Dillon D’Arrigo talks color vs. variety and what consumers really want

The D’Arrigo family is unique in the American produce industry. No other family’s interests bestride the industry, both east coast and west coast, from growing, packing, shipping and wholesaling. It is an influence likely to continue, in part because of a rising generation of executives. Over in Pundit sister publication, PRODUCE BUSINESS, we’ve run several pieces […]

Perfection Fresh Australia CEO gives producers’ perspective on global grape industry

When Michael Simonetta rejoined the family business in 1984, he thought he’d spend the rest of his career selling lettuce, cauliflower, and broccoli in Sydney, Australia’s wholesale markets. Today, he travels the world as CEO of Perfection Fresh Australia in search of the next best-tasting fresh produce – including grapes. The company Simonetta’s father founded […]

Insights on out-of-the-box grape retailing, from director of produce innovation

Caitlin Tierney says she’d eat a kombucha-flavored, sour or spicy grape if given an opportunity, in hopes it’s the next best trend. While this might sound far-fetched — and Tierney did share this in jest — it does exemplify her out-of-the-box thinking that makes Tierney one of the more innovative minds in the fresh produce […]

California grower McClarty talks about boosting grape consumption

Exchange rate challenge hits Italian grape exporter in UK market

You could say that Harold McClarty has grapes running through his veins. Table grapes, that is, not the wine type. Back in 1887, his great grandfather purchased the land where McClarty later grew up and, exactly a century later, founded HMC Farms. Today, the Kingsburg, California-headquartered company has grown from the original 40 acres to one […]

Grapes in foodservice: It’s all about presentation and taste, says Sysco director

Can expanding grapes in the foodservice sector drive increased consumption overall? Two experts in the field addressed exactly that at the recent Global Grape Summit in Bakersfield, California. Jon Greco, senior director, produce sourcing at Sysco in Salinas, California, knows foodservice, plus he knows the challenges from the growing/supplier community, and brought that insight to this year’s […]

John Pandol speaks out: ‘Volume is vanity. Profit is sanity’

Abrafrutas_Table Grapes production in Petrolina

We go back a long ways with the Pandols. When the Pundit was testing his eye teeth in the business, our family company used to split a Chilean shipper with the Pandols and Jack Pandol was the man my father called on to lecture this incipient Pundit when he was still in grade school about the UFW. […]

Consumers, Grapes and Gene Editing: Cornell’s Rickard Sheds Light On Latest Research

Brad Rickard has an inquisitive mind and a generous heart. He has presented with us in numerous venues and always left the audience thinking: Cornell Professor Brad RickardReturns To London To Unveil New Study: QUANTITY, VALUE AND DIVERSITY —The 10-Year Evolution Of Consumer Purchase Preferences For Packaged Produce Can Labeling Impact Food Waste?Is Zero Waste […]