All American Produce Co. expanding organic acreage; adds sweet potatoes

This year marks the second time that Roseboro, NC-based All American Produce will be attending the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovations show, and the team couldn’t be more ready.

Between Billy Augustine, president, Phillip Strickland, vice president and recently hired Garrett Godwin, director of sales, aka (The Tater Boy), everyone is focused on promoting All American Produce while creating connections with new customers to expand the footprint throughout the industry.

Aside from attending the educational events, Augustine, a golf enthusiast, is most excited to participate in the golf tournament, while Godwin will be participating in the skeet shooting competition on Saturday.

“Southern Innovations is an important show for us because of its size and impact to the produce industry as a whole,” Augustine said. “This year’s show is in our backyard, Charlotte, and it will be a great opportunity to showcase our products and fill new and current customers in on what our current and future plans hold. Every trade show we attend holds specific value to our company, and Southern Innovations has become a staple in the industry that we are privileged to be a part of.”

Not only is the company there to pitch current and new products, it is also looking to network and make new friends and connections within the produce industry.

“Trade shows such as Southern Innovations offer so much information and attending a show like this one this year will benefit us for the future of our company,” Augustine said.

All American Produce will be exhibiting at booth No. 222, where more than 25 different produce items — both organic and conventional — with numerous skus on display.

“Our goal is to emphasize our diverse lineup of products that caters to customers’ different needs and desires throughout the produce industry,” Augustine said. “We aim to provide creative solutions for all who attend the show. Our focus on organic produce since the beginning enables us to offer several different packaging options in both bulk and value-added.” 

With that in mind, organics will be one of the main topics of conversation, and sustainability and regenerative agriculture are also on the agenda this year.

“We’ve been heavily involved in organics since the inception of our company and have focused a lot of our efforts on organic production to ensure high-quality produce,” Augustine said. “Aside from organics, we want to gain some retail insight into sustainable packaging. We pride ourselves on being innovators and being ahead of the curve, so anything that aligns with our vision, we’d like to nurture to fruition.”

All American Produce continues to grow daily. From its inception in 2020, the company has evolved from 40 acres with a limited amount of items to a network of growers growing 25 different items on more than 1,500 acres of land.

“We will now supply conventional and organic sweet potatoes 52 weeks a year with one of our partner farms in eastern North Carolina,” Augustine said. “With the number of acres and storage within this operation, we can offer our customers a consistent supply throughout the year. What’s better than year-round sweet potatoes?” 

The company’s options are many.

“Our offerings will be not only traditional bulk and bin packaging, but also bagged options along with both microwaveable and tray-wrapped options — both conventional and organic,” Augustine said. “With this investment in infrastructure we are making, we can provide almost anything a customer would want with packaging and supply.”

In another development, the company aims to break ground later this year on a state-of-the-art, 80,000-square-foot cooler facility as the first phase of its expansion.

“This cutting-edge facility will enable us to store and preserve our produce in optimal conditions, ensuring the highest quality and freshness,” Augustine said. “This expansion will allow us to handle and package products with even greater precision and cater to the specific requirements of our customers.”

Photo: William Augustine and Phillip Strickland