The successful philosophy of Indianapolis Fruit Co. Inc. is to offer a flexible approach for the firm’s retail customers to serve their customer base, according to Greg Corsaro, president of the company.

A specific example of such flexibility is the firm’s spring-to-fall offering of locally or regionally produced fresh produce. The firm has streamlined local product offerings from the days of backdoor deliveries to implementing strict food-safety requirements on growers and advance planning with those growers before planting season begins.

A variety of fresh produce is grown in the Hoosier State. (Photo courtesy of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture)To maximize effectiveness in marketing these products, Indianapolis Fruit works with its customers to have the right products for their specific consumers’ interests. It teams with growers ranging from the Kentucky-Tennessee border to Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio to continuously provide specific commodities for months, not weeks, at a time, when feasible, said John Cunningham, sales and marketing director for the firm.

Antonia Mascari, assistant marketing director of Indianapolis Fruit, provides specialized point-of-sale materials to help retailers introduce specific growers to consumers.

Indianapolis Fruit has customers in more than 14 nearby states.

While most of the firm’s business is to retailers, there are wholesale foodservice customers as well.

The company neighbors the Indianapolis school system commissary and enjoys working with the local school system to provide Indianapolis students with the fresh produce items dictated by new U.S. Department of Agriculture specifications.

The detailed close cooperation and planning with local growers is headed by Chelsea Mascari of Indianapolis Fruit, who said, “Our food safety and procurement team works with growers to meet expectations, while encouraging them to align with more stringent standards in preparation for the future.”

Indianapolis Fruit has several value-added lines, including conventional and organic overwrapped produce and fresh-cut (“Garden Cut”) that enable the firm to be specific in meeting the needs of customers’ customers, Corsaro said.

Mascari’s work also involves the application of various social media techniques with the goal of educating consumers on fruit and vegetable consumption. Beyond this, customers receive notification on opportunities with Indianapolis Fruit through real-time email and text blasts on at least a daily basis.

Indianapolis Fruit has a team of over 20 highly qualified retail merchandisers to work with customers on — among many other services — produce department staff training, merchandising sets, gross profits and retail pricing.

Cunningham said that Indianapolis Fruit also works with online ordering from its customers.

While some industry critics contend that online ordering depersonalizes customer contact, Corsaro said the Indianapolis Fruit viewpoint is that online ordering allows the personal side of the business more time and opportunity to discuss broader, more productive matters.