The Chilean fruit season is underway and helping to transport the items coming to the United States is Krichmar Produce, a distributor which has a fleet of 19 trucks and 40 trailers — and growing every year.

Operating out of its Vineland, NJ headquarters, the company has a quarter century of experience delivering the best produce to customers from Florida to Maine — whether it’s Jersey Fresh items in the summer of the Chilean fruit that’s popular between now and May.

The Chilean produce season is just getting into full swing with cherries, blueberries and stone fruit being imported into the United States, with grapes not too far behind.

“Let’s put it this way — we’ve always got grapes,” said Louie Galvan, managing partner of Fruit Royale Inc. The company, based in Delano, CA, has been in the table grape business since 2004, but Galvan started in the produce industry in the early 90s. 

Grapeman Farms has been in the table grape business for well over 40 years. The Bakersfield, CA-based vertically integrated grower-shipper is known for its exceptional offerings. The company’s cumulative experience, knowledge and high-quality fruit set it apart as a first-class operation. “The biggest thing Grapeman wants retailers to know is we are a year-round supplier of table grapes,” said Jared Lane, vice president of sales and marketing. “We are stocked all 52 weeks of the year.”

Krichmar Produce, known for offering high-quality produce up and down the East Coast, is in its 26th year of business.

With its offices in Vineland, NJ, the company is well connected to companies from Florida to Maine, and Krichmar’s trucking operation has helped it maintain its strong reputation at a time when other companies are having a hard time moving produce.

Chilean cherries and blueberries are both looking very strong at the end of 2021, according to Karen Brux, managing director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association.

In fact, the Chilean Blueberry Committee projects global export volumes of 117,000 tons, similar to the total exported the previous season.

“The season has just started, with 196,000 boxes (563 tons) shipped season to date to the U.S.,” Brux said. “We’ll be promoting from December through February.”