L&M, Billy the Kid partner on onion marketing

Raleigh, N.C.-based L&M Cos. and Deming, N.M.-based Billy the Kid Produce LLC have formed a partnership, giving L&M the exclusive rights to market Billy the Kid’s onions.

Billy the Kid is growing about 700 acres of onions this season, starting harvest in late May and wrapping up in mid-August, according to a news release.

“Our new partnership with Billy the Kid fits very well with L&M’s onion program,” Derek Ennis, L&M’s potato & onion sales manager, said in the release. 

“Our California crop wraps up at the end of May and we begin harvest on our Kansas crop in mid-August. This partnership will allow for a seamless transition and an uninterrupted supply of quality onions for our customers,” he said.

Billy the Kid has a 100,000-plus-square-foot packing facility with photo optic sizers and robotic palletizers to ensure efficiency and consistency, according to the release.

“For the past 30 years I have represented my family to the onion industry,” Chris Franzoy, president and CEO of Young Guns, said in the release. 

“My decision to step out of onion sales was driven by the fact that I need to spend more time focused on the growth of the Hatch Chile Factory. The decision to hand over the onion marketing reins to L&M was an easy one to make. They have a great track record and are leaders in the industry.”

According to the Young Guns website, more than 1 million 50-pound bags of onions are packed at the Billy the Kid facility in Deming.