CHICAGO — A history of supplying good product combined with reliable customer service can serve well even in difficult times. For anyone in the mushroom business, these are difficult times.

Adding to the challenges here, Chicago’s gasoline prices are amoong the highest in the country, Tom Werer said May 10, when The Produce News called. Some Chicago gas station prices were approaching $4.90 per gallon for regular.

Original Chicago Produce Co. is creative in working within niches on the Chicago International Produce Market, according to Tony Ragusa, a partner in the firm with Mark Damore.

“We specialize in vine-ripe tomatoes and the rest of the tomato category. I found out that most people buy with their eyes so we try to have good stuff. We bring in best product. It’s easier to sell. In Chicago a lot of sales are done with customers looking at product. They are kind of picky, which is good. It keeps everybody on their toes.”

ST. CHARLES, IL — Operating from a pretty old home that has been converted to an office on a tree-lined street in this idyllic Midwestern town is Blue Creek Produce LLC. The firm is enjoying great momentum within the North American produce business.

Blue Creek was created seven years ago by Roger Riehm, whose family, he said, has the produce trade flowing in its blood.

CHICAGO — Infinite Herbs & Specialties, based in Miami, is expanding its Chicago presence.

Camilo Penalosa, the firm’s vice president of business development, said, “We set up a Chicago operation because we were servicing some retail clients in the region and we would like to also service some foodservice clients.” These firms are not only in Chicago, but are a diverse clientele within the perimeter of an Ohio-St. Louis-Minnesota triangle.

Infinite Herbs first officially entered Chicago a year-and-a-half ago with a small warehouse.

CHICAGO — A strong sales staff is critical to the success of a terminal market company, in the view of Steve Serck, the owner of J.A.B. Produce Inc. on the Chicago International Produce Market.

Thus, he focuses on having a top sales team and providing space on J.A.B.’s sales floor to make it conducive to buying produce. Along one wall of the display area is a clean, orderly and pleasant sales bar for J.A.B. customers. One end of the bar features a coffee stand for customers.

There is a sale board on the wall behind the sales desk to help J.A.B. move special-value items.

CHICAGO — When the Auster Co. closed its doors on the Chicago International Produce Market on Jan. 6, 2011, the firm’s next-door neighbor, Panama Banana Distributing Co., jumped on the opportunity to expand its operations.

Auster formal name was Auster Acquisitions LLC, as reported in The Produce News Jan. 16.