Ford's Produce Supply Update

With the improved weather in Florida and Mexico, and Florida farms finally recovering from their New Year freeze, almost all vegetable markets are getting lower.

Asparagus pricing is way down this week now that supplies are increasing from Central American growers.

Tomatoes are really in a glut situation, with farmers calling daily trying to sell their oversupply.

Squash and zucchini markets are on the slide, with newly harvested fields of squash becoming available every day.

Florida and Mexican pepper growers are encountering much better volume in their fields, with most of them almost fully recovered from the early January freeze.

The small amount of honeydews and cantaloupe melons available right now are coming from Central American growers. 

A French guest staying in a hotel phoned room service for some pepper.

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Ford’s Own Mr. Fresh!™ Fresh-Cut FacilityFords Produce Precut Operation Mr. Fresh!

Ford’s Producestarted and operates the only state inspected and approved fresh-cut processing facility in eastern North Carolina. Ford’s Mr. Fresh! provides the freshest and highest quality of fresh-cut produce possible year-round.

Fresh-Cut Produce describes produce Fords Produce Precut Operation Mr. Fresh!that is table ready. In the food service industrywhere limited availability of labor, staff retraining and cost of wasteremoval are extremely high, many customers are finding it much more efficient to buy their produce already prepped, washed and ready to serve.

Compared to westcoast source providers, our product is usually at least five daysfresher! We alsooffer a high level of flexibility in ouroperation. While we offer manystock items tochoose from, we can provide practically anycustomized product that Mr Fresh Precut pineapples, cantaloupe and kiwi.you need. With the production done in house by our well-trainedstaff, constant availability of products is assured.

Reduce your total operational cost. In preparing bulk produce to be table ready, total operational overhead must be considered, not just the initial product price. Some important points to consider:

Check Reduce Food Safety concerns. Our trained staff members are ServeSafe® certified.

Check Fresh-Cut is ready to serve! It is properly washed, dried when needed and cut to correct specifications, including the blending of other fresh-cut products when needed.

Check Consistency of presentation. Our fresh-cut is always cut to the same specifications.

Check Fresh-Cut produce requires very little training for the final service provider. Training of new employees can focus more on presentation when using fresh-cut produce.

Check Saves overall labor cost! In addition to reducing the number of staff required for product prep, you are also saving Workers Comp insurance cost, possible Workers Comp claims from lifting injuries from larger, heavier boxes (Fresh-cut usually weighs 20 lbs or less), initial staff training, post production clean up, prep supervision and down time labor cost.

Check Saves on Equipment cost (purchasing and ongoing maintenance cost of multiple machines).

Check No preservatives. It is all 100% natural.

Check Fresh-Cut saves valuable cooler storage space. One 20 lb. salad mix takes about one forth the space as a case of bulk lettuce.

Check Less product and cardboard waste to dispose of or recycle. Saves trash removal fees.

Check Let Ford’s Mr. Fresh! make all your fresh-cuts for you. It lets you save money and do what you need to do in the kitchen. Mr. Fresh! makes various salad mixes, shredded lettuce, diced onions, sliced onions, sliced peppers, diced peppers, cole slaw, carrot sticks, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, fruit salads and many custom cuts.

We look forward to serving you!