Bob Freeman, who has been in the produce industry for more than 35 years, is retiring from JJB Family Farms as director of sales.
“We are so excited for he and his family,” said Derrell Kelso, manager of the Stockton, CA-based company. “He’s brought great energy, connections and helped us grow in the last five years tremendously.”
Some other changes are forthcoming, and the company is excited about what’s ahead.
With the holiday season here, the company has been expanding its programs and continue to champion the Modi apple, a natural cross between Gala and Liberty apple varieties, which was developed in the Po Valley of northern Italy.
This time of year is always great for JJB Family Farms because people are at home cooking and that means business is on the rise.
“I often say, this is what business would look like if we did away with all the fast food suppliers and cooked real food,” Kelso said. “When people cook real food the farmer wins.”
Plus, he noted foodservice business is “cranking” with parties and retail is doing great with everyone preparing food for holiday parties and gatherings.
Kelso is also the founder of Onions Etc., a division of JJB Family Farms, which is an onion and potato repacking and marketing company that specializes in onions and potatoes year-round. And of course, JJB Family Farms continues to do a lot with its apple business.
“We are seeing great numbers all around,” Kelso said. “The onion business has been off the charts, and the Modi Apple is really doing well.”
It takes a lot of hard work and business savvy to be successful, and JJB Family Farms relies on a strong team and intangibles like top quality, service, communication and price to remain at the top.
While 2024 was a strong year, it did not come without some challenges.
“We experienced inflation of extra items rising that are costing either the consumer, retailer or farmer,” Kelso said, pointing to prices of fertilizer, labor, paper and farming materials and machinery all rising.
