On the scene with Seasons Farm Fresh, The Perishable Specialist and Latitude Food Trading

Seasons Farm Fresh

Gabe Bernal of Miami-based Seasons Farm Fresh said the biggest adjustment the company has made from last year to this year is a shift from wholesalers to retailers. Seasons Farm Fresh also started diversifying the regions it sells in, adapting to meet the needs of an ever-changing industry, he said.

Foodservice sales appear to be ticking upward, with customers that were taking pallets of product before now taking a few pallets, Bernal said.

Also, the company has installed a bagging machine, which helps reduce the amount of labor it needs, he said.

The Perishable Specialist

Frank Ramos of Miami-based The Perishable Specialist said the pandemic forced the company to restructure all of its office operations and to start staggering shifts so employees weren't as close together.

Ramos said that although he's seeing labor shortages in other companies, he is fortunate that his 22-person crew stayed healthy and employed throughout the pandemic.

Latitude Food Trading

Rizo Patron Joshua of Margate, Fla.-based Latitude Food Trading said that in the past year the company has become more specific in the clients it deals with. He's seeing more demand for "natural" and organic products, with organic produce giving people a sense of being healthy, he said.

The company has experienced a lot of labor issues on its production side, he said, and has implemented more technology on the packaging side of the business.

Angelo Grant and James Davis from The Packer's sales team recently visited Florida produce companies to learn how they adjusted business practices during the pandemic, how labor supplies are faring, and whether they're seeing a return of foodservice business.