FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                                                                     CONTACT: 
                                                                               Lisa Lochridge or Barbara Wunder
                                                                                                                   321-214-5200

FLORIDA FRUIT & VEGETABLE ASSOCIATION HONORS COSTCO

MAITLAND, Fla. (Sept. 24, 2007) –  Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association presented its Merchandiser of the Year Award  Sept. 18 to Costco Wholesale Corporation of Issaquah, Wash. 

Gary Wishnatzki of Wishnatzki Farms was one those who nominated Costco for the award. “They were a big supporter of our strawberry crop,” he said. “Their value is their availability to move quickly on changes in the market. The fact that they do not require long lead times to move volume makes them invaluable to us on a commodity where supplies can swing sharply,” Wishnatzki said.

Thirty-one years after its first warehouse opened in San Diego, Costco has 518 warehouses in locations around the world. In addition to being named one of the most-admired companies in the United States by Fortune magazine, Costco was named Retailer of the Year by DSN Retailing Today and Mass Market Retailers.

The award was announced at FFVA’s 64th Annual Convention Awards Lunch at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton, Fla.

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association is an agricultural trade organization representing Florida’s producers of fruits, vegetables and other crops.

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Editors note: Digital photos available by emailing barbara.wunder@ffva.com.