“We will be exhibiting at the New York Produce Show next to our cousins, D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of California, which is headquartered in Salinas,” Matthew D’Arrigo, vice president of D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New York Inc., located at the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Market, told The Produce News. “We don’t see that there is much choice about exhibiting at this show. It puts our suppliers together with our customers, and we have to be there in the middle to represent ourselves.”

Although D’Arrigo Bros. refers to itself as a full line house of fresh fruits and vegetables, it likes to stick with items that it knows well and has handled for a long time. D’Arrigo said the company is typically not interested in specialty or high maintenance products.

“What we do know very well is a full line of eastern, western and Texas vegetables and fruits,” he said. “We also handle Asian and Hispanic items, berries and tomatoes, melons, potatoes, onions, a wide range of imports and much more.”

D’Arrigo is joined by his brothers, Paul, president of the company, and Michael, who also serves as a vice president. The three brothers represent the third generation of family members to operate the business, which was founded by their grandfather who emigrated from Sicily in the early 1900s.

The new timing of the New York Produce Show, which is being held at Pier 94 on Dec. 10-12, presents a good argument on both sides of the coin according to D’Arrigo.

“I come up on the side that likes that it’s being held in the front half of December,” he said. “It’s a quiet time for the industry, so we can concentrate more on the activity going on at the show. And, December is a beautiful time to visit the city. On the flip side of that coin is that the rates in Manhattan are higher at that time of the year. But you have to measure the value you’re getting at this show compared to those higher rates.”

He emphasized his sarcasm when he responded to the parking situation in Manhattan, saying, “Parking? What could be the problem?” But he also noted that last year Superstorm Sandy contributed to the traffic and parking issue, so this year most certainly should see an improvement for those who are driving to the city.

D’Arrigo Bros. will have its full line of wholesale distribution services at the NYPS, along with the premier labels that it carries. It will also be highlighting its pricing and services.

The company’s strategy is to always seek out and drive out inefficiencies.

“If it’s waste, it costs money,” he said. “One of the primary principles of good business is to drive out costs because that’s how you can give your customers the best prices, and that’s how you keep or gain their business. It’s also how companies like ours can stay in business.”

The efficiencies also extend to the cooperation of companies on Hunts Point. They work together to consolidate loads and in other ways to help increase sustainability and efficiencies.

“This is going on in the growing end of the industry as well,” said D’Arrigo. “They too consolidate, drop ship and do anything else possible help each other out if it means saving money.”