Organics Supplier Honored
The owners of organic-foods supplier Pavich Farms here are recipients of the 1998 "Movers and Shakers" award from Self magazine.
The owners, Stephen and Tom Pavich, are two of 25 recipients recognized as the country's "Top Food Influentials." The Pavich brothers were chosen for their roles as leaders in the growing organic-foods industry.
According to the company, Stephen Pavich convinced his family to turn away from chemical-based farming after he was overcome by pesticide fumes from a spray tank on the family farm here.
Pavich Family Farms is the world's largest supplier of organically grown table grapes, and markets the nation's highest selling brand of certified-organic vegetables, fruits, nuts and dried fruits. The operation produced 2.2 million boxes of grapes in 1997, and extended its production to include almost 60 produce items.
FreshTech to Study ECR, EFR
DALLAS -- The challenges and opportunities facing the produce business from Efficient Consumer Response and Efficient Foodservice Response will be featured at FreshTech, the Produce Marketing Association's third annual technology conference, to be held here at the Hotel Inter-Continental Dallas, April 23 to 25.
The conference will combine detailed, hands-on workshops in computer lab settings with seminars that take in-depth looks at the strategic implications for non-technical produce executives.
Among the seminar topics scheduled are: "The Future of the Internet as a Business Communications Tool," "Creative Uses of Digital Cameras in the Marketing of Produce and Floral," "Product Coding: Tracking Though the System" and "Turning Scan Data Into Something You Can Use."
Of last year's FreshTech participants, 37% were grower/shippers; 29% were industry product/service suppliers; 11%, wholesalers; 10%, supermarket retailers; 7%, industry brokers; and 6%, food-service operators or wholesaler/distributors, according to the PMA.
The PMA is based in Newark, Del.
Potandon, Vidalia Co-op Team
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho -- Potandon Produce here, exclusive marketer of branded Green Giant Fresh potatoes and onions, has signed an agreement with Vidalia Growers Inc., Cobbtown, Ga., to jointly market Green Giant Fresh-branded Vidalia onions.
Under terms of the agreement, the two firms will work as a team to market Vidalia onions nationwide.
Vidalia Growers, a cooperative of three onion growers, was prompted to enter into the marketing partnership by what it perceives to be an increased demand for branded produce, according to John Shuman, the co-op's manager. "The current trend is toward branded products, and Green Giant Fresh-branded potatoes are one of the most recognized potato products in the industry," Shuman said. "Since potatoes and onions often times have the same buyers, we felt this was a logical and natural partnership."
