Meet the Team: A Q&A with Peter D'Arrigo

NEW YORK - D'Arrigo New York highlighted a team member in a recent newsletter. Below is an excerpt spotlighting his career and expertise.

At D’Arrigo New York, the heart of our business is the people. In this interview, we’re highlighting one of our fourth generation family members, Peter D’Arrigo, to learn more about his role, what a typical day looks like, and what makes working in the produce industry so rewarding.

Q: Can you share a defining moment early in your career that helped shape your leadership style?

A: When I worked at the market during the summers, I always noticed that my uncles were there before 6 a.m. They showed up early, present and ready to take on the day. Watching that firsthand taught me an important lesson: if you want to grow a business, being there and staying involved isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Q: Was there a particular challenge you faced when you first started that taught you an important lesson?

A: One of the hardest things for me has been staying sharp every single day. On the surface, it seems simple, customers expect you to be at your best but the constant day-to-day negotiating and haggling can wear on you over time. It’s a demanding environment both mentally and emotionally. Even now, I remind myself to control the controllables: work hard, be honest, and trust that good things will follow.

Q: What are your primary responsibilities?

A: I work in our vegetable department, where I handle both buying and selling. On the sales side, I focus on growing my customers’ business and making sure their orders are filled accurately and on time. On the purchasing side, I manage about 20 different commodities and am responsible for ensuring our company stays properly stocked to meet demand.

Q: What do you consider your biggest achievement at D’Arrigo New York so far?

A: Initially, my role was strictly in all sales and gaining new business as my expertise in the field grew. When the opportunity arose to start growing the garlic commodity, I took advantage of it and worked to expand our presence and footprint in the market.

Q: How do you balance operational priorities with big-picture strategic planning?

A: For me, the logistics side of the business is one of the most important drivers of strategic planning. Our customers are ultimately looking for reliability, the ability to receive the right product, in the right condition, delivered on time. By focusing on that, we’ve built a strong delivery program that consistently meets those expectations, and it has played a major role in helping our company grow.

Q: What’s a typical day like for you — or does “typical” even exist?

A: There’s nothing typical about a 3:30 a.m. alarm, but after a while you get used to it. I usually arrive at the market around 4:30 a.m. and start the day walking through the coolers. It’s the best way to see what we have in stock and what needs to move before the end of the day. I also send out a price list to a few customers early on, just to get the conversations started. From there, the next seven hours are all about selling, with a few calls in between to shippers to restock inventory for the coming days and weeks. We close the cashier at noon, and after that I head upstairs to finish up my buying and take care of paperwork. Most days I’m heading home around 2 p.m.

Q: What differentiates D’Arrigo New York from other produce distributors?

A: I believe D’Arrigo New York is always willing to go above and beyond to meet our customers’ needs. If something can be done, we make it happen. If it can’t, we make sure to have open conversations about why and work through the challenges together. I think our customers recognize that effort, and at the end of the day, they are the ones who help drive the growth of our business.

Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the produce industry today?

A: From the wholesale perspective, the produce industry seems to be moving toward more convenient, grab-and-go options. Packaged salads and bagged products continue to grow in popularity as consumers look for easier, ready-to-use choices. This shift is putting increased pressure on growers and packers to develop new items and packaging formats that meet changing customer demands.

From a wholesaler’s point of view, however, these specialized packs and size specifications can create challenges. Products are becoming more tailored to specific customer needs, and if an item doesn’t meet those exact specifications, it can be much harder to sell.

To read more about Peter D'Arrigo, click here.