Mariani Packing and U.S. Fruit & Veg expand fresh produce relationship
Mariani Packing and U.S. Fruit & Veg expand fresh produce relationship
MONTEREY, CA -- Longtime industry-leading dried fruit processor Mariani Packing Co. has gotten a taste of the fresh fruit market -- and it likes it.
The effort took root when U.S. Fruit & Veg Inc., based here, presented a proposal to Vacaville, CA-based Mariani Packing to grow and market fresh strawberries bearing the "Mariani" label. Mariani Packing agreed, and Albion- variety strawberries carrying the "Mariani" label began shipping across the United States and in Canada and Mexico in early June.
Now, Mariani Packing has decided to expand its commitment to the fresh fruit market with U.S. Fruit & Veg. In 2008, U.S. Fruit & Veg will triple the volume of fresh strawberries it grew for Mariani Packing this year, said Ash Shoukry, president of U.S. Fruit & Veg, who emerged with the news following an Oct. 2 meeting with Mark Mariani, chief executive officer of family-run Mariani Packing.
In addition, Mariani Packing has plans to launch "other fresh fruit commodities" with U.S. Fruit & Veg, Mr. Shoukry said. There are plans in the works for those as-yet-undetermined items to hit the market in spring 2008, he said.
U.S. Fruit & Veg will be looking for opportunities to cross-merchandise the "Mariani" branded fresh items with Mariani's dried fruit and will seek to expand "Mariani" fresh strawberry sales domestically and internationally, Mr. Shoukry said.
U.S. Fruit & Veg recently hired Emil Font, who used to work for Mariani Packing, to oversee U.S. Fruit & Veg's export business.
Tom Cserep, senior sales manager for U.S. Fruit & Veg, said that his company had a "purposely small volume" of strawberries for Mariani in 2007, but the effort got the "Mariani" label out there in fresh produce and helped gauged customer interest.
Patti Sousa, director of business development for Mariani Packing, said that the venture into fresh strawberries with U.S. Fruit & Veg has been "great" and that good tie-in opportunities exist to "cross-merchandise our [dried] fruit with our strawberries."
Retailers carry Mariani's dried fruit products in the produce department, and they can be paired with Mariani's fresh strawberries as an end-cap display. Mariani Packing's products are carried by virtually every major retailer. The company offers a complete line of dried fruits such as dried plums, raisins, apricots, peaches, pears, apples and mixed fruits. The company also offers a variety of fruit pieces, fruit extrusions, pastes and other ingredient items that it customizes to special applications.
Mariani Packing has a history of growing strawberries and other fruit for the fresh market, and the company is taking an active role in the food-safety aspects of bringing its branded fresh strawberries to market.
U.S. Fruit & Veg has been growing and selling fresh strawberries for a couple of years.
In addition to its sales office in Monterey, U.S. Fruit & Veg has a sales office in Fresno. Like Mariani Packing, U.S. Fruit & Veg is a family-run business.
The effort took root when U.S. Fruit & Veg Inc., based here, presented a proposal to Vacaville, CA-based Mariani Packing to grow and market fresh strawberries bearing the "Mariani" label. Mariani Packing agreed, and Albion- variety strawberries carrying the "Mariani" label began shipping across the United States and in Canada and Mexico in early June.
Now, Mariani Packing has decided to expand its commitment to the fresh fruit market with U.S. Fruit & Veg. In 2008, U.S. Fruit & Veg will triple the volume of fresh strawberries it grew for Mariani Packing this year, said Ash Shoukry, president of U.S. Fruit & Veg, who emerged with the news following an Oct. 2 meeting with Mark Mariani, chief executive officer of family-run Mariani Packing.
In addition, Mariani Packing has plans to launch "other fresh fruit commodities" with U.S. Fruit & Veg, Mr. Shoukry said. There are plans in the works for those as-yet-undetermined items to hit the market in spring 2008, he said.
U.S. Fruit & Veg will be looking for opportunities to cross-merchandise the "Mariani" branded fresh items with Mariani's dried fruit and will seek to expand "Mariani" fresh strawberry sales domestically and internationally, Mr. Shoukry said.
U.S. Fruit & Veg recently hired Emil Font, who used to work for Mariani Packing, to oversee U.S. Fruit & Veg's export business.
Tom Cserep, senior sales manager for U.S. Fruit & Veg, said that his company had a "purposely small volume" of strawberries for Mariani in 2007, but the effort got the "Mariani" label out there in fresh produce and helped gauged customer interest.
Patti Sousa, director of business development for Mariani Packing, said that the venture into fresh strawberries with U.S. Fruit & Veg has been "great" and that good tie-in opportunities exist to "cross-merchandise our [dried] fruit with our strawberries."
Retailers carry Mariani's dried fruit products in the produce department, and they can be paired with Mariani's fresh strawberries as an end-cap display. Mariani Packing's products are carried by virtually every major retailer. The company offers a complete line of dried fruits such as dried plums, raisins, apricots, peaches, pears, apples and mixed fruits. The company also offers a variety of fruit pieces, fruit extrusions, pastes and other ingredient items that it customizes to special applications.
Mariani Packing has a history of growing strawberries and other fruit for the fresh market, and the company is taking an active role in the food-safety aspects of bringing its branded fresh strawberries to market.
U.S. Fruit & Veg has been growing and selling fresh strawberries for a couple of years.
In addition to its sales office in Monterey, U.S. Fruit & Veg has a sales office in Fresno. Like Mariani Packing, U.S. Fruit & Veg is a family-run business.
