Veg sales increasing in percentage for Thomas Produce
Veg sales increasing in percentage for Thomas Produce
Tomatoes have traditionally been the largest-volume Mexican item for Thomas Produce Sales, Inc., according to owner Chuck Thomas. The firm is based in Rio Rico, AZ.
But vegetables are gaining in the firm’s sales percentages because of the tomato suspension agreement, he said. Thomas Produce customers tend to be located from East Texas into the Southeast and up to New York. Thus, his tomato deal runs into the teeth of Florida tomato competition.
“We’ve got to compete with Florida in the winter,” Thomas noted.
Thomas offers the full line of produce crossing into Nogales. Among some of the larger-volume of these items are melons, cucumbers, hard and soft squash, peppers and chilies.
Thomas said Mexican vegetable volumes are “down some” this fall because of rains in September and October.
Roma tomato shipments will be picking up about Dec. 1. Other tomatoes “except for hothouse tomatoes will be picking up in the second or third week of December,” Thomas said. “The real tomato volume runs from January to March.”
Thomas Produce also offers “in and out” services to other companies from its warehouse. This facility has about tripled its capacity given an expansion that was finalized in October 2014.
Thomas said his father, Charlie Thomas, retired from the company on July 1. Chuck Thomas purchased the business from his family in 2000. But he said his father, now 82 years old, had enjoyed continuing to work for the firm.
