S. Strock & Co. Inc., located at the New England Produce Center in Chelsea, MA, received its PACA license on September 5, 1930, making it the oldest active PACA license in the produce industry today. But the company’s roots extend to decades before when it was located at the now historic Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston.

Today, the company is headed by Sam Strock, president, and operated by Rick Strock, company treasurer, Bruce Strock, vice president, Adam Strock, food-safety director, Brian Strock, accountant and Michael Strock, director of business development.

Michael Strock, who is a fifth generation family member, said that the company launched an organic program in 2007.

“Organics have staved off recession trends as demand continues to increase with consumer popularity,” he said.

Besides having the oldest active PACA license in the industry, the company has achieved the highest credit and integrity rating in the Blue Book and in other credit reports. Mr. Strock said that one of the company’s greatest assets is its reputation.

S. Strock & Co. prides itself on its corporate social responsibility program. Mr. Strock said the firm associates itself with a different cause or charity every year.

“The National Brain Tumor Society and the Cure ALS Foundation are the two primary causes that we are focusing on this year,” said Mr. Strock.

In December 2009, S. Strock & Co. reached yet another milestone when it opened a new banana ripening and tropical produce facility in Chelsea. Mr. Strock said that entering the banana and tropical categories and developing the new facility to handle the products are the most significant recent initiatives the firm has undertaken.

“This project is a major investment for us, and we now look at bananas and tropicals to continue to grow,” he said. “In that bananas require the extra step of a ripening process, the company is now more of a processor rather than a distributor only.”

Today, S. Strock & Co. is a full line fruit and vegetable wholesale distributor. Its customers are chain stores, foodservice operators and independent retailers in New England and in southern Canada.

“My grandfather, Sam, is iconic in how instrumental he has been in putting the company on the right path toward growth and prosperity,” said Mr. Strock. “Things in the produce industry have changed tremendously in our over 100-plus-year history, but one thing has remained constant at S. Strock & Co., and that is our commitment to help our customers continue to grow with us and thrive well into the future.”

“Business has been steady for the past year,” he continued. “Cheers to moving past this recession in 2013!”