A.J. Trucco, an importer and distributor of kiwifruit, blueberries, citrus, grapes, other fruits, and chestnuts, recently announced the opening of their first wholly-owned and dedicated facility to kiwifruit. The state-of-the-art facility officially opened last fall in Vineland, NJ, and will serve as a hub for the company’s kiwifruit business. Over the past year, the company has been working to optimize the facility further.
"We started working out of our new facility in the fall of 2018 during our Italian season, and have spent the last year perfecting our new operations," said Nick Pacia, President of A.J. Trucco. "It's been almost a year now that we have now been working out of this facility as we are nearing the end of our Chilean season."
Streamlining the supply chain
Trucco says the kiwifruit facility further integrates its supply chain and will have the ability to receive imports, store product, re-pack and manage distribution to retail partners. “Trucco prides itself on offering the leading produce and the best customer service.” Pacia shared. He continues, “To best service our partners and support the changing demands of their business, we decided to open our new facility, where we are exclusively focused on kiwifruit, quality, modernization, and service.”
The distribution center is 70,000 square feet in size and is located just off Route 55 in Vineland, New Jersey. According to Trucco, the logistical hub is dedicated to receiving, packaging and distributing kiwifruit through its expansive nationwide network. Pacia adds, “To support our commitment to our customers, you can expect consistent, fast service, and immediate response from Trucco, to deliver the highest quality kiwifruit.”
Advanced technology
One of the highlights of the new distribution center is its modern packing room with several automated packing lines. There are also four cold storage rooms that store over 2,500 pallets combined. Trucco says it has designed the facility with kiwifruit in mind, optimizing each section to tailor to the specifics of kiwifruit and provide it a proper environment for storage. The distribution center also includes a quality control lab, for testing and monitoring the quality of the kiwifruit.
Pacia summarized the importance of the new facility. "The new facility has been very helpful with our Zespri distribution partnership, and we are excited to hit the ground running with this year's Italian season."
Trucco says the expansion is a reflection of the company’s significant growth over the last two decades, and also kiwifruit as a category in the market. "As the authority on Kiwi, with its strong KiwiStar business and important Zespri distribution partnership, the addition of a dedicated kiwifruit facility is a natural extension for the Trucco business," the company concluded. "We look forward to continuing our productive relationships in the industry with the new distribution center in addition to our full-service offerings."
For more information:
Sasha LoPresti
A.J. Trucco, Inc.
Ph: +1 (718) 893-3060
slopresti@truccodirect.com
www.truccodirect.com