Garlic industry talks about drilling home message to customers
Garlic industry talks about drilling home message to customers
ORLANDO, FL -- The garlic industry continues to work toward a unified message in its efforts to compete against Chinese garlic. On Saturday, Oct. 25, garlic industry representatives from the United States and Mexico gathered here for its annual breakfast at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit.
The overriding message primarily was one of convincing customers of the attributes of garlic grown in California as well as in other countries other than China. It is not a new message but one that the breakfast participants said bears repeating with customers.
Sal Vacca, a partner in Bronx, NY-based A.J. Trucco Inc., admitted that battling against Chinese garlic is a difficult undertaking. "I have to sell five cartons of Chinese garlic to make what I make with California garlic," he said. "There's too much of it [Chinese garlic], and it's too cheap."
Mr. Vacca said that some customers buying Chinese garlic are getting tired of it, but that too few customers are moving away from it. He's one of the perennial elder statesmen at these garlic breakfasts, and he expressed frustration at supermarket buyers who say that "price is everything."
There was hope expressed that country-of-origin-labeling would work against Chinese garlic and especially would benefit California-grown garlic. As a way to combat negative perceptions about Chinese garlic, some markets are putting the word "Asian" on their Chinese garlic.
Bill Christopher, president and chief executive officer of Gilroy, CA-based Christopher Ranch, said there are six months left before supermarkets have to begin labeling items under COOL regulations. He also said that some Chinese producers skirt regulations.
Chinese garlic producers will "ship one pallet, get a zero-percent duty, then ship 50 million pounds the next year," Mr. Christopher said. Anthony DeAngelis of Christopher Ranch said that COOL "can help us sell California garlic."
Josh Auerbach of South Hackensack, NJ-based Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. said that in New York especially, the price of Chinese garlic is "very low."
Jeff Stokes, who is in sales with Christopher Ranch, said that the majority of Chinese garlic is peeled and that "even chefs don't know they're getting it [Chinese garlic]." He added, "Our job is to have chefs request they're getting California garlic."
Javier Usabiaga Jr., president of Laredo, TX-based GAB Empacadora Inc., said that last year "people couldn't get enough of California garlic" but that there wasn't enough to supply chainstores, so customers went back to Chinese garlic. "So many people plant garlic in China, I don't think there's ever been any control over it," said Louis Hymel, director of purchasing for Spice World Inc., based in Fresh Summit host city Orlando.
Mr. Christopher said he has heard that there are 1 million people growing garlic in China.
The overriding message primarily was one of convincing customers of the attributes of garlic grown in California as well as in other countries other than China. It is not a new message but one that the breakfast participants said bears repeating with customers.
Sal Vacca, a partner in Bronx, NY-based A.J. Trucco Inc., admitted that battling against Chinese garlic is a difficult undertaking. "I have to sell five cartons of Chinese garlic to make what I make with California garlic," he said. "There's too much of it [Chinese garlic], and it's too cheap."
Mr. Vacca said that some customers buying Chinese garlic are getting tired of it, but that too few customers are moving away from it. He's one of the perennial elder statesmen at these garlic breakfasts, and he expressed frustration at supermarket buyers who say that "price is everything."
There was hope expressed that country-of-origin-labeling would work against Chinese garlic and especially would benefit California-grown garlic. As a way to combat negative perceptions about Chinese garlic, some markets are putting the word "Asian" on their Chinese garlic.
Bill Christopher, president and chief executive officer of Gilroy, CA-based Christopher Ranch, said there are six months left before supermarkets have to begin labeling items under COOL regulations. He also said that some Chinese producers skirt regulations.
Chinese garlic producers will "ship one pallet, get a zero-percent duty, then ship 50 million pounds the next year," Mr. Christopher said. Anthony DeAngelis of Christopher Ranch said that COOL "can help us sell California garlic."
Josh Auerbach of South Hackensack, NJ-based Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. said that in New York especially, the price of Chinese garlic is "very low."
Jeff Stokes, who is in sales with Christopher Ranch, said that the majority of Chinese garlic is peeled and that "even chefs don't know they're getting it [Chinese garlic]." He added, "Our job is to have chefs request they're getting California garlic."
Javier Usabiaga Jr., president of Laredo, TX-based GAB Empacadora Inc., said that last year "people couldn't get enough of California garlic" but that there wasn't enough to supply chainstores, so customers went back to Chinese garlic. "So many people plant garlic in China, I don't think there's ever been any control over it," said Louis Hymel, director of purchasing for Spice World Inc., based in Fresh Summit host city Orlando.
Mr. Christopher said he has heard that there are 1 million people growing garlic in China.
