JAFCO expands with Florida office
JAFCO expands with Florida office
Johnson Associated Fruit Co. in Denville, NJ, has opened an office in Sebastian, FL, and named Thomas (Tommy) Martorana to oversee the satellite operation.
"We are very pleased to make him an addition to our staff," said Robert Johnson, company president.
Mr. Martorana's title is director of business development and shipper relations. "The opening of the Florida office and what I'll be doing here is multifaceted," he said Aug. 30.
As well as being involved in sales for the produce broker, Mr. Martorana will provide quality assurance on the shipping end, especially for Florida citrus. "Citrus is a mainstay of [Johnson's] business," he said.
In fact, Mr. Martorana used to sell citrus to his new employer, having been in Florida produce for the past 18 years. He worked in sales and marketing for Florida Fresh, Seald Sweet and International Fruit before launching the Vero Beach, FL, area office for Johnson Associated Fruit about a month ago.
Mr. Johnson lauded Mr. Martorana's citrus experience, but noted that it was not "the main reason" for the opening of the Florida office. "We want to expand our imports," he said.
"I have been on the import end for a while so I hope to have some new items for everyone [at Johnson] to sell," Mr. Martorana affirmed.
Mr. Johnson said that the company is particularly interested in expanding into melons from Central America and mangos from Brazil, two commodities and regions where Mr. Martorana already has connections.
"I do a lot of foreign travel," Mr. Martorana said. "My passport looks like it's been chewed up by a dog."
He listed Brazil, South Africa, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Spain as among the regions where he does business.
"There are a lot of opportunities as far as imports go, but it has also gotten tricky because of homeland security issues," he said. "It can be pretty difficult to have a steady program. I understand the concerns, but it is becoming more challenging to import from any country to the United States."
Johnson Associated Fruit Co. is a broker with "mostly shipping deals. We have selling deals for certain shippers," Mr. Johnson said. "We move truckload volume of all fruits and vegetables from everywhere. We move with the seasons."
The spectrum of Florida citrus sales -- "the East Coast from Baltimore to Boston" -- was a factor in the decision to open the Florida office, he said. The company was founded in 1987, said Mr. Johnson, who has been in the produce business for more than 30 years.
Mr. Martorana has also worked in produce for about 30 years. Before relocating to Florida, he worked at the Hunts Point market in the Bronx, NY, having begun his career there as a teenager working with his father. "Hunts Point is a good schooling ground," he said.
Also in sales at Johnson's New Jersey office are John Sedlack, who has been with the company for almost 16 years, and Greg Johnson, Mr. Johnson's son. Greg Johnson joined the company 16 months ago after serving four years in the Marines, including duty in Iraq. "We all sell any and every fruit and vegetable item," Mr. Johnson said, noting that Greg had developed a watermelon line for the company.
Grace Bye has been the company's office manager for the past 16 years.
"We are very pleased to make him an addition to our staff," said Robert Johnson, company president.
Mr. Martorana's title is director of business development and shipper relations. "The opening of the Florida office and what I'll be doing here is multifaceted," he said Aug. 30.
As well as being involved in sales for the produce broker, Mr. Martorana will provide quality assurance on the shipping end, especially for Florida citrus. "Citrus is a mainstay of [Johnson's] business," he said.
In fact, Mr. Martorana used to sell citrus to his new employer, having been in Florida produce for the past 18 years. He worked in sales and marketing for Florida Fresh, Seald Sweet and International Fruit before launching the Vero Beach, FL, area office for Johnson Associated Fruit about a month ago.
Mr. Johnson lauded Mr. Martorana's citrus experience, but noted that it was not "the main reason" for the opening of the Florida office. "We want to expand our imports," he said.
"I have been on the import end for a while so I hope to have some new items for everyone [at Johnson] to sell," Mr. Martorana affirmed.
Mr. Johnson said that the company is particularly interested in expanding into melons from Central America and mangos from Brazil, two commodities and regions where Mr. Martorana already has connections.
"I do a lot of foreign travel," Mr. Martorana said. "My passport looks like it's been chewed up by a dog."
He listed Brazil, South Africa, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Spain as among the regions where he does business.
"There are a lot of opportunities as far as imports go, but it has also gotten tricky because of homeland security issues," he said. "It can be pretty difficult to have a steady program. I understand the concerns, but it is becoming more challenging to import from any country to the United States."
Johnson Associated Fruit Co. is a broker with "mostly shipping deals. We have selling deals for certain shippers," Mr. Johnson said. "We move truckload volume of all fruits and vegetables from everywhere. We move with the seasons."
The spectrum of Florida citrus sales -- "the East Coast from Baltimore to Boston" -- was a factor in the decision to open the Florida office, he said. The company was founded in 1987, said Mr. Johnson, who has been in the produce business for more than 30 years.
Mr. Martorana has also worked in produce for about 30 years. Before relocating to Florida, he worked at the Hunts Point market in the Bronx, NY, having begun his career there as a teenager working with his father. "Hunts Point is a good schooling ground," he said.
Also in sales at Johnson's New Jersey office are John Sedlack, who has been with the company for almost 16 years, and Greg Johnson, Mr. Johnson's son. Greg Johnson joined the company 16 months ago after serving four years in the Marines, including duty in Iraq. "We all sell any and every fruit and vegetable item," Mr. Johnson said, noting that Greg had developed a watermelon line for the company.
Grace Bye has been the company's office manager for the past 16 years.
