A Fresh Cut Fresh Start

I’m excited to welcome you to a new chapter in the life of Fresh Cut.

Great American Publishing, located in Sparta, Mich., has purchased Fresh Cut from Columbia Publishing, and we’re eager to continue on this journey that Mike Stoker and Brent Clement started 13 years ago. Our team is pumped to continue bringing Fresh Cut’s readers the news, the names and the information they need to be successful in their ventures.

Great American Publishing, though somewhat new to the fresh-cut industry, is no stranger to producing quality publications for different aspects of the agriculture industry. Great American Publishing also publishes The Fruit Growers News, The Vegetable Growers News and Spudman magazine. Fresh Cut presents an opportunity for us to continue learning about all aspects of the produce food chain – from grower to processor.

I, Kimberly Warren, will serve as editor for Fresh Cut. And though I am, admittedly, new to the fresh-cut industry, I am no stranger to the many aspects of agriculture or the hard work that goes along with it, as I was born and raised on my family’s tree fruit farm in Northern Michigan.

My childhood memories are marked with long days on the farm and many missed vacations. And though I hated all the work I had to do as a kid, I am now realizing just how blessed I was to truly know the value of a good, long day of work. And not everyone can appreciate the whole process of producing something – from start to finish.

Working in publishing is kind of like that. We start with these story ideas that we work with – interview after interview, sentence after sentence – until we come out with this whole magazine that we watched grow from the first word.

I’ve learned a lot more about the different channels of the agriculture industry as editor of The Fruit Growers News, The Vegetable Growers News and Spudman. I’m eager to expand my knowledge and experience by adding the fresh-cut industry to the mix. I look forward to covering all aspects of the industry – from processing to retail to food service to food safety.

As we continue to delve into the different areas of the industry, look for gradual changes to Fresh Cut. We hope to expand the coverage and the information offered while providing a helpful, attractive publication you won’t be able to put down.

While we make these changes and get more knowledgeable about the industry, I’d love to hear your feedback. And I’d love to talk about your business or the issues that concern you as a member of the fresh-cut industry. Please call me, e-mail me or write me so I can learn as much as possible. And look for me at the upcoming meetings and trade shows.

I can be reached at (616) 887-9008, ext. 110, or [email protected].

Publisher Matt McCallum can be reached at (616) 887-9008, ext. 101, or [email protected].

Our advertising sales manager, Brenda Bradford, can be reached at (616) 887-9008, ext. 104, or [email protected].

You can write to any of us at Fresh Cut, P.O. Box 128, Sparta, MI 49345.

All of us are eager to hear from you as we work to continue to build on the foundation that has been laid for the fresh-cut industry’s news source: Fresh Cut. And remember, you can always stay up to date with what’s happening in the fresh-cut industry at www.freshcut.com. And, if you want to receive industry news e-mail updates, send an e-mail to [email protected] and put “subscribe e-news” in the subject line.