CHICAGO — He shows tomato tattoos on each arm and introduces himself as “Insane Wayne.”

Otherwise known as Wayne Passoff, his tomato company, Wayne’s World Inc., began operations on the Chicago International Produce Market in the first week of May.

The 54-year old said that he is a native of Englishtown, NJ, and is a third-generation tomato man. He moved to Chicago a decade ago after his father died. After working for other Chicago produce houses, “I decided I wanted to take my talents and experience in the tomato business and go on my own,” he said.

CHICAGO — “EveryDay” produce doesn’t have to mean “ordinary” produce. At EveryDay Fresh Produce Inc. it means service to a customer base that is in the habit of buying produce every day.

Such insight into his ethnic clientele led Steve Chmelovky to name his company eight years ago. The founder is also the president and chief executive officer of the ethnic specialties house, which is located on the Chicago International Produce Market.

CHICAGO — Dietz & Kolodenko Co., which operates from the Chicago International Produce Market, has held the same role in this produce industry for decades, according to Nick Gaglione.

Mr. Gaglione has been associated with Dietz & Kolodenko since the first half of the 1970s. He bought the company in 1994.

Dietz & Kolodenko was formed in 1963.

“We have been together, with the same people working, basically, since then. We have been known as a fruit house since the ‘git-go.’ We are mostly all fruit, with apples, pears grapes and melons,” Mr. Gaglione said.

CHICAGO — It was almost 80 years ago that Greg Mandolini’s great-grandfather, Primo Mandolini, entered Chicago’s produce industry. He started as an industry salesman and then became a partner in starting-up Gianukos & Mandolini. Eventually, Primo Mandolini bought out his partners. Greg Mandolini has run Mandolini Co. since the mid-1980s.

CHICAGO — When Robert (Rob) Strube III was drafted by the Minnesota Twins baseball farm system in 1985, his namesake and grandfather, Robert Strube Sr., told him he had five years to make the Major League as a pitcher.

The grandson said that his strong-willed grandfather believed that if he didn’t make it as a big-time left-handed pitcher in five years, he would be more effective in the family business, Strube Celery & Vegetable Co., which is now located on the Chicago International Produce Market.

CHICAGO — Strube Celery & Vegetable Co., a longtime bastion of Chicago’s produce distribution business, is working toward the future, according to Lisa Strube, the firm’s director of finance and administration.

Ms. Strube said Strube Celery management is now “focusing on fine-tuning Strube. We are focused on service and quality,” while preparing for “a generation transition in a few years. That has been our focus — to move forward strong.”