Parker Farms stays true to the ‘Parker Promise’
Parker Farms stays true to the ‘Parker Promise’
Company officials call it “The Parker Promise.”
It is their commitment to creating solutions for their customer’s produce and logistic needs, while, at the same time, generating extraordinary value for its growers and a rewarding and exciting workplace for its employees.
It is also what has kept Parker Farms, based in Oak Grove, VA, with farms up and down the East Coast, ahead of the pack. Parker Farms offers a broad selection fruits and vegetables, including yellow squash, Bell peppers, eggplant, broccoli, asparagus, cucumbers and sweet corn.
“We were established 50 years ago as a family farm operation that, through persistence and hard work, has become a leader in the marketing of fresh produce on the eastern seaboard, primarily broccoli, sweet corn and squash,” said Sean McFadden, the long-time director of business development for Parker Farms.
“We are focused on offering excellent service and communication with our customers and maximizing returns to our grower/partners. We also emphasize strong leadership that is based on core values of honesty and integrity.”
McFadden, who started with the company around its founding in 1974 and calls himself “the doer of whatever needs to be done,” added that consistent supply and quality of Parker Farms’ core items are vital to maintain a successful business model and maintaining a relationship with customers.
“Our network of farms on the East Coast — from Florida in the southeast to New York in the northeast — allows us to be a reliable source for retail and wholesale buyers alike,” he noted.
Other factors also play a major role in the company’s long record of successful farming. McFadden said the company’s expertise in arranging transport makes it easy to deal with for many buyers.
“Coordinating multiple pickups and multiple drops is not simple and the fact that we can do it is a great benefit for our customers,” he explained. “Our transportation manager, Kyle Braddy, who is headquartered in Georgia, orchestrates truck loads across the country, matching schedules, equipment and deliveries.
McFadden also noted that tray-packed broccoli and sweet corn have become key items in Parker Farms’ menu of products.
So how is the season going? McFadden said that a combination of inconsistent weather and supplies have made this spring a real challenge.
“Oversupply has capped prices at unsustainable levels recently on broccoli and sweet corn,” he noted. “This is changing, however. Retailers keeping prices higher have definitely slowed movement also. Dry vegetables, like squash, cukes and pepper, have performed better and prices are also improving. Organics are in high demand with good prices and movement.
“In Virginia, we are working hard to promote our new consumer pre-packs, such as tray packed, pouch bags and film wrapped product. It is all about adding value for our customers and growers alike.”
The company has also taken several key steps over the years to stay ahead of the curve. In 2019, for example, Parker Farms partnered with select organic growers on the east coast to develop the Parker Farms organic label.
In 2020, the company announced that its packing and cold storage facility was 90 percent solar powered. Last year, the company noted that it was increasing the size of packing and cold storage facility, now fully solar powered, by another 25 percent, which will allow Parker Farms to offer new pouch and tray-pack options.
The future means staying true to what has worked in the past, always with an eye to any opportunities that could help Parker Farms grow stronger in years to come.
“Honestly, we will continue to focus on the things we do best,” McFadden added. “Right now, there are no major changes in the near future. We expect to realize incremental growth in the bulk items and our continued push on semi-processed product seems to be a winner for us. Geographically, we will continue to expand our business further west.”
