High-end produce and service hallmarks of Killian's
High-end produce and service hallmarks of Killian's
YEADON, PA -- Specializing in serving high-ticket, high-quality specialty produce sales to white tablecloth restaurants in the Philadelphia area is the focus of Killian's Harvest Green Inc., which is headquartered in a red brick warehouse that was once part of the operations of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc., which is based in Montvale, NJ.
The firm is owned by Ed Dever, who described Killian's as "a distributor, mostly of fresh fruits and produce." He added, "We cater to white tablecloth restaurants" in the Philadelphia area. "Seventy-five percent of our customers are restaurants." These do not include national chains, which tend to "keep food costs as low as possible," he said.
"Philadelphia is a great restaurant town," he added. "The competition to be different is strong. We have high-profile chefs who are drawn from cosmopolitan cities from around the world."
One of those restaurants is Fork Restaurant on Market Street in downtown Philadelphia. Ellen Yin, the owner of Fork, noted that it is fresh produce that differentiates one restaurant's plate from the other. Ms. Yin does a little bit of direct buying from local suppliers, but she relies on Killian's for almost all of her fresh produce.
These restaurants and upscale caterers "need to be cutting edge," said Mr. Dever. "They need something different" to be competitive.
Mr. Dever works with food brokers in California who work with growers in remote places like Thailand to fill Killian's customer orders for produce "from way out of left field." Despite the demand for such products, customers are sensitive to food costs, Mr. Dever said. "They can't raise their menu cost every month."
There remains some demand, however, for items like Morel mushrooms, which were selling last month for $42 a pound.
A specialty of Killian's is micro-greens, which are shipped overnight by Federal Express from California.
Killian's handles "better-grade items" that are delivered daily. "We have hands-on ownership and get what the customers need the next day in good condition."
Killian's micro-greens have exotic names like baby bull's blood, popcorn shoots, petite peas and micro-chef's blend with confetti edible flowers. These specialty offerings, all of which are packed in clamshells, also include assorted pansies, which are technically edible but are mostly used as a garnish, according to Mr. Dever.
His wet-room cooler includes ramps packed in plastic bags. Ramps are a wild leek, which grow around the country but are particularly good from the Midwest, Mr. Dever said. An onion variety, ramps are also called ramson, wild leek or, in French, ail des bois.
Also popular at Killian's are Maine fiddlehead ferns, the season for which began in late May as Mr. Dever's Oregon supplier was winding down. Oregon fiddleheads were purplish in color, reflecting their cold growing environs, he noted.
In more conventional categories, Mr. Dever said that Killian's handles "Driscoll's" brand strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. Ontario greenhouse cucumbers, which sell in 12-count packages for about $6, are also popular. The price is not high on a per-serving basis because customers tend to serve just one or two garnish slices per plate.
"Premium labels go a long way," he said of his customers' taste. He prefers "Del Monte" brand cantaloupes during the Central American season because "Del Monte's sweetness ratios are usually better."
Mr. Dever has owned Killian's outright since 2005. The firm was founded in 1994 and has been in its present location since 1995. Mr. Dever had his own produce company, Harvest Blossom, which merged into Killian's in 1996. He eventually bought out his partners.
Mr. Dever started his produce career in 1982, working for Philadelphia-area retailer Produce Junction Inc., which is based in Swedesboro, NJ.
A regular buyer on the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market, Mr. Dever has high praise for the merchants there, especially Jimmy Storey, owner of Quaker City Produce Co.
"Jimmy has done a lot for us. He always helped us out" when Killian's was getting started, Mr. Dever noted.
"We buy product direct [from shippers] and from all the vendors" at the market. Some produce distributors get more business "depending on their labels. We buy premium brands, mostly."
About 30 percent of his volume comes from the Philadelphia market. Among his direct purchases are mushrooms, which mostly come from East Coast Exotics in nearby Avondale, PA.
Mr. Dever provides his customers with seasonal fruits and vegetables from local farms.
Killian's works from a 10,000-square-foot facility, which includes six coolers and a ripening room for bananas and tomatoes.
Mr. Dever said, "It is common sense" to have a clean warehouse. "We have product that people will consume. We sanitize work surfaces, wash our hands and clean knives so there is no cross-contamination. We keep it as safe as possible." Killian's has a full time sanitation manager to watch food-safety matters.
The firm is owned by Ed Dever, who described Killian's as "a distributor, mostly of fresh fruits and produce." He added, "We cater to white tablecloth restaurants" in the Philadelphia area. "Seventy-five percent of our customers are restaurants." These do not include national chains, which tend to "keep food costs as low as possible," he said.
"Philadelphia is a great restaurant town," he added. "The competition to be different is strong. We have high-profile chefs who are drawn from cosmopolitan cities from around the world."
One of those restaurants is Fork Restaurant on Market Street in downtown Philadelphia. Ellen Yin, the owner of Fork, noted that it is fresh produce that differentiates one restaurant's plate from the other. Ms. Yin does a little bit of direct buying from local suppliers, but she relies on Killian's for almost all of her fresh produce.
These restaurants and upscale caterers "need to be cutting edge," said Mr. Dever. "They need something different" to be competitive.
Mr. Dever works with food brokers in California who work with growers in remote places like Thailand to fill Killian's customer orders for produce "from way out of left field." Despite the demand for such products, customers are sensitive to food costs, Mr. Dever said. "They can't raise their menu cost every month."
There remains some demand, however, for items like Morel mushrooms, which were selling last month for $42 a pound.
A specialty of Killian's is micro-greens, which are shipped overnight by Federal Express from California.
Killian's handles "better-grade items" that are delivered daily. "We have hands-on ownership and get what the customers need the next day in good condition."
Killian's micro-greens have exotic names like baby bull's blood, popcorn shoots, petite peas and micro-chef's blend with confetti edible flowers. These specialty offerings, all of which are packed in clamshells, also include assorted pansies, which are technically edible but are mostly used as a garnish, according to Mr. Dever.
His wet-room cooler includes ramps packed in plastic bags. Ramps are a wild leek, which grow around the country but are particularly good from the Midwest, Mr. Dever said. An onion variety, ramps are also called ramson, wild leek or, in French, ail des bois.
Also popular at Killian's are Maine fiddlehead ferns, the season for which began in late May as Mr. Dever's Oregon supplier was winding down. Oregon fiddleheads were purplish in color, reflecting their cold growing environs, he noted.
In more conventional categories, Mr. Dever said that Killian's handles "Driscoll's" brand strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. Ontario greenhouse cucumbers, which sell in 12-count packages for about $6, are also popular. The price is not high on a per-serving basis because customers tend to serve just one or two garnish slices per plate.
"Premium labels go a long way," he said of his customers' taste. He prefers "Del Monte" brand cantaloupes during the Central American season because "Del Monte's sweetness ratios are usually better."
Mr. Dever has owned Killian's outright since 2005. The firm was founded in 1994 and has been in its present location since 1995. Mr. Dever had his own produce company, Harvest Blossom, which merged into Killian's in 1996. He eventually bought out his partners.
Mr. Dever started his produce career in 1982, working for Philadelphia-area retailer Produce Junction Inc., which is based in Swedesboro, NJ.
A regular buyer on the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market, Mr. Dever has high praise for the merchants there, especially Jimmy Storey, owner of Quaker City Produce Co.
"Jimmy has done a lot for us. He always helped us out" when Killian's was getting started, Mr. Dever noted.
"We buy product direct [from shippers] and from all the vendors" at the market. Some produce distributors get more business "depending on their labels. We buy premium brands, mostly."
About 30 percent of his volume comes from the Philadelphia market. Among his direct purchases are mushrooms, which mostly come from East Coast Exotics in nearby Avondale, PA.
Mr. Dever provides his customers with seasonal fruits and vegetables from local farms.
Killian's works from a 10,000-square-foot facility, which includes six coolers and a ripening room for bananas and tomatoes.
Mr. Dever said, "It is common sense" to have a clean warehouse. "We have product that people will consume. We sanitize work surfaces, wash our hands and clean knives so there is no cross-contamination. We keep it as safe as possible." Killian's has a full time sanitation manager to watch food-safety matters.
