Turkish lemons come to America
Turkish lemons come to America
PHILADELPHIA - Anticipating that high-quality fruit and favorable ocean freight costs will make lemons from Turkey competitive with lemons from California and Arizona, where shippers face high truck rates, Twin Garden Sales Inc. in Harvard, IL, received its first load of Turkish lemons the second week of January. After a two-week voyage, the fruit arrived at the port of New York and then was shipped to Procacci Bros. Sales Corp., here, for distribution.
The large Turkish lemons were being handled by Twin Garden's Jack Lambke.
Mr. Lambke said that there are several reasons Twin Garden is shipping the fruit to the large Procacci Bros. warehousing facility. The most basic reason is to store the fruit. Furthermore, Procacci distributes its own produce to retailers on the East Coast. "They can market our lemons if they want," Mr. Lambke noted. Working within the Procacci Bros. structure "is an opportunity for exposure to those retailers."
Mr. Lambke added, "Transportation is our number one concern out of this area and Procacci has transportation."
While the first lemons received were packed under the "Tekin" brand, Mr. Lambke said that the company would be receiving its own exclusive brand, "Silare Lemons," by early February.
"Tekin" is the brand used by grower-shipper Silare Food in Izmir, Turkey, in selling this fruit in Europe, which is the company's primary market. The new Silare bushel box will be black with the name written in red. The promotional message on the box reads, "The Mediterranean's Finest Quality."
The first lemons received were in half-bushel boxes.
"In three weeks," from the Jan. 11 interview at Procacci, Mr. Lambke said, "they will arrive in bushel boxes in the sizes this part of the country needs." Those sizes are 95-, 115-, 140, 165- and 200-count. The lemons are available in nylon mesh "two pound bags or whatever size the receiver needs," he said.
The last Turkish lemons of the season are expected to be received in April. The Turkish lemon season starts in October. Twin Garden will resume the fall program in mid-October.
Mr. Lambke said that the lemons are approved for arrival in any U.S. port. For at least the near term, Twin Garden will continue to receive the lemons in New York, although in the future the fruit could go to Philadelphia or other East Coast ports. He said that Twin Garden President Mark Hayes "is talking to the shipper to work out what other ports are accessible for Turkey."
The large Turkish lemons were being handled by Twin Garden's Jack Lambke.
Mr. Lambke said that there are several reasons Twin Garden is shipping the fruit to the large Procacci Bros. warehousing facility. The most basic reason is to store the fruit. Furthermore, Procacci distributes its own produce to retailers on the East Coast. "They can market our lemons if they want," Mr. Lambke noted. Working within the Procacci Bros. structure "is an opportunity for exposure to those retailers."
Mr. Lambke added, "Transportation is our number one concern out of this area and Procacci has transportation."
While the first lemons received were packed under the "Tekin" brand, Mr. Lambke said that the company would be receiving its own exclusive brand, "Silare Lemons," by early February.
"Tekin" is the brand used by grower-shipper Silare Food in Izmir, Turkey, in selling this fruit in Europe, which is the company's primary market. The new Silare bushel box will be black with the name written in red. The promotional message on the box reads, "The Mediterranean's Finest Quality."
The first lemons received were in half-bushel boxes.
"In three weeks," from the Jan. 11 interview at Procacci, Mr. Lambke said, "they will arrive in bushel boxes in the sizes this part of the country needs." Those sizes are 95-, 115-, 140, 165- and 200-count. The lemons are available in nylon mesh "two pound bags or whatever size the receiver needs," he said.
The last Turkish lemons of the season are expected to be received in April. The Turkish lemon season starts in October. Twin Garden will resume the fall program in mid-October.
Mr. Lambke said that the lemons are approved for arrival in any U.S. port. For at least the near term, Twin Garden will continue to receive the lemons in New York, although in the future the fruit could go to Philadelphia or other East Coast ports. He said that Twin Garden President Mark Hayes "is talking to the shipper to work out what other ports are accessible for Turkey."
