As Colorado-based Paradigm Fresh, a brokerage that specializes in onions and potatoes, looks to celebrate its first anniversary on Oct. 1, the logistic division began operations June 26 with the “maiden voyage” of its first truck.

Owner-founder John Harris, with an extensive background in onions, said establishing logistics was a natural progression of the company’s growth.

“I founded Paradigm in 2014, but my background goes back to my family’s farm in the Fort Morgan area of eastern Colorado,” Harris said.

Paradigm Fresh, a brokerage in Fort Collins specializing in onions and potatoes, recently added logistics. The company’s first truck had its debut run June 26. (Photo courtesy of Paradigm Fresh)“My father, Robert Harris, actually started farming in Scottsbluff, NE, and moved to Colorado. His company was Imperial Onion Co. of Colorado, and I’ve been around production and agriculture, specifically onions, all my life. That’s what my parents did.”

Harris attended college at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and then worked for a grower for four years. During that period, Colorado ag took a major hit from the ongoing drought that drove many farmers out of business.

“I got into the brokerage side of the business with my father’s business then — he had Rocky Mountain Brokerage, with offices in Fort Morgan, Denver and McAllen, TX. I also worked with David DeBerry on the f.o.b. side,” Harris said.

In 2009 the younger Harris took on a business partner, Shawn Burris, and the two founded Rocky Mountain Produce Group in Windsor, CO. Last fall Harris sold his 50 percent of the business to Burris and founded Paradigm, and today his father is part of the Paradigm team.

In addition to potatoes and onions, the Fort Collins office brokers tomatoes, with Travis Bain handling that category. Bain also brings experience in cucumbers and peppers, Harris said.

Pat Hansen is onion and potato category manager, and Robert Harris works onion sales. Matt Murphy, the newest team member, is a potato and onion specialist, and Boston John Holliday is the logistics manager. Jolene Barr manages accounting and food safety.

“We do 60-70 loads of onions a week, following the deal around the country,” Harris said. “Here in Colorado we work with Petrocco and Fagerberg on the Front Range and with Utah Onions and David DeBerry on the Western Slope.”

He continued, “Right now the biggest thing out of Colorado is our tomatoes. We’re working with repackers in Denver, and we’re getting product from California as well as some TOV from Canada. I see us growing our tomato and potato categories, and we’ll likely have more mixed veg. We might also have apples and watermelons and maybe some peppers. We’re not going to limit ourselves.”