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LOS ANGELES MARKET PROFILE
which is so close to Mexican border. e close proximity allows for such a diverse variety of produce to be distributed out and around the country most easily through L.A.”
A GLOBAL HUB
Los Angeles even serves as a hub receiving and then shipping specialty produce items to markets far beyond the United States.
“We ship all over the country and to Europe; probably 10 percent of our produce stays in California,” says Alex Jackson Berkley,
assistant sales manager at Frieda’s, Los Alam- itos, CA. “We import quite a bit from around the world; we’re close to Mexico, and we are a
port city. But we also have relations with our growers here in California.”
Berkley is the granddaughter of company founder, and the rst woman with a busi- ness at the Los Angeles wholesale terminal market, Frieda Caplan, who recently cele- brated her 95th birthday.
“L.A. is on top of the trends in food,” says Berkley. “It’s a great place to be on top of what people are looking for in the food world. People are looking for convenience. e bar is being raised in terms of being able to o er fresh, economical and convenient produce.” Caplan introduced kiwifruit to the United States, and the company continues to nd growing markets for its wide variety of specialty Asian, Latin and gourmet fruits and vegetables.
“We are totally expanding,” says Berkley. “Because the U.S. population is so diverse, you have consumers born here who like seeing foods from back home. We also have people traveling, or watching food shows and seeing new cuisines.”
Los Angeles is a natural hub not just for ethnic produce, but also for many commodity items grown in California or Mexico and shipped around the country.
“We are one of the major hubs of the United States,” says Chris Martin, presi- dent of VIP Marketing, Los Angeles. “L.A. is going to be viable for a long time. ere’s a diverse variety of produce here. We handle a full supply of produce from California and Mexico, as well as Central and South America. We sell to customers that ship out of the area.”
VIP Marketing, one of a number of fami- ly-owned companies that have been at the Los Angeles Wholesale Market a quarter century, has a particularly strong business in mangos.
“ e perception is Latinos are buying the mangos, but there are also many Anglos and other ethnicities,” says Martin. “ e consumption is generally increasing. Last year, we saw a surge in mangos, and this year it is a little less. We have a full selection of mushrooms and specialty mushrooms; we are a year-round mango supplier; and we have
160 / OCTOBER 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS