Argentine garlic a strong deal at Auerbach
January 31, 2005
Argentine garlic is a strong product in this new year, according to Paul Auerbach of Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. in South Hackensack, NJ.
Mr. Auerbach said that Argentine shippers start loading garlic in November and December each year, with the North American marketing season running from January through May. His firm has imported Argentine garlic for about 50 years.
?This season the quality looks good. I was in Chile and Argentina at the beginning of December to see the end of the harvest and the beginning of packing. The quality looks good."
Mr. Auerbach, who has visited Argentina eight times, said that the quality of Argentine garlic generally varies "from packinghouse to packinghouse and from grower to grower." But, he reiterated, "We have very nice product this year. There are three major players we work with." He noted that Argentina has about seven garlic shippers.
?We get it packed to U.S. standards? for quality, sizing, pallets and marketability, he said. Such standardization makes a seamless transition for Auerbach customers that receive garlic from different sources through the firm.
Argentine garlic is counter-seasonal to California and Chinese garlic, just as Chilean winter fruit is counter-seasonal to California product, Mr. Auerbach noted. Argentina can market a fresh crop of garlic when Californian and Chinese growers are selling product from cold storage. "The marketing advantage goes to the new crop," Mr. Auerbach said.
Traditionally, Argentine garlic packers shipped in 22-pound octagonal wooden crates. Auerbach has its Argentine packers supply the 30-pound carton, which is shipped from China and California.
Mr. Auerbach said that his family?s firm has been in business since the 1920s. Originally, the company imported garlic only from Italy and Spain. It was about 50 years ago that the firm first received Argentine garlic. That link has been consistent since it was forged.
Auerbach is serving customers nationwide by shipping Argentine garlic to East Coast and West Coast ports from both Chile and Argentina. The company is receiving Chilean garlic and asparagus, and is importing Peruvian asparagus as well.
Mr. Auerbach said that Argentine shippers start loading garlic in November and December each year, with the North American marketing season running from January through May. His firm has imported Argentine garlic for about 50 years.
?This season the quality looks good. I was in Chile and Argentina at the beginning of December to see the end of the harvest and the beginning of packing. The quality looks good."
Mr. Auerbach, who has visited Argentina eight times, said that the quality of Argentine garlic generally varies "from packinghouse to packinghouse and from grower to grower." But, he reiterated, "We have very nice product this year. There are three major players we work with." He noted that Argentina has about seven garlic shippers.
?We get it packed to U.S. standards? for quality, sizing, pallets and marketability, he said. Such standardization makes a seamless transition for Auerbach customers that receive garlic from different sources through the firm.
Argentine garlic is counter-seasonal to California and Chinese garlic, just as Chilean winter fruit is counter-seasonal to California product, Mr. Auerbach noted. Argentina can market a fresh crop of garlic when Californian and Chinese growers are selling product from cold storage. "The marketing advantage goes to the new crop," Mr. Auerbach said.
Traditionally, Argentine garlic packers shipped in 22-pound octagonal wooden crates. Auerbach has its Argentine packers supply the 30-pound carton, which is shipped from China and California.
Mr. Auerbach said that his family?s firm has been in business since the 1920s. Originally, the company imported garlic only from Italy and Spain. It was about 50 years ago that the firm first received Argentine garlic. That link has been consistent since it was forged.
Auerbach is serving customers nationwide by shipping Argentine garlic to East Coast and West Coast ports from both Chile and Argentina. The company is receiving Chilean garlic and asparagus, and is importing Peruvian asparagus as well.
