Jersey Fresh hosts EPC meeting for 27th consecutive year

: May 21, 2014

The Eastern Produce Council's May 20 dinner meeting took place under clear blue skies and delightfully warm temperatures. As always, a large crowd gathered at Demarest Farm in Hillsdale, NJ, which for many years has hosted the dinner meeting sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and often called the Jersey Fresh cookout. This was the 27th consecutive year that Jersey Fresh has sponsored an EPC meeting.

EPC President Paul Kneeland; Al Murray, New Jersey's assistant secretary of agriculture; New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher; and John McAleavey, executive director of EPC.

Bonnie Lundblad (center) of Sunny Valley International with Al Murray, New Jersey's assistant secretary of agriculture, and Doug Fisher, New Jersey's secretary of agriculture.

Victor Joseph of Victor Joseph & Son Inc. with Vic Savanello of Allegiance Retail Services LLC and EPC first vice president.

Mike and Laura DePrado of Final Touch Plantscaping LLC.

Kurt Zuhlke of Kurt Zuhlke & Associates and his daughter, Angela.

Paul Kneeland of Kings Food Markets and EPC president; Dominick Petrocelli of Bozzuto's Inc.; Greg Veneziano of Bozzuto's and an EPC director; and Keith Fansler of Jacks Foodtown.

Art Brown (center), a former New Jersey secretary of agriculture, with Jason DeGise and Jim Spollen, the new operators of Demarest Farm, site of the EPC's May 20 meeting hosted by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

Eric Mitchnick of E. Armata Inc. with Jason Grappel of Genpro.

Jay Krichmar of Krichmar Produce Co. with Stu Freed, Paul Armata and Frank Schembri of E. Armata Inc.

Rob Goldstein (right) of Genpro with John Guerra, Rick Romano and Pete Napolitano of S.Katzman Produce.

Theresa Lowden of JOH with Elaine McGrath of Raw Foods International.

Mark Leone and Bill Litvin of Giorgio Fresh Co.

Paul and Chris Armata with John Acompora of E. Armata Inc.

Ralph Comunale and Stu Freed of E. Armata Inc. with Eric and Marc Nadel of Paterson Pickle.

Bob McGowan of Northeast Produce Sales, Paul Auerbach of Maurice A. Auerbach, Jason Grappel of Genpro and Denise Goodman of M&R Tomato Distributors Inc.

Marc Turner of Bushwick Commission Co. Inc. with George Uribe of Vision Import Group and Jim Gallagher of King Kullen.

Jon Kohl of EPC with Ronnie Cohen of Vision Import Group.

Henry Kreinces, Ronnie Cohen and George Uribe of Vision Import Group.

Nick Gattuso, F. Scott Fein and Lee Ruden of Robinson Fresh.

Gary Roselli and Noel Barboe of A&P flank Marybeth March of Country Fresh Mushrooms.

Deandra Leone and Bobby Consalo of Vivid Fruit & Produce with Doug Groendyke of Kings Food Markets.

Paul Kneeland of Kings Food Markets and president of the Eastern Produce Council, addressed the membership during the May 20 dinner meeting.

Douglas Fisher, New Jersey secretary of agriculture, thanked the EPC membership for their continuing support of the state’s Jersey Fresh promotion program.

Jay Krichmar of Krichmar Produce Co. and Anthony Liberto of DeMarco Produce.

From the New Jersey Department of Agriculture: Fred Hettinger, Chris Kleinguenther and Lynn Coffin.

Dennis Moleta of Wholesum Family Farms and Tom Marrolli of State Garden.

Art Brown, a former New Jersey secretary of agriculture; Pete Demarest, whose establishment has served as the venue for the Jersey Fresh-sponsored EPC meeting; and John Rigolizzo Jr. of the Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey.

Vincent Meli of Swede Farms and Michael Damato of Natalie's Orchid Island Juice Co.