With rising freight and labor costs, Los Angeles-based Maui Fresh International, a wholesaler and distributor of fruits and vegetables for local and national customers since 2004, is addressing how it is responding to these industry challenges to provide buyers the best produce price.
Twenty-five percent of consumers rank price as the most important factor when making fresh produce purchasing decisions, according to FMI, the Food Industry Association’s 2022 Power of Produce Report.
“As a wholesale distributor, our primary customers including independent retailers, local and national food distributors, hotels, restaurants, schools and cruise lines, rely on us to stay on top of industry trends to help them control costs so they can, in turn, provide their customers quality produce at the best price,” said Francisco Clouthier, owner of Maui Fresh.
“With more than 20 years of experience, Maui Fresh has weathered multiple industry challenges and has remained nimble to provide consistent costs, services and produce.”
Maui Fresh also sources produce from growers in Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Mexico, Canada, Holland and Spain. Its location allows the company to manage freight costs as it has access to multiple ports and is within 20 minutes of Los Angeles International Airport.
To react to the changing needs of the market, Maui Fresh meets with sales staff to gather information about customer wants and needs. This, combined with forecasting, has helped it anticipate and secure volume deals with growers to ensure supply and lower freight cost.
As with most industries, rising labor costs are also impacting the cost to consumer. Maui Fresh has updated its processes to improve efficiencies while still meeting consumer demands. The company’s staff offers consolidation service, custom packing solutions and direct-to-store delivery.
Maui Fresh International is a wholesaler and distributor of fruits and vegetables for local and national customers since 2004. With a finger on the pulse of the global supply chain, and a deep understanding of the impact of extreme weather and socio-political changes in the various growing regions, Maui Fresh is able to pivot quickly to ensure consistent supply. It has daily communication with grower and vendor partners throughout the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Asia, Europe, Central and South America to ensure consistency and quality.
For more information, visit maui-fresh.com.
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