COACHELLA, CA - Officially with 25 years under its belt, Prime Time International, now one of the largest year-round growers, packers, and shippers of multi-colored peppers in North America, has plenty to celebrate during its anniversay year. Today, Prime Time is known as “The Pepper People,” with peppers available every day of the year from its farms located throughout both the United States and Mexico.
With roots dated back all the way to 1991 by the name of Sun and Sands Enterprises, the company formed a partnership with C.H. Sales to act as their exclusive distributor in 1992. In 1997, the two companies merged and began doing business as Prime Time International, with Founders Carl Sam Maggio, Mark Nickerson, Chuck Hodges, and Skippy Tostado beginning their quest to specialize in the growing and marketing of a booming new category – colored peppers. While Mr. Hodges and Mr. Tostado have since passed away, Carl and Mark remain actively involved in Prime Time.
As said by Mark Nickerson in a press release, “We have handed the day to day operations over to Mike Way and Jeff Taylor who now join Carl and me as Prime Time’s four Managing Partners. Davidi Compton has ably assumed the responsibilities for all farming operations.”
With growing locations in California (Coachella, Bakersfield and Oxnard) as well as in Mexico (Baja, Culiacan and Jalisco), the company’s management has ensured the availability of green, yellow, orange, and red peppers 365 days a year. Prime Time is best-known for farming conventional field-grown peppers, organic peppers, and hothouse peppers, but also have a legacy of growing and marketing many seasonal items including cucumbers, sweet corn, watermelon, tomatoes, and green beans.
Adding orange, red, and yellow Sweet Mini Peppers over the years, Prime Time has been quick to responded to growing demand for these increasingly popular products. And as the demand for peppers has skyrocketed, Prime Time has increased its emphasis on the importance of quality assurance at all stages of development, from growing to packing and distribution.
“We did not do this alone,” Maggio was sure to note. “We are thankful to our dedicated team of employees, our hard working associates and vendors, and our growing list of loyal customers.”
To thank these dedicated and loyal customers, Prime Time is commemorating the anniversary by randomly placing highly visible red envelopes in its produce boxes throughout the summer. Those lucky winners who open the box simply need to complete the form and return it in the enclosed stamped, self-addressed envelope to Prime Time to receive a Prime Time limited edition commemorative pure silver coin and a polo shirt, the company says.
Winners will be listed in select Prime Time print ads, on the website, and on Facebook. This 25th Anniversary Giveaway runs from April until the end of Summer, 2016.
