San Diego (June 26, 2013) Organics Unlimited of San Diego, CA has announced that they will be introducing GROW bananas to the western Canadian market through Pro Organics of British Columbia. Starting in July, GROW bananas will be available to retailers in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Yukon.

“Pro Organics has supported Organics Unlimited for many years, and we felt the time was right to make a 100% commitment to the GROW label. We strongly support giving back to the communities that produce our food,” stated Steve Boyle of Pro Organics. “The GROW program is all about giving resources and opportunities to the people working at the farm level, and Pro Organics is pleased to partner with Organics Unlimited in that endeavor.” Pro Organics is Canada’s organic fresh food leader with nearly 25 years of service to the trade.

“Pro Organics has been a long time customer of Organics Unlimited, but this will be the Canadian introduction of our GROW brand starting in July,” said Mayra Velazquez de Leon, president of Organics Unlimited. GROW is a program that was started by Organics Unlimited in 2005 to provide support to communities where the bananas are grown in a very direct way without high administrative costs.

Through a small surcharge on each box of bananas, the program has now generated over $500,000 in educational and health-related support programs in Mexico and Ecuador.  “We feel GROW has been very effective in giving the workers, their families and their communities the type of benefits that they need, without the higher costs associated with some of the more well publicized programs intended to protect the workers,” said Velazquez.