LOS ANGELES, CA - Increasing costs is a top concern throughout the supply chain, from suppliers to retailers and the end consumers. Talks of inflation are on everyone’s lips, and Maui Fresh International is stepping in to help assuage concerns as Owner Francisco Clouthier addressed how the wholesaler and distributor is proactively responding to these industry challenges to provide buyers the best possible produce price.
“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," stated Clouthier. “With over 20 years of experience, Maui Fresh has weathered multiple industry challenges and has remained nimble to provide consistent costs, services, and produce.”
According to FMI, the Food Industry Association’s 2022 Power of Produce Report, 25 percent of consumers rank price as the most important factor when making fresh produce purchasing decisions, noted the wholesaler in its release.
Maui Fresh is located in California and sources produce from growers in Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Mexico, Canada, Holland, and Spain. With rising freight and labor costs, its convenient location allows it 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 listens to its customers daily and meets with all sales staff weekly 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 costs.
Like the rest of the industry and many others, rising labor costs also impact the cost transferred to the consumer. Maui Fresh has continued to update its processes to improve efficiencies while still meeting consumer demands. Its staff consists of experienced professionals offering consolidation service, custom packing solutions, and direct-to-store delivery.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the shifts and changes in our industry as they happen, so keep a tab open.
