Briefs.

USDA Raises Estimates Of Early, Mid-Season Citrus For 1999-2000

Prompted by a lower droppage rate and larger fruit than expected, the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service (FASS) has raised its projected harvest of early and mid-season oranges by seven million boxes for 1999-2000, from 219 million boxes to 226 million boxes, which is an overall increase of 3%.

This revision includes an increase of early and midseason oranges of 7.2 million, and a count of 5.4 million Navels, or 200,000 fewer than the 5.6 million previously anticipated.

FASS attributes the lower Navel count to fruit still remaining on trees at the time of survey. Mutual's growers say they are not picking Navels because of the poor movement of the fresh fruit market.

FASS also adjusted the tangelo harvest downward, from 2.6 million to 2.5 million boxes. However, tangerines are estimated to increase from 6.6 million to 6.S million boxes.

Meanwhile, estimates for the number of boxes of Valencia oranges remained at 92 million boxes, and grapefruit held steady at 46 million boxes.

The frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield held at 1.54 gallons per box, while Mutual expects processors to pack 192.6 million gallons of FCOJ. (Mutual did not calculate an FCOJ pack in February.)

Florida Citrus Mutual, founded in 1948 and based in Lakeland, is the state's largest citrus growers' organization with nearly 12,000 members.

For more information, contact Florida Citrus Mutual at 941-682-1111.

Stellar Is Scheduled To Construct Performing Arts Center For Bethune-Cookman College

The Stellar Group has been awarded the construction portion for a new fine arts facility for Bethune-Cookman College (B-CC) in Daytona Beach, FL.

Brown Design Associates of Atlanta, GA and Stellar are finalizing design requirements. The Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center is going to be one of the largest fine arts facilities in Daytona Beach and Volusia County areas. The initial design indicates that the facility will be approximately 100,000 square feet, 3000 seats and multiple levels.

"When initiating a project of this magnitude, we were very thorough in our search for an architectural design firm and general contractor. We are confident that the selection of Brown Design Associates of Atlanta and The Stellar Group of Jacksonville will carry out the College's emphasis on excellence and quality.

Stellar will be responsible for construction management services, participation in site evaluation and planning, master planning, programming-space planning evaluation and support services for architectural and engineering disciplines. The buildings base materials consist of a conventional structural steel frame, brick veneer and synthetic stucco facades, built up roofing systems, storefront and curtain wall glass systems.

Stellar provides design, engineering and construction services for design-build, general contracting and construction management projects. In addition to its Jacksonville, Florida headquarters, Stellar maintains a regional office in Fresno, CA and serves South and Central America with business units in Mexico and Brazil.

For further information call Mark Sherwood at 800-488-2900.

Pasco Brands Introduce Private Label

Pasco Brands, Inc. has introduced its first private label chilled and frozen blends--Orange-Pineapple-Banana and Orange-Tangerine. Both are calcium-fortified and vitamin C enriched.

"These new products will provide our retail partners with an opportunity to compete in the growing blends segment. Research indicates consumers drink blended juices for refreshment throughout the day, rather than simply at breakfast. And even better, blends aren't a substitute for orange juice," according to Joli Cooper, president and chief operating officer of Pasco Brands. "In addition, consumer research shows these two flavors are the top-sellers in the citrus blend segment.(*)

Both flavors are 100% juice with no preservatives or additives and are available nationwide in both chilled and frozen forms.

Pasco Brands, formerly known as Lykes Pasco, was founded in 1936 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vitality Beverages, Inc. of Tampa. Its Dade City plant in Pasco County, Fla., is one of the largest juice manufacturing plants in the country.

(*) The top five blended flavors account for 70% of total blend sales: Orange-Tangerine, Pineapple-Orange-Banana, Pineapple-Orange, Tropical Orange, Orange-Strawberry-Banana. Source: A.C. Nielsen, Total U.S., 52 weeks ending 2/19/00.

WERC & IWLA Present Forum For Warehousing Professionals

WERC, the Warehousing Education and Research Council, and IWLA, the International Warehouse Logistics Association, will present Leading the Dynamic Warehouse, a new two-day educational forum for warehousing and distribution professionals, June 12-13, 2000, at the Hilton Atlanta & Towers, Atlanta, GA.

This interactive and comprehensive program will feature unique sessions led by eight industry experts who will provide their insights into dealing with the present challenges and future demands of warehousing. Attendees will hear and understand the critical warehousing operations success factors.

For information call Melissa Walton, WERC, at 630-990-0001. Or call Ben Stephens, IWLA, at 847-292-1891.

Citrus Forecast For 1999-2000 Season Unchanged By USDA

After two increases to the initial 1999-2000 citrus season forecast, the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service (FASS), an arm of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, has left Florida's overall orange crop estimate unchanged.

FASS did, however, slightly adjust the estimates for Tangelos and K-Early varieties, and the frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield.

The estimated overall orange crop for 1999-2000 remains at 219 million boxes. FASS also left the grapefruit crop estimate at 46 million boxes.

Similarly, the forecast for early and mid-season varieties remains at 127 million boxes; Navel oranges remain at 5.6 million boxes. Valencias held steady at 92 million boxes.

The tangelo estimate was decreased from 2.8 million boxes to 2.6 million boxes, while the K-Early variety estimate was increased from 90,000 boxes to 100,000 boxes.

Also, the FCOJ yield was lowered slightly, from 1.57 million gallons to 1.54 million gallons.

While it is impossible to predict if these slight changes will have an effect on retail fruit and juice prices, Florida Citrus Mutual does not anticipate any significant effect as a result of these adjustments by FASS.

Florida Citrus Mutual, founded in 1948 and based in Lakeland, is the state's largest citrus growers' organization with nearly 12,000 members.

For more information, contact Wendy Bourland at 941-682-1111.

U.S. To Asia Container Lines Seek Relief From High Fuel Costs

Transpacific shipping lines are responding to an 80% increase in marine fuel and diesel oil over the past year by adjusting fuel surcharges built into current tariff rates and service contracts with freight shippers.

An analysis of the market done through the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA) reveals that lines operating in the U.S.-to-Asia trade have seen their fuel costs rise to more than $24,000 per ship per day. Fuel price increases since April, 1999 alone have cost container carriers an estimated $500 million, including not only higher prices for vessel fuel but also for diesel oil used in terminal equipment and increased trucking charges paid as motor carriers pass through their own higher fuel costs.

WTSA lines noted that, while they have absorbed steadily rising fuel costs over the past several months in their contracts, they must now begin to recover at least a portion of those lost revenues.

As a result, individual WTSA carriers intend to include in their new and existing contracts, effective May 1, 2000 a $80 per 40-foot container, $64 per 20-foot container and $4 per revenue ton interim fuel assessment (IFA). The IFA will also be applied to tariff cargo moving under "all-inclusive" tariff rates that have pre-established fuel charges built in. Shippers moving cargo under standard tariff rates, with a separate fuel adjustment factor (FAF) surcharge that has been allowed to float in line with fluctuating fuel prices, are already paying the added charge as part of the FAF, and will see no change in their freight charges.

The IFA, as with the FAF now paid by standard tariff customers, will continue to float in both "all-in" tariff rates and in service contracts, under an established formula that tracks marine fuel prices on a weekly basis and adjusts the surcharge quarterly. Surcharges are calculated and adjusted for the calendar quarters beginning January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 of each year.

WTSA pointed to the lag time that has taken place between the initial sharp rise of fuel prices nearly a year ago and the expiration of contracts and all-in tariff rates with fuel surcharges locked in at lower levels. This, members said, has given contract customers a considerable price advantage beginning in mid-1999.

WTSA is a voluntary discussion and research forum of 12 major container shipping lines serving the trade from ports and inland points in the U.S. to destinations throughout Asia.

Members include: American President Lines, Ltd.; COSCO Container Lines, Ltd.; Evergreen Marine Corp. (Taiwan), Ltd.; Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd.; Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd.; Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (K Line); Maersk SeaLand; Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.; P&O Nedlloyd Ltd./B.V.; Nippon Yusen Kaisha (N.Y.K. Line); Orient Overseas Container Line, Inc.; and Yangming Marine Transport Corp.

ASMC Bestows First Foodservice Industry Service Award

The Association of Sales & Marketing Companies (ASMC) Foodservice division presented its first-ever foodservice Industry Service Award here at the Association's Top to Top Conference. The inaugural award was presented this year to Jerry Waxier, director of the Asmussen Waxier Group, Vernon Hills, IL.

Because of Jerry's superior qualifications, the Association announced it has officially named the award the Jerry Waxier Industry Service Award after its first honoree.

The award was presented by Rick Abraham, executive director & CO0 of ASMC Foodservice, who notes, "1 can't think of a more deserving or dedicated individual for whom this great award could be named. Throughout his long career, Jerry unfailingly has embodied the spirit and practice of commitment.

McCain Foods To Acquire Mexican Appetizer Operation

McCain Foods Limited has signed an agreement to purchase the assets of Sybra, a manufacturer of frozen appetizer products in Toluca, Mexico.

The Sybra operation, which makes stuffed jalapeno peppers and battered cheese sticks, will become the first McCain Foods plant in Mexico. The purchase agreement is expected to be final in June. "We believe this modest acquisition offers considerable potential for growth as part of our expanding appetizer business in North America," McCain Chairman Harrison McCain said.

Sybra production facilities and administration are housed in a 22,900 square foot building in Toluca, 40 miles southwest of Mexico City. The company, which was established in 1990, has about 60 employees. McCain Foods Limited is a Canadian multinational food processor with operations in 11 countries on four continents. The largest producer of French fried potatoes in the world, McCain is also the French fry market leader in Mexico.

For information call 506-392-5541.

IARW and WFLO Recognized By USDA

IARW and WFLO have earned the distinction of being recognized for their valuable partnership in the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Cold Chain Project for Emerging Markets.

This recognition came in the form of an award presented by USDA FAS Administrator, Timothy Galvin, to IARW President, Bill Hudson.

The award presentation was made on February 2, in USDA's auditorium. The "Cold Chain Project" involves introducing leading food industry executives in the emerging market countries to available technical resources addressing food safety issues, loss of product quality and economic losses in food production-distribution.

IARW and WFLO have been actively involved in programs underway in Thailand, Philippines, Brazil, Dominican Republic, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and South Africa. Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala are scheduled to be included in the project this year.

For information on the Food Logistics 2000 convention, call 301-652-5674 or fax 301-6527269.

E-mail email@@arw.org

Web site: www.iarw.org

AmeriCold Logistics Announces New Senior VP-Strategic Planning

AmeriCold Logistics has announced the hiring of Steve Epstein as Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning.

Mr. Epstein, serving as Chief Technology Officer, will be responsible for managing information technology at AmeriCold Logistics, the world's largest provider of temperature-controlled storage and food distribution services. Epstein will continue to leverage AmeriCold's industry leading IT infrastructure to better integrate with our customers' and suppliers' information infrastructures and manage advancements in technology to continually improve efficiency within the supply chain. As the company embarks on the internet to improve communication, Epstein will manage AmeriCold's business-to-business e-commerce and company wide intranet initiatives.

Dan McNamara, President and CEO of AmeriCold Logistics said, "We are pleased that Steve Epstein has decided to join our management team. His knowledge and experience will help us create a distinction in value between AmeriCold and all other third party providers through the strategic application of information technologies."

For information call Hal Justice at 678-441-1511.

Web site: www.amencold.net

Institute of Food Technologists Announces First International Food Safety & Quality Conference and Expo

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has announced the introduction of its first annual Int'l Food Safety and Quality Conference and Expo to be held at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL, November 14-16, 2000.

Citing the accelerating globalization of the food supply, profound changes in the food production, distribution, and retail industries, and a growing intolerance of food-borne illnesses, IFT President Charles Manley called for an industry-wide commitment to advance the knowledge base, awareness levels, and good practices in all food-related businesses.

As the largest organization dedicated to advancing food sciences, IFT brings a wealth of expertise and authority to the table. The world's leading food scientists from industry, academia, and government are counted among its 28,000 international membership. And, the annual IFT Food Expo[R] attracts over 24,000 specialists in food development, processing, and packaging.

For information on exhibiting, contact ROC Exhibitions at 630-271-8210.

The Minute Maid Co. Enhances Minute Maid Premium Punches With Calcium & Vitamin C

The Minute Maid Co. is fortifying Minute Maid[R] Premium fruit drinks with calcium and vitamin C, providing a key segment of the U. S. population with a new alternative non-dairy source for calcium.

"Our consumer research indicates strong interest for fruit punches that are nutritionally enhanced," said Joe Scalzo, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, The Minute Maid Company. "In consumer tests, 30% more consumers said they would purchase fortified fruit punches over non-fortified punches."

Minute Maid is now the only line of all-natural fruit punches fortified with 10% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium and 100% of the RDI of vitamin C. The introduction provides retailers with a new way to reach consumers seeking nutritionally enhanced non-dairy products in both the chilled and frozen juice sections.

For further information call 713-888-5019.

Wholey Expands Whiting Processing Capacity By 40%

Wholey International, the largest distributor of fresh frozen whiting fillets in the United States, has increased its capacity by 40% with the opening of Wholey Canada, a wholly-owned, state-of-the-art processing plant, cold storage facility and distribution center on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. In addition, purchasing and sales offices were established in Vancouver.

Wholey's 40,000 square foot plant will be capable of processing between 85 and 90 tons of fish a day when it moves into full operations with the start of the whiting season in Canada. The existing plant structure also is capable of accommodating an additional line, which would increase capacity to over 200 tons a day. Located in Ucluelet, the plant was completed last year and underwent shakedown operations at the end of the 1999 season.

In addition, the company has formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, Wholey Chile, based in Santiago, to manage its processing and exporting activities in Chile.

Most importantly, Wholey said that both the Chilean and Canadian plants are supplied by day boats that return to the processing plant within 8 to 10 hours or less of the catch, assuring maximum freshness.

For information circle reader reply #152

Sargento, Hormel, Birds Eye and GossAmer Bay Offer Easy Holiday Meal Solutions For Family Gatherings

The spring holiday season is about bringing together family and friends. Sargento Foods has joined with Hormel Cure 81 Hams, Birds Eye Frozen Baby Vegetables and Gossamer Bay Vineyards to help consumers make homemade meal occasions special.

Working together, the four premier brands invite consumers to "Put Great Tastes in Their Baskets" with easy, no-fuss recipes featuring ham as the centerpiece for feasts across America.

The partnership has produced a colorful booklet with 21 delicious springtime recipes along with coupons and rebates from Sargento, Hormel and Birds Eye.

"This partnership allows us to offer consumers a helping hand in preparing their springtime holiday meals," said Jane Gapinski, director of consumer promotions for Sargento. "These are one-stop meal solutions that are easy to shop for, easy to prepare and, as a result, easy to enjoy with family and friends. We're all here together to meet consumers' needs for innovative meal solutions that have a real impact on holiday entertaining with food throughout the year."

For information call 1-800-558-5802.

U.S.-China Agreement

After much discussion and negotiation, capped by a visit by Chinese inspectors to Florida citrus groves, the shipping of orange and grapefruit from Florida to the People's Republic of China was approved recently.

The U.S. and China signed an agreement March 20 that cleared the way for citrus from seven Florida counties to be exported to China.

Those counties are Collier, Hendry, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Palm Beach and St. Lucie. Under the terms of the agreement, citrus from groves, shippers, packinghouses and warehouses designated jointly by Chinese and U.S. officials may be shipped to China. The Sino-U.S. Agricultural Cooperation Agree-ment was signed about a month after an eight-member Chinese delegation visited the Indian River citrus-growing region in Florida.

2000 International Poultry Exposition Draws Attendees From Around the World

Approximately 24,500 people from 46 states and more than 110 countries journeyed to Atlanta Jan. 19-21 for the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association's 52nd Annual International Poultry Exposition.

One thousand and sixty seven exhibitors were on hand to showcase their products and services at the world's largest poultry and egg trade show.

"Although our attendance figures were slightly lower, we were pleased overall with the exposition," said USPoultry President Don Dalton.

"Given the ups and downs experienced by our industry during the preceding year, the inclement weather in North Carolina, and the depressed economy in certain areas of the world, smaller numbers can be expected. International traffic from several countries was down significantly. Another recent international trade fair showed a 20% drop in attendance.

While there were three fewer exhibitors than last year, the square footage of exposition space actually increased.

In descending order, the states with the greatest representation were: Georgia, Alabama, Illinois, and Arkansas. The countries in descending order with the largest contingents were: Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Japan, and Colombia.

For more information, contact the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association at 770-493-9401; fax 770-493-9257.

Web site: www.poultryegg.org

Cutbacks Ahead For Processing Tomato Acreage

The-record-high 1999 processing tomato harvest prompted processors to sharply increase domestic stocks of tomato-based products (up 37% in December, 1999 from a year earlier) and will likely lead to a cutback in contract tonnage and output in 2000.

Early estimates indicate a possible decline of 10-20% in planted acreage from a year ago, and early contract prices are about 9% below last year's average.

Frozsun Foods Installs Distinctive Advisory Board

New Board highlights commitment to excellence

The Board of Directors of Frozsun Foods, Inc., has announced the formation and installation of a four person Advisory Board which held its first meeting in February, 2000. According to Doug Circle, Frozsun Foods President and CEO, "The creation of this Advisory Board is an exciting resource for our professional staff, and will help guide the long-term vision of our organization though this extraordinary period of growth."

The Advisory Board consists of Ardell Barnes, Thomas Nielsen, Brian Stone and John Zaepfel.

"Frozsun Foods, and its growershipper/packer affiliate Sunrise Growers, Inc. are positioned to leverage the tremendous depth of experience in warehousing, shipping/packing and information technology that is unparalleled in the produce industry," states Mr. Zaepfel.

Mr. Zaepfel, CEO of The Zaepfel Group, "has provided tremendous guidance in building this experienced team," adds Mr. Circle.

Mr. Barnes, a well known and respected former Senior Vice President of CS Integrated LLC, a national operator of warehousing and freezer facilities, has been in the freezer and processing business for many years.

Mr. Nielsen is the Past President of The Irvine Company.

Mr. Stone served as the President of Magnetic Data Technologies LLC.

For further information contact Douglas R. Circle, President/CEO, Frozsun Foods Inc. Call 714-630-2170 or fax 714-630-0294.

E-mail: docircle@frozsun.com