CORAL GABLES, FLA. — Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. overcame higher banana product and procurement costs, foreign currency headwinds and the lingering effects of a weak Chilean season to deliver strong results for the third quarter.
Net income attributable to Fresh Del Monte for the quarter ended Sept. 25 was $28.5 million, equal to 54c per share on the common stock, which was up 44% from $19.9 million, or 36c per share, for the year-ago period. Net sales advanced 5.8% to $936.1 million from prior-year sales of $884.6 million. Higher net sales in all of the company’s business segments and higher selling prices for other fresh produce contributed to the growth, which was partially offset by a $27 million exchange rate variance over the comparable quarter.

Source: www.foodbusinessnews.net

LOS ANGELES — As a resident of parched California, Angela Bassett is used to playing water warden at home.
“I’m a mom with (twin) kids, 9-year-olds, trying to teach them how to wash dishes, how to wash clothes” in a time of drought, the actress said. “And to turn out the lights. I feel like the father figure in ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night,’ saying, ‘Turn that light off!’”
As the director of “Water Apocalypse,” she’s talking to a bigger audience about water crises here and around the world and the technological advances that may help resolve them.
The hour-long program is part of “Breakthrough,” a six-part series on scientific innovation from filmmaking partners Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

A Florida’s Supreme Court decision Thurday could clear the way for a program that would finance energy improvements at homes and businesses in Broward County .

The court rejected a challenge to the PACE program from the Florida Bankers Association, saying the group did not have standing to to fight it.
PACE stands for Property Assessed Clean Energy. The program lets people borrow to cover the upfront costs of new roofs, hurricane windows or other energy upgrades and then pay back the loans with their property taxes, much like an assessment. Sometimes, the savings on electric bills from upgrades are big enough to pay back the full cost of the loans.
Florida bankers had concerns that PACE loans would be repaid before mortgages, but the Supreme Court did not address that issue in its ruling. The Obama administration has been working with federal agencies to address repayment questions and to encourage PACE lending nationwide.

Source: www.sun-sentinel.com

From cupcake samples to free cosmetic makeup sessions, Greater Kendall Business Association members hosted hundreds of visitors during the organization’s 10th annual Expo, Oct. 15, on the third floor of the Lexus of West Kendall dealership at SW 136th Street and 137th Avenue. A host of sponsors once again joined to provide a premiere networking …
Source: www.communitynewspapers.com