Broccolini’s story

BROCCOLINI [Farmers Market, by Russ Parsons, Jan. 30], whose generic name is baby broccoli, is a registered trademark of Mann Packing Co. of Salinas, Calif., where I was vice president. Developed in the 1990s by Sakata Seed America of Morgan Hill, Calif., by crossing broccoli and gai lan (Chinese kale) it was first brought to market under the name of Asparation by Sanbon Inc., which was too small to grow it for national distribution.

Tom Livingston

Ojai