For J&K Fresh, produce is not just part of its business, it is its business.

The company specializes in providing custom brokerage services to importers of fresh produce, working with various government agencies assisting produce importers in navigating through the multi-layered clearance process.

This process requires knowledge of CBP border security, customs entry, agriculture quarantine, food and drug including bioterrorism and food safety; and coordination with the inspection facilities and logistic providers.

This has been a big year for Baldor Foods in terms of people, process and potential.

“We started the year with some technology upgrades — a replatformization of our ERP that will allow us to continue to improve how we serve our customers,” said Bill Hodge, director of sales, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, for Baldor Specialty Foods.

BRS Produce Co., was among the original tenants at the new Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market when it opened in June 2011. It currently occupies units D-2 and D-3, working with all customers who come into the market.

Safety is of main concern for those working on the farms in New Jersey, and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture is committed to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and safely.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and the Department of Community Affairs oversee safety in farm labor housing. This includes inspections of housing facilities, worker conditions and potable water wells.

“The NJDA works with those agencies to communicate their messages with the industry,” said Joe Atchison III, assistant secretary and director of marketing for the NJDA.

As long-time merchants on the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, T. M Kovacevich (TMK Produce) operates out of a 2,000-pallet facility and represents some of the world’s finest growers at what it considers the best wholesale produce arena on the planet.

The big news coming out of the company in 2023 is that it is expanding its TMK Local program.

Procacci Bros., with four units at the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, is one of the leading wholesalers in the Northeast. The company also runs a warehouse in South Philadelphia and a farming operation in South Jersey.

The company provides a full line of produce, including back-of-the-line items like salads and dressings, as well as floral, organic and specialty items.

Business is off to a great start in 2023 with Rick Feighery, vice president of Procacci Bros., noting the company can always take on more.