Fresh From the Start set to kick off Maine broccoli deal
Fresh From the Start set to kick off Maine broccoli deal
When Fresh From the Start kicks off its annual Maine broccoli deal in mid-July, it marks the culmination of a full year of dedication and hard work.
“Our Maine broccoli program is a full-year investment, not just the summer months,” said Eric Scannelli, senior vice president of sales and marketing at the Riverhead, NY-based company, which operates as a division of Hapco Farms.
“We are involved from the initial seed process all the way to the packaging and shipping process. When our customers buy Maine broccoli from us, they are dealing directly with the grower. We are invested from the beginning providing the best quality product at the best possible price.”
This summer marks the 23rd year of Fresh From the Start’s Maine broccoli program. The company touts the freshness of East Coast product and the freight savings as the major advantages it offers.
“For our retail clients in the East, our Maine broccoli arrives days fresher than California broccoli and our customers save on freight costs as well,” said Scannelli.
Those advantages appear to be ringing true with Fresh From the Start’s clients, as demand has increased, necessitating an 15 percent increase in acreage.
Scannelli said 80 percent of Fresh From the Start’s broccoli volume is Asian-cut crowns, and altogether he anticipates shipping 1 million boxes of Asian-cut crowns and bunched broccoli this season.
In addition to broccoli, Fresh From the Start offers a seasonal cauliflower program that will run through mid-October, and it offers a wide variety of fruits and vegetables on a year-round basis.
As always, food safety is a top priority for Fresh From the Start, and to keep a close eye on its protocols the company employs an in-house inspector and provides a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection on each load.
“We have a Superior rating from AIB, and we also have in place seed-to-delivery traceability with Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Agricultural Practices programs,” Scannelli said.
Fresh From the Start provides information to its customer on its Facebook page, offering photos and updates about its crops and the programs that are available. Additionally, information about the company and its offerings is available at www.hapcofarms.com.
