How do you think 2019 will compare to 2018 for your business?
Alex Madrigal, Covilli Brand Organics
I hope it’s better; we definitely have more volume, so we’re going to have an increase of about 15 percent overall as far as production, but what we will do marketwise—nobody knows.
Steve Yubeta, Farmer’s Best International, LLC
It will be a normal growing season, hopefully. We’re looking at normal production coming out of growing areas.
Jerry Havel, Fresh Farms
It all depends on supply and demand; we’re strictly a supply and demand business. If there are storms and bad weather in Mexico making our crops short, prices will generally go up. If there is good weather in Florida and the South, then we’ll have oversupply and prices will stay down. So it’s strictly supply and demand [generally] predicated by weather. I’m always optimistic, so I think we’ll have a better year than we did last year.
Brooks Lisenbey, Pack-Right LLC
I think it will be better, because of the quality of the product were producing. We keep getting repeat orders—that always makes business better.
Raquel Espinoza, Produce House, LLC
I’m hoping we’ll see growth. This is our fourth season and we’ve seen growth every single year. And I’m hoping we’ll expand…into other commodities (cucumbers, green bell peppers and other colored bell peppers).
Christian H. Rivas, C.H. Rivas, LLC
We’re anticipating an increase in sales for the 2019 produce season. We’re developing our supply side and offering a full menu of services such as pallet transportation, consolidation, inspection, repack, and cross docking. New to our 2019 season, we’ve added produce experts to our sales team to ensure smooth, daily interaction from initial order to final acceptance by the customer. We’re using a proactive approach versus a reactive style that does not offer any creative solutions to our esteemed customers.
Matt Mandel, SunFed
We wouldn’t be in this business if we weren’t optimistic about the future. There have been some early weather setbacks, but nothing that will stop us from plowing forward, full speed ahead.
Lesley Sykes, The Sykes Company
We’re optimistic 2019 will bring us new opportunities. It’s an exciting time to be operating a fresh produce business—consumer demand for transparency, health, and new products creates new business opportunities companies are responding to throughout the supply chain.
Guillermo Martinez, Wilson Produce, LLC
I surely hope it’s a lot better. I think we’re doing the right things for that to happen. A lot of things can happen on the way, but I think over all it’s going to be a very strong and successful year for everybody in this business.
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This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full supplement.
