NOGALES, AZ - July is a month of opportunities, especially for building relationships between foodservice operators and supply-chain companies who strategize solutions across the segment for the betterment of fresh produce. With the International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Foodservice Conference nearing, best-in-class companies will join together to talk about innovation, market opportunities, and challenges in an effort to better the category and plan for the future. Companies like Divine Flavor are taking advantage of such opportunities, bringing their own vision for foodservice and growth across the segment.
![Patrick Cortes, Vice President, Divine Flavor](https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/headshots/patrickcortes_headshot.jpg?VersionId=G1w0YYrNJWSvn86rSZaSXaCRTHux28TT&_gl=1*1tmyvd6*_ga*MTk4ODEyNTI5NS4xNzEwODAwMzky*_ga_R0EZCSFLW2*MTcxMTAzMzI4OC4xMC4xLjE3MTEwMzQ0ODYuMC4wLjA.)
“As a leading supplier of table grapes and hot house veg, it’s important for us to connect with this critical segment of the industry, as foodservice is its own unique component,” Patrick Cortes, Vice President of Sales, shares. “The backbone is our farms producing some of the highest quality, flavorful, and safest products. In foodservice, having a consistent supply is paramount. As a vertically integrated grower-shipper, we want to offer solutions to our food service providers that guarantee the surety of supply for their programs.”
Divine Flavor’s core driving vision revolves around the team’s dedication to ensuring top-notch, quality produce, excellence, and value for all customers in all industry segments.
“Our ultimate goal is to be recognized as the go-to source for consistently fresh produce of the highest quality in the market. This commitment extends to our current customers and those we hope to serve in the future,” Patrick continues. “Through contracted pricing, we firmly believe we are a viable and dependable source for our food service partners.”
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With the Foodservice Conference on the horizon, the show will coincide perfectly with Divine Flavor’s Baja and Central Mexico programs. The company will showcase organic and conventionally colored bell peppers, mini peppers, Long English and Persian cucumbers, yellow squash, and Italian zucchini, as well as tomatoes such as the company’s staple Roma, Beefsteaks, and TOVs. In addition, attendees can expect Divine Flavor’s sweet-snacking Magnifico grape tomatoes.
“While the Mexican table grape season will be all but finished, we will start transitioning into our new California table grape program with premium varieties and getting set for our sizeable offshore grape program from Peru and Chile,” Patrick details. “We will be showcasing each of these items and explaining the farms they come from. Our company is dedicated to a six-pillar philosophy focusing on quality/flavor, food safety, social responsibility, traceability, organics, and sustainability.”
Patrick notes that each of these pillars complies at the highest levels and certification, and each product aligns with Divine Falvor’s six-pillar promise.
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“At Divine Flavor, we understand the unique challenges that companies in the foodservice space face, such as surety of supply, stable pricing, and special packs. In addition to outstanding quality produce, we strive to be solutions-based. Whether it’s varied pack styles, sizes, counts, grades, or more, we understand that flexibility is important to being a great foodservice supplier,” Patrick concludes.
Find out more about the Divine Flavor program at booth #519 for this year’s IFPA Foodservice Conference.
See you all next month!