“We have been using that slogan for nearly 40 years, but, to be honest, it has taken on a whole different meaning over the years,” noted Bill Nardelli Sr., president of the fifth-generation family-owned company since 2001. “At first, we wanted our customers and the shoppers on the East Coast to understand that we can harvest the product in the afternoon and have it on store shelves the following morning as opposed to consuming produce that sat on a truck or train for five or six days coming from the West Coast.”
While domestic shipping has improved since then, Nardelli is adamant that his company’s resolve to get product to his customers and shoppers as quickly as possible is a vital part of the business. And, he noted, it does not hurt that the company has its own trucking fleet, started by Bill Sr.’s dad, James, in 1941.
“Many of our competitors do an excellent job getting their produce to market,” he said. “But, these companies are on the West Coast or down south or are imported and geographically or logistically cannot offer the same time frame for delivery. An overnight delivery gives our customers the opportunity to get the freshest, and best-tasting, product on retail shelves quickly.”
The commitment to Fresher by Miles also helps retailers in other ways. One is that it allows merchants to fine-tune their orders on almost a daily basis instead of stockpiling their merchandise at a warehouse. Another benefit is that it allows the retailers to increase or decrease an order based on upcoming weather conditions. “Take corn, for example,” Nardelli said. “If a retailer realizes on Thursday that the upcoming summer weekend is going to be beautiful and sunny, he may want to increase his order because good weather enhances outdoor activities and barbecues and we the ability to react and deliver quickly.”
The slogan also reminds consumers that imports are becoming a larger threat to American farmers. “Our Fresher by Miles slogan reminds consumers that if they are buying imported produce, they are getting products from other areas of the world, sometimes picked by laborers making $5 a day, and have been on a boat for long period of time,” Nardelli added. “As we reiterate to our customer base, we get those same products to grocers overnight and the consumer will be able to taste the difference.
“We have seen domestic production, like the oil market in the 1970s and 1980s, that deteriorated and ended up being dominated by imports that ultimately raised costs and reduced the control we had of the commodities,” Nardelli continued. “Domestic production will ensure that the consumer will know who their farmer is and know where the product is coming from. That means that food-safety protocols are being followed and the customer is supporting local jobs, local families and local production.”
