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MONTREAL MARKET PROFILE
president of Gaetan Bono.
“Wholesalers are the first
to be willing to try new
products and new things,”
he says. “We are needed
more and more with big
banners, to help them stay
competitive. The whole-
saler is there to help out,
to support and to make
sure the customer doesn’t
get left out. With Mother Nature you can’t control your own destiny; you need someone to help you control it.”
STILL RELEVANT
Montreal’s produce community serves as a key conduit for moving produce in the city and beyond. “The wholesaler/distributor of Montreal is the mainstream of produce for Eastern Canada,” says Gabriel Isabelle, vice president sales and development for C. Isabelle et Fils, a potato grower/packer. “Montreal is surrounded by fertile land with the biggest produce growers in Canada, and we are located only about five or six hours from the most populated cities, including Toronto and New York.”
Essex Continental Distributors, Inc.: Aldo Conti, Francis Ferrarelli, Frank Ferrarelli and Sean Kelly
Montreal’s importers and wholesalers work to give customers a competitive edge. Cavazos explains the benefit of helping customers have the first product of the season. “Being first with a product in the marketplace has become a big deal,” she says. “Stores want to be the first to have mangos from Peru announced on the flyer. The issue is managing the amount of products and sources out there to make that happen. This is where our value is multiplied.”
Wholesalers play a crucial role in meeting increasing demand for greater variety. “Items that 10 years ago we weren’t handling have become a staple in our warehouse,” says Morison. “We see growth in demand or ethnic and speciality items. Our customers still order meat and potatoes but also now
78 / MARCH 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS