A.J. Trucco Inc., which is commonly referred to as simply “Trucco,” located at Hunts Point Terminal Market in the Bronx, NY, is a leading supplier of specialty produce with a strong history of European imports. Its specialties include chestnuts, kiwifruit, grapes, citrus, fresh and dried figs, dried fruits and nuts, garlic and more, and it offers a wide variety of organic items.

The company plans to have wide-spread coverage at the New York Produce Show on Dec. 10-12 in New York City.

“We exhibited at the New York Produce Show last year, and we found it to be a great success,” said Nick Pacia, vice president of the company. “We will be at Booth No. 354, and we will also be co-branding with European Flavors at Booth No. 352, and with Made in Blu at Booth No. 350.”

“Made in Blu is an Italian company, and we distribute its kiwifruit and pears,” said Pacia.

He noted that the timing of the show is great for highlighting commodities that are popular during the holidays.

“We will be displaying all of our commodities, and we will be roasting our fresh Italian chestnuts for a sampling,” said Pacia. “We will also be sampling our ready-to-eat-line of chestnuts and our new Italian Abate Fetel pears.”

Trucco recently announced that it will be distributing the Abate Fetel pears from Italy in a pilot program that was approved by USDA-APHIS and CSO.

Named after Abbè Fetel, a French abbot who developed the variety in the mid-1800s, Abate Fetel pears are grown in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, where perfect growing conditions combine with centuries of experience to create the most popular pear in Italy. It is also considered one of the finest varieties of pears in the world. The fruit is tall and slim with a russet-tinged green exterior. They boast a sweet aromatic flavor that, from its high sugar content, is a sweet and juicy treat.

Pacia was excited to announce a new key staff member at Trucco.

“We recently hired Sasha LoPresti as our director of business development and food safety,” he said. “She is a graduate of Union College and Brooklyn Law School. Sasha joined our team in September of this year after working for two years at a literary agency. She’s excited to be working in produce. She finds it to be a dynamic industry with lots of opportunity for growth.”

Pacia said that the company is implementing PTI on its kiwifruit program, and it is looking at ways to use its traceability technology to connect consumers to products.

“We are working to expand PTI to all of our other commodities as well,” he added.

A.J. Trucco was incorporated in 1963 amid the aisles of the old Washington Produce Market in downtown Manhattan.

In 1967, Salvatore Vacca, company president, relocated the company to the then newly built and opened Hunts Point Terminal Market. For three decades he grew and transformed the company into a successful enterprise.

In 1999, Vacca partnered with Pacia and together they continued Trucco’s long tradition of importing and distributing Italian chestnuts. They also expanded the company’s current list of available commodities.

“We at Trucco realize the importance of implementing responsible and sustainable practices in order to provide a robust supply of our products for current and future generations,” said Pacia. “Trucco has made a commitment to work with their partners to determine ways in which new technologies can be used to increase efficiency, decrease waste and reduce their carbon footprint.”