“Bananas cannot be grown in the United States,” he said. “Avocados for the most part cannot be grown in the volume we need in the United States. People are still going to be consuming these items, but unfortunately if things go through the way they look they’re going to, those items are going to cost more money.”
He also noted that there has been a growing trend in healthier eating since the pandemic, and that the Make America Healthy movement is encouraging even more people to live healthier lifestyles, which is resulting in a growing demand for mangos, pineapples, plantains, papaya and other delicious and nutritious tropical fruits.
“People want to eat healthier,” Serafino said. “There is more growth in items like ours because they’re healthier and more sustainable.”
People especially want the kind of foods Exp. Group deals in as spring comes around and the weather gets warmer.
“Once we get through April, we usually see melons pick up, we’re seeing berries pick up,” he said. “We’re seeing avocados continue to grow; I feel every year, avocado growth is surging.”
Exp. Group sees itself as a one-stop-shop grower, packer, shipper and distributor, and Serafino takes great pride in being part of the Hunts Point Market.
“The market is very important to us,” he said. “We have a long-standing relationship with the Hunts Point Market. We know all the companies there and we service Hunts Point very well. I go to different produce markets across the United States and there’s nothing else like Hunts Point. It’s located in the biggest city in our country, right in the Bronx. Who doesn’t love Hunts Point? It will always be a focal point for our business because of its clientele and service and the historical companies that are multi-generational in that market.”
