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P r o d u c e S h o w D a i l y S u n d a y, O c t o b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 3 2 2 CHURCH BROTHERS SUCCEEDS WITH FAMILY VALUES Any documentary of Salinas Valley pro- duce would give the name Church a starring role. For the last 40 years, the Church family has learned produce from the ground up. Beginning their careers separately, Tom at the Bruce Church Company, Steve at Growers Exchange, they first came together to found Fresh Western Marketing in 1981. The current Church Brothers company was formed in 1999. Part of the appeal of Church Brothers Produce and True Leaf Farms is not just the commitment to quality and service, but the sense of history and family that prevails throughout the company. The reassuring sense of being part of a family unit and working as a team generates a unified and goal-ori- ented group, the whole of which is greater than its parts. Church Brothers is a family-owned and family-operated business, and that sense of family extends not just to the actual family members, but to each and every employee within the company. Tom and Steve Church are at their desks first thing every morning, and continue working long after everyone has gone home. They learned the value of hard work and commitment at an early age. They began their produce careers during high school, in the packing sheds of the Bruce Church Company. They remember the importance of starting from the ground floor and real- ize the value of every employee contribu- tion, big or small. Their open door poli- cy and willingness to reward those who work hard have culti- vated a loyal employee base, many of whom have followed Tom and Steve throughout their careers. Fair mindedness, a hard work ethic, and roll-up-your-sleeves and get-down- to-business dedication have been the cornerstone for Church Brothers Produce. Tom and Steve have passed these qualities on to the next generation to ensure that Church Brothers contin- ues to prosper for generations to come. The next set of leaders emerges in the Church family through Jeff Church, Brian Church and Megan Chedwick. Jeff, son of Tom Church, is in the sales depart- ment, successfully handling both customers and commodi- ties as one of the lead sales- men and the Commodity Manager. Brian, son of Tom Church, is hard at work in the field, managing the grower relations and har- vesting aspects of Church Brothers. Megan, step-daughter of Steve Church, has stepped up to coordinate food safety initiatives, ensuring Church Brothers and True Leaf maintain the most modern and effective food safety programs in both the field and the plant. Learn more by visiting booth 1019 at Fresh Summit. On the web, go to www.churchbrothers.com, or call 831- 796-1000. SUN PACIFIC: CHANGING THE GAME, RAISING KIWI CONSUMPTION Sun Pacific's Ripe & Easy Kiwi is raising consumption in the United States, a mar- ket that has historically lagged well behind European and Canadian con- sumption levels. According to Sun Pacific's President Bob DiPiazza, Ripe & Easy kiwi is a value added program. DiPiazza stated that kiwi consumption is low in the U.S. because both shippers and retailers have not tradi- tionally offered consumers ready-to-eat kiwi. Consumption is also hampered by the consumer perception that kiwi must be peeled and sliced. Consumers lack the time or the inclination to do this. Consumers are also largely unaware that kiwi is a super- fruit high in nutrition. DiPiazza also stated that Ripe & Easy addresses all these concerns and offers solutions. "As the largest grower and shipper of kiwi in North America, we use pressure sorting and controlled atmosphere refrigerated storage to segre- gate the harvest. We use a proprietary four day conditioning cycle to deliver Ripe & Easy to retail distribution centers at approximately eight pounds skin on pressure. This results in ready-to-eat kiwi in the store. We use high graphic packag- ing to tell a simple story with photos." DiPiazza continued, "There is no need to peel and slice ripe kiwi; it can simply be halved, scooped and eaten with a spoon. We periodically insert a spife (combo spoon/knife) in our clamshell packages to reinforce the scoop and eat message. We also periodically insert a tri- fold nutrition insert that educates con- sumers on the nutritional value of kiwi and offers recipe suggestions. We offer high graphic display risers that really help tell the story and feature the fruit." DiPiazza went on to say that the value added Ripe & Easy Kiwi program is telling consumers a story and building trust with consumers that their kiwi will be ready to eat. "When we work the pro- gram consistently with our retail partners who want the story told, we are seeing four and five times sales increases and still growing." Sun Pacific is a year-round supplier of Ripe & Easy Kiwi and imports Italian kiwi to supplement its own domestic sup- ply, and Chilean fruit for late spring and summer supply. For further information, visit Sun Pacific during Fresh Summit in booth 1375. After the show, visit online at www.sun- pacific.com, call 213-627-9544 or email info@sunpacific.com. AMERIFRESH DELIVERS CONSISTENT QUALITY Amerifresh provides fresh fruits and vegetables of the highest quality, not only to food service customers, but also to the highly demanding retail grocery industry. Environmental vari- ables such as inclement weather, water shortages, pest infestations and import irregularities that disrupt and corrupt the availability of top quality fruits and vegetables make consistent supply a top issue in the produce business. Quality and consistency have a direct bearing on the reputation and repeat business of customers. Amerifresh offers a reliable and consistent supply of produce that does not sacrifice quality and is not vulnerable to sea- sonal scarcities. At Amerifresh, this level of con- sistency and reliability rests on the shoulders of quality assurance inspec- tors who are in the field every day examining what is available locally, nationally and internationally to match up customer needs with the currently available supply. Leveraging their experience and relationships with their grower sources, they serve as represen- tatives in the field to bring reliable supplies of produce to customers. If it does not meet the customers' specifica- tions and standards, then it does not pass the Amerifresh quality assurance inspection. The Amerifresh team meets expecta- tions, every time. Consistent quality, regardless of the season, combined with global purchasing power and strict adher- ence to safety standards make Amerifresh the best choice for produce needs. At Amerifresh, flexibility and pur- chasing power provide the value cus- tomers rely on. Amerifresh operates sales offices throughout the country to provide con- venience and availability. Its field sales associates are in direct contact with growers through procurement operations. Their proximity to the farm results in a more knowledgeable, educated sales team. Living in and around the growing area plus an import sales office in Scottsdale, Ariz. give Amerifresh's team the market intelligence needed to forecast future markets. Amerifresh is also a highly respected third-party logistics provider for food service and retail customers, specializing in safe and efficient transportation of fresh produce, dairy, dry commodities and frozen foods. Whatever your needs, Amerifresh's extensive carrier base from centers located throughout the west pro- vides the flexibility and the muscle to provide dependable service and to solve transportation and logistical challenges for customers every day. For more information, visit booth 4431 during Fresh Summit or visit online at www.amerifresh.com. HELLMANN PERISHABLE LOGISTICS OFFERS CUSTOM-MADE SOLUTIONS By Markus Fellmann, Global VP, Hellmann Perishable Logistics Founded in 1871 as a family business, we are proud of our independence, our continu- ity and our entrepreneurial tenor. Over the years we have grown into one of the world's largest international logistics providers. Today, our network of 440 offices is repre- sented in more than 157 countries. With an extensive perishable net- work strategically located throughout the world, Hellmann Perishable Logistics is a market leader in time and temperature- sensitive shipments. Our state-of-the-art facilities and systems, backed by experi- enced professionals, ensure your temper- ature controlled goods are carefully shipped and constantly monitored. We are actively shaping the future of perish- able logistics through innovation, effi- ciency and the implementation of cus- tomized logistics solutions. Our expertise and network makes us a global player in the provision of perish- able logistics. We transport goods, pro- duce and overall know-how. In addition to traditional shipping via truck, rail, air freight and sea freight, we also offer indi- vidualized supply chain solu- tions, integrating IT and pur- chase order/vendor manage- ment with customized and industry-specific solutions. Hellmann's is all about the customer. We understand that in today's highly competitive marketplace, even a small advantage can make the difference. This is why we offer a full range of products and services designed to help you maxi- mize your business potential. Our global network of offices and warehouses is connected by thousands of trucks, various cooperative agreements with global and local shipping lines and air- lines, and cutting-edge IT and communication systems which allow us to work effi- ciently and transparently. Hellmann's core range of products and service includes air freight, sea freight, sea-air solutions, air charter, U.S. domestic solu- tions, customs brokerage, contract logis- tics and IT solutions. During Fresh Summit, visit Hellmann's at booth 3318. Go online at www.hell- mann.net/hpl, call 305-594-4995, or email rates@hplgroup.com.