In early 2014, D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New York Inc., located at the Hunts Point Produce Market, began a new tropical fruit and vegetable program. Just one year later, Vice President, Matthew D’Arrigo, told The Produce News that it’s doing very well and is now part of the company’s business along with its full line of fresh Eastern, Western and Texas vegetables and fruits.

“The line is comprised of many of the items that are in demand by ethnic groups and foodservice operators today,” said D’Arrigo. “Among many others, it includes plantains, chayote and yucca. Our customers are now in the habit of buying these items from us.”

The company also handles berries, tomatoes, melons, potatoes, onions and much more, including a wide range of imports.

Along with everyone else in the North, D’Arrigo is happy to have the harsh and long winter behind. He explained produce displays well on the market sidewalk when temperatures are around 40 or 50 degrees.

“But when it drops to the freezing point, you can’t display many things, like mangos,” he said. “There is a contraction that occurs with about every 10 degree drop. Merchandising space starts to disappear throughout the market.

Matthew D’Arrigo, vice president of D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New York.“The same type of contraction occurs with buying habits,” he continued. “As it gets colder, people put on more clothing and ultimately hesitate to go outdoors unless they have no choice. They cut back on shopping and eating out, all of which has a domino effect all the way back to growers.”

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

It effectively supplies its customer base daily in the tri-state New York area and stretching in a 120-mile radius.

D’Arrigo noted it is the most condensed population center in the country with almost 18 million consumers. The company also ships mixed loads as far away as Florida, Chicago and into Toronto and Montreal.

D’Arrigo’s extensive customer base includes all types and levels of retailers and foodservice operations, including restaurants, country clubs, school systems, steamship lines, airlines, commissaries, sidewalk stands and smaller produce wholesalers.

And it continually makes upgrades to its 75,000-square-foot facility.

“We think of improvements and upgrades in terms of a sort of punch list,” said D’Arrigo. “We make a list and prioritize them, and then apply a budget to see how much we can do each year. We routinely invest between one-half and one million dollars every year.”

He also addressed the drought in California, concurring with others that there is a lot of truth in the fact that water in the state has been an issue for many years.

“But this drought is fairly serious and there is a definite and urgent need for rainfall,” he noted. “And they need major snow packs next winter to help restore the reservoirs to tolerable levels.”

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 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 in importance is a reality.”