The 2021 Lunar New Year celebration will begin Feb. 12 to mark the start of the Year of the Ox, and Classic Harvest is joining in this message of hope and health. New this year, Classic Harvest is introducing cartons for Navels, Cara Caras and Mandarins, which depict not only the Ox, but all 12 of the traditional Zodiac animals. The Lunar New Year, originally celebrated in many east Asian countries, has gained popularity the world over due to its positive messages and cheerful traditions.

“We are excited to introduce this tribute to the Lunar New Year,” said Jennifer Westerhoff, executive

Tim Corkill, marketing manager for FirstFruits Marketing and longtime produce industry member, died Jan. 9. He previously worked with the Pear Bureau Northwest as western regional marketing manager, California Grape Commission as western manager and with Fresh Western, River Ranch Inc. as director of marketing services.

“Tim Corkill had such a killer work ethic and a mind for the details, those qualities coupled with his enthusiasm for our business made him someone we could always trust,” said Chuck Zeutenhorst, president at FirstFruits Marketing.  Mr. Corkill was a trailblazer on the

Blueberries from Chile are now certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Food Certification Program. The iconic Heart-Check mark helps take the guesswork out when reading Nutrition Facts and label information, giving consumers peace of mind that what they are consuming meets the nutritional requirements of the American Heart Association.

“We are thrilled to receive Heart-Check certification from the American Heart Association,” said Andres Armstrong, executive director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee.  “We look forward to communicating this in both our consumer and retail

Mann Packing Co. Inc., a subsidiary of Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc., announced the opening of its new facility in Gonzales, CA. Joining a lineup of facilities in Salinas, CA, Chualar, CA, Delhi, CA, and Yuma, AZ, the new facility will allow Mann Packing to grow its business, elevate its existing operations to unprecedented new heights and provide an innovative new space to help the brand continue to meet consumer needs.

The new facility, boasts 130,000 square feet of state-of-the-art production for fruit and vegetables with full-fledged automation, increased capacity and with the ability

Brothers Produce, based in Houston, TX, formally announced that it is no longer affiliated with any other Brothers Produce divisions. Over the next year, the Austin and Dallas divisions will be transitioning to the name Brothers Foodservice.

While some similar markings and logos could be seen on the road during this transition, the companies are entirely separate. "We wish Brothers Foodservice (formally Brothers Produce Dallas / Austin) the best as we officially go our separate ways," the company said in a statement. "This decision came as we felt it was time for each company to have a

Tony Lanasa, who ran the company VF Lanasa Produce Inc. for 60 years, died Jan. 18. He was 82.

VF Lanasa Produce Inc. was one of the original produce businesses of Richmond, VA, when Vincent Frank Lanasa brought his father’s banana business to the city and expanded to tomatoes.

Tony Lanasa’s wife, Joyce, was by his side when he died, after struggling with cancer and other illnesses. The couple had three children—Michelle, Vince and Teresa.

“He was generous, had a solid work ethic and was a strong business leader,” said his nephew Jimmy Abbott. “He was an old-fashioned produce slinger. He