Duda Farm Fresh Foods touts Florida advantage — faster, fresher, fewer food miles
Duda Farm Fresh Foods touts Florida advantage — faster, fresher, fewer food miles
“As a multi-regional, multi-state business with production and shipping locations in Florida, California, Arizona and Michigan, Duda Farm Fresh Foods can provide its customers in the Midwest, Southeast and Eastern markets with the fastest delivery, freshest quality produce and fewest food miles traveled,” said Eastern vegetable sales manager for the company, Jason Bedsole. “Duda Farm Fresh Foods’ Florida advantage is a win-win situation for its customers, produce consumers and for the environment.”
Duda Farm Fresh Foods is a major grower, shipper and marketer of fresh citrus and fresh and fresh-cut vegetables. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Duda, a family-owned diversified land company, headquartered in Oviedo, FL.
Bedsole noted that as of Nov. 3, the company was harvesting celery and celery hearts, both conventional and organic, from its Florida farms.
“We’re also moving, or getting ready to move soon, radishes, sweet corn, Iceberg lettuce, Romaine lettuce, Romaine hearts and green and red leaf lettuce,” he said.
“All of Duda Farm Fresh Foods’ Florida plantings are proceeding as scheduled, with good quality and yields expected,” he continued. “Radish production has started and quality and movement are good. We have also added bunch radishes to the Florida program this year.”
Sweet corn was scheduled to start the week of Nov. 10, and Bedsole said the crop is great quality with good barrel size and ear length.
Leaf items are scheduled to start moving from Florida the week of Dec. 8, on schedule and with promotable volumes.
Duda Farm Fresh Foods is well known nationwide for its celery items and outstanding packaging. The Florida crop is scheduled to start the week of Dec. 8, also as planned and with promotable volumes.
“Our cello lettuce program has expanded again due to customer demand,” Bedsole added. “And Romaine heart production has continued to increase due to great quality and strong performers on our variety.”
He said that the market on radishes is steady with no unforeseen issues on the horizon. Celery and leaf markets are projected to be somewhat active for the mid-December start date.
“All of our packaged items carry the ‘Fresh From Florida’ logo on the packaging,” said Bedsole. “This allows retailers to highlight locally grown product in their stores.”