Viva Fresh gives Exp. Group platform to showcase growth in Texas
Viva Fresh gives Exp. Group platform to showcase growth in Texas
At the Texas International Produce Association’s Viva Fresh expo, Exp. Group will be showcasing dozens of its Rosita brand fruits and vegetables grown in Mexico, as well as an expansion in South Texas.
The North Bergen, NJ-based company will be focusing on big news for its Texas division: a fast-approaching move to a new facility in Pharr. Business at the current facility, which opened in September 2023 in McAllen, rapidly outgrew the space, said Anthony Serafino, Exp. Group president.
The newly constructed facility is double the size of the McAllen location, with 35,000 square feet of cold storage and 14 loading doors. It will be operational in the current fiscal quarter.
“That’s something we’re going to be showcasing at Viva Fresh, that Exp. Group is making a big investment in the Rio Grande Valley,” Serafino said. “We’re just super-excited to really double down on what we’re doing there.”
Exp. Group’s Texas division features cross-docking, deliveries via Exp. Group Logistics’ fleet of trucks, repacking and more — basically all the amenities of its New Jersey headquarters, minus fruit ripening.
“But who knows what the future is going to entail? We don’t have the space to ripen at our current facility, which is one reason we’re moving to Pharr,” he said. “There will be more logistical prowess out of that location, more refrigerated space, bigger offices — we just need more space all the way around.”
The Rio Grande Valley has long been an import hub for Exp. Group, which previously used cross-docking services and distributed from an in-and-out facility.
“It got to a point where our volumes were so extreme from that center that it just paid to have a facility to call our own,” Serafino said. “The first time I went down there and was really impressed with the number of produce companies that call the Rio Grande Valley home.”
The new facility is close to the Pharr International Bridge, where Exp. Group crosses papayas, limes, tomatoes, assorted peppers, chayote squash, aloe vera, mangoes and other items.
Expo floor, networking, programs
Serafino said the Texas expo is a critical venue for Exp. Group to talk about new retail items and highlight the Rosita consumer brand. Networking on and off the show floor is also a mission for his group.
“We love connecting with other companies,” he said. “The produce industry is a family. I know we compete with one another, but we truly all want the best for the overall industry.”
Networking opportunities also include TIPA programs that highlight contributions from members of the Texas produce industry. Serafino said the association’s outreach and recognition of women, the next generation of produce professionals and students is exemplary.
In Bloom, the TIPA’s Women in Produce Program, will be featured with a reception at the event. Y-TIPA, which provides networking and learning opportunities for industry members under the age of 35, also has a reception during the event.
Finally, a group of students from across the Texas university system will attend the expo on the last day of the 3-day Viva Fresh show, through the Encouraging Discovery & Growth in Education program. Following a networking breakfast, the EDGE students will roam the expo floor to learn about possible career opportunities throughout the industry.
As Exp. Group Texas expands, it has ramped up hiring, Serafino said, and it’s important that the company gets its name in front of the next generation.
“We feel that Viva Fresh is such a perfect way to bring youth into our organization,” he said. “It’s really a perfect way to showcase what Exp. Group is doing — not only in Texas, but globally.”
