From foodservice to retail, export to wholesale, the fresh produce distribution business can cover a wide-rage of business segments that come together to service everything from grocery stores to restaurants and casinos to schools. One business that successfully covers all of these segments is Green Business Bureau member, General Produce Company, a company tackling the fresh produce market in Northern California.
Founded in 1933 by Chan Tai Oy, his three sons and nephew, General Produce Co. is a third generation owned and operated family business that distributes and exports fresh fruits and vegetables that are local, organic, sustainable, and regionally and globally sourced. As a PRO*ACT member, General Produce is focused on energy conservation and reduction, recycling and participating in programs like Greener Fields Together, a local farm initiative. General Produce works to integrate sustainability – social, environmental and economic – into their daily business practices and long range planning.
While General Produce is challenged with facilities that are dated in terms of structures, energy systems, fleet demand for service and CA legislation, they have worked hard to be creative in addressing the demands of state mandates, as well as facility layout. From lighting to cooling and refrigeration, the company’s operations and facility team continuously work toward making improvements. They also look for ways to minimize the company’s environmental impacts in the areas of water, waste, energy and air, and reduce their carbon footprint by installing cost saving measures.
“Our approach to business is guided by our commitment to the principles of integrity, honesty, personal relationships, diverse expertise, stewardship and innovation,” said Linda Luka, Director of Marketing & Communications. “We are dedicated to providing quality service and products. To do so, our aim is to ensure that our workforce and communities benefit from the small scale of our daily operations to the large scale of our supply chain.”
To learn more about General Produce, please visit: https://www.generalproduce.com
