The Fruit Kraze Company, a company located in the tranquil suburb of Valley Cottage in Rockland County and which will be engaged in the import and distribution of tropical fruits and agricultural products from the Dominican Republic and other countries, such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central and South America, and South Korea, was inaugurated on Saturday.
At the event, the senior executives of Fruit Kraze, led by president Philip Reich, cut the symbolic ribbon to formally start the company's operations.
For the past year, the company has already been supplying dozens of supermarkets in the area of New York and other states, major restaurants, local markets, companies located in the Marqueta Hunts Point in the Bronx, and other establishments.
The opening of the company was also attended by the Dominican Lucy Redzeposki, director of economic development and growth of tourism in the executive office of Rockland County, renowned entrepreneurs from niche markets in the products distributed by Kraze Fruit, restaurant owners, politicians, corporate leaders, the Dominican Josephine Infante, director of development Marqueta Hunts Point in the Bronx, and representatives of Mexican companies from Texas and Puerto Rico.
Fruit Kraze distributes limes and lemons, Jazmine Korean rice, oranges, vegetables, grapefruits, avocados, chili peppers, grapes, Korean tomatoes and seaweed, among other products.
Fernandez said the company planned to import thousands of tons of fresh products from the Dominican Republic to distribute them in the local market through Fruit Kraze.
"We'll bring different categories of products for all types of public," added the Dominican executive.
He said the company was working to lift the ban maintained by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to numerous products harvested in the Dominican Republic because of the Mediterranean fruit fly.
"We are very interested in importing sour orange, as there is a great shortage here in America, and everyone is waiting for it; as well as tayota, malanga coco, avocado, and Moca cassava," added Fernandez.
He also stated that they planned to open a packaging facility in Bani and bring the fruit to the United States. "The mango we see here is the Haitian mango, but it will fall once we bring Dominican mango because the Dominicans in the US want to consume their products."
"The banilejo mango is the best mango in the world. The Europeans import eight to ten containers a week, the United States needs Dominican mango and we will bring it."
In addition, he added, "The Dominican banana is widely appreciated in the United States, so we also plan to import it."
The Reich and Felix brothers agreed that the official opening of the company was the realization of a dream their families had had for years.
They stated that there were currently 11 employees in the offices and that they planned to increase the workforce to 20-30 employees in the next two months, including warehouse workers.
"Thank you for giving us this opportunity to fulfill the dream that Philip, Steve, Mike, the Fruit Kraze family, and I have cherished for so long. This company is different, and God willing, we'll be able to achieve what we've dreamed," Fernandez said at the ribbon cutting.
"We are excited and grateful for all your support to the company, thankful foe the executives at Rockland County, our suppliers and customers," Philip said, promising that the company would not disappoint the trust they had placed in them.
Throughout the afternoon, there was music, liquor, roasts and varied snacks for the guests.
Source: elnuevodiario.com.do