May 18, 2006

Index Fresh Assumes Leadership Role in the Industry.
First Food Safety Coordinator Appointed

Dana Thomas, president of Index Fresh, announced today the appointment of Nate Pidduck to the newly created position of Food Safety Coordinator. Created to accommodate buyers’ increasing demand for safe produce, this post will benefit Index Fresh’s customers by ensuring that the avocados have been carefully overseen, from field to fork.

Index Fresh’s initiative in appointing the first Food Safety Coordinator in the industry is a pivotal move that will ultimately serve both the grower and consumer well. As Food Safety Coordinator, Pidduck will be responsible for ensuring that food-safety criteria are met by Index Fresh’s suppliers. He understands the impact these changes will have on growers, and is working with Index Fresh to prepare a manual that will help in simplifying the process.

In recent years, the increase in food-borne illnesses has prompted consumers to change their habits. Some people are even opting to eat at home, so that they can personally control the quality of their family’s food. Produce buyers are requiring the highest standard of food, ever. Likewise, many major restaurant chains are demanding grower certification from suppliers, who must now compete with European standards that have risen to levels higher than those in the U.S. If growers are to continue to satisfy consumers, they must adapt to the level that is already being fulfilled by international suppliers.

Index Fresh takes food safety very seriously, understanding that much of the market will appreciate higher safety standards. Equally, Index Fresh understands that ensuring these standards are high and this means that good agricultural practices can no longer be based on a handshake and a promise.

Bringing U.S. standards to a level allowing for successful competition in the international market is important for growers, as well as consumers. As Food Safety Coordinator, Pidduck will work with growers to help them to prepare for third-party audits. Issues such as sanitation, worker health and hygiene, facilities and field sanitation, water, transportation, and traceability will be addressed. While such grower level audits are not yet mandatory in today’s market, Index Fresh believes that they will soon become required in California.

Pidduck was raised on an avocado and lemon farm located in Santa Paula, California, and his background provides him with hands-on qualifications. He earned his BA in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his multi-layered experience includes working as a produce vendor with Underwood Family Farms in Somis, CA. He has served as Coastal Sales Manager for Kimball Toppers in Santa Paula, and also has field experience in agricultural production. He is conversant in Spanish, and his extensive travels throughout North, Central and South America give him a broad understanding of the region and an international perspective.

No stranger to the industry, he is well-aware of the impact that these changes can have upon growers. His credentials will enable him to give skilled consultation and assessment to individual situations, aiding growers’ compliance with the higher standards that today’s market demands, in preparation for audits conducted by Primuslabs.com. (To learn more about food safety compliance issues, visit www.Primuslabs.com.)

Contact: Dana Thomas
Phone: 909-877-0999
Email: dthomas@indexfresh.com