Expansion in growing regions, commodity mix, shipping seasons and facilities characterize Frank’s Distributing of Produce, LLC. The growth has been led by Montie McGovern, co-director of operations.

Frank’s headquarters will be in Rio Rico until moving in December 2016 to a new office and modern 65,000-square-foot refrigerated warehouse on Gold Hill Road in Nogales, said the firm’s sales manager, Ricardo Roiz.

Carlos Barraza, CFO, and Ricardo Roiz, sales manager, in the Rio Rico office of Frank’s Distributing of Produce, LLC.Frank’s was launched by the Echavarria family, which has been in the agricultural business since 1927. They own extensive acreage of farmland in Guasave, Sinaloa and Vizcaino, Baja California Sur as well as in Colima.

The Nogales-area operation receives produce grown in Sinaloa, Sonora and Colima. In California, Frank’s Distributing receives produce grown in Vizcaino, Baja California South and San Quintin, Baja California North.

Frank’s growing operation is increasing its acreage in southern Baja California and its new growing operation in Colima moves the firm toward year-round production of organic and conventional Romas, grape tomatoes, mini-peppers and bell peppers.

In Sonora, Frank’s is expanding with new fall and winter production of conventional and organic seedless watermelons, as well as organic cucumbers and conventional Roma tomatoes.

This spring, Frank’s will be offering Sonoran grapes, which will mostly be organically produced.

The red, white and black seedless grape shipping will begin in early May and it will be complemented with a new operation to the south.

With production in the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, Frank’s is crossing hot peppers, mini peppers and bell peppers through McAllen, TX.

Frank’s Distributing has a sister company, Royal Flavor, LLC, which is managed by Jorge Vega. Royal Flavor operates from a 65,000-square-foot cold storage facility in San Diego, CA.

The firm distributes this produce throughout the United States and Canada under “Signature Brand” and “Signature Brand Organics.”

Frank’s has a branch office in San Diego. The firm has operated with its current name since 1996, when the company was re-organized. From 1971-1996 the company operated as Frank’s Distributing, Inc.