“During the past few months we have launched a tropicals line of fruits and vegetables,” Matthew D’Arrigo, vice president of D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New York Inc., located at the Hunts Point Produce Market, told The Produce News. “The line is comprised of many of the items that are in high demand by ethnic groups and even foodservice operations today. To mention just a few, the line includes plantains, chayote and yucca.

“As with any new program, you have to learn about the new items and about the customers who want them,” he continued. “And as every wholesaler would agree, customers are not in the mode of being forgiving, and so we are going at this strategically. It’s also important that your staff buy into a new program, and if it’s one that they are not familiar with, you have to place focus on educating them about the potential of such a program.”

Matthew D’Arrigo, vice president of D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New York Inc., at the Hunts Point Produce Market.D’Arrigo Bros. operates out of a 75,000-square-foot facility in the market. It sells tens of thousands of packages of produce, turning its inventory over from three to five times weekly, always insuring the freshest possible supplies for its customers. The company is well known for its full line of fresh Eastern, Western and Texas vegetables and fruits. It also handles berries, tomatoes, melons, potatoes, onions and much more, including a wide range of imports.

D’Arrigo has a down-to-earth and up-front view of what is to come during the spring and summers seasons in the Northeast. When asked if his company is expecting gluts, gaps or other market ups and downs, he responded, “We expect all of the above, but no one ever knows until they actually occur. If the drought in California continues, there will be products affected in the future. Blueberries are high right now [April 28] because crops have gotten too much rain. Salinas Valley in California is reporting good weather with no problems. But the reality is that it’s all yet to be seen. One thing we know for sure is that no one can foretell the future when it comes to fresh produce.”

The company, D’Arrigo explained, has taken to task food-safety issues and is working on its strategy for the future.

“This is a very serious reality for the future of food, and we are now endeavoring to work to whatever extent is needed to handle these issues,” he said. “We do believe that food safety and traceability will revolutionize wholesaling in the future, and how it will increase to be important is a reality.”

D’Arrigo is joined by his brothers, Paul, president of the company, and Michael, who serves as a vice president. They are third-generation family members to operate the business, which was founded by their grandfather who emigrated from Sicily in the early 1900s.

With well over 300 suppliers working with D’Arrigo Bros., the company offers the finest selection the industry has to offer. Its customer base covers the tri-state New York area, stretching from Hunts Point inside of a 120-mile radius. It effectively supplies this region with daily deliveries. D’Arrigo pointed out that the area has the most condensed population center in the country with almost 18 million consumers residing there.

The company will also ship mixed loads as far away as Florida, Chicago and into Toronto and Montreal.

Its customer base consists of independent wholesalers, purveyors and the retail community, many of which are green grocers. It also heavily services foodservice operations including restaurants, country clubs, school systems, steamship lines, airlines, commissaries, sidewalk stands and smaller produce wholesalers.

D’Arrigo acknowledged the strong locally grown trend, but like other produce professionals he also knows that while consumers like the idea, they don’t understand the limitations.

“Corn from Florida and Georgia, bananas from other countries, citrus, blueberries in the winter; these are only a few of the hundreds of products that simply cannot be produced locally or year-round,” he said.

“And consumers do not have a full understanding of how short the growing seasons are on local products. We are proud and pleased to sell more New York State apples than any other company on the market, as an example of what we consider truly local, and the Hunts Point Market — all inclusive — sells more New York apples than any other entity. It is one of the few products that we can offer local consumers year-round.”