Page 90 - index

BLAST FROM THE PAST
Shift To Produce Put HLB Specialties On Map
(At left) Bruni Hartmann-Levy de Barros and Homero Levy de Barros, with children Lorenz and Melissa Hartmann de Barros in Rio de Janeiro in 1986; (center) the family together again with Lorenz, Homero, Bruni and Melissa at the PMA Conenvtion in 2002; and Homero (right) with a pallet of HLB’s first Formosa papaya shipment leaving Mexico in 2008.
Fort Lauderdale, FL-based HLB Specialties has become one of the largest papaya importers and distributors in North America, specializing in Brazilian Golden and Central American Formosa
varieties. But in 1989, when Homero Levy de Barros founded HLB Tropical Food in Germany, its focus was on ... fresh fish imports.
How times have changed.
In 1992, Homero shifted the business focus to importing fresh papayas and helped transform the fruit from a niche item to a staple in retail stores. When the United States authorized Brazilian papayas to enter the country in 1998, Homero emigrated to Fort Lauderdale with his family to open an office. Business quickly skyrocketed.
“Who would have thought papayas would turn out to be such a fantastic fruit, not only exceptionally healthy but also giving us the satisfaction to be able to say that we help improve people’s health?” says Homero.
As it approaches its 30-year anniversary, HLB has experienced myriad challenges and changes. In 2004, Homero’s wife and part- ner, Bruni, died unexpectedly. Homero took several months off and traveled by motorcycle to his native Rio de Janeiro. Soon after, his children, Melissa and Lorenz Hartmann de Barros, joined the business
full-time and are now director of communications and director of sales, respectively. Melissa’s husband, Andrés Ocampo, is now director of operations, and Lorenz’s wife, Linda, handles graphic design. During his time away on the motorcycle trip, Homero met his current wife, Monica, whose son Paulo works as HLB’s food safety coordinator.
“We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished in the past 30 years,” Homero says.
HLB Specialties is the only company that has been able to grow and distribute organic Formosa papayas on a commercial scale year- round and introduced rambutan to retail consumers in a display-ready presentation. It now handles a variety of tropicals, including yellow and red pitahaya, mangos, limes, avocados and more.
“Working with my family has been a great gift to me,” says Melissa. “My father has had such different successful businesses throughout his life, but seeing what we can accomplish together is truly inspiring. Knowing we sell something healthy and seeing our label in national retail chains gives me a lot of pride. Having both a structured German upbringing as well as flexible Brazilian roots helps navigate the produce business, which we all know needs lots of flexibility yet stability. I look forward to many more years to come.” pb
information showcase
Receive supplier information fast by using the Produce Business Information Showcase. Here’s how: Contact the advertiser directly via the website, email, or phone listed in the ad.
COMPANY PAGE # PHONE WEBSITE
Albert’s Organics ............................ 41 ............... 800-996-0004 ...................... albertsorganics.com Anthony Vineyards Inc. ...................60 ............... 661-858-8300....................anthonyvineyards.com Anthony Vineyards Inc. ................... 41 ............... 661-858-8300....................anthonyvineyards.com Babe Farms.....................................60 ............... 800-648-6772...............................babefarms.com Blue Book Services ..........................51 ............... 630-668-3500....................producebluebook.com Capital City Fruit Co. Inc...................29 ............... 515-981-5111............................ capitalcityfruit.com Center For Growing Talent ............... 77 ............... 302-738-7100..................growingtalentbypma.org Del Monte Fresh Produce ................92 ............... 800-950-3683.........................freshdelmonte.com DLF International.............................84 ............... 772-778-2550
Dole Fresh Fruit Company..................2 ............... 818-879-6600........................................ dole.com Dominion Citrus Limited................C09 ............... 416-259-6328 ........................dominioncitrus.com Duda Family Farms.......................... 21 ............... 561-804-1477 ................................ dudafresh.com Farmer’s Daughter Consulting.........42 ............... 916-234-3760 .....farmersdaughterconsulting.com Fierman Produce Exchange .............29 ............... 718-893-1640
The Florida Tomato Committee ........ 73 ............... 407-894-3071 ........................ floridatomatoes.org Fresh Farms .................................... 55 ............... 520-281-2030 ........................... molinagroup.com Fresh Origins .................................. 24 ............... 760-736-4072 .............................. brightfresh.com Fresh Taste Produce Ltd Canada .... C16 ............... 416-255-2361 ........................... freshtasteusa.com Generation Farms ............................71 ............... 336-420-2244......................generationfarms.com Georgia-Pacific ............................... 65 ................................................................. gppackaging.com Giorgio Fresh .................................. 34 ............... 800-330-5711 ............................. giorgiofresh.com Harris Consulting Solutions.............42 ............... 269-903-7481
Highline Mushrooms ...................... 33 ............... 519-326-8643 ................ highlinemushrooms.com House Foods America Corporation .. 59 ............... 714-901-4350 ............................. house-foods.com Idaho Potato Commission ............... 23 ............... 208-334-2350 ................... idahopotato.com/retail J.E. Russell Produce Ltd ................. C05 ............... 416-252-7838 ..................................... jerussell.ca Keystone Fruit Marketing Inc...........68 ............... 717-597-2112.............................keystonefruit.com Koru ...............................................26 ............... 518-477-7200.................. newyorkapplesales.com Leger & Sons, Inc............................80 ............... 800-235-5289............................legerandson.com LGS Specialty Sales Ltd................... 45 ............... 800-796-2349...................................lgssales.com F.G. Lister......................................C04 ............... 416-251-6591 ......................................fglister.com Litco International........................... 39 ............... 330-539-5433 .........................................litco.com
COMPANY PAGE # PHONE WEBSITE
Mann Packing................................. 13 ............... 800-884-6266...................veggiesmadeeasy.com MIXTEC Group.................................28 ............... 818-541-0124........................................mixtec.net National Produce Marketing Inc. .....04 ............... 416-259-0833 ......................nationalproduce.com Naturipe Farms ............................... 61 ............... 239-591-1164 .......................... naturipefarms.com Nespak Imballaggi ..........................40 ............... 390-545-979777
New York Apple Sales......................26 ............... 518-477-7200.................. newyorkapplesales.com North American
Produce Buyers Ltd ....................C03 ............... 416-255-4436 ...............................naproduce.com Peri & Sons Farms........................... 70 ............... 775-463-4444 ............................periandsons.com Phillips Mushroom Farms................ 35 ............... 800-722-8818 .......... phillipsmushroomfarms.com Port Everglades................................11 ............................................................... porteverglades.net Primavera Marketing Inc. ................60 ............... 209-931-9420................primaveramarketing.com Produce for Better Health Fdn.......... 91 ............... 302-235-2329 ..........................pbhfoundation.org Produce Marketing Association.......85 ............... 302-738-7100......................................... pma.com PuraVida Farms............................... 79 ............... 480-588-7012 .........................puravidafarms.com Roberson Onion Co. ........................ 70 ............... 912-375-5760 ......................... robersononion.com Robinson Fresh............................... 47 ............... 855-350-0014...............................chrobinson.com Ruma Fruit & Produce Co., Inc..........28 ............... 800-252-8282 .....................................rumas.com Sev-Rend........................................36 ............... 800-550-2566..................................sev-rend.com Shuman Produce Inc. ...................... 67 ............... 912-557-4477 ................................. realsweet.com Stronach & Sons, Inc. ................... C07 ............... 416-259-5085
Tanimura & Antle ............................ 63 ............... 800-772-4542 ................................taproduce.com Thermal Technologies ..................... 27 ............... 803-691-8000............................... gotarpless.com United Fresh Produce Association ... 50 ............... 202-303-3400...............................unitedfresh.org United Fresh Produce Association ... 56 ............... 202-303-3400...............................unitedfresh.org The USA Bouquet............................ 10 ............... 800-306-1071 ......................................usabq.com Village Farms .................................. 76 ............... 888-377-3213............................. villagefarms.com Vlam Flandria.................................... 7 ............... 32 2/720.05.17..................... freshfrombelgium.eu West Lake Fresh..............................60 ............... 831-724-0644 ..........................westlakefresh.com Western Fresh Marketing ................ 25 ............... 559-662-0301 ........... westernfreshmarketing.com Wonderful Company ......................... 5 ............... 661-720-2500 ....................... wonderfulcitrus.com Kurt Zuhlke & Association ............. C14 ............... 800-644-8729 ................. producepackaging.com
90 / APRIL 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
APRIL 2018