“Certain markets have seen particularly strong growth — D.C., for example, owing to the dining out activity related to a new administration,” Magnarelli said.
Baldor services more than 16,000 foodservice, retail and corporate accounts from Portland, ME, to Richmond, VA, and its customer set includes 75 percent of the Michelin star restaurants in its regions.
While Baldor operates with four main hubs, the company is grateful to have Hunts Point as its headquarters.
“More than 50 percent of our employees actually work and live in this area, so this is truly a home base,” Magnarelli said. “This area has allowed us to grow our capacity to serve a greater customer base, while also serving a broad regionality from Connecticut to New Jersey to Long Island to Manhattan.”
Baldor is seeing growth in specialty and tropical items in 2025, such as endive, Japanese eggplant, microgreens, rambutan and plantains. It’s also expanding its meat offerings to complement its comprehensive offerings on produce.
Like most in the industry, Baldor is currently scrambling with the tariff situation.
“We all want to do right by customers and right by suppliers,” Magnarelli said. “We’re fortunate that 74 percent of our products will not be affected, and that we have good relationships with our international suppliers that will help us minimize impacts.”
With a new president on board and a product mix that is growing in popularity, Baldor sees big things ahead for its team. “There’s a hustle here that is driven 100 percent by heart,” Magnarelli said. “People here really care about the customers and getting it right for them. TJ always says we’re only as good as our last delivery, and he’s also embedded the idea of continuous innovation and improvement. So, when we drop the ball, look, it’s inevitable in this kind of business, people here own it and ask themselves how they can make it right.”
