Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties Inc., conducted this Peruvian asparagus interview while in Monterey, CA, shortly after attending the Produce Marketing Association’s Foodservice Conference.

He said that was an important fact “since we have a significant customer base in the foodservice community for our asparagus. And that part of the business continues to grow.”

The U.S. consumer is partial to green asparagus, largely because of tradition and familiarity, but that hasn’t stopped Gourmet Trading Co. from aggressively merchandising white and purple asparagus alongside the more popular green variety.

The company sources asparagus year round from Peru and actually has both white and green asparagus throughout the year. The purple asparagus has a much more limited production window for the firm.

As Frank Ramos sees it, growth in this economy is a good indicator that business is good.

In 2011, The Perishable Specialist Inc., based in Doral, FL, expanded by adding an accounting wing to its existing building. In 2012, the company added three more people to its staff.

Leo Rolandelli, the longtime produce veteran and president of Jacobs, Malcolm & Burtt, based in San Francisco, predicted in late July that this could be a difficult year for Peruvian asparagus.

A year ago, lower prices ended the Mexican asparagus deal a bit early and caused the Bay Area wholesaler to start importing asparagus from Peru a bit earlier than usual.

Through most of the peak shipping period last year, imported Peruvian asparagus was exposed to a more strict and lengthy fumigation process resulting in delays, increased costs and a degradation of quality.

In 2011, Ayco Farms Inc., which is headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL, experienced tremendous growth in its Peruvian asparagus deal, but this year company officials say overall volume should be down, which will slow its growth.

Last year Ayco hired Peruvian asparagus veteran Tim Ryan to oversee its planned growth, and 2011 was a great year for the firm, which calls itself one of the top five players in that commodity.