“We joined the Southeast Produce Council one year after its inception, and we have been exhibiting at the Southern Exposure conference and expo every year since,” Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties, headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL, told The Produce News.

“We have personally watched this event grow and evolve from its first exhibition of about 100 companies to the approximate 240 that exhibit today,” he said. “The Southern Exposure event represents the finest growers, shippers and other fruit and vegetable companies in the nation.”

This year Southern Specialties will be exhibiting at booth number 205. Besides Eagle, representatives from the company who will be attending are Geno Valdes, vice president of sales, Susana Troop, key account manager, and Rob Sake, also a key account manager.

As one of the largest growers and importers of asparagus in the nation today, Southern Specialties will be showcasing its white and green options in a variety of formats.

“We will also be featuring our ‘Southern Selects’ value-added line of premium micro specialty vegetables,” Eagle added. “These include our greenhouse-grown baby heirloom and specialty tomatoes.”

The company will also promote its Persian lime program from Guatemala, as well as its blackberry and blueberry programs. And it will be talking about its new “Fair Trade Certified” program.

In early January the company announced it had started shipping Fair Trade-certified French beans under its “Today’s Gourmet” label. Fair Trade USA worked with Southern Specialties and its farms in Guatemala to achieve certification. “Today’s Gourmet” French beans display the Fair Trade label on the front of the bag.

In a press release on Jan. 8, Daryl Johnston, vice president of sales for Southern Specialties, stated, “We are very pleased to become a Fair Trade USA partner. Fair Trade-certified produce supports healthy farming communities and ecosystems while delivering nutritionally rich, great-tasting produce. Retailers can show commitment to their customers and the grower community by offering this ethically sourced Fair Trade-certified product.”

Founded over 23 years ago by Chief Executive Officer and President Robert Colescott, Southern Specialties has demonstrated unwavering insistence on quality and unparalleled customer service. This has led the company to become one of the leading growers and distributors of premium specialty produce in the U.S. Its customers include the finest retail, foodservice and wholesale club companies in the U.S. and Canada. The company focuses strongly on its offshore programs, consisting of a wide range of high-quality specialty produce offered in numerous pack sizes and value-added convenience packaging.

Eagle said that those at Southern Specialties are impressed with the number and the level of potential customers that attend the Southern Exposure event each year.

“Some of the largest retailers and foodservice companies in the nation attend this event,” he said. “And many are decision makers for their firms. It is without question one of the best regional events in the nation today, and that is a tribute to the dedication of the council’s leadership.

“The great Florida weather is simply another major asset, especially after people across the country have fared through such a harsh winter,” Eagle continued. “We look forward to meeting with existing customers and those that we hope to do business with in the future.”