“We’re doing about the same things that we’ve always done and have built our reputation on, but we’re doing them even better,” Shawn Grant, owner of Grant Stanton Produce Co. Inc., located at the New England Produce Center in Chelsea, MA, told The Produce News. “We had a good summer with basically the same items we’ve been handling, but we moved more product and sales were stronger. I attribute the increases to people loosening up on their spending a little, and we’re seeing more tourism here in the Boston area.”

Grant Stanton continues to provide its customers with a wide range of specialty, conventional and greenhouse product, giving it a special niche in the industry. It is especially strong in locally grown and South Carolina peaches, although Grant noted that the peach season in New England wasn’t as strong as usual this year due to the extremely harsh past winter. The company also has a major mushroom program that includes a full range of varieties from Pennsylvania producers.

“And we’re big on apples, all of which are sourced from New England states,” he added. “In addition to the usual staple varieties, we’re doing well with Honeycrisp, Eastern Galas, Fujis and others. They’re all in strong demand and selling well.”

The company’s line includes year-round supplies of berries. In the past it has sourced from California and followed production seasons up and down the East Coast. Grant said that the company is now doing more with locally grown blueberries and a little less from California.

Grant Stanton’s lime program is also an important element in the company’s lineup. Grant said that he was happy that the lime program from Mexico has stabilized after the rocky spring caused by shortages in the country.

Local produce is always in the forefront at Grant Stanton.

“We handle whatever local produce is available, and it changes continually depending on what growers are harvesting at any given time,” said Grant. “It’s always an interesting time because product flow varies according to what is coming on in the local fields. New England farmers bring their products to us, and in fact a lot of them are also our customers because they are sometimes short of items they need for other customers.”

These symbiotic relationships between Grant Stanton and local growers even extend to apple cider. Because of the stringent pasteurization laws now governing its production, local growers turn to the company because they can’t make it themselves.

Grant Stanton’s customer base includes major chain and small retailers and foodservice operators. Grant said that the company strives to have product that fits everyone’s needs and at all times.

Because it’s not a full-line vegetable house, the company does not source a lot of product from the East Coast seasonal movement, with the exception of berries and peaches, but instead focuses on greenhouse produce, mushrooms, apples and its many other products.

“Business is currently pretty steady,” said Grant. “We had a highly successful summer and overall it’s been a good year to date. We are always happy and grateful when we can say that. Business has not slowed from the strong summer movement. We’re in a good spot with fall apples, mushrooms and other products and as we look toward the busy holiday season soon to be upon us I think we’ll have smooth sailing moving into the future.”