How consumers buy their food products is undergoing a noticeable change. Supermarkets of all sizes and types now offer home delivery via shoppers’ in-store purchases or through phone and Internet orders. Online retailers that don’t have a geographical presence continue to pop up across the country. Home-delivery firms offering prepared meal services complete with flexible meal plans are also in the mix today and are gaining traction.Alisha Albinder with fiancé Jesse Camac and their rescue dog, Ace.

Alisha Albinder, a 27-year-old fourth-generation family member of Hudson River Fruit Distributors, believes that the changes in how food is bought and sold are the result of technology. She serves as operations manager for the Milton, NY-based company, but she began servicing customers with the company’s fruit in a unique way when she was much younger.

“Growing up on my family’s apple farm developed my strong interest in the produce industry,” said Albinder. “When I was young my dad would give me projects, like counting every tree in our orchards and creating maps of the different blocks of varieties. I used to bring boxes of Honeycrisp apples to my high school and sell them out of my car. I loved sharing the fact that the apples were grown on my family farm.”

The family business got its start when Izzy Albinder began selling apples on a pushcart in Brooklyn in the 1930s. His son, Harold, entered the business full time in the late 1950s. In its present form, Hudson River Fruit Distributors was formed in 1963, and Harold Albinder serves as president. In 1980, Daniel Albinder, Harold’s son and Alisha’s father, joined the company and now serves as its chief operating officer. In just over 50 years the company has grown to become one of the larger apple growers, shippers and distributors on the East Coast.Alisha Albinder flanked by her father, Danny, and grandfather, Harold.

Although from an early age Albinder had a strong desire to work for the family business, she also realized a need for broader experiences. She graduated from Northeastern University in Boston in 2011, where she majored in entrepreneurship and finance and minored in family business management.

“During college, I did a five-year co-op program, which enabled me to work three six-month internships,” said Albinder. “I worked at General Electric, Bank of America and UPB Asset Management. When I graduated, I had one-and-a-half years of work experience.”

Then she headed into the work force.

“I worked as a produce buyer for Fresh Direct, an online grocery company headquartered in New York City,” said Albinder. “The job gave me tremendous insight from a customer and sales point of view. In May 2013 I returned home to join my family’s business.”

Albinder is already making a strong mark on the agriculture industry. In June, she was appointed as a board member of the New York Apple Association representing District III. Since December, she has served as a board member of the New York State Horticultural Society.

But her dive into the produce industry hasn’t kept her from a personal life and plans for the future. Last October Albinder became engaged to Jesse Camac, who also works in the food industry.

“Jesse is operations manager for The Fresh Diet Inc., a prepared food home delivery company that provides meal plans,” she explained.

On a daily basis, The Fresh Diet cooks, packages, portions and delivers over 1,000 healthy meals to clients throughout the Northeast region.

“We have set a May 27, 2017 wedding date in Aruba, where my mother was born,” added Albinder. “I have family members there, which makes it a perfect destination-style wedding venue for us.”

It’s no surprise that the couple’s mutual interests include food.

“Jesse and I love dining out and cooking together,” Albinder shared. “We enjoy making American farm-to-table types of dishes. We also love to travel to experience different cultures and cuisines. And then there is Ace, my one-and-one-half-year-old rescue mix dog, with whom we love to spend time.”

Albinder also enjoys jogging and yoga, and she has creative artistic talents. In high school the young entrepreneur started her own handmade jewelry company. The pieces she designed and handcrafted were sold at a local hotel. Although she has limited time to dedicate to the craft today, she still enjoys it when she can.

As for the future of the produce industry, Albinder said the more advanced technology that can be brought to farming and food production the more the industry will attract young professionals.

“There is already a huge food technology industry that is changing the way we buy the food we eat,” she said. “Food subscription services and online-only supermarkets are having a major impact on how people source and consume produce. People are looking at these new ways of spending their food dollars. If they can be assured of quality, safety, nutrition and flavor, and it saves them time and energy, it’s something they want to try. And as the world becomes increasingly transparent, information technology is helping companies like Hudson River Fruit Distributors to be better producers.”

She said that the awareness of the need to eat healthier and lose weight is trending on high. From raw food and juice detox, to calorie-light, vegan-friendly diets, companies are coming up with ways to help people change their eating habits with home delivery services.

Albinder would like most to leave her mark as a produce professional as one that has served people and the environment.

“It is the responsibility of my generation to use technology in ways that are beneficial to people’s health and to the environment, as well as continually increasing our efforts on food safety,” she said. “I am fortunate to be working with my grandfather and father, and together we are proud to produce apples, one of nature’s healthiest foods.”