As mid-June arrives, the produce industry’s attention shifts to the Eastern Shore, where farmers are preparing crops such as cabbage, green beans, potatoes, sweet corn and more. Eastern Shore companies begin shipping produce at the end of June, continuing through July.

This period is crucial as it bridges the gap between the end of North Florida’s season and the start of harvesting in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and other regions, which doesn’t occur until late July.

Edward L. Myrick Produce has successful operations in Florida, Georgia and Michigan, working with chain stores and wholesalers all around the United States and Canada.

The Michigan facility in Benton Harbor has been around for several years now, and has helped the company succeed as a year-round supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The company has enjoyed a strong 2024, with business booming in all areas of the company.

NuBerry Farms, a blueberry marketing company, is 95 percent vertically integrated with domestic production.

“NuBerry Farms is on a rapid pace to grow its customer base because of the infrastructure and our vertically integrated business model,” said Albert Grimaldi, managing partner of NuBerry Farms. “The locations of our company-owned domestic farms give us a competitive advantage to service our customers.”

Ben B. Schwartz & Sons has more than a century worth of experience as a dependable name in the produce industry. Led by owners Jake and Drew Billmeyer, who took over the reins from their father, Chris Billmeyer, the company is a mainstay on the Michigan Produce Terminal in Detroit.

As a trusted anchor tenant at the Detroit Produce Terminal, Riggio Distribution Co. boasts a long history as one of the Midwest’s largest produce wholesalers.

This third-generation wholesaler excels in all facets of the produce industry, providing a comprehensive selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. Their products are shipped seven days a week to both retail and foodservice customers.

North Bay Produce, a cooperative of 33 grower-owners representing more than 1,000 farms from around the world, has deep roots within Michigan, both from a company standpoint and also within its grower/membership network. In fact, Michigan is North Bay’s flagship region and will continue to be a very important part of its overall sales strategy for blueberries, apples and asparagus.