FreshPro Food Distributors’ hallmark is high quality
FreshPro Food Distributors’ hallmark is high quality
FreshPro Food Distributors in West Caldwell, NJ, is a full line distributor and fresh cut processor, which is certified to process and repack organics. Its organic history dates back to the 1980s.
Company President Floyd Avillo said it carries almost 200 organic SKUs daily.
“We offer a full line of whatever is available as long as it meets our quality specifications,” said Avillo. “We source from all major growing areas, and we emphasize local organic when available by partnering with many local organic growers.”
FreshPro Food Distributors’ primary customers are small chain and independent specialty store types that are high-quality operators known for their produce and their other high-quality perishables.
“We also fill in the gap for some traditional city and suburban markets that require better variety and quality of organics and produce in general,” said Avillo. “We distribute from Northern Virginia into Rhode Island, with the largest portion of our business being in New York City, including the boroughs, Northern New Jersey, and Fairfield County, CT,” he added.
Avillo said the company continues to experience upward sales trends as demand for organics from consumers continues to grow, and the quality produced continues to improve.
FreshPro Food Distributors also handles other fresh perishable items.
“We opened a second distribution center two years ago for our deli, cheese and chilled food operations,” said Avillo. “This created more space for production at our original facility.”
He feels that organics and locally grown are two separate areas of differentiation for retailers.
“It’s important to promote local today, but retailers still need the consistent longer season sources of organics that larger producers and processors can supply,” he explained. “I can’t say how these movements will evolve, but local and organic, combined with all the food-safety issues that are constantly in the news will continue to shape and influence the future of the industry.”
He added that any trend that increases the consumption of fresh produce is healthy for all aspects of the industry, including local, organics, conventional and fresh cut.