk, Ohio, facility, Sirna said.
It now has 14 shipping and receiving docks.
Sirna & Sons also replaced its lighting in Norwalk and in its Cleveland facility with energy-efficient lighting. In 2012, the company will replace its fleet of 65 trucks with new fuel-efficient trucks, Sirna said.
Sirna & Sons in October was recognized for job creation with an award from the Norwalk Economic Development Corporation.
In the last three years, the company has added 25 jobs in Norwalk and Cleveland, Sirna said.
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