Magic Sun, a leading hydroponic grower in Mexico, is seeing continued growth and demand in its original tomato product line.  Over the last two seasons, the company has expanded its program to offer year-round conventional and organic tomatoes, and recently added Bell peppers and blueberries to its retail offering.

Alejandro Santander, vice president of sales and operations and one of the original founders of Magic Sun, indicated that due to COVID-19 prompting changes in the workplace, consumers are spending more time at home and focusing on fresh produce. “We’ve seen a significant increase

SpartanNash announced that David Petko has joined the company as senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, effective April 12, 2021. Petko has 25 years of supply chain and distribution logistics experience in roles of increasing leadership responsibility, including serving as senior vice president of supply chain for C&S Wholesale Grocers from 2019 to 2021.

In his new role, Petko will have full responsibility of all aspects of SpartanNash's supply chain management, including warehousing, forecasting, planning, sourcing, procurement, inventory control, transportation, logistics

Salvatore (Sam) Bertucci, who spent much of his life in the produce industry and the last 21 years at Catania Worldwide, died Saturday, April 10 in his home. He was 69 years old.

A veteran in the produce industry, Mr. Bertucci began his career at a very young age, working in his family’s supermarket in Toronto. His career at the Ontario Food Terminal was interwoven with several companies and many lives before joining Catania Worldwide. He spent 21 years at Catania, and the company said his knowledge and dedication will never be forgotten.

"Sam was a special man in many ways," said Paul

Braga Fresh promoted Heather Fuller to vice president of sales. Fuller has been with the company more than five years, most recently as the senior director of sales.  In her new role, she will spearhead sales initiatives and lead customer relations.

Fuller’s career in fresh produce has focused on the organic channel for the last decade, working for family-owned farming companies. "Her customer-centric approach and ability to adapt to the constant change in the marketplace has made her an integral part of the sales management team,” said Peter Cling, senior vice president of operations.

“Heat

When Cheryl Williams got her first job as a scale attendant at a Kroger store in Gahanna, OH, she did not expect that it would lead to an almost five decade long career in produce — especially considering her produce manager didn’t believe she belonged.

Williams was born on the family dairy farm in Ohio in the late 1950s. Though the extended family is still in the farming business, Williams family moved to the “big city of Columbus, OH,” when she was just 3 years of age. Her mom was a homemaker, and her dad went to work for the Coca Cola Co., enjoying a long career. Williams went to the local

Mountain View Fruit Sales & Cold Storage has named three additional National Account Executives: Brian Polson, Carlos Acuña and Ryan Easter.

“We are excited and energized by the creativity, vision and passion Brian, Carlos, and Ryan bring to our team as we continue to grow,” said Pat Steider, president of Mountain View Fruit Sales. “Their knowledge of business development, data analysis, logistics, retail, and merchandising will be incredibly valuable to both our customers and our growers.”

Polson was raised on a family farm in Kansas, where he gained an early understanding of the direct