Matthews Ridgeview Farms thrives on sweets

Matthews Ridgeview Farms, a fifth-generation, family-owned grower and distributor, has a rich history of delivering top quality sweet potatoes from approximately 4,000 dedicated acres of farmland.

The company grows, packs and ships sweet potatoes in bulk and value-added packaging. With a century of history behind it, the company is a trusted partner to those in the produce industry.

“Sweet potatoes are extremely important. Our company thrives on our sweets,” said Autumn Campbell, sales manager for the Wynee, AR-based company. “Our company has a rich history of over 100 years of experience in the family. It has evolved a lot in demand, packaging and different size specifications to meet each customer’s needs.”

Matthews Ridgeview Farms sells more than 1 million cases a year and that number grows every year, with Campbell seeing more of a demand and more requests for specific sizing as well as packaging.

“Integrity, quality product and customer service is the secret to success,” Campbell said. “In produce, things can’t always be perfect but your service to customers and integrity as well as your commitment to growth is key.”

Last year, the company did well in the sweet potato category. “We didn’t see a major increase or decrease but remained steadfast,” Campbell said. “Our upcoming crop looks nice so far. We expect a good crop and strong market. Compared to last year, we do expect this year to look better overall. We start harvest early September and wrap it up mid-October. We ship year around.”

Working with customers in the retail, wholesale and foodservice segments, Matthews Ridgeview Farms knows it’s important to treat customers like a partner.

“Your growth is their growth and their growth is yours,” Campbell said, and the way to grow is by networking, getting on the road to attend conferences, and communicating growth ideas with current customer partners, she added.

For the sweet potato category to improve, Campbell noted retailers need to continue offering nice displays, combining ingredients, offering recipes and health benefits.

After all, once consumers try sweet potatoes, they are customers for life.