“We are celebrating our 15th anniversary in business,” Ciro Porricelli, vice president of Jerry Porricelli Produce, which is located on the Hunts Point Produce Market, told The Produce News.

“But our family has several generations of experience in the produce industry. I named the business after my grandfather. My father, Angelo, took the company over from my grandfather. Dad turned 91 this year, and he still helps out in the office every day.”

He added that people who have done business with his company over the years are amazed at how active he continues to be. Porricelli’s mother, Carmela, is 94 this year, and she is every bit as active as her husband. The couple has been married for 64 years.

“Dad is still my greatest mentor,” said Porricelli. “It’s great to just sit and have a cup of coffee with him and talk about business and family matters.”

Ciro is joined in overseeing the business by his sister, Angela Porricelli, who handles the bookkeeping and administrative tasks. Another sister, Jullie Ann, handles billing and accounts receivable from her home office.

The next generation, Porricelli’s son, Christopher, is also making a career in the produce industry, but in a different way. A couple of years ago he left the company’s business at Hunts Point and relocated to Altamonte Springs, FL, where he started CAP Trucking LLC. It runs loads north, and so he sees his family about once a week.

“Christopher is doing fabulously,” said Porricelli. “He recently added another truck to his fleet. While we’re sad to not have him here with us daily, we are thrilled that he is doing what he loves and that his business is going great. Besides seeing him almost every week, he also handles my Ohio runs when that program starts each season. It is a wonderful thing to see your child happy and doing well.”

Jerry Porricelli Produce occupies one unit on the Hunts Point Produce Market, and it rents a couple of trailers for additional space.

The company handles about 70 items, mostly vegetables, herbs and tomatoes. It services a mix of retailers and foodservice operators throughout the tri-state area.

Porricelli sings the praises of his long and loyal staff, of whom he says, “Without our great employees we would not be where we are today. We function just like a baseball team where every player has a position. On our team, every person is a winner.”

Movement on the East Coast, Porricelli explained, is running late this year because of cool weather and moisture. Things being tight has pushed prices higher, but he does not expect the pressure to last very long.

“As the movement inches north things typically tend to get back to normal,” he said. “New Jersey growers have product in the ground, but they still have covers over the plants [April 1]. This suggests they’ll also be running behind this year. Once New Jersey and Ohio start strong movements, things will level out. It’s like running a business with a partner who makes all the decisions; when you work with Mother Nature, she’s always there to remind you who’s boss.”

Two of Porricelli’s growers — Pontano Farms in Boynton Beach, FL, and J&D Farms in Edinburg, TX — are now GAP-certified. He explained that this is important especially for J&D Farms because it has a lot of major chain business in the United States and in Canada who demand certification.

“It’s an expensive proposition, but growers today know that without certifications they may face difficulties moving product,” Porricelli said. “Everyone who plans to stay in this business will have to, at some point, move closer to certifications.”

Porricelli said that greens, especially items like kale and parsley, are having their day in the sun because of the strong juicing business in cities like New York. The company’s sales on these items have tripled over the last year.

The sweet potato market, which is a strong commodity for the company, is not having such a great year, however, due to harvest shortages last fall.

“There won’t be any relief until the next fall harvest,” said Porricelli. “Number 1 sizes are getting $22 to $25 a box today, compared to the normal $18 to $20, and prices could go much higher before the new crop comes in.”