New plant, products and people signal growth for processor

Since it’s founding in 1999, Country Fresh Inc. has experienced an annual growth rate of about 40 percent year over year. The fresh-cut processor started with one plant and 20 employees and has grown now to six processing facilities and more than 1,000 full-time and contract employees.

That growth wasn’t an accident – Country Fresh has been preparing for it.

“For the past several years we’ve been investing in infrastructure and investing in people, getting all the things in place to manage that growth rate,” said Doug Burris, director of marketing for Country Fresh.

The fresh-cut business was started by Sam Petro and Bryan Herr, who had a combined 60 years of produce industry experience. They joined forces as Country Fresh Inc. to provide the best service to retail and foodservice customers east of Texas.

Country Fresh processes a full line of both fruits and vegetables, and recently launched an organic fresh-cut line that has about 10 items in it. The company also recently partnered with Labrada to launch four premium snack products that have fruits or vegetables packaged with Labrada’s high-protein granola. And to meet consumers desire for convenient food items they can prepare at home, Country Fresh introduced four Blender Salsa Kits that come packaged with everything needed to prepare fresh salsa in less than 60 seconds.

Country Fresh operates six processing facilities in Houston; Dallas; Des Moines, Iowa; Orlando; Greenville, S.C.; and Hatfield, Pa. The Pennsylvania is the most recent addition to the Country Fresh line-up. The 55,000 square-foot plant opened in March. It will employ 50 people and will process the full line of products as well as manage a year-round supply of fresh-cut apples.

The distribution of plants allows Country Fresh to provide quicker turnaround to customers, which results in fresher product for the end user. Distribution is typically in a 200-mile radius of each facility, so there are a greater number of short trips instead of the fewer long trips that other processors might have to make. Right now the company processes orders in less than a day, and some customers could have a turnaround of as little as eight hours.

Customers receive cut produce orders five to seven times a week, which has had the added benefit of growing the organic whole produce segment. Instead of shipping organics once or twice a week, Country Fresh is packing the organic produce in the daily cut produce shipments, so customers don’t have to inventory organic products and they benefit with fresher produce. The Houston and Greenville facilities distribute this way, and the Hatfield plant will as well when it’s completely up and running.

All six Country Fresh plants are certified organic and all do small amounts of fresh-cut organics. As the company grows, the remaining plants will distribute organic whole produce with its fresh-cut shipments.

“The regional network will continue to be the model we’ll use going forward,” Burris said.

Country Fresh already is well established in the Southeast and in Texas, and the biggest growth in those areas is in foodservice, although cut fruit is still growing. In newer markets, every segment is growing, some in the triple digits.

“The Southeast is a huge growing area. We’re able to work with local growers to get the produce we need, including organics,” Burris said.

As Country Fresh has been planning for its growth, the company has invested in market research to better reach its customers.

“We’re trying to understand the consumer’s behavior better, and consumer behavior is shifting in this category,” Burris said.

The company found consumers are looking for smaller sizes and more convenient packaging.

“As a rule, people are wanting to eat a little more sophisticated and do want to have more fun with their food,” Burris said.

The Blender Salsa Kits were developed to meet those consumer desires. The product can be prepared in a short amount of time, but consumers still take pride in what they “made.”

“It’s easy to make a high-quality salsa product at home instead of the jarred product,” Burris said.

Another trend that Country Fresh is building on the individualism of the consumers. In a family of four, it’s not unusual for at least two family members to want something different. That’s part of what’s driving the growth of casual dining, Burris said. Fresh-cut products that are smaller and meet the needs of consumers on an individual level will be successful, but it requires an investment. Country Fresh works closely with its partners, the retail stores, to get the products into consumers’ hands instead of marketing itself as a brand name.

“There is some brand recall with national brands,” Burris said. “But I don’t know what benefit there is to market on a national brand level at this point.”

Instead of seeing an advertisement, customers are more likely to see Country Fresh products in their local store circular or as part of a tasting demonstration in the store.

“You have a captive audience if you can do that store very well,” Burris said.

Although fresh-cut produce is typically considered a luxury purchase, Burris said the company was about meeting customers’ needs and expectations rather than selling a certain amount of product.

“We certainly operate at a premium as a rule,” he said. “We’re offering another aspect. We’re giving you a solution to a problem you have to feeding your family. We want to be an alternative, not just a luxury. If we happen to be a luxury at the same time we’re an alternative, that’s just fine.”



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