A.J. Trucco geared up and ready for New Zealand kiwifruit season to start
A.J. Trucco geared up and ready for New Zealand kiwifruit season to start
“We expect to start receiving New Zealand kiwifruit soon — within the next couple of weeks,” Nick Pacia, president of A.J. Trucco Inc., located on the Hunts Terminal Market in the Bronx, NY, said June 16. “And we expect to have the fruit throughout the summer months.”
Pacia explained that New Zealand has enjoyed a strong growing season with good weather conditions.
“Since the global demand for green kiwifruit from New Zealand is high, we expect volumes in the U.S. to be down this year,” said Pacia.
Tony Ponder, director of Southern Produce, at Southern Produce’s Orchards, talking with Nick Pacia, president of A.J. Trucco Inc. “The volume of gold kiwifruit from New Zealand will, however, be up from last year. Overall, we expect to move about the same amount of volumes as we did last year.”
A.J. Trucco began in 1937 amid the aisles of the old Washington Produce Market in downtown Manhattan. In 1965, Salvatore Vacca bought the company and relocated to the Hunts Point Terminal Market. For three decades he grew and transformed the company into a successful enterprise. In 1999, he partnered with Nick Pacia and together they continued A.J. Trucco's long tradition of importing and distributing Italian chestnuts, and it has expanded the company's list of available commodities to include kiwifruit, citrus, grapes and figs, as well as a wide array of dried fruits and nuts.
A.J. Trucco’s New Zealand kiwifruit reaches a wide array of customers in the country.
“Our customers range from mom-and-pop shops to foodservice operations and large chain retailers,” said Pacia. “We distribute our kiwifruit mostly to retailers in the tri-state area.”
Excitement looms at A.J. Trucco for the first kiwifruit from New Zealand to arrive. “New Zealand kiwifruit has a consistent high-quality taste throughout the season,” said Pacia. “It sells well because of its high flavor profile. Kiwifruit also has numerous health benefits. We recently created packaging that highlights these benefits. We find that when consumers are made aware of the health and nutritional benefits they are more likely to buy kiwifruit.”
A.J. Trucco also plans to do some New Zealand kiwifruit promotions this season. “Our partners from New Zealand are always interested in engaging in promotions with us,” said Pacia. “We’re looking forward to trying out some new promotional and marketing ideas.”
