“In general, business is very good,” said Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for the company. “It’s been a robust year for us across categories, and our Florida programs remain an important part of that success.”

As the industry transitions into the fall season, Southern Specialties once again turns attention to one of its key Florida-grown programs — its green bean operation. 

“We handle some fall-growing products in the season, including our Florida green bean program, which continues to be one of our central growing programs,” Eagle said. “It’s something we’ve made significant investments in over the years.”

The company’s green beans are marketed under its well-known Southern Selects label, along with a number of private-label programs for major retailers and foodservice distributors. Southern Specialties sources and processes the beans through its Florida operations, with a focus on quality, shelf life, and cold-chain integrity.

“We’ve made substantial investments in our ability to grow, process and ship these products efficiently,” Eagle said. “That includes improvements to our packing capabilities and enhanced cold-chain systems to ensure that the beans reach customers in the best possible condition.”

Beyond its Florida-grown green beans, Southern Specialties also uses its South Florida base as a critical gateway for imported counter-seasonal products. 

“We like to say that we grow in the Americas,” Eagle said. “That includes what we grow in Florida, but also what we grow, import and distribute from Central and South America through the South Florida gateway into the U.S.”

That strategy allows the company to complement Florida-grown crops with imported items such as asparagus, baby vegetables and berries from Guatemala, Mexico and Peru. 

“For instance, about 96 percent of the asparagus consumed in the U.S. comes from either Peru or Mexico,” Eagle said. “We’re one of the leading growers and importers of Peruvian asparagus, which enters the Port of Miami and is then distributed nationwide, and we also grow and distribute asparagus from Mexico, as well as seasonally available Michigan asparagus.”

Having the Port of Miami and Port Everglades nearby provides an important logistical advantage, especially during the busy fall and holiday months. 

“Those ports are strong receivers for product coming from throughout South and Central America,” Eagle said. “From there, we can distribute along north-south and east–west corridors that allow us to reach about 80 percent of the U.S. population within two days.”

While weather has posed some challenges this fall, the company expects sufficient supplies to meet holiday demand. 

“We experienced some significant rains, and we’re still evaluating how that might affect supplies for the holiday pull,” Eagle said. “But at this point, it looks like we’ll have sufficient volume to cover our customers’ needs.”

Looking ahead, Southern Specialties plans continued growth through diversification of its product line and ongoing sustainability efforts. 

“For us, growth opportunities are driven by both the market potential of new products and our ability to maintain the productivity of the fields we grow in,” Eagle said. “We look for crops that can perform well in the field and meet customer expectations, while ensuring we can continue to farm those fields responsibly in the years to come.”

With 35 years of innovation and consistent growth, Southern Specialties remains a key player in Florida’s fall produce landscape, balancing local growing programs with a far-reaching import network that keeps the company’s specialty offerings flowing year-round.