Retail and foodservice consolidation has fueled increased interest among growers to work more closely with shippers to ensure reliability and continuity of product shipments. According to Fidel Hoyos, vice president of operations for Bionova, 32 growers with more than 13,650 acres, including Bionova's Production division, have committed their operations to the quality assurance standards required to market their produce under the "Master's Touch" brand name.

Bionova has invited growers to PMA 2000 in Anaheim to gain a better understanding about farming, post-harvest and related marketing trends. Growers will join Bionova management at a special dinner and attend the 2nd annual Chefs Choice awards reception.

"Our growers recognize that customers need assurances for on-time delivery, continuity in product quality and that many have different packing requirements," Hoyos said. "Contract and other orders mast be met on time-based terms with no gaps in service."

Growers and managers from Bionova's distribution network of companies have agreed to fully leverage the company's modern infrastructure, which includes automated packingsheds and efficient pre-cooling systems.

"These new alliances will allow growers to concentrate on better yields and quality assurance," Hoyos said, "while Bionova managers concentrate on logistics for handling distribution and the development of marketing programs."

Bionova managers and quality assurance teams communicate with growers regularly through "private rooms" on the Master's Touch web site (www.masterstouch.com). On line communication, including digital imaging, focus on fruit condition, food quality and marketing trends.

"We are very pleased with the increasing number of growers who are interested in Bionova's capabilities, including our new vine-ripe tomato packingshed in Culiacan that features a PSI Roma tomato packing unit, with eight lines of computerized color and sorting equipment," said Francisco Obregon, president of Bionova Produce in Nogales. "And to supplement Bionova's production of field and greenhouse products, we are proud to add five family growers with generations of farming experience to reinforce our Master's Touch' team."

Centralized packing will ensure uniformity and quality for all "Master's Touch" brand products, particularly those that are sold under contract terms with retailers and processors. Products meet quality assurance criteria from two independent U.S. labs: Scientific Certification Systems and PrimusLabs.

"We are in regular communication with our customers to ensure that we understand and exceed their expectations," said Omar Diaz, vice president of sales and marketing for Bionova. "In response to customer requests, we can now provide packaging in whatever size and style a customer needs including special corrugated boxes, clamshells, RPC, Euro-boxes and other packages to help differentiate products."

According to Danny Stoller, Bionova Produce sales manager based in Nogales, "Master's Touch" will provide grape tomatoes from four growing regions to ensure year round availability.

"Expanding our line with products like the grape tomato on a year-round basis puts us in step with what our customers now expert as they provide a wider variety of differentiated presentations for consumers," he said. "Our Bionova/Master's Touch procurement division is gearing up to make our red, orange and yellow vine sweet mini peppers available year-round."

Sinaloa and Baja California Procurement Coordinator Hector Lujan said that Bionova/Master's Touch will continue expanding its product line. "Beginning in December we will add green beans," he said. "As a further demonstration of our customers are looking for from a preferred provider of quality produce."

Bionova provides products under the "Master's Touch" brand from the following regions in Mexico: LaCruz and Culiacan in Sinaloa; Colima, Veracruz, Jalisco, Queretaro, Todos Santos and San Quintin in Baja California; Ciudad Obregon, Guaymas, Caborca and Hermosillo in Sonora.