Missouri

St. Louis Distributors Gear Up for Holiday Demand

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 22:42:47 GMT

Produce distributors in the St. Louis market offer hundreds of items and are already preparing to take on some traditional holiday favorites.

Vaccaro & Sons

Business was healthy at Vaccaro & Sons Produce on the St. Louis Produce Market Inc. in early November, “but it’s flattening out, just like it normally does at this time of the year,” says Dale Vaccaro, general manager. He was hopeful sales would experience a bump for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.

Vaccaro & Sons stocks about 300 items at this time of year, but tomatoes are the firm’s bestsellers.

The company has 25 to 30 different kinds of tomatoes, Vaccaro says, including romas, brown tomatoes, Sapori, Campari and Flavor Bombs.

“Romas are the most economical tomato there is,” he says. “They’re versatile, and you can use the whole tomato.”

Midwest Best

St. Louis-based Midwest Best Produce Co. Inc. has brought back its Mighty

Melon watermelon label and added a unique touch to its fall pumpkin program.

The company has long shipped watermelons under its Midwest Best label, says Edin Saric, owner and president, but this year the firm reinstated the Mighty Melon label it used about eight years ago.

“We wanted to add a second label to our watermelon line — something that stood out and attracted consumers’ attention, other than just our company logo,” he says.

“We ultimately would like to push the Mighty Melon label as our go-to label” and eventually use the label for other items the company offers, he says.

The company has no plans to discontinue the Midwest Best label, however.

The firm sources watermelons from seven U.S. states from April to October and from Mexico during the fall and winter.

Midwest Best also expanded its fall heirloom and white pumpkin program.

“People are buying pumpkins of different colors or shapes to make more creative displays for their homes,” Saric says.

St. Louis-based Midwest Best Produce Inc. sources watermelons from seven U.S. states and Mexico at various times of the year, says Edin Saric, owner and president. The company has brought back its Mighty Melon label for melons and may later extend it to some other commodities, Saric says.

(Photo courtesy of Midwest Best Produce Inc.)

Midstate Produce

Midstate Produce Co. Inc. on the St. Louis market has undergone a warehouse expansion project, says Joe Sanders, owner and president.

“We took 5,000 square feet of old, original units that were inefficient, tore them down and reconfigured the space,” he says.

The new cooler can store any kind of produce at 42°F.

The project will allow for more space and efficiency and help ensure the cold chain is properly maintained, he says.

Midstate Produce ships a full line of products, which includes salads, lettuces and tomatoes.

As fall progresses, offerings will include items like hard and soft squash, cabbage and potatoes. For Thanksgiving and the holidays, sweetpotatoes, celery, cranberries and seasonal citrus are set to take center stage.

The company brokers organic produce but does not store it in-house.

“There’s a need [for organic], but not a big need,” Sanders says.

He adds that he’s thought about acquiring certification to store organic produce at the facility and that might happen in the upcoming year.

Place of Origin

Although Vaccaro & Sons Produce still had some local products, like cabbage, kale and spinach in early November, supplies will dwindle after the first freeze, most likely by late November, Vaccaro says.

Midstate Produce tries to procure local items like potatoes, onions, greens, cabbages squash and pumpkins during the fall, Sanders says.

“Over the winter, we try to keep that going as long as we can,” he says.

The company sources product during this time of year from growing areas in Arizona, California, Florida, the Northeast, the Northwest and Canada, Sanders says.

Midwest Best sources tomatoes from Florida; beans and corn from Georgia; apples from southern Illinois; and vegetables like lettuce, cauliflower and celery from California, Saric says.

That program was scheduled to move Arizona for the winter shortly.

After Rebrand, Lange Cos. Marks a Year of Growth

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:07:13 GMT

The past year has been one of “growth, renewal and momentum” for St. Louis-based Lange Cos., says Jeff Moore, vice president of sales for the Central region.

“Our focus has been on strengthening our team and continuing to build on the relationships that have long defined our company,” he says.

Several hires have been made to help give the company a competitive edge, he says. They include:

Tony Bianchi, who has 16 years of retail experience representing national consumer goods.
David Rosenberg, who has more than 10 years in wholesale purchasing and manages accounts for apples, pears, grapes, stone fruit, potatoes and onions.
Miguel Hernandez who has a background in sales and customer service.

Lange Cos. manages a wide range of core commodities, including grapes, citrus, apples, peppers and melons.

The St. Louis staff is backed by a logistics network that ensures consistent, on-time delivery to customers across the region and beyond, Moore says.

He cites a real team-first mentality.

“It’s as strong of a sales team as I’ve ever been part of,” he says. “Everyone steps in to help, whether it’s building loads, sharing information or supporting each other’s customers.”

Moore says Giovanni Romero, central region sales manager, “continues to set the tone for collaboration and leadership.” And he adds that the company is proud of account managers Troy Sheehan, Jonathan Moran and Sam Tuma, who joined the firm about two years ago.

“It’s been fun watching our newer team members develop,” Moore says. “They are hungry, collaborative and really customer-focused.”

Moore notes Lange Cos. strong customer base and says there is a great opportunity to expand offerings on some previously underserviced commodities.

After its 2024 rebrand, the firm has focused on aligning its divisions, primarily Lange Fresh Sales and Lange Logistics in St. Louis, under a consistent identity, he says.

The refreshed look identifies the company as “a full-service produce and logistics partner that connects every part of the supply chain,” he says.

“The rebrand gave us a chance to look inward and make sure we’re communicating what we actually do and working together across divisions as one team,” he says. “The investments we’ve made in people and processes this year position us to be an even stronger partner for retailers and foodservice customers heading into 2026.”

Thriving Foodservice Scene Provides Boost to St. Louis Produce Market

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:50:19 GMT

St. Louis Restaurant Review refers to the Gateway City as a food lovers’ destination with nearly 2,000 restaurants ranging from family-run diners to “ethnic kitchens that reflect the global backgrounds of St. Louis residents.”

The vast array of eateries reflects not only the city’s vibrant food culture but its “economic resilience and cultural diversity,” the website says.

It also seems like the region’s foodservice segment is well served by the produce community.

“St. Louis has a thriving foodservice business,” says Dale Vaccaro, general manager at Vaccaro & Sons Produce at the St. Louis Produce Market Inc.

The distributor serves numerous restaurants, schools and nursing homes.

In fact, about 40% of the company’s business is with foodservice accounts at this time of year, he says.

Salad items, tomatoes, beans and asparagus are some of the most popular foodservice items, while schools also order fruit like grapes, oranges and apples.

A significant amount of the business at Midstate Produce on the produce market is with foodservice customers, says company president Joe Sanders.

The COVID-19 drop-off in dining out seems to be over.

“Restaurants always seem to be busy,” Sanders says.

He thinks he might be seeing a return of a phenomenon he first read about during the Great Recession of 2008.

That’s when many cash-strapped consumers would forego vacation travel and enjoy an evening of fine dining instead.

“The new vacation was going out to eat,” he says. “People wouldn’t travel, but they would go out to eat.”

He says that might be the case with today’s tight economy.

“Maybe people aren’t traveling as much, but they still need the entertainment, they need the escape, so maybe they’re going out to eat instead,” Sanders says.

“St. Louis is definitely a food town,” Vaccaro says.

But he adds that this is “definitely a crunch time for restaurants.” Eateries are “being pushed to the limit” with rising prices, ranging from skyrocketing costs for everything from beef to some produce items. The cost of a case of lettuce from California was as high as $75 in early November, Vaccaro says.

“It’s a challenging environment for restaurant owners,” he adds.

Sanders says one approach restaurateurs are trying to save money on labor while they also aim to reduce safety risks in the kitchen is by turning to value-added precut items.

“I think that’s a smart choice,” he says.

The cost of dining out might have gotten more expensive, he says, but Midwest Produce is doing as much foodservice business as ever.

The restaurant scene in St. Louis is “vibrant and thriving,” Sanders says.

“There are a lot of good restaurants here,” he adds. “I’m amazed at the new concepts that come out — places open, places close, but it seems to be vibrant.”

Program offers free local produce for low-income seniors

Thu, 15 May 2025 15:21:48 GMT

Lower-income older adults in Missouri may now enroll in the 2025 Missouri Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which provides assistance for purchasing fresh local produce.

The program, operated by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, gives qualifying individuals a $50 benefit to spend on fresh vegetables, fruits, cooking herbs and local honey from authorized vendors at farmers markets and roadside stands from May through October, according to a news release.

Adults in participating counties who are age 60 or older and have an income within 185% of the federal poverty level qualify for the benefit.

University of Missouri Extension is one of several agencies that facilitate program enrollment through local contacts and events, said Lynn Pickerel, strategic communications associate for MU Extension Health and Human Sciences.

In 2024, MU Extension helped the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program provide $42,871 worth of local produce to more than 1,200 seniors. In a survey of participants, 77% said they consumed more vegetables and fruits because of the program, according to the release.

Pickerel said feedback from past program participants has been positive and included comments such as, “The farmers market is a great place to get fresh produce and a way to get some steps in” and “I am grateful for the financial help toward fresh fruits and vegetables.”

More about the Missouri Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program is available through the Missouri Grown website .

Cultivate KC hosts 20th annual Farmers and Friends Meeting to support urban agriculture

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 20:50:48 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More than 200 urban farmers and food activists gathered Feb. 1 for Cultivate KC’s 20th annual Farmers and Friends Meeting .

Held each winter during the farmers’ offseason, the slower pace of winter provides an ideal time for farmers to gather and reflect on the past year, plan for the upcoming growing season and connect with peers without the demands of seasonal farm work.

In addition to the many established farmers, the event draws aspiring growers looking to build or improve a home garden or access mentors, knowledge and networking opportunities to navigate the challenges of starting an urban farm. Breakout sessions are tailored to every skill set, whether the established farmer or someone new to agriculture.

A New Growth vendor educates attendees at Cultivate KC’s 20th annual Farmers and Friends Meeting.

(Photo: Jill Dutton)

The topic for this year’s event was “The Past, Present and Future of Farming in Kansas City.”

The event started as it always does with a potluck pie breakfast. Tables were filled with home-baked pies running the gamut from traditional favorites like pumpkin pie, apple galette and blackberry cobbler to specialty fruits such as huckleberry or strawberry rhubarb pie.

Mike Pearl receives the John Kaiahua Mentorship Award at Cultivate KC’s Farmers and Friends Meeting.

(Photo: Jill Dutton)

After breakfast was the presentation of this year’s John Kaiahua Mentorship Award to Mike Pearl, a fourth-generation farmer on land that’s been in his family for 134 years, to celebrate his commitment to mentorship and farming.

Breakout sessions began after the opening announcements and included topics such as:

“Routes for Roots: Building Connections for Land Access.”
“Beyond Direct-to-Consumer and Wholesale: Maximizing Sales Through Value Add, Buyer Guarantees, Agritourism, and Partnerships.”
“Promoting your Farm: Make Your Online Presence Work for You.”
“Better Together: Models of Cooperative Aggregation to Unlock New Markets.”
“From Grants to Growth: Funding Challenges & Opportunities in Agriculture.”
“You’ve Got This: Tools for Managing and Improving Mental Health on the Farm.”

From left, Pantaleon Florez III, Scott Thellman, Nancy Thellman and Ed Irvine are shown during a breakout session at Cultivate KC’s Farmers and Friends Meeting.

(Photo: Jill Dutton)

Throughout the day, attendees stopped to chat with vendors, pick up free seed packets or step into the storytelling lounge. Some of the vendors on hand included American Farmland Trust, Compost KC, Kansas City Food Hub, New Growth and numerous others on-hand to educate and pass out informational literature.

The event ended with keynote speakers Tepfirah Rushdan and Patrice Brown.

About Cultivate KC

“Cultivate Kansas City is a nonprofit based in Kansas City, Mo., but we work on both sides of the state line,” said Eric Hemphill, metro farms and food systems program manager for Cultivate Kansas City. “We help farmers with various needs, organize workshops and events, provide bulk orders and have a mini grant program. Our signature event is the Farmers and Friends Meeting, held every January or February. We’re celebrating our 20th year this year, so it’s a chance for farmers — at a time when they’re maybe not growing as much — to take a chance to get together, talk about the issues that we’re all mutually facing and how we might go about solving some of those issues.”

Anaerobic Digester Generates Energy, Reduces Odors

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:27:38 GMT

A flame flares from a torch near a greenhouse. It’s not there for light; it’s biogas from the anaerobic digester within the greenhouse.

The University of Missouri has built a small-scale anaerobic digestion system to produce biogas from pig manure.

“What we want to do is improve and fully utilize all the biogas for energy production,” says Teng Lim, MU associate extension professor of agricultural systems management. The burning torch is part of a system to flare off excess biogas.

Funded by the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, the anaerobic digester consists of three tanks. Manure from the hog barn is stored and mixed in one tank. The other two tanks are where the anaerobic digestion takes place. Bacteria break down the manure in these warm and oxygen-free tanks, creating biogas.

Biogas from manure can be used to generate electricity and heat water. With some further treatment, it can also be stored as a compressed natural gas for heating or even vehicle fuel.

Lim says a larger digester could supply a farm’s energy needs and even provide power to be sold to the grid to provide electricity to the community.

The digested manure is a good fertilizer, and the process produces significantly less odor than traditional means of dealing with pig manure.

“There is still going to be odor,” Lim says, “but it’s going to be much lower and with less fluctuation than the raw manure.”

Lim says industry leaders and scientists believe anaerobic digesters will play a major role on farms in the future, both to mitigate odor and to generate renewable energy. But the price tag is a major obstacle. In a commercial setting, the digester would be 100 times larger than the one at the MU swine farm. The cost can run hundreds of thousands dollars. Currently, fewer than 20 hog farms in the U.S. have anaerobic digesters.

MU researchers are using the scaled-down digester to find ways to make digesters more affordable and easier to manage. The team has been working closely with industry experts from Martin Machinery, a Missouri company that specializes in biogas generators and control systems. They are also using it as an education tool to show producers the potential and what it takes to process the manure, and to train people how to properly run systems like this.

Source: University of Missouri

C&C Produce awarded defense contract

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 20:51:33 GMT

C&C Produce Inc. , North Kansas City, Mo., was awarded a maximum $48 million, 36-month, contract with the Defense Logistics Agency for fresh fruits and vegetables.

According to a Department of Defense notice, three companies submitted bids for the contract.

The contract covers schools and military bases in Kansas and Missouri, with a July 30, 2022 performance completion date.

This Treasure Could be Hiding in Plain Sight on your Farm

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:02:43 GMT

Like many others in the agriculture industry, Harlan Palm has taken the term “retirement” as more of a suggestion than a command. After a lengthy career at DuPont and the University of Missouri, he bought several acres of Missouri woodland and began to learn about timber stand improvement. Today, he’s one of the preeminent experts on the subject.

“Education is really important,” he says. “How do we reach out to owners of timber? What can and should be done with their timber instead of letting it grow willy-nilly?”

Most farms in Missouri and neighboring states have small areas along creeks that aren’t in production, Palm says. Oftentimes, these 2- to 5-acre plots are sitting on well-drained alluvial soils in creek bottoms that are well-suited for walnuts or other potentially valuable hardwoods.

“If a logger came and told you he’d take a few walnut trees off your hand for a couple hundred dollars, maybe you’d say yes,” Palm says. “But what if I told you a veneer grade walnut could be worth a couple thousand dollars each?”

A recent survey of Missouri woodland landowners reveals that only 5% are doing any sort of timber stand improvement. And it does take a bit of work, Palm says. Walnut, oak and cherry need full sunlight to flourish and become dominant. Otherwise, “junk” trees like sycamore, cottonwood, maple, hackberry and other tree species tend to take over.

The first step is simple enough – take a walk in the woods, according to Missouri farmer Warren Hale.

“You need to pick the trees you want to keep, and then try to identify what’s competing with it,” he says.

That process is part art, part science, Palm says. Ideally, black walnuts should be spaced about 35 feet apart at maturity, which is room for 35 trees per acre. Competitive trees are then girdled with a chainsaw and given a small, precise herbicide application at the girdling site.

Picking which trees to keep is often a bit of a guessing game, Palm adds. Oftentimes, two good trees are too close together. They must pore over the details, looking at knots, doglegs and other imperfections, before choosing which one to keep. And Mother Nature is all too happy to throw the occasional wildcard into the mix, he says.

“You never know which ones are going to get hit by lighting,” he says.

Hale notes timber stand improvement is a long-term commitment – something that will more likely benefit his children or grandchildren rather than himself. It has also become one of the more peaceful routines on his farm.

“Some people want to sit on the couch and watch football on Sunday afternoons,” he says. “I’d just as soon come out to the woods. A lot of people would look at this land and wonder where they’d put the deer stand, but they wouldn’t see any cash crop potential beyond that.”

Missouri ranchers Kent and Lori Deimeke say timber stand improvement is not a project that can be conquered over a long weekend and then left unchecked.

“Some people don’t want to wait 20 years for this, but that’s really what it takes,” Lori says.

But the wait can be worth it, Palm asserts. Saw grade black walnut can fetch 50 cents per board foot, and veneer grade wood starts at $2 per board foot.

“Woodland is good for many things,” he says. “There’s hunting, aesthetics, pride of ownership. But if you manage that land for timber, it can bring real value to those acres.”

Palm is past president of the Walnut Council, a science-based organization with chapters in 12 Midwestern states. Members have access to information about managing hardwood, the latest alerts on thousand cankers disease and more. Visit www.walnutcouncil.org for more information.

Missouri Allows Temporary Change in Grain Hauling Rules

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 20:01:13 GMT

The state of Missouri is allowing temporary changes in grain hauling regulations to help farmers get their crops to market.

The Missouri Department of Transportation says private and for-hire motor carriers will be able to haul corn, soybeans and other grains at heavier than normal weights. The change takes effect immediately and lasts through midnight, Dec. 14.

KYTV reports farmers are struggling to harvest their crops because of recent heavy rains. The changes will allow haulers to carry up to 10 percent more than their licensed weight. The heavier loads will not be allowed on interstates.

The state also will not require overweight permits for the slightly overweight loads.

AeroFarms to expand its indoor vertical farms into the Midwest

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:28:49 GMT

Newark, N.J.-based AeroFarms, a Certified B Corporation and indoor vertical farming company, will expand to the Midwest region as part of a project with World Wildlife Fund and the St. Louis Controlled Environment Agriculture Coalition.

The goal is to demonstrate innovative strategies to minimize the environmental footprint of indoor agriculture, according to a news release.

The planned 150,000-square-foot indoor vertical farm, AeroFarms’ largest to date, will be in the greater St. Louis area to provide AeroFarms with rapid access to retail partners throughout the Midwest.

“Customer demand for our award-winning greens has been accelerating across the U.S., and this latest farm expansion will allow us to serve our retail partners and their customers throughout the Midwest,” cofounder and CEO David Rosenberg said in the release.

Produce industry is ‘thriving’ in St. Louis

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 12:08:22 GMT

Produce sales in the St. Louis, Mo., area are going strong, and distributors say they anticipate a solid fall-winter season. Businesses at the St. Louis Produce Market itself “are thriving,” said Sean Kelley, market manager. “I think things are going really well for everybody,” he said.

The market, which officially opened in 1953, is at full capacity with 14 owners doing business there. The facility is undergoing an extensive roofing project, which so far has replaced roofs on 80% of the pods on the market, Kelley said. Business has changed on the market, as many of the area’s smaller chains have been bought out by larger companies, said Joe Sanders, owner of Midstate Produce Co. Inc. But still, the company continues to thrive.

“We’re expanding our facility and getting ready to modernize a couple of our units,” Sanders said. “We’ll be upgrading it to modern standards to make it more green and efficient.” That project will start in the fall. Midstate Produce Co. carries an extensive line of fruits and vegetables for retail and foodservice customers that includes local apples and homegrown butternut squash. “We’re always going full throttle,” Sanders said.

Pumpkins will be the leading commodity through October for Midwest Best Produce Inc. in St. Louis, said Dan Pupillo, president Pumpkin sales took off in early September, and supplies were good all month. That likely will change in October, however. “Once we get into the middle of October, it’s really going to fall off due to all the rain we had earlier in the summer,” Pupillo said.

But he did not expect a pumpkin shortage. “The retailers front load their warehouses,” he said, and should have enough of the gourds to meet demand.

Watermelon is another big seller at Midwest Best Produce. Packaging changes from bins to cartons during the fall and winter, and sourcing switches to Mexico and offshore growing areas. Other winter staples include broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, onions and mixed vegetables.

Tomatoes and packaged corn are a big deal at Front Row Produce LLC, Overland, Mo., said Tony Pupillo Sr., owner and president. “We do a lot of packaged corn,” Pupillo said, including four- and five-count packs. Front Row Produce has a machine that automatically shucks corn, he said. “It’s a pretty big operation.”

The company has been moving more corn every year and now has sales representatives in Tulsa, Okla.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Nogales, Ariz., in addition to Overland, Mo. The fall product line includes peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, jalapeno peppers and citrus. The firm puts up three-packs of peppers and overwraps zucchini for retail chains. Owner Vince Pupillo describes VMP Produce Co. on the market as a “little house that has found our niche.” The company specializes in grape, hothouse and round tomatoes as well as peppers, cucumbers and squash.

Coping with inflation

Like produce suppliers everywhere, St. Louis distributors are doing their best to cope with skyrocketing inflation. “We’re paying more, and we’ve got to pass it on,” said Dan Pupillo of Midwest Best Produce.

“We can definitely feel it,” added Tony Pupillo of Front Row Produce. The company is working on tight margins and has to deal with higher prices for things like gasoline, boxes and labor, he said. “It’s harder to make money,” he said. “You can’t pass it all on.”

Joe Sanders of Midstate Produce Co. said supply chain issues from COVID-19 and ensuing higher prices have been a bigger detriment to the produce industry than overall inflation. “We do all right,” he said, “but end users -- consumers – definitely feel it, just like we’re feeling it.”

There was some good news, though. “Freight costs are easing, which ought to help,” he said.

St. Louis-based SilverCity Express LLC hauls produce for a number of local produce firms, said owner Muriz Hasanovic. Business is strong for the company. “I cannot complain,” Hasanovic said. But he added that it’s been difficult to find drivers, and he’s received complaints about higher prices from some of his customers. “Everything is up,” he said, including fuel, labor and insurance costs, and he said he doesn’t see any major changes anytime soon.

Kelley said costs of doing business on the market have risen, but not as much as they have at facilities on the East and West coasts. “It’s not cheap,” he said. “But it’s not astronomical.”

St. Louis foodservice sales on rebound

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:25:47 GMT

Foodservice sales in the St. Louis, Mo., area have, for the most part, rebounded from the doldrums of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, some produce distributors say their restaurant business has surpassed 2019 levels.

“Our [foodservice] business dropped during COVID,” said Joe Sanders, owner of Midstate Produce Co. Inc. on the St. Louis Produce Market. But the majority of Midstate’s customers “were smart” and teamed up with DoorDash and other delivery services pretty quickly, he said.

There may have been a week or two when the direction foodservice would take was unclear, he said, but as soon as operators got onboard with delivery and carryout services, business picked up.

Midstate also shifted gears and put more focus on wholesale business. “The government didn’t shut down grocery stores,” Sanders said.

Some restaurants closed because of the pandemic, he said, but at Midstate, foodservice sales have bounced back. “For the most part, our foodservice is probably better than it was pre-COVID,” he said.

Some foodservice distributors went out of business during the pandemic, which created opportunity for other suppliers to pick up those sales, Sanders said.

Foodservice accounts for a relatively small number of sales at St. Louis-based Midwest Best Produce Inc., said president Dan Pupillo.

During the pandemic, foodservice sales dropped by 60%, but they were made up elsewhere. “What you lost in foodservice, you picked up in extra business in retail,” he said. “People were doing more of their own home-cooked meals.”

About 60% of the business at Front Row Produce LLC, Overland, Mo., is from foodservice, said owner and president Tony Pupillo Sr. The company puts up a number of pack sizes of items like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and colored peppers for foodservice. The pandemic’s effect on sales gradually waned. “At first it was very tough,” he said. But after a couple of months, the company got into some government food box business, and then retail sales began to pick up.

“We ended up having a strong year,” he said. Foodservice business has come back to pre-pandemic levels, and the company is expanding its reach into additional states, Pupillo said.

VMP Produce Co. on the St. Louis Produce Market also is attempting to expand its foodservice business after undergoing some difficult times during the pandemic, said owner Vince Pupillo. “The [restaurants] that survived are strong, and they’re holding their own,” he said.

But Pupillo said late summer was a relatively slow period. “We are counting on fall business to pick up,” he said.

St. Louis produce distributors undergo big changes

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:13:27 GMT

There have been a couple of significant changes in St. Louis this fall as produce distributors gear up for the holidays.

Midwest Best Produce has a new owner, and the Lange Family of Cos. has a new name — Lange Cos. — and a new structure as distributors on the St. Louis Produce Market get set for what they hope will be a festive and lucrative selling season.

The big news at Midwest Best Produce Inc. is that the 26-year-old produce brokerage has a new president and owner: Edin Saric.

Saric, a 20-year veteran of the company, took on his new position in early July as previous owner Dan Papillo eases into retirement.

Saric was named vice president about eight years ago. Before that, he was in charge of operations.

He said he felt that assuming the leadership of the firm was the right thing to do.

“I’m a young guy,” he said. “I’ve been doing this all my life, so it made sense to take over the company.”

Saric said he has big plans for the firm, which included shipping pumpkins out of four states prior to Halloween.

He has launched a months-long Mexican watermelon deal shipping through Nogales, Ariz., and then will prepare for a spring melon crop and next fall’s pumpkin program.

Midwest Best Produce has an extensive product line that includes “any melon you can think of,” lemons, limes, pineapples, papayas and a full line of vegetables from traditional cabbage, carrots and cucumbers to Asian items and fruits like citrus and apples, he said.

The company’s main focus is the Midwest, Saric said, but the firm provides watermelons and pumpkins for customers in all 48 contiguous states.

Midwest Best Produce will have growing deals in Central America at the beginning of the year then source from growing areas in Mexico, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Indiana, Nebraska and Michigan.

Edin Saric, a 20-year veteran of Midwest Best Produce Inc., is now owner and president of the company as previous owner Dan Papillo eases into retirement.

(Photo courtesy of Midwest Best Produce Inc.)

Also in St. Louis, newly renamed Lange Cos. has modified its structure of Lange Fresh Sales offices in St. Louis, Chicago and Indianapolis to a coordinated Central Region Office headed by Jeff Moore, vice president for the Central Region, said Greg Reinauer, Lange Cos. president and CEO.

The company that previously comprised Tom Lange, Seven Seas and Lange Logistics now consists of Lange Fresh Sales, Lange Farms and Lange Logistics. The farm division cultivates farm-fresh produce from berries to citrus to asparagus, and more, Reinauer said.

“Lange Farms offers grower-direct programs paired with global access and import management to provide custom, end-to-end solutions for customers big and small,” he said.

Lange Logistics offers full-service, multimodal transportations solutions throughout North America. While Lange Logistics has decades of expertise in refrigerated shipping with a focus on produce, its network of carriers offer flexible solutions for all shipping needs, he said.

Lange Fresh Sales has access to an extensive network of shippers, including Lange Farms, Reinauer said.

On the St. Louis Produce Market itself, distributors continue to provide retail, foodservice and other customers with fresh fruits and vegetables as the holidays approach.

Apples, oranges and grapes for area school districts are some of the main products distributed by Vaccaro & Sons Produce, said Dale Vaccaro, general manager.

The company also had good supplies of high-quality pumpkins and some gourds and squash during the fall season.

Strawberries from California are a good-selling item year-round, he said. He also has supplies of pomegranates, oranges and grapefruit.

The company does “steady business” in the Missouri and Illinois areas.

Vaccaro & Sons sources from Canada, Michigan, Georgia and Florida and will receive a variety of peppers and vegetables from Mexico.

Foodservice front

The St. Louis area has a pretty active restaurant scene, distributors say, and foodservice business accounts for a fair amount of produce sales.

Foodservice sales account for 15% to 20% of the business at Midwest Best Produce, Saric said.

Popular foodservice items are watermelons, pumpkins, broccoli, carrots, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and other vegetables.

Saric said he hopes to see foodservice business increase.

“We have a great opportunity and a lot of great restaurants that need support,” he said. “They just need people to be able to afford to go out to restaurants and support them.”

About 40% of Vaccaro & Sons’ business is with foodservice customers, Vaccaro said.

Salad items like spring mix, lettuces and tomatoes are among the bestselling items for restaurants, he said.

Foodservice business is rebounding from the pandemic lull, but factors like rising prices due to increased costs of labor seem to be keeping some diners from eating out as often, he said.

Top retailers in the Southwest by market share

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:42:31 GMT

Each year, The Shelby Report showcases valuable retail market share data. In the interactive map below, find each major market around the Southwest. Also, highlighted are the major cities in each market.

All markets are “labeled” or identified by their primary state (with metros or key cities). Percentages are estimates based on annualized sales, industry data, institutional research and store footprints. Shares are updated as market metrics dictate and retailers supply their store lists.*

Market shares are for chains, independents and/or the wholesalers (voluntary or cooperative) which supply them within each region’s distribution area, extending well beyond typical metros or CBSAs. Each market is defined by the sphere of distribution, not by a rigid geographic boundary.

Major cities in each market:

Colorado/Wyoming/Nebraska/South Dakota - Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs,
Ft Collins, Pueblo, Grand Junctiion, Cheyenne
West Texas/New Mexico/Colorado/Kansas - Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, El Paso, Amarillo,
Lubbock, Wichita Falls, Abilene, Odessa
South Texas - San Antonio, Austin, Waco, Laredo,
Corpus Christi, McAllen, Brownsville
North Texas/Louisana/Arkansas/Oklahoma - Dallas, Fort Worth, Tyler, Longview, Shreveport
East Texas/Louisiana - Houston, Pasadena, Galveston, Bryan,
Beaumont, Port Arthur, Lake Charles
Oklahoma - Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Springfield, MO - Springfield, MO; Fayetteville, Bentonville, AR

Top retailers in the Midwest by market share

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:42:33 GMT

Each year, The Shelby Report showcases valuable retail market share data. In the interactive map below, find each major market around the Midwest. Also, highlighted are the major cities in each market.

All markets are “labeled” or identified by their primary state (with metros or key cities). Percentages are estimates based on annualized sales, industry data, institutional research and store footprints. Shares are updated as market metrics dictate and retailers supply their store lists.*

Market shares are for chains, independents and/or the wholesalers (voluntary or cooperative) which supply them within each region’s distribution area, extending well beyond typical metros or CBSAs. Each market is defined by the sphere of distribution, not by a rigid geographic boundary.

Major cities in each market:

Illinois /Indiana - Chicago, Gary
Indiana/Ohio - Indianapolis, Fort Wayne
Iowa/Illinois/Montana/Minnesota - Des Moines, Sioux City, Cedar Rapids
Kansas/Missouri - Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita, Columbia
Michigan - Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, Saginaw
Western Michigan - Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Traverse City
Minnesota - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Dultuh
Missouri/Illinois/Indiana/Kentucky - St. Louis, Springfield, Champaign, Terre Haute, Evansville, Paducah
Nebraska/Colarado/Iowa/Kansas/South Dakota - Omaha, Lincoln, Sioux Falls
North Dakota/Montana/South Dakota/Minnesota - Fargo
Ohio - Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Youngstown
Ohio/West Virginia/Kentucky - Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Toledo, Huntington
Wisconsin / Upper Michigan - Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire, Marquette

Market Fresh hires accounting supervisor

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:20:18 GMT

Market Fresh Produce has hired Sunny Yearwood as an accounting supervisor.

Yearwood will be based at the company’s Nixa, Mo., headquarters. She reports to Jordan Jackson, senior director of finance at Market Fresh, according to a news release.

Her duties include overseeing daily invoicing, monitoring and oversight of account collections and organizing workflow to improve tracking methods, according to the release.

Yearwood has more than 10 years of accounting experience and recently worked as a senior accountant for a Bolivar, Mo., company.

Rabobank to grow its U.S. agriculture banking business

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:50:02 GMT

Rabobank will transfer the food and agriculture loan portfolio from its California retail banking operation, Rabobank North America, to St. Louis-based Rabo AgriFinance.

The move comes as part of an agreement to sell the retail, business banking, commercial real estate, mortgage, wealth management and other non-food and agribusiness assets of Rabobank N.A. to Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Mechanics Bank, according to a news release.

“Rabobank is committed to supporting leading food and ag producers around the world. In North America, we have seen rapid growth in our rural banking business. And by combining our California (food and agriculture) portfolio into Rabo AgriFinance, we will be positioned to continue our substantial investments in North America,” Paul Beiboer, CEO of Rabobank North America, said in the release.

Rabo AgriFinance focuses on financing leading U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses, with 115-year roots to its parent company, Netherlands-based Rabobank Group.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, Rabobank Group approval and completion of closing conditions. The expected closing date is in the third quarter of 2019.

Rabo AgriFinance has more than 40 offices nationwide and plans to open 10 offices in California. About 170 employees who support food, agriculture and renewable energy at Rabobank N.A. will become employees of Rabo AgriFinance, according to the release.

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Farm Fresh Market opens in food desert

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 21:14:28 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Dec. 18 grand opening of Farm Fresh Market in the community of South Kansas City celebrated the addition of a grocery store in an area that is considered a food desert.

Farm Fresh Market

(Photo: Jill Dutton)

Mayor Quinton Lucas addressed the need for this public-private partnership that brings economic development to the area.

“We are bringing millions of dollars of economic development to our community, and we’re building jobs right here in South Kansas City,” he said.

“Kansas City is committed to your neighborhoods, and Kansas City is committed to making sure that you have all of the great things — grocery options, shopping and parks — just like everybody else around us,” Lucas continued. “We do not need to drive to Leawood, Kan., to get food. We do not need to go somewhere else. We don’t have to see big development everywhere else in the city. We can see it right here.”

Farm Fresh Market

(Photo: Jill Dutton)

Farm Fresh Market partner and manager Moe Muslet thanked the community and emphasized the store’s commitment to quality and service.

“We are excited to offer fresh, quality groceries at affordable prices and are dedicated to treating our customers like families,” Muslet said. “This is just the beginning of our journey, and we are committed to becoming a trusted part of this community, bringing you the best in quality, value and service every day.”

Farm Fresh Market

(Photo: Jill Dutton)

City council members celebrated the store’s impact on the community and acknowledged city officials’ efforts.

“We talk a lot about public-private partnership, and I always have to ask, ‘what are we incentivizing and who actually benefits?’ I think with a grocery store, it’s very clear who benefits,” said Councilman Jonathan Duncan.

“Look around. One thing that I know about Kansas City is that we are doggedly loyal, and we are doggedly loyal to the things that matter to us,” Duncan added. “We are happy to put our money where our mouth is when it matters to our community. And there’s nothing that matters to our community more than showing and showing up and showing out for something like a grocery store that actually benefits our neighborhoods.”

Carlos Gomez, president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, said it is great to see the public and private sector working together.

“I do want to also say to the Musallet family, who we know very well at the Hispanic Chamber — they are good to community,” Gomez said. “They invest in community.” (The market will be operated by Moe Muslet and his cousin, Eddie Musallet.)

Over the past eight months, more than $6.5 million has been invested into the former Sun Fresh store’s transformative renovation, according to a news release put out by the Red Bridge Shopping Center where the grocer is located. The store, at 11212 Holmes Road, underwent infrastructure improvements and a layout redesign.

At Red Bridge Farm Fresh Market, the produce department will feature a wide selection, and each department will bring its own unique offerings to position the store as a true destination, the release said.

“These departments are central to our store’s focus,” Moe Muslet said in the release. “Farm Fresh Market will be a full-service grocery store that enhances the shopping experience well beyond what was offered by the previous store.”

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