“We have always handled potatoes and onions,” Stefanie Katzman, the fourth generation family member to work for S. Katzman Produce Inc. told The Produce News. “But we have expanded our vendor base and we now have a staff member who is solely dedicated to overseeing purchasing and management of the program. That category really took off when we developed our own ‘Bloom Fresh’ label that we use along with the ‘Grown in Idaho’ potato stamp.”

The company’s “Bloom Fresh” line of fruits and vegetables are aimed at taking the mystery out of produce by providing the consumer with information about where their produce comes from. S. Katzman has developed a website, www.bloomfreshproduce.com, which is scheduled to be launched in the near future.

“Instead of large multinational companies, ‘Bloom Fresh’ brings fruit and vegetables to consumers direct from the farm,” Ms. Katzman said. “The website will offer information about the farms and farmers who produce the fruits and vegetables that carry the name.

“We establish long term relationships with our growers, providing the stability they require to have sustainable, independent farming businesses,” she added.

S. Katzman, she said, did about a quarter of a million boxes of potatoes in 2011, and that figure has nearly tripled since then.

“We are now shipping by rail, and although there are surcharges related to rail shipments it still helps us to be competitive,” she said.

The company gained its Good Handling Practices and Good Agricultural Practices food-safety certification last May. Ms. Katzman said the company passed all of the surprise inspections and it now has a staff member whose job is only to oversee food safety.

Ms. Katzman, now age 30, is making her way through the company trying to learn everything in preparation to one day step into its leadership position, which is now held by her father, Stephen Katzman, the company president.

The company continually makes improvements to its facility on the Hunts Point Terminal Market, and it is always looking to hire good sales representatives.

Ms. Katzman noted a profound truism about the produce industry, saying “The one thing about this business that you can always count on is that you cannot count on the weather. A few hot days in a row, or a few days of cold temperatures and rain can change a market overnight.”

“We had good weather in every growing region in 2012,” she said. “Package count and sales were up but average prices were down. We moved a lot more packages last year, but we made less money.”

“This year so far the only major disaster is the wildfires right around Oxnard, CA,” she noted. “It has taken out tens of thousands of acres, much of it in fresh produce. We expect that it will take a major toll on supplies for Mother’s Day.”

Every package at S. Katzman receives a lot number immediately upon unloading, and all sales are made by lot number. The system is computer controlled, giving the company access to the information at all times.

Supplying locally grown produce is not a new thing for S. Katzman. It has worked with some local growers for three or four decades.

“We’ve been sourcing locally grown product since the beginning,” said Ms. Katzman. “Our New Jersey and New York farmers have been supplying us with some of the finest grown fruits and vegetables around for many years. Our company’s support of the locally grown movement is ongoing.”

While the primary focus at S. Katzman is now on quality assurance and food-safety initiatives, it is also advancing in other ways. It’s trucking fleet, as an example, has grown by two more units in the past year.

“Our main focus, as always, continues to be service,” said Ms. Katzman. “The one thing that customers can count on is that S. Katzman will be here to support its growers and to supply customers the very best produce and service possible.”