“For a small outfit like ours, it’s something that we pride ourselves on,” said Tom Consalo, president of the Landisville, NJ-based company. “We usually do around 2.5-3 million pounds of blues here. Needless to say, it marks a very significant part of our business by the numbers and also by our heritage.”
That’s why he credits New Jersey as being a big part of the blueberry success the company sees.
“It means more when we’re packing here in our own backyard than other areas,” Consalo said. “Don’t get me wrong, we’re more than grateful for the programs we’ve built and our partners that we work alongside throughout the rest of the year, but it’s our home deal and we take the most pride in that here.”
When talk of the upcoming season comes up, Consalo is quick to offer optimism about what’s ahead from the New Jersey blues.
“We see a good size crop starting slightly early and maintaining consistent volume and transitions between varieties,” Consalo said. “Quality looks superb and we have good opportunities to promote throughout our window. We’re excited to get started.”
Keeping a close eye on the process is paramount to its operation in New Jersey, Consalo noted, because things move so fast in the industry.
“We have to be hands-on from quality control in the fields, to managing precooling and loading so that things don’t get backed up or lost in the shuffle,” he said. “Forecasting and planning the deal is a big part of this time of year as well insuring all of the logistics makes the most sense and the freshest product goes out consistently. Also, looking at adding in new varieties down the road is something that we’ve put some more focus on to stay up to date in such a fast-paced environment.”
Some of the largest challenges the company deals with in blueberries is maintaining consistent supply and quality throughout transitions and having the ability to forecast and evaluate upcoming promotions and pricing.
“In the fields, labor continues to pose some challenges but luckily, we have good partners and practices in place to have the right people at the right times,” Consalo said. “That along with the typical weather concerns are what we see as challenging in today’s climate in blues.”
Sonny Boy Produce likes to promote quality and consistency, which buyers and customers associate with its label.
“That is something that we take pride in,” Consalo said. “That along with continuing to educate ourselves in trends and new varieties allows us to better serve our customers and execute at the highest level for all involved.”
Sonny Boy Produce is always looking for new things to offer to stay innovative, such as exploring new varieties, packaging and labeling, and also examining practices to find new efficiencies in the processes.
“We will be adding production here in New Jersey providing continuity for our label throughout the year,” Consalo said. “I think that our industry is in a good place. One of the things I like about our business is how there is always room for grassroots and traditional items and offerings while always opportunity for innovation and change.”
