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Chef calls food Suppliers

Why Restaurants Need Food Suppliers To Succeed

A restaurant without food isn’t much of a restaurant at all. Restaurant owners know that at the heart of every delicious dish on the menu is a variety of quality ingredients. This is where food suppliers come in. In order for their business to succeed, they need to find a way to get all the elements of their entrees from the farm, and into their kitchens when they need it.

Since 1988, Peddler’s Son has been a trusted partner in wholesale delivery. Through excellent customer service and attention to detail, we are dedicated to delivering quality food on a reliable schedule. The root of our business is building deep relationships with customers that allow us to fuel your business at a value you expect. Read our blog post below to learn more about why restaurants need food suppliers. 

What is the Role of Food Suppliers?

The role of food suppliers is getting the ingredients a restaurant needs from production to the restaurant’s kitchen.  Most restaurants rely on a team of vendors to keep their customers’ favorite dishes on the table. Wholesale food suppliers, like Peddler’s Son, are a one-stop shop for meat, produce, dry goods, dairy, and even desserts. Instead of restaurants going straight to the dairy farm for their milk or snagging their vegetables from a local market, they can get it all in one place.

How Do Food Suppliers Get Their Food?

There are four steps to the standard restaurant supply chain. Most food, including meat, milk, eggs, grains, and produce, begins at a farm. Next, these food products go into processing. This includes things like portioning into various cuts, packaging, bottling, curing, or drying. After, the resulting products are sold directly to distributors who sell and deliver from a variety of processors directly to their retailers, including restaurants.

Benefits of Having a Supplier

The most obvious benefit of having a food supplier is handing off the responsibility of supply chain management so that the restaurant can focus on cooking delicious dishes. Restaurants can get all of the products that they need in a single order instead of finding a producer for every small element of every menu item. While simplicity is key, there are other advantages of having a food supplier.

  • Save space: Buying directly from a processor may encourage bulk buying to save time, but you can’t buy 100 pounds of frozen beef if your freezer can’t hold it. A food supplier allows for more frequent purchases and saves space.
  • Convenient delivery:  Many food suppliers will deliver directly to you, saving you time and making sure your products stay undamaged and at the right temperature during transportation.
  • Menu inspiration: Seeing what else your food supplier offers may inspire your newest appetizer or give you a sweet idea for a new dessert.
  • Room to expand: When your business grows, certain processors may not be able to accommodate larger order volumes, but food suppliers work with a variety of vendors to get you what you need.
  • More bulk deals: Some suppliers may offer you deals or lower costs for buying large quantities of the products you need. 
  • Consistency of product: The larger suppliers work with large producers that have the capability to grow produce year-round. If your restaurant has strawberry cheesecake on the menu year round, you can’t have strawberries only available in the summer.

Create a Long-Lasting Relationship with Peddler’s Son 

Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and farm-fresh produce every day. In 30 years, we have learned how to foster and grow our relationships with clients and how to help you build and grow your business. Contact us today to become a customer, and take your business operation to the next level. 

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Hand Grabs Produce

What to Expect This February in Your Produce Department

As we move into February, you may be starting to plan Valentine’s Day dinner dishes for your restaurant, someone special, or you may just want to treat yourself. Either way, produce and provision trends are changing. Read our blog post to find out what to expect in your grocery store this February so you can plan accordingly. 

Since 1988, Peddler’s Son has been able to keep up with the challenges that the industry faces to continue delivering quality. With over 50 temperature-controlled trucks, we are able to make up to 700 deliveries daily across all of Arizona. We are built on delivering fresh produce to our customers so they can keep thriving. 

Berry Prices Are On The Rise

Prices for blackberries and blueberries are on an upward trend this week, as are crop yields. Keep inspecting these berries to ensure freshness at the point of purchase. Raspberries remain stable this week, but as Valentine’s Day quickly approaches the market will pick up and create greater demand. 

Citrus Is Inconsistent In Produce Departments

Recently, lime prices have started falling but are expected to rise again this month as availability decreases. Lemon yields and prices remain stable with current market trends. Oranges, however, are experiencing small crop sizes which will lead to supply and demand issues. If this continues, we can expect a difficult summer season for these crops. 

Get Your Bananas Before They’re Gone

Bananas are currently being affected by low temperatures in the tropics, which is leading to low yields. Tension in Guatemala is also affecting the ability for bananas to leave the ports, as transportation drivers are on strike and blocking roadways. Expect low availability for bananas until this is resolved. 

Strawberries Are A Produce In High Demand

Strawberries are expected to be in high demand as Valentine’s Day quickly approaches. As low temperatures arrive in Florida future strawberry yields can be affected, however Mexico and California yields will remain unaltered. You can expect prices to increase as we draw nearer to the holiday.

Bean Yields Decrease

Green beans are experiencing low yields and low availability because of storms and low temperatures in Florida affecting the crops. Snow peas are being similarly affected, as these weather conditions cause a large demand to be placed on Mexico for supplies. East coast pricing for snow peas will begin to rise, whereas west coast pricing will remain consistent as many west coast crops come from Guatemala. 

Squash Prices And Quality Vary

Squash prices are currently on a downward trend, but are expected to rise after low temperatures hit Florida and Mexico. Additionally, squash crops are reportedly in good quality, but temperature concerns may affect the quality of future harvests. 

Grapes Stay Consistent

The grape market continues to have supply and demand issues. With a higher market demand than supplies available, prices continue to rise. Red grapes are in shorter supply than green grapes, causing a greater demand to be placed on green grapes. Red grape supplies are expected to increase this month. 

Stock Your Grocery Store with Peddler’s Son Wholesale Produce

Peddler’s Son has provided Arizona businesses with quality wholesale produce for over 30 years. We are committed to customer service, quality, and honest pricing to ensure our customers get the best products and provisions possible. As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor, we provide our services to everyone from grocery stores to the hospital cafeteria. No matter your industry, Peddler’s Son is here for you! Contact us today and learn what a partnership with us can mean for your business.

What to Expect This February in Your Produce Department Read More »

Venezia’s Pizzeria

Client Spotlight: Venezia’s Pizzeria

Through quality products and customer service, we develop lasting relationships with our clients at Peddler’s Son. Venezia’s Pizzeria, a local New York-Style Pizzeria, is one of these relationships. Our client spotlight below focuses on Venezia’s as a company and why Peddler’s Son loves working with them. 

Since 1988, Peddler’s Son has been producing and delivering quality products and services to our customers. Our goal has always been to provide the finest products to our clients while still remaining real, direct, and efficient. Working with clients like Venezia’s Pizzeria, allows us to further strengthen these relationships, fuel communities, and feed all of Arizona!

About Venezia’s Pizzeria

Venezia’s Pizzeria was founded by husband and wife Frank and Clara Montanile in 1978 after they moved from New York City to Rio Rancho, New Mexico. In 1998, the Montanile’s opened their first location in Arizona. Today, Venezia’s has 5 locations: Tempe, North Phoenix, North East Mesa, East Mesa, and Gilbert, with a new Chandler location set to open Spring 2022. Venezia’s produces New York-Style Pizzas as well as pizza bowls, wings, salads, calzones, and wraps.

With fresh tomatoes straight from Italy, Venezia’s needs fresh ingredients to match that level of taste and quality. Peddler’s Son provides Venezia’s with the finest, highest quality ingredients for their menu items. 

What Is New York-Style Pizza?

New York-Style pizza is made by hand and typically has a thinner crust compared to other pizzas. Around 20 inches as a whole, New York-Style Pizzas are also so large that you can fold the slices in half when you take a bite!  

Taking what the Montanile’s learned while living in New York City, they took these standards for New York-Style Pizza and opened their own NY Pizzeria in New Mexico. From New Mexico, the Montanile’s relocated to the valley in Arizona where their five Venezia’s Pizzeria restaurants are found today.

Need Catering? Venezia’s Pizzeria Has You Covered

At Venezia’s, they do catering differently. They understand that catering needs to please the majority, be adaptive to food allergies and preferences, and be enough to feed everyone in the room. You just tell Venezia’s how many people you are looking to feed and any food allergies/dietary restrictions, and they’ve got it covered! They will come up with a plan so everyone will be satisfied and food doesn’t go to waste. 

Create a Long-Lasting Relationship with Peddler’s Son 

Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and farm-fresh produce every day. In 30 years, we have learned how to foster and grow our relationships with clients and how to help you build and grow your business. Contact us today to become a customer, and take your business operation to the next level. 

Client Spotlight: Venezia’s Pizzeria Read More »

Cheese on a board

Are There Health Benefits to Cheese?

From Gouda to manchego and Pepper Jack to parmesan, there is a reason “saying cheese” means to smile. People love it. Cheese is a staple in many fridges and a must-have for charcuterie boards, wine pairings, and sandwiches, but should you take health concerns into consideration before feasting on some feta?

Peddler’s Son has over 30 years of experience providing grocery retailers, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and schools with wholesale produce. With a 54,000 square foot warehouse and over 30 delivery trucks feeding all of Arizona, we’re the go-to source for produce distribution. Read our blog post below to learn some nutrition facts that are sure to have you cheesin’.

Brie-lieve In the Power Of Cheese

Old school thinking says that cheese is unhealthy because it contains large amounts of saturated fats. It was thought that cheese would make you fat and increase your risk of health issues. Newer research raises doubts about the link between saturated fats and issues such as heart disease. This research shows that we can’t look at one aspect of food, such as saturated fat, and judge its overall effect on the body. There is even preliminary evidence that suggests some types of saturated fat may be more neutral than others, possibly even beneficial. In fact, eating cheese, in moderation, is linked with numerous health benefits.

Cheese Helps Say Gouda-Bye to Certain Health Risks

A 2016 report from Science Direct compared how much dairy people ate to whether they developed cardiovascular disease. They found that eating 2 ounces of cheese each day was associated with an 18 percent lower risk of experiencing heart disease. They also found that stroke risk could be cut 13 percent by eating as little as half an ounce of cheese a day. Some researchers even think cheese might explain the “French Paradox”, that French people have low rates of heart disease despite their affinity for saturated fat-heavy foods like cheese.

Cardiovascular disease is not the only health risk that gets better with cheddar. Cheese contains calcium and whey proteins, which may reduce insulin resistance. An analysis of studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that eating 1 3/4 ounces of cheese a day may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 8 percent. 

Great Smiles Start With Gorgonzola

One of the best foods to eat to improve oral health is cheese. Cheese contains a protein called casein which strengthens the teeth’s enamel and prevents acidic foods from destroying the teeth. Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, soft-ripened varieties such as Brie or Camembert, or blue cheese like Roquefort or Gorgonzola are best for your dental health.

Evade Your Demise With Cheese  

An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but cheese makes you live longer. A study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition followed 960 men for almost 15 years to test the relationship between food they ate and when they died. They found that eating about 2 ounces of cheese a day was associated with a 38 percent lower likelihood that they died during the study. This could be attributed to the blood pressure lowering effects of calcium, cheese’s ability to slow fat absorption, or a variety of other factors. 

Wanna be Stronger? Gotta Have Ricotta

Researchers of a study from Clinical Interventions in Aging set out to investigate whether adding a cup of ricotta cheese to your daily diet would improve skeletal muscle mass and physical performance. They found that over 12 weeks ricotta boosted muscle mass and improved balance in healthy adults over 60. 

Check Out a Variety of Cheeses At Peddler’s Son Wholesale Produce

Peddler’s Son has provided Arizona businesses with quality wholesale produce for over 30 years. We are committed to bringing you convenience when it comes to finding the best quality products and provisions. Let us know what you need to make your business successful and we will bring it to you, along with the industry-leading insights on selected products. We value the partnerships made with our customers and Peddler’s Son is here for you! Contact us today and learn what a partnership with us can mean for your business.

Are There Health Benefits to Cheese? Read More »

Next 90 Now

NEXT 90 NOW JANUARY 2022

Peddler’s Son is excited to share The Next 90 Now video for the 1st quarter of 2022. “The Next 90 Now” is a series of quarterly videos from Joe and Ted Palmisano where they share industry insights on what to expect based on market trends and updates for each upcoming quarter with you. In this quarter’s report, we focus on continued labor shortages, winter season strength, and the growing season transition. Click the link below to watch The Next 90 Now from Peddler’s Son where we are FOOD DRIVEN and CUSTOMER FOCUSED.

Want to learn more about The Next 90 Now? Click the link below to access previous videos.

ACCESS PREVIOUS VIDEOS

Peddler’s Son Is Your Go-To For Industry Insights and Forecasting

Peddler’s Son has provided Arizona businesses with quality wholesale produce for over 30 years. We are committed to customer service, quality, and honest pricing to ensure our customers get the best products and provisions possible. As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor, we provide our services to everyone from the produce department to the hospital cafeteria. No matter your industry, Peddler’s Son is here for you! Contact us today and learn what a partnership with us can mean for your business.

NEXT 90 NOW JANUARY 2022 Read More »

Limes and oranges in the produce department

What to Expect This January in Your Produce Department

It is the beginning of a new year. Supermarket-goers are seeking out healthy produce to boost their resolutions and are searching for something new in their produce department to mix up their go-to dishes of 2021. Some produce market trends are staying in 2021 while others are continuing into this month. Read our blog post below to find out what you can expect in your produce department this January.

Peddler’s Son has over 30 years of experience providing grocery retailers, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and schools with wholesale produce. With a 54,000 square foot warehouse and over 30 delivery trucks feeding all of Arizona, we’re the go-to source for produce distribution. 

Onion Supply is Scarce

Yellow, red, and white onions are seeing reduced yields. Cold weather and snow are now increasing concerns along with the truck and freight shortages we were already experiencing. Prices will be much higher than usual this month with reduced supply. Green onion supplies are also extremely short due to cold weather and labor shortages in Mexico.

Low Potato Supply 

The market for potatoes is going to remain a concern for the rest of this season’s crop. Prices are higher than average due to a lower supply of products which can be attributed to cold weather and snow in the northwest, truck shortages, and freight concerns.

Grapes Nearing the End of A Shortage

For the first few weeks of this month grape supplies will remain tight as demand exceeds the current crop. After the beginning of the month, we may see improvements in supply.

Improvements for Limes

We are in peak season for citrus, which means we’re seeing a better supply of limes. These last few weeks availability declined due to altered production schedules over the holidays, but this crop is currently peaking, especially in small sizes. Overall, quality and shelf life have improved upon the introduction of the new production cycle. The January yield should be elevated and fresh with somewhat stable pricing.

Mushroom Industry Continues to Struggle

The mushroom industry has been experiencing labor shortages as well as cost inflation increases for raw materials needed for harvests, such as corrugated cardboard and packaging materials.  These issues are expected to continue into January.

Raspberries Taking On Cold Weather

Raspberry prices are rising due to cold weather in Mexico. Growers are expecting quality issues, such as shorter shelf life, to occur with the current crop. They are advising buyers to use their raspberries as soon as possible. 

Stock Your Produce Department with Peddler’s Son Wholesale Produce

Peddler’s Son has provided Arizona businesses with quality wholesale produce for over 30 years. We are committed to customer service, quality, and honest pricing to ensure our customers get the best products and provisions possible. As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor, we provide our services to everyone from the produce department to the hospital cafeteria. No matter your industry, Peddler’s Son is here for you! Contact us today and learn what a partnership with us can mean for your business.

What to Expect This January in Your Produce Department Read More »

Person baking cookies and sweets

Why We Crave Sweets During Winter and Why Our Produce Tastes Sweeter Too

During the winter months, we experience less daylight, cooler temperatures, more time spent indoors, and more sweets cravings. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can be to blame for these sweet and sugary cravings. Along with these cravings, you might also notice that root vegetables taste sweeter in these colder months. All of these changes have one thing in common: winter. When craving these sweets, is it just as effective to reach for a sweeter variety of produce?

At Peddler’s Son, we have been delivering wholesale produce throughout Arizona for 30 years. With services for those in restaurants, education, healthcare, government, hospitality, and caterers, we have fresh products no matter your industry. Our delivery services are reliable and accurate, so you never have to wait on or worry about your ingredient needs. In the blog post below, you will find why these changes in cravings occur, why fruits and veggies taste sweeter in the winter, and what to do when these cravings hit.

Why Do We Crave Sweets During the Winter?

Seasonal affective disorder may be to blame if you find yourself reaching for the various pies, cookies, and sweets in the colder holiday months. With seasonal affective disorder in the winter, you may experience changes in melatonin levels, energy levels, and weight fluctuation. 

Research shows that foods with a higher carbohydrate content cause blood sugar levels to rise.  With increased carbohydrate intake, more insulin is produced in the bloodstream that can affect serotonin and melatonin levels, making them rise. The amino acid Tryptophan is responsible for this rise, as it is converted into serotonin, the hormone that makes us feel happy, from the bloodstream when it reaches the brain. When we eat a sweet holiday treat, we are taking in plenty of added sugar, plus milk is a natural source of tryptophan. Together, these properties lead to a good release of serotonin to relieve stress and make us feel happy. Maybe all those holiday sugar cookies explain how Santa stays so Jolly. 

Why Does Produce Taste Sweeter During the Winter?

Have you ever eaten carrots, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, or other vegetables that you thought tasted more sweet than usual? Chances are these items were grown around the winter and frost months and that is what makes them sweet. 

These ground-grown plants store starches during the summer months which they use to grow. In the winter months, these starches become sugar to keep the produce cells from freezing. Photosynthesis also slows down in cold weather, and both starches and sugars tend to accumulate for later use instead of fueling growth. This super sweet change doesn’t happen overnight, but as long as you pick your root vegetables sometime after the first frost of autumn, chances are high that they’ll taste a lot sweeter than if you picked them in the summer.

Reach For Produce During Winter Months

That all being said, our bodies crave sweetness in the winter when ground-grown produce tastes the sweetest. Sweet tasting produce will hit these cravings as much as a piece of pumpkin pie will, and will leave you feeling better afterwards as well. When shopping for sweet vegetables, carrots, kale, leafy greens, beets, broccoli, and brussels sprouts get the sweetest at this time and would be your best bet.

Peddler’s Son Knows Produce

Having been family-owned and operated since our opening in 1988, we know a few things about transparency, trust, and quality. Our fresh produce is dependable and just what you are looking for in your company’s wholesale produce needs. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how to get fresh wholesale items delivered to your company’s doorstep.

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Cinthia From Peddler's Son with food to donate

Peddler’s Son and ON Advertising Donate Canned Food to Benefit the Harvest Compassion Center of North Phoenix

The giving season is upon us! The past year has been challenging for many people and in the spirit of the holidays, Peddler’s Son and ON Advertising felt it necessary to donate canned food in order to give back to those in need. 

“This last year has been difficult for many people in our community. Despite the hardship and uncertainty of the year, our community’s health is top of mind.” Cinthia Lopez, Peddler’s Son Marketing Director. “We felt it necessary to respond to the community’s call and launch a canned food drive in their honor.”

Peddler’s Son was not alone in their mission. They were joined by ON Advertising, an ad agency based in downtown Phoenix that has worked with local and national brands such as Pioneer Packaging, NeuroForce1, Cici’s Pizza, Chompie’s, and many more.

As a result of their collaboration, Peddler’s Son and ON Advertising were able to donate over 100 pounds of canned food for the Harvest Compassion Center of North Phoenix, an organization whose mission is to provide food and clothing to underserved individuals in the greater Phoenix area.

Harvest Compassion Center is located across the valley from Glendale, to North Phoenix, to Chandler. Peddler’s Son has partnered with them on many occasions throughout the years and was ecstatic to participate again this year. 

What are some of your favorite charities? Keep them in mind as you shop this season in the spirit of giving. You can also follow us on social media and tell us your favorite charities in the comments. 

Happy Holidays from the Peddler’s Son team! 

Peddler’s Son: Peddler’s Son boasts annual revenue in excess of $50 million, with 130 employees and more than 35 vehicles serving Arizona and the Southwest. Its products include fruits and vegetables, frozen and processed foods, grocery, bakery and pastry, meats and proteins, dairy and cheese, specialty and locally sourced products, and packaging and supplies. For more information and background on Peddler’s Son, visit the company’s new website at www.PeddlersSon.com

Peddler’s Son and ON Advertising Donate Canned Food to Benefit the Harvest Compassion Center of North Phoenix Read More »

delivery on bridge - distribution industry

Innovation in Delivery Trucks is Changing the Future of Distribution

Grabbing dinner at your favorite restaurant, picking up a few things on your grocery list, or sipping drinks at the hip new cocktail bar all require moving tons of products along the supply chain every day. Driver shortages and rising fuel prices pose challenges for maintaining a good supply and reasonable prices on many commodities. The growing popularity of green initiatives casts a negative light on pollution-heavy diesel trucks traveling along roadways. What is changing for delivery trucks in the future of distribution?

Peddler’s Son is one of Arizona’s leading wholesale produce suppliers for quality products and on-time delivery. We serve a wide range of industries, including those in healthcare, education, catering, restaurants, and grocery stores. We take pride in our services and look forward to nurturing incredible relationships with our clients. Read our article below to learn how innovation in delivery trucks could change the future of distribution.

Electric Vehicles Reduce Carbon Footprint

The green movement has taken over the interstates and electric vehicles are becoming a common sight on any commute. The emission-free initiative is merging into food distribution. While hybrid-electric trucks have been around for some time, fully electric versions are starting to appear. UPS recently unveiled a new line of zero-emission electric trucks representing a large jump for sustainability in the delivery industry. Electric vehicles offer more benefits than their counterparts. Not only are they cheaper to maintain overall, but they run more efficiently. Pollution and gas prices are large problems for the distribution industry, but the future is electric. 

The Future of The Beverage Industry

The sheer size of the beverage and alcohol industry offers unique challenges for distribution. A new wave of truck innovation is especially important for keeping the beverage supply chain up and running. Fleets that travel about 300 miles per day and return to the same charging station each night are the best candidates for electrification. In the beverage industry, routes are local and regional, and vehicles tend to go home to the same place each night. Designing a charging infrastructure would be efficient and economic. 

Thor Trucks wants to help commercial fleets of all sizes realize their capacity to go electric. They are currently conferring with a number of beverage alcohol companies and have secured orders for their trucks from a variety of grocery and beverage distributors. Electric vehicles are the solution to distribution issues in the beverage industry as they offer a significantly lower total cost of ownership, in addition to being friendlier to the environment.

Self-Driving is The Future of Driver Shortages

One of the distribution industry’s most pressing transportation problems is not having enough drivers to operate the number of trucks necessary to keep the supply chain running. AI might be the solution. Plus.ai has completed the first coast-to-coast delivery on behalf of Land O’Lakes. They hauled a fully loaded, refrigerated trailer of perishable food from California to Pennsylvania in less than three days. 

The autonomous truck traveled over 2,800 miles through varied terrains and weather. For this trek a safety driver and engineer were present to monitor the autonomous system operations, however, the trip shows the safety, maturity, and efficiency of autonomous vehicles at this point in time. As testing continues and AI technology advances, autonomous drivers could start to lessen the burden of driver shortages in the distribution industry.  

Peddler’s Son Knows Distribution

Peddler’s Son has provided Arizona businesses with quality wholesale products for over 30 years. We are committed to customer service, quality, and honest pricing to ensure our customers get the best products and provisions possible. 

As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor, we provide our services to everyone from the produce department to the hospital cafeteria. No matter your industry, Peddler’s Son is here for you! Contact us today and learn what a partnership with us can mean for your business.

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