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PHILADELPHIA MARKET PROFILE
Kelly McCoy, Katelyn Repash, Tom Allen, Kelsey Rose, Jackie Ivan, Andy Powers, Allison Kuvik and Danielle Columbo of John Vena, Inc. Filindo Colace of Ryeco
Michael Mastero, Robert Contando, Michael Lombardo, Alex Penza and Todd Penza of Pinto Brothers
Mike Maxwell, George Binck, Joseph Procacci III, J. M. Procacci, Rick Feighery and John Hagan of Procacci Bros.
they want as they go along because they have more room to work.”
Milavsky notes the forecasted refrigeration bene ts of the new market have been real- ized for the past eight years. “We expected it, but we and our customers are seeing it for sure,” he says. “Product comes o the truck cold, stays cold and goes out cold. It lasts a lot longer, so you have less spoilage.”
Because PWPM’s “mall” is enclosed, it creates much more of a food-safe environ- ment with a better shelf life for product, according to Filindo Colace, vice president operations for Ryeco. “You can’t argue the fact if you’re loading on an outside terminal market in 90-degree weather, you’re losing shelf life,” he says. “As we educate our customers, they understand how we can be more valuable because of increased shelf life, meaning reduced shrink, which ultimately means more pro t.”
As concern over food safety continues to mount, buyers look to PWPM for this too. “Food safety is enforced, especially by top customers,” says RJ Durante, sales and director of food safety at Nardella. “ e days of selling o the back of a truck are slowly slipping away.”
Todd Penza, salesman with Pinto Brothers, agrees that maintaining the cold chain and food safety issues continue to increase in importance to customers. “Customers are demanding the highest stan- dards, and our facility allows us to o er those to them.”
Food safety certi cation will only increase in importance in the future. “ ere are a lot of customers, especially in foodservice, who aren’t allowed to buy from other facilities or
n PROXIMITY MATTERS
Philadelphia’s geographic location and infrastructure present significant advantages for easily moving produce to and through the region. “We service the whole East Coast on a daily basis,” says Mike Maxwell, president of Procacci Brothers Sales Corporation.. “We handle every different size customer, from food- service operators to wholesalers to large retailers to independents and roadside stands.”
Philly wholesalers are working their geographical advantage to expand to an even greater region. John DiFelician- tonio, owner of North American Produce Company (NAPCO), explains his company is constantly pushing farther away from Philadelphia to find and serve customers. “On a weekly basis we are traveling 300 miles to deliver product,” he says.
Customers are taking advantage of the transportation options provided by some of the market’s larger companies, says managing partner at Coosemans. “The more customers you deliver to, the bigger share of the customer base you get,” he says. “That by far is our biggest need and biggest growth area. We’re looking to have trucking to Virginia, Maryland and Western PA.”
Stephen Secamiglio, owner/sales at Colonial Produce, reports seeing more customers from Maryland and Virginia. “These southern customers don’t really have access to a facility such as ours in
their regions,” he says. “It’s worth the drive for them because of the PWPM’s cold chain integrity.”
Filindo Colace, vice president oper- ations for Ryeco, says his company’s footprint also continues to expand. “We delivered a load into Florida last week, and a month before we delivered into Maine,” he says. “We’re going where our customers need us to go.”
Frank McDonald, sales at Nardella, says the company operates its own trucks and also pays outside drivers. “This has allowed expansion of the area we sell to,” says McDonald. “We’d lose one of our biggest customers if we didn’t deliver.”
Tom Kovacevich, general manager at T.M. Kovacevich (TMK), notes delivery growth has been fueled by several factors. “One of these is the trend to local,” he says. “Many retailers have realized we can fill an important role in keeping stores supplied with the best in tomatoes, corn, watermelon, peaches, blueberries and many more products.”
As locally grown continues to trend, Maxwell thinks Philadelphia is ideally located to take advantage of this move- ment. “We are in the center between Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and in close proximity to New York state and New England,” he says. “We also haul a lot out of Canada. Philly is very strategically placed to take advantage of locally or regionally grown and distribute it.”
72 / SEP TEMBER 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS