St. Louis Know Your Market business updates
Ole Tyme Produce
Ole Tyme Produce Inc., which has just completed a move from the St. Louis Produce Market to a new building in St. Charles, Mo., 30 miles to the west, plans to launch a revamped company website, www.oletyme.com, by the end of September, said Joan Daleo, president.
"It's a real-time software that integrates with the website, so if you want to see something in stock, you can tell," she said.
Straub's Markets
Straub's Markets, based in Clayton, Mo., a St. Louis suburb, recently remodeled one store and is planning to upgrade another, said Greg Lehr, produce director.
The company remodeled its store in St. Louis' Central West End in 2015, Lehr said.
"It got all new produce cases and fixtures pretty well throughout the whole store, so the produce department is all revamped and new," he said.
Straub's is looking to remodel its Town & Country, Mo., store, in the western suburbs, next, Lehr said.
The Town & Country also has a new produce manager, Matt Sassman, who had come to the company from West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee Stores Inc., Lehr said.
Sunfarm Foodservice
Sunfarm Foodservice Inc. is looking to grow, said R.J. Barrios, buyer for the wholesaler.
"We're trying to grow as a company, trying to venture into everything, trying to build this company," he said.
The company, which has been operating more than 30 years, has grown from one employee - founder Sam Sanfilippo - to more than 50 today, Barrios said.
The company hopes to add more employees this year, Barrios said.
"We hope to, based on what new ventures come our way; right now, we're steady, but we're always hoping to grow," he said.
Vaccaro & Sons
Wholesaler Vaccaro & Sons Produce Co. has purchased an additional unit at the St. Louis Produce Market in downtown St. Louis, said Dale Vaccaro, president and owner.
"We're basically growing our wholesale business - restaurants, grocery stores, nursing homes," he said. "That's our big niche. We're just plugging away."
The company now occupies three units - Nos. 12, 14 and 16 - on the terminal market.
