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Team members at Georgia-headquartered Nickey Gregory Company, which is a full-line produce wholesaler and leader in cross docking and distribution in the Southeast.
LONG-TERM VIABILITY
Successful wholesalers are diagraming victory well into the future. “ e wholesaler has a strong future due to its exibility to adapt to changing markets and conditions,” says Scott of Nickey Gregory. “Processing, shorts/JIT orders, logistics, repacking, and DSD are just some of these abilities.”
Wholesalers will be true partners for customers and shippers alike, asserts John of General Produce. “ e ability to adapt to shifting market trends, consumer demands and complex issues pertaining to trans- portation and labor make wholesalers ideal candidates for collaborating with partners
throughout the supply chain,” he says. “From retail-ready displays to merchandising teams or consignment produce departments, whole- salers can step up to the challenges with resources and innovation.”
In the future, Ste y sees wholesalers even more involved in providing broad logistics solu- tions for non-self-distributed retailers beyond straight buy-sell-deliver transactions. “ ey will also become more integrated with data and reporting to help the retailer and the wholesaler make better decisions in promotion, pricing, seasonality and forecasting,” he says.
As retailing produce moves away from a strict commodity transaction and into more
targeted marketing, wholesalers play a crucial role. “We are challenged to create and show customers programs, help them with struggles and ll the gap to take those struggles o their hands,” says Procacci’s Feighery. “ is is our core business as a wholesaler — using all the tools in our box to pass value on to customers.”
Katzman recognizes how the inevitability of uncontrollable factors presents opportunity for wholesalers. “New rules and regulations will constantly be put in place,” she says. “More and more issues will arise supporting the need for wholesalers. Looking at our growth over the years, I am very excited for our future.” pb
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICKEY GREGORY
PRODUCE BUSINESS / OCTOBER 2018 / 85