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fresh-produce

February 2021 Fresh Produce Distribution Recap

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Cool-weather and freezing temperatures were the big talking points in the month of February for fresh produce distribution, according to National Produce Consultants. Six out of the 11 produce items on alert throughout February were due to these two issues with berries and corn being the most affected. 

The two commodity items were on alert all month as berries endured the “perfect storm” during February. Freezes in Mexico, heavy rain in Chile, and the high demand for Valentine’s Day all put a big strain on the berries market. The freeze in Mexico and rain in Florida also impacted corn production throughout the entire month.

Over on the West Coast, wind and rain put a strain on strawberries during Valentine’s Day push, and while Mexico and Florida had their issues during February, both were able to slightly help out states like California.

Surprisingly, Chile’s grape production had the most unstable month of any region as they dealt with COVID-19 issues and extreme weather. The troubles began with an entire Chilean vessel having to quarantine due to positive cases on board. This was followed by extreme rainfall, resulting in fungi growth that destroyed the grape roots, causing over $600 million in crop damages.

Eggplant production in South Florida was also down due to cold weather, along with  cucumber dealing with tight supply from Honduras and Mexico. 

Speaking of tight supply, bananas, cantaloupe, and honeydew all experienced tight supplies as Central and South American countries continue to recover from hurricane damage from November. Celery experienced short supply at the beginning of February but the strain eased by the end of the month. Supply shortages of lime, on the other hand, increased as the month went on due to quality and travel issues, resulting in very high pricing.

Fresh Produce Watch

Items Affected by Cool Weather

Berries – Corn – Strawberries – Grapes – Eggplant – Cucumber 

Items Affected by Supply

Bananas – Cantaloupe – Honeydew – Limes – Celery

View full reports.

What to Expect At Your Local Fresh Produce in March

Supply for berries will continue to be tight as Mexico farms recover from recent freezes. Additionally, a production gap is expected in the coming weeks for corn, which means prices will continue to increase.

The grape situation in Chile looks severe; supply is expected to be limited until Mexico begins production. The extreme rainfall, leaving grapes underwater for days, combined with the high humidity that followed, have all contributed to the spread of the fungi.

The tight supply and high prices of limes are expected to continue while production of bananas will also remain tight as Summer production gets closer. 

Finally, supply is expected to improve for cantaloupe, cucumber, eggplant, and strawberries, as they get help from growing regions in Guatemala, California, Florida, and Mexico.

Peddler’s Son Is Here For You

As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor since 1988, Peddler’s Son is here to help your business grow. We provide exceptional customer service through transparency and integrity while building valuable relationships with Arizona organizations with the best quality fresh produce and provisions. Contact us today to learn more about becoming a customer.

February 2021 Fresh Produce Distribution Recap Read More »

distribution

December 2020 Fresh Produce Distribution Recap

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Fresh produce distribution ended 2020 with a tricky month of December according to weekly market reports by National Produce Consultants. The fresh produce industry was tasked with preparing for the holiday season in December after coming off the Thanksgiving demand in November. This particular time of the year, with lots of high demand products, resulted in 16 fresh produce items on alert throughout the month.

Weather and transition issues were the primary causes for these alerts as many wet vegetables have been suffering from unfavorable weather conditions. This is especially true for countries in Central America as both Guatemala and Honduras were hit with two tropical storms back to back in the middle of December. This affected both countries severely in the production of cantaloupe and honeydew. Additionally, Mexico and Ecuador both suffered from hurricane damage hindering the production of bananas in the region.

On the other hand, transition issues impacted lettuces at the beginning of December. But as new crops are in full swing, lettuces are finally seeing a break after a few troublesome months. Other fresh produce items affected by transition included curly parsley, cauliflower, and broccoli, with parsley being the most severe out of the three.

Fresh Produce Watch

Items Affected By Weather

Green Beans – Cantaloupe – Honeydew – Corn – Bananas – Tomatoes – Summer Squash – Strawberries – Eggplant

Items Affected By Transition

Curly Parsley – Cauliflower – Romaine – Broccoli – Iceberg – Green Leaf

Other Distribution Issues

Mushrooms (Demand)

To view the full reports click here.

What to Expect At Your Local Fresh Produce in January

Jumping the last holiday season hurdle will have a big impact on the fresh produce industry coming into the new year. With the high demand season coming to an end, many markets will see a decrease. 

While transition periods are over for lettuces and the domestic season for citrus is in full swing, there are still quite a few issues when it comes to wet vegetables. With unfavorable weather on the East Coast the past few months and the pull from Thanksgiving, corn and green beans might be slow to recover. Additionally the production of cantaloupe, honeydew, and bananas will heavily depend on how fast Central American countries recover from the tropical storms and hurricanes. 

On the other hand, growing regions in Arizona and California are enjoying good conditions helping offset the problems of rain, wind, and freezes in the East Coast. Citrus season is off to a bright start as more Washington area oranges have come into the market starting in mid-to-late December.

Finally, with COVID-19 cases continuing to rise, many states are implementing new regulations on states, which is impacting the food distribution industry. It is important to stay aware of local and state regulations as well as plan orders accordingly and ahead of time as trucking was also an issue during the month of December.

Peddler’s Son Is Your Produce Wholesaler

As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor since 1988, Peddler’s Son is here to help your business grow. We provide exceptional customer service through transparency and integrity while building valuable relationships with Arizona organizations with the best quality products. Contact us today to learn more about our distribution capabilities.

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Holiday

7 Holiday Restaurant Promotions

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With the holiday season upon us, restaurants are getting ready for what is undoubtedly their busiest time of the year. It’s been a rough year for the food service industry, with COVID-19 having a big impact on restaurants. But now, with Christmas and New Year’s just around the corner, restaurants can make up for some of the loss they might have suffered during lockdowns. 

The holidays are a time to be festive, thankful, and a time to do something special for your customers. With plenty of restaurants competing for guests, here are some holiday promotions that will help your restaurant stand out from the competition, making your restaurant the go-to place for the holidays.

Gift Card Promotions 

Gift cards are a great way to gain new customers and also retain your current customers. Offering gift cards during their visits can make for a great last-minute gift for their loved ones. Some gift card promotions can be for a free $20 gift card after spending at least $100 on gift cards, or a free $10 gift card after spending $50. Make sure you have your staff offering these to each and every guest that comes into your restaurant and make the packaging appealing!

Give Back to the Community

Host an event giving back to the less fortunate in your community. You can partner with a charity of your choice and have a portion of the sales go to them. You can also do things such as a toy-drive or a canned-food drive at your restaurant for people to drop off. Giving back is always a great way to bring you and your guest closer together.

Offer Special Catering or Take-Out Options

While the holidays are the busiest time of the year for restaurants, this year people might rather stay home and maintain social distancing. But you can still offer these customers options to enjoy your food. By offering special holiday meals they can enjoy a traditional holiday dinner in the comfort of their own home. You can create a special menu with holiday favorites and can offer curbside pick-up, delivery, or regular take-out. 

Create A Festive Menu

Speaking of holiday meals, make sure you create a festive menu with some holiday favorites for your guests to enjoy. By switching up your menu during this time of year you can create a sense of excitement in the build-up towards the holiday season by offering dishes that are only available for a limited time. 

Decorate

This is not necessarily a promotion but should be a given during the festive period. Make sure the environment inside your restaurant is welcoming and cheerful for every guest. Don’t just focus on lights on the outside or inside, think of table decorations, music choice, maybe even put holiday favorites on the television screens if you have them. All of this to make the atmosphere as fun and as bright as possible.

Advertise Early

As mentioned earlier, a lot of restaurants will be competing for customer’s attention this holiday season, therefore it is important to start announcing your holiday promotions and specials as soon as possible. Is your restaurant taking reservations? Are you offering a festive menu? Will you be open on the day of the major holidays? 

All of this is vital information that customers will want to know, this way they can already have you in their mind while planning for the holiday period. A good way to advertise your festive promotions is through social media, emails, or even flyers posted on your restaurant to keep people informed and aware.

Treat Your Top Customers

People love to feel appreciated and acknowledged for their business, take this opportunity to give thanks to your top customers by offering them early promotions this holiday season. You can do so by emailing them first about upcoming events, early reservations, or even small gifts such as gift cards or a box of chocolates. All of this will go a long way in showing your appreciation towards the people that support your business.

Holiday Season With Peddler’s Son

While all of these promotions will take you a long way in having a successful holiday, you cannot forget about the main reason these families come into your establishment, the food. This season, make sure you get your produce from one of the leading food distributors in Arizona. 

As a family-owned wholesale produce distributor since 1988, Peddler’s Son is here to help your business grow. We provide exceptional customer service through transparency and integrity and continue to build valuable relationships by supplying Arizona customers with the best quality products. Contact us today to learn more about becoming a customer.

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rebrand

Peddler’s Son: Top Wholesale Food Distributor Rebrands

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Say Hello to Our New Logo

Everything in life changes over time and company logos are no exception. As a long-time wholesale food distribution and delivery company in Arizona, Peddler’s Son has re-envisioned it’s look and logo. We loved our old logo, and know that you did too. And yet, this rebrand is pivotal for us to show our customers that we have grown into a more mature food delivery company. Today we are happy to introduce our new image and highlight our delivery services with our customers at heart.

Peddler's Son logo reveal gif

New Look, Same Quality Service

Established in 1988, we have gone through a few logo refreshes. We are proud of their look, but they did not completely tell Peddler’s Son story.

Peddler’s Son started with one flatbed truck offering 3 items, which included watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew, to shops around the Valley. Now, 32 years later we have grown to a 54,000 square foot warehouse, more than 3,000 SKUs, and 30 trucks connecting foodservice and supplies to customers all over Arizona. Today we have updated our company branding to be clearer about the products and services that come from Peddler’s Son. We are introducing our new logo and tagline to further distinguish Peddler’s Son as a company.

COVID-19

Not only do we want to reestablish the focus we have on customer service, but we also want people to know the array of products we carry and the categories of who we serve. From restaurants, healthcare cafeterias, government buildings, school menus, and hospitality kitchens, we’ve got the goods that you need. Peddler’s Son also proudly services caterers for special events.

New Mission and Vision

At Peddler’s Son, we believe in the philosophy of fresh! Rooted in homegrown service and growing partnerships that fuel our community. We are your trusted culinary partner delivering ingredients for life since 1988. Because when you grow, we grow! 

And our new mission and vision statements confirm this. 

MISSION: From the beginning, our mission has been to deliver unparalleled value built on quality, integrity, and transparency. We consider it a privilege to connect fresh produce and the finest provisions to our customers with service made simple. We are your trusted culinary partner delivering ingredients for life since 1988.

VISION: Grow Partnerships. Fuel Communities. Deliver Success.Throughout the years, we have maintained our quality standards in foodservice delivery bringing fine food and goods with quality customer service. We didn’t take this rebrand lightly, rethinking our vision for the company, mission statement, and tagline. Over the coming week, we will start using our new brand design in marketing materials, truck wraps, and website. If you follow us on social media, check out our Facebook and LinkedIn pages for weekly updates.

Your Foodservice Partner Rebrands

A partnership with Peddler’s Son is the missing ingredient. From fresh produce to specialty meats or imported flavors, our network of suppliers bring you the best items for your culinary creations. For over 30 years, we have been committed to delivering the freshest quality foods and products to our customers with service made simple. We’re not just your wholesale food delivery service, we are your business partner. You can count on us for expert advice and sourcing products that can make your business soar. Our team takes pride in customizing your orders for you, making your business run smoother.

Trusted Wholesale Food Delivery

At Peddler’s Son, we work with a variety of vendors to ensure they receive products that our customers want. Whether you are a local restaurant, hospital cafeteria food service provider, grocery store, or school, our team is committed to your wholesale foodservice delivery needs. Contact us today to learn what products and services we can provide you.

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foodservice

Tis The Season To Plan Ahead – Foodservice Menu Planning For The Holidays

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For the foodservice industry, the holidays are prime time to showcase their skills and push their business forward. To get ready for the busy season, foodservice professionals must strategize ways to impress their customers with their expertise. There are several things to consider, including an enticing holiday menu, choosing the right supplies, and staying on top of food trends. Here are some ideas to help you get started.

Create an Appetizing Holiday Menu

Foodservice professionals need to incorporate comfort food during the holidays. When you think about Thanksgiving or Christmas, you probably picture items like ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, peas, stuffing, etc. People expect these hearty foods around the holidays, so why not give them what they want? As a business owner, it’s the opportune time to offer braised meats and baked goods that people look forward to each year. You don’t have to change your entire menu, but by offering a few specialty dishes you can make sure you stand out to your customers.

One aspect you might not have considered is the arrangement of your menu. Performance Magazine suggests placing the most profitable items on top of your menu, as people are drawn to the tops and bottoms of each section. Create interesting and appealing descriptions of your menu items as this is your customer’s main selling point to your food.

Keep Up With The Latest Trends

According to the Food Network, there are several food trends to look out for in 2020. By following some of these trends, foodservice professionals have a basis on how they can adapt their holiday menus to get the interest of their customers. For example, one of the trends is plant-based eating. This involves dishes that emphasize no meat or meat-based products. When creating a holiday menu, chefs may consider dishes such as “turkey” derived from plant sources, a hearty salad that contains nutritional hearty ingredients, and sugar substitutes. 

Ensure You Have The Right Supplies

To ensure you create delicious dishes that customers will be happy with, you need the right equipment and supplies. To keep your kitchen and front of house staff running at their top performance you may consider items like:

  • Dishware
  • Glassware
  • Apparel
  • Pots and pans
  • Soup warmers
  • Kettles

By having the right equipment and supplies, you have the capabilities to offer top-level food to your customers. By supplying them with appealing dishware, you can match the ambiance with the restaurant and the food you serve.

Peddler’s Son Has Your FoodService Needs

With over 25 years of experience providing superior produce, service, and delivery to meet our client’s needs, we know how to push your business forward. We offer a variety of produce, spices, and meat products to inspire you to create something delicious that will wow the crowd. Contact us today to enhance your foodservice capabilities.

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apples

5 Apples Your Customers Will Enjoy During The Fall Season

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If you are like us, you get excited every year for the Fall apple season. Between their flavor and availability, it’s a special treat to buy an apple during their peak season. At Peddler’s Son, we carry all apples to ensure we meet the high demand from our clients. To ensure everyone gets a great Fall apple, we’ve highlighted 5 that you should consider purchasing for your business.

Honeycrisp Apples

Honeycrisps are the quintessential apple every Fall. This variety of apple will have a yellow background with a red to pink blush with lenticels sprinkled around its body. They are famous for it’s juicy, crisp, aromatic flesh that is packed full of a sweet-tart flavor. Bake them, sauce them, have them raw, Honeycrisp apples make for a perfect choice no matter how you eat them. 

SweeTango Apples

Introduced in 2009 by the University of Minnesota, their apple breeders used their horticultural techniques to combine the Honeycrisp apple with Zestar apples. As a result, the world now enjoys this crisp, sweet variety of apple whose tastes resemble a touch of honey, citrus, and spice. When you bite into it you will be pleased with the apple’s unmatched texture of crunchy and juicy.

Granny Smith Apples

When it comes to baking, you can’t go wrong with Granny Smith. While you can find these apples year-round, this variety will ripen by mid to late October. The skin is smooth, firm, chewy, and thick, with a bright green skin that is speckled with white lenticels. This variety of apples have a balance of sweet and acidic flavor with tangy, tart undertones.  

Jonathan Apples

Jonathan apples have been around since the 1800s and have been an American staple since its discovery. The Jonathan apple has a thin red skin that is blushed with yellow and green undertones. Its yellow flesh will contain a crisp bite with lots of flavor from its juice. Its flavor had a mild sweetness with a hint of tart and spice. The Jonathan apple is perfect when added to sweet and savory dishes.

McIntosh Apples

Steve Jobs has nothing on this variety of apple. McIntosh’s are an early season apple that will become redder as they ripen on the tree. This will also affect the flavor of the apple. When you pick a McIntosh early in the season they tend to be more on the tart side, whereas if you pick them later, they will be sweeter. According to Specialty Produce, the apple is easy to break down, making it a great addition to sweet and savory preparations, such as pizza, tarts, stuffing, soups, and desserts. 

Peddler’s Son Has Your Apple Needs

At Peddler’s Son, we work with a variety of vendors to ensure they receive products that their customers want. Whether you are a local restaurant, healthcare food service provider, grocery store, or school, our team is committed to your food needs. Contact us today to learn what products and services we can provide you.

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hospital cafeteria food

3 Ways to Increase Your Hospital’s Cafeteria Revenue with Peddler’s Son

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When you think of hospital cafeteria food, you might picture tan trays with small portions of veggies, a bland-looking entree with a pudding cup in the corner. What if we told you it doesn’t have to be that way? Many hospitals are stepping up their dining experiences to increase revenue. Improving the food served to patients and visitors by offering higher quality dishes presents your cafeteria as a more reputable culinary department. That is why we’ve highlighted a few ways hospitals are restructuring their cafeterias to be more appealing for guests and gain higher sales.

Quality Hospital Cafeteria Food at Reasonable Prices

When you visit a cafeteria in the hospital, you should expect a variety of healthy options. What you might not expect are dishes seen in a trendy restaurant, but why not? Located inside the Aspen Valley Hospital, Castle Creek Cafe serves up many quality dishes, including Shepherd’s Pie and Beef Shawarma. Castle Rock Adventist is another facility that houses a highly regarded cafeteria that prioritizes quality at reasonable prices, such as their glazed duck confit with a side of swiss chard and spätzle for just $9.

While hospitals must adhere to their budgets, they are able to serve these dishes at affordable rates for a couple of reasons.

  1. Restaurants are partly subsidized by the hospital
  2. Prices stay low because they make the food in large volumes
  3. There’s no need to tip the cafeteria staff
  4. They use food distribution partners, like Peddler’s Son, that provides affordable, high-quality foods prime for showcasing

Cafeteria Food from Local Sources

You may have noticed a common trend in the restaurant industry to use ingredients and products that are sourced locally. This even applies to hospital cafeteria food. As healthcare facilities work to provide healthy options, there has been a push for organizations to utilize local resources, such as local distributors and local farmers. Not only does this promote regional economic growth, but studies have shown the fresher the products are, the healthier the food is.

Create a Unique Dining Concept

According to the North American Association of Food Equipment, 76% of patients and residents eat every meal at their hospital or long-term care facility. As a result, many organizations are steering away from the drab cafeteria setting to have a more restaurant feel. Health facilities, such as Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, decorated their eatery to have a more modern appeal while serving authentic dishes you would not expect to see when you order hospital cafeteria food. 

Bring It Together To Improve Upon Your Revenue

The development of any reputable culinary establishment relies on these features to drive revenue. Incorporating these items not only promotes healthier, affordable options, but drives people away from fast food restaurants and straight to your facility. Transitioning to a more chef-inspired environment has proven to be a more positive influence on cafeteria’s revenue. Using what we’ve discussed could surely push healthcare eateries forward.

Spice Up Your Hospital Cafeteria Food With Peddler’s Son Products

For over 25 years, Peddler’s Son has been one of Arizona’s top food distributors providing quality produce & provisions, service, and delivery. To serve the best food to your customers, you need the best ingredients and products. We work with a variety of schools, hospitals, and restaurants to ensure their meals meet the quality standards of their chefs and customers. Contact us today to learn how our products and services will enhance your dishes.

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distribution

How Food Distribution Is Adjusting to the Pandemic in 2020

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Since its emergence, COVID-19 has disrupted many industries. One of the most affected has been the food consumption and distribution industry along with its supply chain. Since then, restaurants have been forced to shut down, some permanently, while others transition to take-out only to maintain sales. K-12 school cafeterias and university dining halls are empty and with no events happening, the need for catering services has disappeared. 

The challenge for food service distributors will be to adjust to these changes through comprehensive strategy. As suppliers are tasked with keeping the shipments flowing based on direct-to consumer demand, distributors will need to focus on minimizing waste and running as efficiently as possible while enhancing health and safety procedures.

Minimizing Waste in Distribution

As restaurants and schools begin to open back up to some capacity, the demand for food distribution will begin to increase as well. However, with that being said, numbers will not be the same as before the pandemic began. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of food waste and be realistic of how much produce or products each establishment will need as health sanctions begin to slowly lift up around the country.

Increasing Distribution Efficiency

Adjusting to current disruptions in the marketplace means food suppliers must reevaluate delivery operations. Utilizing sophisticated technologies on routes helps to eliminate bulky systems and streamline sales. Solutions like GPS location, voice messages, and photos implemented into delivery increases driver efficiency. These systems will eliminate cumbersome daily paperwork and empower companies to make meaningful change. 

Implementing Health and Safety Procedures

Transportation and food distribution has taken longer than usual as medical supplies and equipment have now taken top priority. Sanitation processes contribute to this wait time as employee and food safety continues to be imperative. Food safety is always top of mind in food distribution, and now should be no exception. Be sure to strengthen employee and food handling procedures to hone processes and let customers know you are committed to excellence. 

Employee Health 

With social distancing being enforced in workplaces and employee sick policies becoming stricter, food distributors will have to transition to a smaller workforce in these facilities. This change will affect the supply chain as fewer workers will equal longer packaging and transition wait times for establishments. As sanctions begin to lift and the demand increases, so too will the need for workers in these facilities – decreasing wait times as on-time food delivery is the top priority.

Connect With Peddler’s Son For Wholesale Food Distribution

As we continue to adjust to the ever-changing environment during the pandemic, Peddler’s Son continues to provide high-quality service and products founded on integrity and transparency since 1988. Contact us today and let us help you grow!

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