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Filling A Tall Order

How the Motor City’s wholesalers supply a wealth of fruit and vegetables to area retailers and restaurants
Detroit-Spotlight

Lastly, there’s the Brussel sprouts boom. Wholesalers on the Detroit markets have also seen skyrocketing popularity for a somewhat unlikely candidate: Brussels sprouts. “Believe it or not, Brussels sprouts seem to be going through a similar phenomenon as kale, which exploded onto the scene a few years ago,” remarks Riggio.

Riggio says both retail and foodservice customers are requesting more of the bite-size cabbages. “We’re selling a lot wholesale, but we’re also getting asked to process Brussels sprouts: shaved, halved, you name it. It’s always been an item we sold, but it was treated as a garnishment in the past. Now it’s actually being consumed for its health benefits. I don’t know whether to attribute it to the cooking or healthy living shows or social media, but Brussels sprouts are the new kale,” he adds.

Detroit Market StatsTrials & Tribulations
While Detroit’s revitalized economy has certainly been a boon for produce businesses, the city’s recovery has led to even more labor shortages. “Good employees are always hard to come by, and that’s probably true in any industry,” says Russo.

“I think our toughest challenge is finding labor, whether it’s on the floor or drivers,” agrees Stone. As the economy improves and other industries begin to grow, businesses are competing for a limited number of workers. “Even though the produce business is great for us, other businesses are also doing well. The auto business is doing better, manufacturers are doing better, government contracts seem to be better. So I don’t believe this challenge is exclusive to the produce industry.”

Like many produce businesses across the nation, Detroit growers and wholesalers are also struggling to meet increasingly stringent food safety demands. “The new food safety laws are a challenge,” says Horkey (who was in the midst of preparing for a third-party audit at the time of the interview). “It will be our fourth audit, but it’s the first one since last August, and they’ve made the rules a lot tougher.”

The Future
Even in the face of labor shortages, food safety challenges, and other issues, Riggio says Detroit’s produce businesses take it in stride. “Being in the perishables business, we’re used to challenges,” he explains. “It’s in our nature to get up every day and face challenges—that’s what we do.”

Images: Peangdao/Linda Parton/Shutterstock.com

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Amy Bell is a professional freelance writer with more than fifteen years of experience. She writes for publications and companies across the nation. Visit writepunch.com to learn more.