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Chicago Hustle & Bustle

Suppliers share trade tactics to conquer the challenges of high demand
MS_Chicago Spotlight

Chicago is an undisputed center of trade and commerce for the Midwest. As a hub for commodities from across the nation, Canada, and Mexico, business is never boring.

Brian Doyle, late author and onetime resident of Chicago, described the city as “rising out of the plains like Oz.” When you factor in over 8,000 restaurants, world-renowned chefs, over 200 supermarkets, and the expanse of the Chicago International Produce Market—it is indeed a magical place for buying and selling fresh food, especially fruits and vegetables.

A Market Fueled by Optimism
With economic recovery solid after the recession, unemployment in Chicago was at a record low last year, with the metro area adding more than 10,000 jobs in myriad fields, all of which are good for foodservice and by extension, the local produce industry.

Purposeful growth
Companies on the Chicago International Produce Market (CIPM) and nearby are almost, without exception, optimistic about the present state of business and the immediate future.

“We were very pleased with 2017,” reflects Mark Pappas, president of Coosemans Chicago, Inc. “The economy was strong and the street is more active than it’s been the last few years. We’ve acquired some quality shippers,” he adds, “and have hired new sales staff that has provided customers with fresh perspective.”

Tom Cornille, president and owner of George J. Cornille & Sons on the market, also believes business is on an upward swing. “Economics drives our business; the bullish stock market of 2017 did a lot toward building consumer confidence. When people are confident, they spend more.”

The wholesalers and shippers on the Chicago terminal market are also quick to credit positive growth to an ongoing commitment to customer service. Anticipating and fulfilling customer needs, then building and maintaining relationships, is the way to keep their businesses moving forward.

Daniel Suarez is president of Blue Island Wholesale Produce, located adjacent to the CIPM. He credits his company’s growth in the last year to a hands-on approach of carefully monitoring product coming in and getting it back out fast. “We take care of our 150 customers daily,” Suarez says. “They call in an order in the morning and we deliver in the afternoon; that keeps our customers loyal.”

Although Brian Holzkopf, senior procurement specialist at Ruby Robinson Company, Inc., is not on the actual terminal market but 30 miles away in the suburb of Buffalo Grove, the sentiment is the same.

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