US: Royal Star & Sun Crest papaya receives GFS Certification

Tex Starr Distributing, LLC, growers and shippers of the super sweet papaya variety Royal Star and traditional variety, Sun Crest Maradol Papaya, announce that they have received the GFS Certification for their Farms and Packing Sheds in Mexico. They have completed all of the necessary requirements for the GFS Certification program in order to obtain this status.

All Royal Star and Sun Crest Maradol papayas are grown on certified orchards in Colima, Mexico, which is located near the Pacific coast and brought into the US through their facility in Alamo, TX. “Food Safety has always been our highest priority when growing and shipping our products. Since we planted our first seeds, we have always done everything possible to focus on and treat this part of our business as the foundation for everything we do here,” said Lance Peterson, co-owner of Tex Starr Distributing, LLC.

Ever since the Papaya Import Alert was issued back in October, 2011, the FDA has asked more from all of the papaya growers in Mexico. At the time of the original alert, we were already the only Mexican papaya grower certified at the farm and packing shed levels by the government managed agriculture organization, SENASICA. Now, in addition to SENASICA, Tex Star has earned its GFS Certification for the fields and packing sheds where their products are grown, harvested and packed.

Now, with these two programs over lapping, every area of the operation has been identified to help eliminate any potential areas of concern. “With Food Safety programs like this in place, it really makes our sales teams job that much easier,” said Ryan Wolverton, Sales Manager for Tex Starr Distributing, LLC. “When we can protect the products we grow with programs like GFS & SENASICA, it will always give our customers the confidence to know that they are buying a truly safe product.”

Royal Star papaya is available in retail grocery stores in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington. Royal Star papaya is also sold and available in retail grocery stores throughout Canada. Royal Star Papayas can be identified by a bright orange and green label that notates Royal Star Papaya brand. Royal Star papaya is a proprietary seed variety boasting a star shaped interior, super sweet flavor and appealing aroma that is very different from all other varieties of papaya that are distributed throughout the USA and Canada.

Tex Starr Distributing, LLC is based in Alamo, Texas and is the Exclusive Distributor of the Royal Star and Sun Crest Papaya. Tex Starr Distributing, LLC also grows and distributes, honeydew melons and watermelon fresh from the company’s farms and orchards in Mexico.

For more information:
Ryan A. Wolverton
Tex Starr
Tel: +1 956-283-8014
Mob: +1 956-325-4620
[email protected]
www.freshtexproduce.com