Dominic Russo, buyer and sales associate for Rocky Produce Inc., located on the Detroit Produce Terminal, told The Produce News that the Polar Vortex in early January added to what was already a strange couple of weeks.

“We had a holiday in the middle of the week, worked for two days and then had a weekend,” said Russo. “The next week was the same routine, and then just as things were getting back to normal the storm hit, so things were off track for a few weeks.”

The storm caused an increase in business, however, because people were stocking up on supplies. But it also created some problems with truckers and with staff members who had problems getting to work.

A normal January typically brings two to three weeks of strong business, but then people tend to take vacations to get a break from the cold. In this particularly strange year, Russo said that he planned to be a little cautious and not too aggressive.

He noted that the berry category continues to grow for the company, which it has done for the past several years.

“The demand is for the entire category,” he said. “We can’t get enough blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries, and they’re all doing extremely well.

“We’re currently bringing berries in from Chile, Argentina, and Peru,” he continued. “But we also handle supplies from Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay. We also source domestically when they’re available.”

He said that strawberries start coming out of Florida in mid-January, adding that the quality is always great and prices good.

“The category has received so much positive attention related to nutrition that the demand just continues to rise,” said Russo.

“We also handle California berries when they start in the spring. Then we follow the domestic run up and down the coasts. Regardless of how much we source, we can’t get enough. That’s good for keeping prices firm, but we’d rather have more supply so that our customers are satisfied.”

Rocky Produce offers a variety of pack sizes on its berries, depending on when volumes are strong or weak. When supplies are strong, packers tend to get more creative.

The company also handles pea pods, asparagus, mangos, snow and snap beans from South America. Russo said that Mexico was beginning to ramp up in mid-January on its seasonal movement, but that Peru was ending up.

“Peru goes year-round on some items, like asparagus,” he said. “But we switch to Mexico when it starts in mid-January because it means more tonnage and a fresh new crop. Mexico is early with its spring program. Florida doesn’t kick in heavily until April and May.”

The company also handles huge volumes of greens such as spring mixes, arugula, baby mixes and more. Mangos and papayas are also very strong. Green and red grapes from Chile, peaches, nectarines, plums, all also from South America, are all on the company’s lineup.

“These programs are all growing nicely for us,” said Russo. “We’ve had a good year with California grapes. That’s come to a close and we’ve moved into Chilean product. It was a very smooth transition this year, which we always like to see.”

Russo represents the third-generation in the family owned business. The company was founded by his grandfather, Dominic, and his brother, Rocky Russo in 1957. It relocated to the terminal market in the 1970s. Russo’s father, Jack, is the president of the company today, and he is joined in ownership by his brother, Ronnie, and his cousins, Rocky Jr. and Tom Russo.

Today more than 15 family members in Russo’s generation work in the company, which includes cousins and in-laws.

“That’s not to mention the generations before us and some neighbors who work here,” Russo added. “We’re one great-big Rocky Produce family, and we all love it. There are guys here since before I was, and they are all committed to and love the company.”

The company moved into its new sales offices two years ago, which Russo said has been a pleasure to work in.

“It’s in the same location, but it was time for new administrative and sales spaces, and we’re very comfortable here.”