When Triple M Farms was founded in 1999, it made a name for itself for being one of the few companies in Arkansas to bypass the tomato auction in favor of direct marketing of its product. The move has apparently paid off, as the company has been on a growth trend since that time.

This year is no different, as Wendell Moffatt and James Meeks, principals in the company, recently completed a third round of expansion of its facility with the addition of packinglines for Roma tomatoes and increased cooler space.

In addition to the improvements at the facility, Triple M, based in Hamburg, AR, also announced that Gem Tomato Sales will be the exclusive sales agent for its products for 2005. Gary Margolis, principal at Gem Tomato, which is based in Boca Raton, FL, said that his firm was appointed sales agent after the recent retirement of Don Powell, who handled sales at Triple M.

Mr. Powell had long been a fixture in the Arkansas tomato deal, having worked as a key buyer at the Warren tomato auction for many years. He got to know Messrs. Moffatt and Meeks prior to the founding of their company, and the men persuaded him to join Triple M upon its inception.

Of Mr. Powell's retirement, the Triple M owners said, "We will miss Don. He was instrumental in helping us achieve the success that Triple M now enjoys. He is a good friend and we wish him the very best in the future."

Mr. Margolis said that Mr. Powell was a good friend of his uncle, Sy Katz, and "he was a mentor to me. Don had been a highly respected name in the Arkansas shipping deal long before I arrived in 1982. We shared many of the same business philosophies and interests, and he will be missed by everyone."

Of the season ahead, Mr. Margolis said that the weather has been extremely favorable, and it has the potential to be one of the better seasons in years. "The acreage is about the same as last year, but the crop conditions are outstanding. Barring unforeseen weather, this should be the best crop in years."

Triple M Farms understands the importance of producing and packing superior quality in order to meet the needs of customers and build long-term relationships. "Top-quality fruit is not produced by accident," said Mr. Moffatt. "Tomatoes require a higher level of attention than many other crops. Although we have increased our acreage over the years, we still maintain the same level of hands-on control and spend a great deal of time in the field monitoring the crop."

Mr. Meeks added, "While nobody can control the weather, the high level of personal attention and care paid to crop management pays off in the form of higher yields and higher quality. In the tough weather years, as we experienced last season, Triple M managed to harvest from the beginning of the season to the end, despite near-record rainfall."

Mr. Margolis said that tomatoes from Triple M Farms will be packed under the "Ashley's Best" label and will include round, Roma and yellow vine-ripes, the latter being new this year for the company. Tomatoes will be packed from June through July in single-layer, two-layer and 25-pound high-graphic boxes; Romas will be available in 25-pound high-graphic boxes.

The Gem executive said that the yellow vine-ripes are a low-acid tomato that are favored by high-end retailers, which like to use them as a color break in their tomato displays. He said that some people also prefer the flavor profile of the yellows, but rounds remain the top seller for Gem.