New Michigan warehouse serves Toronto and Philly sister firms
New Michigan warehouse serves Toronto and Philly sister firms
PHILADELPHIA -- A new refrigerated warehouse in Brooklyn, MI, is serving the interests of sister produce marketing companies in Toronto and Philadelphia. Tom Leonardi, vice president of Fresh Taste Produce USA & Associates Inc., here, said that the warehouse, which is operating as a separate company called Produce Depot, is being used in a variety of consolidation, shipping and marketing means by his firm and Fresh Taste Produce Ltd. in Toronto. The Michigan location is primarily geared to help Toronto's logistics, Mr. Leonardi noted, but the Philadelphia office is using the location to save money on warehousing and transportation costs in some instances.
For example, Mr. Leonardi said that if his office imports Argentine pears that will eventually be shipped west, they could be shipped as far as Michigan to be held until it is time for final delivery. Using that facility is less expensive than storing fruit in the Philadelphia area.
"We can save 10-20 percent of operational costs," Mr. Leonardi said. On the supply side of his business, the Mexican grape deal is running "very, very nicely," Mr. Leonardi said. "Production is up, as was expected, over last year. Going from June into July, the quality is being maintained very nicely. In the past you worried about sunburn and shatter," but these potential hazards are not a problem this season.
Further boosting the Mexican grape deal are high markets for apples and pears, which are getting grapes on ad for 99 cents a pound.
Fresh Taste was slated to receive 1,000 pallets of pears on a vessel arriving June 11, with two more arrivals scheduled for later in June. Fresh Taste received Packham, Anjou and winter Bartletts this season from Argentina. The company will be marketing both Argentine pears and Mexican grapes until about July 15.
After July 4, Fresh Taste will remain in the pear market via a partnership with a grower in California. Fresh Taste also has partnerships with California stone fruit shippers. Mr. Leonardi said that retailers are ahead of their sales volumes for early California stone fruit sales in other years. The early California stone fruit was "very good and consistent with quality and availability."
Additionally, Fresh Taste will begin marketing Italian grapes in August. Through its corporate connection with the Bocchi Group in Verona, Italy, two years ago Fresh Taste exported California grapes to Europe. This year "there is interest," he said, but freight rates and grape supplies from countries like Spain and Egypt will have a large bearing on shipping to the European market.
He added that a country that is rapidly growing in its supplies to the European market is Turkey, and European businesses have invested a lot of money in Turkish produce farms.
The Chilean deal was strong in production this year, Mr. Leonardi said. "Overall, production was similar" in volume to a year ago, "and we had a better year with quality, which was more consistent even late in the season."
For example, Mr. Leonardi said that if his office imports Argentine pears that will eventually be shipped west, they could be shipped as far as Michigan to be held until it is time for final delivery. Using that facility is less expensive than storing fruit in the Philadelphia area.
"We can save 10-20 percent of operational costs," Mr. Leonardi said. On the supply side of his business, the Mexican grape deal is running "very, very nicely," Mr. Leonardi said. "Production is up, as was expected, over last year. Going from June into July, the quality is being maintained very nicely. In the past you worried about sunburn and shatter," but these potential hazards are not a problem this season.
Further boosting the Mexican grape deal are high markets for apples and pears, which are getting grapes on ad for 99 cents a pound.
Fresh Taste was slated to receive 1,000 pallets of pears on a vessel arriving June 11, with two more arrivals scheduled for later in June. Fresh Taste received Packham, Anjou and winter Bartletts this season from Argentina. The company will be marketing both Argentine pears and Mexican grapes until about July 15.
After July 4, Fresh Taste will remain in the pear market via a partnership with a grower in California. Fresh Taste also has partnerships with California stone fruit shippers. Mr. Leonardi said that retailers are ahead of their sales volumes for early California stone fruit sales in other years. The early California stone fruit was "very good and consistent with quality and availability."
Additionally, Fresh Taste will begin marketing Italian grapes in August. Through its corporate connection with the Bocchi Group in Verona, Italy, two years ago Fresh Taste exported California grapes to Europe. This year "there is interest," he said, but freight rates and grape supplies from countries like Spain and Egypt will have a large bearing on shipping to the European market.
He added that a country that is rapidly growing in its supplies to the European market is Turkey, and European businesses have invested a lot of money in Turkish produce farms.
The Chilean deal was strong in production this year, Mr. Leonardi said. "Overall, production was similar" in volume to a year ago, "and we had a better year with quality, which was more consistent even late in the season."
