The new website at D'Arrigo Bros. Co. of Massachusetts has plenty of information about this wholesaler located on the New England Produce Center in Chelsea, MA. It also contains, as one might expect, lots of history and old-time photos about the well-known D'Arrigo family, which got into the fresh produce industry back in the 1920s and is perhaps best known for its pioneering "Andy Boy" brand of broccoli and other fresh vegetables.

Nick Pasculli, president and creative director of The Marketing Department Inc., headquartered in Salinas, CA, and Peter D'Arrigo, president of D'Arrigo Bros. Co. of Massachusetts, began working in February to redesign the produce company's website. It went live in May.

Pasculli had previously worked on the D'Arrigo company's California website, so it was a natural move for him to then work on the company's Massachusetts website. "I knew the company. I spent time with the salespeople. I spent time in the coolers," Pasculli told The Produce News Wednesday, Oct. 15.

"It was a great experience to work with Peter," he continued. "All the people at D'Arrigo were incredible and very gracious to work with. I really enjoyed working with them."

The new website provides a history of the D'Arrigo family, beginning in the 1920s, recounting in text and photos how it all started and evolved in California, in Boston and in New York.

Of course, one of the highlights of this iconic company is its "Andy Boy" brand, utilized first on fresh broccoli and then on a wide range of vegetables. According to the new website, "the first-ever brand of fresh vegetables in the USA, 'Andy Boy' was trademarked in 1927 by the brothers [Stephen and Andrew] and has been recognized for more than 80 years as a leading brand in the industry. The 3-year-old youngest son of Stephen, Andy, served as the name for the brand. This was fitting, as Andy was the son of one brother named after the other."

But the new site contains more than just history. It explains the products and services that the company offers, and talks about three key issues at the company's core: cold chain management, food safety and social responsibility.

In addition, the wholesaler's extensive product line is listed not only by individual item but also by salesperson, so that "existing customers and prospective customers alike may see who to contact for a particular commodity group" without wasting any time, said Pasculli.

The new site was also designed specifically with the terminal market atmosphere in mind. "It is easy to view on mobile devices or tablets," said Pasculli. "To be able to digest information in a fast way is very important for the terminal market industry." Grower-shippers, retailers and others have modern, up-to-date websites, and "this is just as important for terminal markets," said Pasculli. "This new website at D'Arrigo is a very fresh and modern site. It is personal, friendly and uniquely New England."