Asian produce is a key category for Kelton, PA-based I Love Produce. The company is owned by partners Jim Provost and Neil Millman.
David Kim — who is of Korean heritage — works with Vice President of Sales Eric Frasse and serves as Asian sales representative for the company.
Kim said that a predominant holiday in Korea is Korean New Year, which corresponds to Chinese New Year. His personal and professional experience has provided him with extensive knowledge about the fresh produce items that families commonly include in the celebration.
“Korean New Year is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year,” said Kim. “There are some similarities in the celebratory customs, but also some differences.”
He said that Korean New Year has a spirit for two main ideas. The first is to show respect for ancestors, and the second is having a meaningful time with family members.
“Family and relatives gather together, conduct a memorial service for our ancestors, exchange gifts and have a celebratory breakfast together,” said Kim. “For the memorial service, the family prepares breakfast tables for our ancestors that include Asian pears, Fuji apples, persimmons and other fruits.”
Many Koreans visit a place for a memorial service with gifts, and in many cases they are fruit gift boxes.
“Korean retailers in the U.S. stock extra fruits for the holiday, but also prepare many fruit sets as gifts,” noted Kim.
Asian consumers, he said, prefer larger size fruits, such as 48/56 count Fuji apples and 7/8 count Singo, or Asian, pears.
“For Asians in the U.S., it is a nice chance to give New Year fruits as gifts to their friends,” said Kim.
I Love Produce is known for its extensive line of garlic items — from whole bulbs in bulk and packs, peeled and even black garlic. The company also specializes in ginger and shallots, and it has a full line of jarred products. It also has a wide organic line and supplies its customers on a year-round basis.
Provost has more than 30 years of experience in several facets of the agricultural industry. He is a Leadership Fellow for the United Fresh Produce Association Leadership Program, serving on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee to advise the U.S. Trade Representative on trade-related issues. He also serves as a spokesperson for the Fresh Garlic Producers Association.
Millman has nearly 20 years of experience working in the financial industry as a leader of international initiatives and more than 10 years in the produce industry.
I Love Produce is also known for its dedication to giving back to communities. Its premium organic ginger is produced on Asháninka rainforest farmland high in the mountains of Peru. The Asháninkas’ tribe, the second largest indigenous group living in these rainforests, farm this land.
“The journey to the Asháninka farmland is a very difficult and arduous one,” said Provost. “It takes our team more than 25 hours of travel to get to the location. On our journey I developed a connection with the Asháninka, and realized that because of the remoteness, the Asháninka schools lacked many of the resources we take for granted. The children of the ginger farmers and facility workers worked hard at school, but it was obvious they needed more resources.”
Provost and Millman wanted to do something to help the Asháninka. I Love Produce pledged to give a percentage of the Peru organic ginger root sales to the Asháninka School.
In the first year of this relationship, I Love Produce donated more than $13,000 to the Children of Antonio Raymond School. The money from this effort supports the school library, a computer room and other facilities that are much needed by these young students. Past and future donations will help the Asháninka children to receive a better education leading to a stronger Ashaninka community for the future.
In addition, the company participates in the Eat Brighter campaign with its Asian pears.
I Love Produce thrives because of its professional team, which, in addition to the aforementioned staff members, includes Isha Ghetia, sales coordinator, and Honorio Aguilar, sales representative.
“Our team applies more than 100 years combined produce industry experience for the benefit of our loyal customers,” said Provost. “We go above and beyond customer needs to ensure a steady year-round supply of garlic, ginger and shallots. Food safety is a top priority and our staff ensures we keep up with all new industry standards. That diligence earned us the superior rating by Primus Global Food Safety.
“I Love Produce doesn’t just sell garlic,” he continued. “We provide assurance, reliability, consistent supply and a relationship that our customers and suppliers count on.”
