What started out as a sales call ended up as a new job for produce veteran Mark Rogers, sales director of Sunny Creek Farms in Tryon, NC.

“Earlier this year I was working for a company that offers lab services and food-safety programs,” explained Rogers, who has amassed 40 years of experience in the produce industry. “I visited Sunny Creek Farms to present a food-safety program and I was so impressed by what they were doing that I returned to my company and told them that not only could I not sell them, but it was likely that they could teach us a few things. I started working for Sunny Creek in March.”

What impressed Rogers the most about Sunny Creek were the technical aspects and its attention to detail. He met with company President Lee Ewing and Chief Executive Officer Ed Mills, and learned how the company was founded, its standards and its strategies for the future.

“Lee’s company began in Tryon as Green Creek Sprouts in 1990,” said Rogers. “It was a sprout farm producing bean, clover, alfalfa and radish sprouts. He sold to regional retail customers.

“Ed owned Sunshine Maker’s Sprout Farm, also a sprout producer, in Fairview, North Carolina, about 50 miles north,” he continued. “The two men merged their companies in 1997, and Sunny Creek Farms was born, which today has field and greenhouse divisions.”

Neither of the companies had ever had a sprout recall, and their like-mindedness enabled them to expand their food-safety standards for sprout production into their locally grown produce division. They have an in-house laboratory, a microbiologist and a chemist on staff.

Ewing explained to The Produce News that every major retailer and wholesaler wants locally grown produce, but he questioned, “If you’re a buyer, how do you find a company that you can trust, who can supply the volumes you need, the right labeling, food-safety certifications and traceability initiatives? The combination is difficult for small farmers to accomplish.”

Both men knew when they merged that there were food-safety concerns related to sprouts at the time, and both were committed to initiatives that went far beyond what legislation or customers require — and that stands true still today.

“In 1997, I closed Sunshine Maker’s and moved to Tryon,” said Mills. “It was helpful that we both knew the issues that our products faced in the market. We adopted HACCP and started a lab to sanitize seed. We quickly got on board with the Food & Drug Administration’s guidelines and have since remained extremely dedicated to going beyond the limit in our food-safety practices.”

Every gallon of water used in the company’s sprout greenhouses has the sanitizing power of close to 5 percent of household bleach in a non-toxic method of oxygen and hydrogen. Ewing noted that this is not required by law, but is something that the company does on its own.

“This technology exists in Asia, and although it’s available in the U.S., it’s too expensive for most companies to use,” said Ewing. “We have created a process that makes it affordable for us. Our facility is certified organic, and this process enables us to maintain this system.”

Rogers said that the company has expanded tremendously in recent years, and it now has about 20 growing partners within 150 miles of its headquarters.

“All of our growers must become HACCP- and/or GAP-certified, and we help them through the process,” he said. “Our product line changes regularly depending on the season. We now [as of mid-June] have a wide selection of leafy items, such as escarole, kale in various colors, every imaginable color and variety of cabbage, peppers, potatoes and unique varieties of sweet potatoes. We also have growers with peach and apple orchards and strawberry producers. We even have one cider producer and a Shiitake mushroom producer.”

With its resources, the company’s possibilities are endless in both hydroponic and field, as well as in organic production. Its intense heirloom tomato variety program started in July.

“Our heirloom tomato varieties include Brandy Wine, German Johnson, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Japanese Black Trifele, Green Zebra and Black Velvet,” said Rogers. “And we offer cherry tomatoes in all colors.”

“Tell us what you want, and we may not have it this year, but we’ll start making plans to have it next year,” said Ewing. “We have a nearly endless ability to produce outstanding specialty produce, and foodservice operators are especially interested in what we can offer.”

The company is also doing a little sourcing outside of its region, such as with ginger root and hydroponics in the winter months.

“During the winter months we do a great deal of planning for the coming growing season,” noted Rogers. “We spend a lot of time preparing to produce what our customers have told us that they want.”

The company’s products go as far west as Montgomery, AL, north to the northern North Carolina border, south to Charlotte, NC, and southwest to Atlanta and Montgomery, AL. Its own trucking fleet ensures timely logistics’ services.

“We’re currently delivering in seven states,” said Rogers. “Our customers are major retail chains, small chains and independents, wholesale distributors and foodservice operators. We are looking to expand our customer base in all of the categories, and we have the resources and expertise to service any size company with a nearly endless list of fresh, safe and sustainably produced fruits and vegetables.”