Procacci Bros. Sales Corp. announced the expansion of its tropical and ethnic produce program and the launch of its new "Feliz" premium brand of items.

The company said it is seeking to increase its growth in the category in response to the changing demographics and demands of consumers in the United States.

Procacci's operation will now include a strategic sourcing office in Miami, which will be headed by Javier Alvarado. During Alvarado's 25 years of experience in tropical and ethnic produce, he has built relationships with an expansive network of growers throughout Central America, South America and other prime tropical growing regions.

Alvarado's hands-on approach to building his relationships with growers has him traveling frequently throughout the tropics, and the company believes his efforts will enable it to provide customers with consistent, high-quality tropical and ethnic produce year-round.

Alvarado will work closely with Procacci's Philadelphia-based sales team of Mike Barber and Luis De Vore. Barber brings over 30 years of experience in the procurement and sales of tropical produce. De Vore, a recent graduate of the Sustainable Business MBA program at Marylhurst University, has sales expertise strongly rooted in quality control. Before joining Procacci's sales desk, De Vore gained 13 years of quality-control experience, first as a researcher and inspector for the USDA and then as the director of the quality control department at Procacci Bros.

New label launched

In addition to announcing the expansion of its tropical and ethnic produce operations, Procacci Bros. also launched its new premium tropical and ethnic produce brand, "Feliz."

The "Feliz" brand will include tropical and ethnic items such as green plantains, avocados, calabaza, malanga, chayote, yuca and ñame, as well as many others. "Feliz" branded items will be sourced from select growers that meet Procacci's standards for outstanding quality and safety throughout the supply chain.

"All 'Feliz' items will feature distinctive Feliz PLU stickers," De Vore said in a press release. "The sticker is designed to show a smiling face with the word 'Feliz' making up the eyes of the face. That is what we believe our brand will come to mean to our customers. When they're in the produce department they will see 'Feliz' and experience happiness and peace of mind in knowing that they are purchasing delicious, responsibly-sourced products that they can count on being available, week after week."