SEPC concludes its first foodservice tour
The Southeast Produce Council held its first-ever foodservice tour April 10-13 in eastern and central Florida, visiting Classic Fruit Co., Southern Specialties, A. Duda & Sons, DLF International, J&J Family of Farms, Premier Produce and Sunripe Certified Farm Fresh.
Stanley Trout of the Idaho Potato Commission and Jeff Tant of Performance Food Group — both of whom are on the SEPC board of directors and are co-chairs of the SEPC Foodservice Committee — along with tour hosts Larry Narwold of Gold Coast Packing and Robert Bonghi of Buyers Edge/Produce Alliance, have all spearheaded this project.
The following foodservice individuals participated in the tour: Desiree Forsythe and Katee Hernandez of National Produce Consultants, Theresa Mossholder of Ruby Co., Janette Gomez of Markon, Michael Boyer of Nordstrom, Michael Thomsen of Royal Food Service, Zach Senn of Senn Brothers, Kim Andreason of Jason's Deli and a member of the SEPC board of directors, Ashlee Forscher and Trevor Plinck of Produce Alliance, Carolyn Johnson of Performance Food Group, Leslie Simmons of U.S. Foods and Tant.
Gold Coast Packing, Buyers Edge/Produce Alliance and NPC Foodbuy co-sponsored this event.
The group at Sunripe Certified Farm Fresh getting ready to board the bus for the Tampa airport.
Larry Narwold of Gold Coast Packing at A. Duda & Sons.
Charlie Eagle of Southern Specialties talking to the group.
Michael Boyer of Nordstrom with mini-zucchini at Southern Specialties.
Robert Bonghi of Buyers Edge/Produce Alliance with multi-colored peeled carrots.
Charlie Eagle (top left) of Southern Specialties with the group.
Tim Ross of A. Duda & Sons.
The group in a cornfield at A. Duda & Sons.
The group at A. Duda & Sons.
Jordan Feek of DLF International, Katee Hernandez of National Produce Consultants, Theresa Mossholder of Ruby Co. and Carolyn Johnson of Performance Food Group.
The group at DLF International in an orange grove.
Zucchini blooming in a field at J&J Family of Farms.
Ashlee Forscher of Produce Alliance in a pepper field at J&J Family of Farms.
Trevor Plinck of Produce Alliance in a pepper field at J&J Family of Farms.
Desiree Forsythe and Katee Hernandez of National Produce Consultants, Leslie Simmons of U.S. Foods, Theresa Mossholder of Ruby Co. and Ashlee Forscher of Produce Alliance in a pepper field at J&J Family of Farms.
Zach Senn of Senn Brothers in a pepper field at J&J Family of Farms.
Michael Boyer of Nordstrom in a pepper field at J&J Family of Farms.
The group at J&J Family of Farms.
The group enjoyed dinner at Abuelos in Lakeland, FL, hosted by the National Watermelon Promotion Board.
Kim Andreason of Jason's Deli with Larry Narwold of Gold Coast Packing.
The group at Sunripe Certified Farm Fresh.
A packingline at Sunripe Certified Farm Fresh.
The group at Classic Fruit Co.
