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Landmarks and Loading Docks

The wholesalers also champion the CIPM’s layout, competitive atmosphere, and availability of products. “You can find anything you want, up and down the street,” Strube says, but considers...

By Courtney Kilian

April 30, 2015

2 minute read

The wholesalers also champion the CIPM’s layout, competitive atmosphere, and availability of products. “You can find anything you want, up and down the street,” Strube says, but considers business on South Wolcott as “friendly competition” not cutthroat.

Sometimes competition is related to a specific commodity, like bananas. Since only a few wholesalers handle bananas at the CIPM, “competition is fierce between the vendors that do,” confirms Durante. “It’s a tough market,” he admits, product quantities are limited and timing is everything. “It’s not something we can play with, it has to move.”

CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL PRODUCE MARKET MERCHANT LISTING
Atom Banana, Inc., (312) 226-4669

City Wide Produce Distributors, Inc., (312) 666-6190

Coosemans Chicago, Inc., (312) 226-6972

Dietz & Kolodenko Company, (312) 666-6320

Evergreen International Inc., (312) 421-6434

Everyday Fresh Produce, Inc., (773) 410-3889

George J. Cornille & Sons, Inc., (312) 226-1015

J.L. Gonzalez Produce, Inc., (312) 433-2335

JAB Produce, Inc., (312) 226-7805

Jack Keller Company, (312) 243-4019

Jack Tuchten Wholesale Produce, Inc., (312) 226-4536

La Galera Produce, LLC, (773) 446-6161

Mandolini Company, Inc., (312) 226-1690

Michael J. Navilio & Son, Inc., (312) 243-7515

Mission Produce, Inc., (805) 981-3655

Olympic Wholesale Produce & Foods, Inc., (312) 421-2889

Original Chicago Produce Company, Inc., (773) 376-5454

Panama Banana Distribution Company, (773) 446-1000

Puebla Produce, Inc., (773) 446-4861

Strube Celery & Vegetable Company, (773) 446-4000

Tom Lange Company, Inc., (773) 446-6899

Source: Blue Book Services database.

Gonzalez explains that while the merchants work “shoulder to shoulder” next to each other day in and day out, and they all certainly see and hear “what’s going on—who is buying what, and at what price”—the competition is a boon for customers, who traverse the market to check highs and lows and who has the best prices on a given day. These variations, he believes, add value to the entire fresh produce supply chain.

Courtney Kilian is based in Vista, CA and has worked with both domestic and international growers and organizations, including the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and California Avocados Direct.