Vegetable Day Speakers Encourage ‘Store-Door’ Relationships
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster
Co.) —“It’s simply an effort to get
buyers and growers together” said
Jeff Patton, coordinator for the
Pennsylvania Produce Project,
begun recently to help vegetable
producers throughout the state sell
directly to supermarkets.
“These are people you can start
a relationship with, a long- term
grower-seller relationship,” Patton
told about 120 vegetable producers
and agri-industry representatives
on Monday at the New Holland
Vegetable Day at Summit Valley
Elementary School
Patton coordinated a special
buyer panel featuring one ware
house representative, a produce
manager for a large retail super
market store chain, and the co
owner of a chain.
“We encourage store-door
delivery,” said Charles Breneman,
director of produce forWeis Mark
ets at its Sunbury headquarters.
“The program is near and dear to
us.” Breneman said that the
“Pennsylvania-Proven Produce”
label while relatively new to the
state, is an (dd idea to Weis. “We
have embraced it for 40 years,” he
said. They allow store produce
managers to set up store-door
delivery from local growers. Weis
also purchases produce in bulk
from growers at its distribution
warehouse.
The produce must meet standard
USDA certification requirements,
but Weis accepts a wide array of
produce, including sweet com,
tomatoes, potatoes, peppers,
squash cucumbers, and others.
They encourage producers to stop
in to local Weis markets and speak
directly to die produce managers.
Once scheduling and payment
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i! Pricing Assoc., Meeting, !
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details are worked out, Weis is
willing to work on a long-term
relationship with die grower.
Breneman spoke to a producer
at the Vegetable Day who has been
selling directly to Weis for about
18 years.
William Fox, president of Fox’s
Supermarket with locations in
Harrisburg, Middletown, and Her
shey, operates medium-sized
supermarket stores tanging from
30,000-35,000 square feet. They
have operated their independent,
family-owned business for 30
years;
Fox’s Supermarkets encourages
local store managers to deal direct
ly with local producers. Often they
purchase produce from Norris
town Produce, who deliver six
days a week to all three stores.
“Anything they choose will be
inspected right on the spot and will
pay cash on the spot,” said Fox.
“The local product is superior to
what we get through the
warehouse.”
Fox, including the other buyers
at the Vegetable Day, are looking
toward “signature ID” rtf the pro
duce—putting the grower’s name
and location right on the produce.
All believe it is an excellent selling
point “Pennsylvania-proven pro
duce is almost like a brand name,”
Fox said.
Robert Van Liew is director of
produce for Associated Wholesal
ers, who operates the wholesale
buying business in Robesonia. The
company has made it a point to lis
ten to their customers and he told
those who want to sell directly to
stores that communication is vital.
The business, in operation for
70 yean, supplies independent
supermarkets throughout Pennsyl
vania. Virginia, Maryland, and
other states. Included are 100
ARIMPPA
supermarkets and 200 specialty
shops, from mom and pop small
town meat stores to about 800 con
venience stores throughout the
region. Their system of allocation
includes computer time-dated
material using PLU stickers.
Van Liew emphasized the
importance of developing a work
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Buyers at tht Vegetable Day. From left, Robert Van (Jew, director of produce for
Associated Wholesalers, who operates the wholesale buying business In Robesonia;
Charles Breneman, director of produce for Weis Maiicets at Its Sunbury headquarters;
and William Fox, president of Fox’s Supermarket with locations In Harrisburg, Middle
town, and Hershey.
ing relationship with local mark
ets. The warehouse offers a special
service to growers who have a lot
of produce to move.
The buyers can be reached at the
following phone numbers: Wil
liam Fox, (717) 944-7486; Charles
Breneman, (717) 742-2406; and
Bob Van Liew, (610) 693-3161,
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At the Vegetable Day, Dr. Tim
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for sweet com varieties that meet
customer preferences for either
sweet or "com-tasting.”
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