Although the weather this winter has certainly brought along some challenges for produce companies across the country, Michael Badalament, sales associate for R.A.M. Produce Distributors LLC, said business is still booming on the Detroit Produce Terminal Market.

“We’ve been impacted with higher pricing and lack of availability, but we still bring in the product to better service our customers,” he told The Produce News on Jan. 11. “The market is what the market is.”

Michael Badalament, sales associate for R.A.M. Produce.But the challenges are part of what makes working in the produce industry so exciting, noted Badalament. “Right now the weather is playing such a big part in our business [as it always does], it’s never ever the same,” he said. “You can’t get bored, you really can’t.”

Another thing helping to keep the company on top of its A-game, is its staff of both younger and older produce professionals.

“We have some younger people on board who’ve really been spurring a lot of growth and keeping things very active,” Badalament said. “It’s been a lot of fun!”

He also made sure to mention that all the people who work at R.A.M. Produce were born and raised in the produce industry, so there’s a great amount of experience, knowledge of the products and services, which is certainly evident.

As for the company’s current tomato program, Badalament said everything is status quo, adding that R.A.M. is now offering a much greater variety of tomatoes.

R.A.M. also handles a variety of produce, such as a full assortment of peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, seedless cukes, onions, cucumbers and leafy greens, among other vegetables, as well as strawberries and clemintines.

Presently, R.A.M. carries around 300 different types of products, noted Badalament. The company’s customers are major wholesalers, independent and major chain retailers, and foodservice wholesalers, in addition to farmers markets, fruit stands and gourmet stores.

As for the coming year, Badalament said he expects the company to continue with improvements on its plant located on Oakwood Avenue, and focusing more on its packlines and storage facilities.

R.A.M. Produce is a HACCP-approved company with an AIB rating of excellent.