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Consalo Family Farms remains a leader in New Jersey blueberries

By
Seth Mendelson

You could say that officials at Consalo Family Farms have its blueberry business down to a science.

In fact, the Vineland, NJ-based company, which traces its roots in the Garden State back to 1927, is using a vertical integration strategy to drive its successful blueberry business as well as its other crops.

“It has been a key driver of our success during blueberry season and beyond,” said Chelsea Consalo, executive vice president and a fourth-generation family member. “We closely monitor growing conditions, optimize harvesting techniques and streamline logistics to deliver the finest New Jersey blueberries to our retail customers. This end-to-end control also allows us to be highly responsive to market demands and/or retail requests. Consumers have come to trust the unparalleled reliability of the Consalo brand because of this.”

consalo
Chelsea Consalo with her dog, Gracie Mae.

Consalo is quick to add that the company’s long 40-year relationship with New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Jersey Fresh campaign continues to pay many dividends in terms of promoting and marketing Consalo products. “In addition to our in-house marketing efforts, this season we are working closely with both Jersey Fresh and the New Jersey Agricultural Society to promote Consalo Family Farms blueberries and New Jersey blueberries as a whole,” she noted. “Our strong connections to the NJDA, the New Jersey Blueberry Growers Association, North American Blueberry Council and U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council always assist with our promotion efforts.”

Having the experience to run this business and to offer a wide variety of produce plays a huge role in Consalo’s great track record through the years. Consalo Family Farms was founded by William Consalo Sr. and has passed down into the fourth generation. The business is now run by Skip Consalo, with other family members stepping up.

As a family-owned grower, packer, importer and distributor with deep roots in the local community, Consalo Family Farms is a multifaceted agricultural operation supplying retail customers with blueberries, citrus, wet vegetables, salad items, herbs and cooking greens.

“We are committed to cultivating and delivering the freshest, most flavorful fruits and vegetables while incorporating sustainable farming practices and giving back to our community locally and regionally,” noted Consalo, who was named chair of the Berry Smart Food Safety Task Force for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council last year.

She quickly added that for generations, blueberries have been the leading crop at Consalo Family Farms, especially during Jersey Fresh season. “Being involved in the operations myself, I can say that there’s an unparalleled satisfaction that comes from watching the blueberry crop flourish in such a short season.”

So how does this season’s blueberry crop look? Consalo said that even though the weather did not always cooperate, everyone at the business is extremely optimistic. “We have had a record amount of rain in New Jersey over the past few months,” she said. “Nonetheless, this year’s blueberry crop is looking good. Our farms were abuzz with activity as the critical process of pollination unfolded seamlessly this season. Pollination is arguably one of the most vital components of preparation for the crop.” 

Of course, there is always more to do to stay ahead of the curve and Consalo noted that the company is taking the future quite seriously.

“We recently underwent a packinghouse expansion at our Egg Harbor City, NJ, blueberry farm location,” she said. “This expansion has provided ample space for modernized equipment to handle the ever-growing demands of the blueberry business. The expansion project involved construction efforts that seamlessly-integrated cold storage units, sorting equipment and other machinery. The result is a streamlined facility with greatly increased throughput capacity. The bigger facility will allow our team to package and distribute with unparalleled efficiency.”

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