The opening of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market is like reaching “the promised land,” according to Mike Maxwell, president of Procacci Bros. Sales Corp. Inc. in Philadelphia.

“This is something we been waiting for for a very long time,” he told The Produce News June 21. “It is better than expected and we are very pleased with the new market. It was worth the wait. We are very pleased with the final result. We look forward to being in our new home and doing a lot of business there.”

PHILADELPHIA — “I am back in the groove working,” said Jimmy Storey, owner of Quaker City Produce on the Philadelphia produce market.

As reported June 13 in The Produce News, Mr. Storey returned to work June 5 at the new terminal market, here, after spending almost six months in the hospital. He was so sick that “I don’t remember December or January. I almost died twice. I had a round-trip ticket to Hell.”

Philadelphians are not alone in celebrating their new terminal market.

Johanson Transportation Service, based in Fresno, CA, has long worked with Philadelphia receivers.

PHILADELPHIA — Beyond the expense that all 26 produce companies took to move from the old Philadelphia market into the new terminal, M. Levin & Co. Inc. is investing $1 million to build banana-ripening rooms, according to Mark Levin, company president.

The Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market’s executive director Sonny DiCrecchio observed, “Nothing really states the confidence in the market like the investment the Levins have put in. It was quite a chance to take and they never wavered from the beginning.”

Sometime within the next month or so, the Fresh Produce & Floral Council will release its first sales data report analyzing fresh produce sales at retail in the California marketplace.

“As far as we know, we are the only regional produce industry trade association offering this service,” said Carissa Mace, president of the council, which is based in La Mirada, CA.

PHILADELPHIA — “I love it. It is better than I ever thought. I never imagined it would be so nice and easy to work,” Rick Milavsky, vice president of Frank Leone, which does business as B.R.S. Produce Co. said of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market.

What does he like best about the new market?

“Everything!” Mr. Milavsky exclaimed, adding that it is a huge advantage not to break the cold chain. “The product holds up so much better.”