Fresh From The Start's Maine broccoli deal a 'cut above the rest
Fresh From The Start's Maine broccoli deal a 'cut above the rest
RIVERHEAD, NY -- Fresh From The Start LLC is ready for another great season of its Maine broccoli.
Now in its 12th year, Fresh From The Start, a division of ADS Management LLC, based here, expects to begin shipping broccoli from Caribou, ME, during the week of July 16.
In preparation for this year's deal, the company has focused its efforts on new seed varieties suited for the East Coast for its Asian-cut program, which Eric Scannelli, Fresh From The Start's sales manager, told The Produce News would begin shipping the week of July 23 and is "far ahead of last year's program, and last year was phenomenal."
Even though it was a cool spring, Mr. Scannelli said June 22 that the weather of late has been "absolutely fantastic," and he expected that the company's volume would match last year's nearly 1 million cases.
"Our advantage is our freight rate, and we can deliver overnight as far as Maryland and Virginia," he said, noting that while the company services retailers and foodservice clients on the East Coast, it has delivered as far west as Texas and Chicago utilizing its distribution facilities in Rotterdam, NY, Youngwood, PA, Salisbury, NC, Doraville, GA, and Pompano Beach, FL. Mr. Scannelli said that Fresh From The Start also takes pride in its quality control and employs its own inspector, Johnny Ortiz, who personally inspects every load.
"Every load also has a federal inspection before it ships," he added.
Fresh From The Start also packs domestic crowns, 14- and 18-count, and iceless broccoli during the deal, which runs through October or the first frost. Once the Maine deal ends, the company transitions to North Carolina broccoli for one month, giving it extra product through the end of November. It also plans to start shipping a nine-count jacketed cauliflower, available under the "Fresh From The Start" label, during the week of July 9 through mid-October. It will also begin offering orange cauliflower in October - a popular item during autumn, especially for Halloween.
Now in its 12th year, Fresh From The Start, a division of ADS Management LLC, based here, expects to begin shipping broccoli from Caribou, ME, during the week of July 16.
In preparation for this year's deal, the company has focused its efforts on new seed varieties suited for the East Coast for its Asian-cut program, which Eric Scannelli, Fresh From The Start's sales manager, told The Produce News would begin shipping the week of July 23 and is "far ahead of last year's program, and last year was phenomenal."
Even though it was a cool spring, Mr. Scannelli said June 22 that the weather of late has been "absolutely fantastic," and he expected that the company's volume would match last year's nearly 1 million cases.
"Our advantage is our freight rate, and we can deliver overnight as far as Maryland and Virginia," he said, noting that while the company services retailers and foodservice clients on the East Coast, it has delivered as far west as Texas and Chicago utilizing its distribution facilities in Rotterdam, NY, Youngwood, PA, Salisbury, NC, Doraville, GA, and Pompano Beach, FL. Mr. Scannelli said that Fresh From The Start also takes pride in its quality control and employs its own inspector, Johnny Ortiz, who personally inspects every load.
"Every load also has a federal inspection before it ships," he added.
Fresh From The Start also packs domestic crowns, 14- and 18-count, and iceless broccoli during the deal, which runs through October or the first frost. Once the Maine deal ends, the company transitions to North Carolina broccoli for one month, giving it extra product through the end of November. It also plans to start shipping a nine-count jacketed cauliflower, available under the "Fresh From The Start" label, during the week of July 9 through mid-October. It will also begin offering orange cauliflower in October - a popular item during autumn, especially for Halloween.
