Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. is bringing the garlic to the NEPC Expo

When the New England Produce Council hosts its annual Produce, Floral and Foodservice Expo in Boston on Aug. 24 and 25, Maurice A. Auerbach Inc., will once again be participating, and that’s because the New England market is key to the company’s success.

“We enjoy the show and get to see a lot of the customers that we don’t get to see on a regular basis,” said Bruce Klein, director of marketing for Maurice A. Auerbach Inc., a third-generation, family-owned enterprise headquartered in Secaucus, NJ.

The company has been participating in the NEPC show from the beginning, and Klein noted that success at the big event means focusing on creating a booth that attracts participants with a nice display, where the company answers questions about the garlic, ginger and shallot markets.

He added that networking opportunities are an important element to the show, and that the NEPC also allows produce professionals to talk about their experiences this year and how they are addressing some of the challenges the industry is facing in 2022.

“I guess everybody’s going to be talking about procuring product mostly, that’s probably the most difficult thing right now,” he said. “Problems with the ports, problems with trucking and procurement of product are probably the things on everybody’s mind.”

Maurice Auerbach Inc. is among the largest garlic and specialty produce distributors in the northeast, and its product line of items are sourced from around the world. Under its AuerPak brand name, the company specializes in garlic, shallots and other specialty items, such as tropical and Asian produce. It also deals in organic garlic, asparagus, ginger and tofu.

As a leader in the industry, the company is addressing the supply issue by bringing in extra supply and working with growers.

“We try to give growers in different countries a little more lead time,” Klein said. “And we just do everything we can to expedite receiving the product.”

Lately, the company has gotten a boost from food trends, especially as people are seeking to eat healthier foods.

“Garlic has gotten a lot of good press for its health benefits,” Klein said. “People are eating, I believe, more garlic. Some of it has been skewed a little more towards the peeled garlic, only because it’s easier for the consumer, so there is some business going into peeled, but the bulk of the business is still very healthy.”

Ginger also has gotten a lot of good publicity for its digestive benefits, so that’s another item that’s doing very well for the company and Klein noted asparagus is another big item.

Indeed, earlier this year, asparagus sales were higher than usual, and Klein noted that trends also depend on the time of year.

Just as it always does, Maurice Auerbach Inc. is building its success by providing the best possible products and service to its customers.

“We always strive to make sure we take care of our existing customers to the best of our ability,” Klein said. “Our core customers are the heart of our business.”