Baloian to launch bilingual bag
Last year, Baloian Farms, Fresno, Calif., expanded its romaine hearts program, said Richard Cowden, who handles sales and business development.
The program was successful, and in December, the company plans to launch a new high-graphic romaine hearts bag.
The bag will be sold in Canada as well as the U.S., and Canada has strict rules requiring French translation.
“We followed the requirements for the French Canadians and did a bilingual bag in English and French,” Cowden said.
But rather than crowd the front with two languages, the company created a dual-fronted bag with one side printed in French and the other in English.
“When they display it in the stores, they can face out the French side (in Canada) and the English side in the U.S.,” he said.
It will be a three-count bag packed 12 bags per box.
North Shore adds organic capacity
North Shore Greenhouses Inc., Thermal, Calif., is expanding its organic capacity, enhancing its website, and has added two new sales and marketing professionals.
“We are very excited to be launching our organic line in a much larger capacity,” said Brittney Bubb, creative director.
“We have invested a lot in this one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art system, and we are really proud of the products that we are putting out into the marketplace,” she said.
The nutrient film technique system was built from the ground up, she said.
The company also has welcomed a new sales manager, Tyler Clear, and a new marketing manager, Vivianna Greene.
Tyler has a strong background in the produce industry with both sales and buying roles, Bubb said.
Greene will be responsible for leading the company’s marketing strategy with a focus on interactive campaigns for retail partners.
Finally, Bubb said North Shore Greenhouses’ website is “an ever evolving source book.”
“We post new blogs and recipes almost every month,” she said.
She encourages people to sign up to receive the company’s newsletter.
“We have some amazing new recipes coming out for Thanksgiving as well as some fun Christmas and New Year’s posts,” she said.
Ocean Mist prepared for winter
Castroville, Calif.-based Ocean Mist Farms will grow and ship a full line of premium vegetables this fall and winter, with the addition of a few seasonal crops such as cardone and organic asparagus, said Joe Angelo, director of sales.
The majority of the winter crop will be grown in Coachella, with supplemental volume coming from Yuma, Ariz., Oxnard, Calif., and Baja California, he said.
“We have already started our artichoke transition to Oxnard,” he said Nov. 2.
The rest of the crops will transition the weeks of Nov. 9, 16 and 23, depending on the item.
“Leaf will be the first to start in Coachella, the week of Nov. 9,” he said.
Volume from Ocean Mist Farms should be similar to last year.
Peter Rabbit adds iceberg lettuce
Peter Rabbit Farms, Coachella, Calif., has added iceberg lettuce to its product line.
“This is the first time we’ve ever tried that in our lineup,” said John Burton, general manager, sales and cooler.
Product will be available in liner cartons and in cartons of 24 cello packs starting in mid- to late November.
Supplies will be limited this winter, but there will be “an ample amount to get us rolling,” Burton said.
Also, Franz De Klotz, who joined Richard Bagdasarian Inc., Mecca, Calif., 20 years ago to start its vegetable division, Pasha Marketing LLC, has joined the sales staff at Peter Rabbit Farms.
He will team with Johnston Farms, Bakersfield, Calif., for bell peppers and leaf lettuce from October through March, and bell peppers from April to July.
