Maine broccoli now shipping from Fresh from the Start
Maine broccoli now shipping from Fresh from the Start
RIVERHEAD, NY Fresh from the Start LLC, a division of ADS Management LLC, based here, began shipping its Maine broccoli earlier this month.
"We had our first cut of broccoli on July 16," said Sales Manager Eric Scannelli. We started out a little dry, but we have had very good weather conditions and the outlook for the season is very good.
Now in its 10th year, Fresh from the Start shipped 600 to 700 loads of broccoli last season. We will be shipping 10 to 15 loads of broccoli a day in July and August and that will increase to 15 to 20 loads a day from September until the first hard frost in the middle or end of October, Mr. Scannelli said. Our grower grows exclusively for Fresh from the Start, and all sales are handled out of our Riverhead office.
To maintain the continuity of its broccoli supply, Mr. Scannelli said that the company switches from its grower in Maine to a grower in North Carolina from mid-October through the first week of December. We ship five to 10 loads a day from our grower in North Carolina who we have worked with for over 10 years, he said. This carries us through the Thanksgiving holiday.
Fresh from the Start is packing 14- and 18-count broccoli as well as broccoli crowns, of which 95 percent goes to 10 to 15 major retailers on the East Coast and the Midwest. It also packs a small amount of Asian-cut broccoli crowns, the majority of which goes to terminal markets. In addition, the company flat-packs both nine- and 12-count jacket cauliflower from Quebec, Canada. It shipped about 200 loads of cauliflower last year, the majority of which were nine-count, Mr. Scannelli said.
According to company President Andrew Pollak, until a few years ago, Maine broccoli was only used when supply was short from California. It has changed from exclusively California with some pockets grown elsewhere in the United States to now predominantly Maine, California and Canada, Mr. Pollak said. Back then, [Maine broccoli] was usually only considered in an emergency, where today it is considered legitimate. The retailers want to know when we are going into Maine.
Mr. Pollak said that Maine broccoli's quality has improved 1,000 percent over the past several years, and the cooler growing weather allows for a vegetable with a darker green color. This, along with the advantages in shipping, combine to make it very attractive to grow on the East Coast.
We have a tremendous freight advantage and deliver by the third morning anywhere on the Eastern Seaboard, he said.
Looking forward, Mr. Pollak said that Fresh from the Start is researching the ability to source completely from the East Coast so it can ship both broccoli and cauliflower year-round. He said that the company also plans to have approximately 30 to 40 loads of orange-colored cauliflower a product that was in great demand last year available from the last week of September through Halloween.
"We had our first cut of broccoli on July 16," said Sales Manager Eric Scannelli. We started out a little dry, but we have had very good weather conditions and the outlook for the season is very good.
Now in its 10th year, Fresh from the Start shipped 600 to 700 loads of broccoli last season. We will be shipping 10 to 15 loads of broccoli a day in July and August and that will increase to 15 to 20 loads a day from September until the first hard frost in the middle or end of October, Mr. Scannelli said. Our grower grows exclusively for Fresh from the Start, and all sales are handled out of our Riverhead office.
To maintain the continuity of its broccoli supply, Mr. Scannelli said that the company switches from its grower in Maine to a grower in North Carolina from mid-October through the first week of December. We ship five to 10 loads a day from our grower in North Carolina who we have worked with for over 10 years, he said. This carries us through the Thanksgiving holiday.
Fresh from the Start is packing 14- and 18-count broccoli as well as broccoli crowns, of which 95 percent goes to 10 to 15 major retailers on the East Coast and the Midwest. It also packs a small amount of Asian-cut broccoli crowns, the majority of which goes to terminal markets. In addition, the company flat-packs both nine- and 12-count jacket cauliflower from Quebec, Canada. It shipped about 200 loads of cauliflower last year, the majority of which were nine-count, Mr. Scannelli said.
According to company President Andrew Pollak, until a few years ago, Maine broccoli was only used when supply was short from California. It has changed from exclusively California with some pockets grown elsewhere in the United States to now predominantly Maine, California and Canada, Mr. Pollak said. Back then, [Maine broccoli] was usually only considered in an emergency, where today it is considered legitimate. The retailers want to know when we are going into Maine.
Mr. Pollak said that Maine broccoli's quality has improved 1,000 percent over the past several years, and the cooler growing weather allows for a vegetable with a darker green color. This, along with the advantages in shipping, combine to make it very attractive to grow on the East Coast.
We have a tremendous freight advantage and deliver by the third morning anywhere on the Eastern Seaboard, he said.
Looking forward, Mr. Pollak said that Fresh from the Start is researching the ability to source completely from the East Coast so it can ship both broccoli and cauliflower year-round. He said that the company also plans to have approximately 30 to 40 loads of orange-colored cauliflower a product that was in great demand last year available from the last week of September through Halloween.
