“First, I need to mention that November marks our 33rd year of ‘Growing Something Special,’ as our tag line calls out,” said Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development. “That means Southern Specialties has enjoyed 33 years of growing relationships, growing customer base, growing our farms and infrastructure and, of course, growing a great team.”
Eagle is also quick to point out that, among other things, the fall means the recently-concluded IFPA Global Show and what it means to the company.
“Our team is freshly energized after enjoying a great show, featuring a new booth, in Atlanta,” he said. “It was rewarding to hear so many positive comments from all those who took the time to stop by. We have already started shipping some new customers.”
Eagle said that the company knows that it has a lot of work to do. With Florida coming off what he calls the “double whammy of hurricanes Helene and Milton,” reaping significant devastation across a large swath of growing areas.
“Our Florida green bean deal was impacted as the storms dramatically reduced yields. While we expect available volumes to be lower than normal for the Thanksgiving holiday pull, we are shipping good quality product. Our team is communicating with customers and mapping out plans for the best possible outcome. We are hoping for a quick recovery and better yields as we go into the Christmas and New Year’s pulls.”
Still, Eagle and others at the company realize the company’s many assets. “Southern Specialties is strategically located in South Florida, a major gateway for importing produce grown in the Americas,” he noted. “We are able to deliver specialty produce, year-round, into the most densely populated areas in America in a timely manner.
“Once kids are back in school and we ease into the cooler months we typically see business pick up. Consumers look forward to enjoying our colorful and flavorful products for holiday celebrations.”
Eagle said that Southern Selects value-added specialties including asparagus, French beans, hand trimmed baby carrots and heirloom tomatoes create great excitement on the table at holiday meals. He said they are available in a pack style which is ideal for any consumer, whether they are a couple, large family, caterer or corporate chef.
“Many of our products are grown in areas with rich volcanic soil, featuring unique micro-climates and ideal growing conditions,” he added. “They may be hand selected, harvested and packaged. We have invested in an infrastructure that maintains the cold chain, moves product timely and offers food safety and sustainable practices. The fall season is also the beginning of our Florida growing season. We also work closely with Florida ports authorities and USDA to deliver the freshest and safest product to our customers throughout the U.S.”
As for the future, “like many good companies we are growth oriented,” Eagle said. “While we are known as the leading grower, importer, processor and distributor of asparagus from Peru, we have invested heavily in Mexico and Michigan to make us a leading provider of asparagus in the U.S. Look to us to increase our Southern Selects offerings and grow our berry deals, among other things, in the coming year.
