PR ~ 'STHE PRODUCE PROFESSIONAlS' QUARTERLYJOURNAL

THE BOSTO

Highlighting the produce centers of tr

The Boston produce market started in thefamed Faneuil Hall marketplace in 1742. Foralmost two hundred years, Faneuil Hall washome to merchants of all kinds. However, in

the 1920s, the original Boston Market Terminal(BMT) was built on Commerce Street in SouthBoston. When Faneuil Hall fell into disrepair in themid-1900s, some merchants moved to Commerce

Street while others remained, until a fire in 1967 lefrbusinesses withom facilities. As a result, six of theproduce merchants joined resources and built theNew England Produce Center (NEPC) in Chelsea.In April of 1969, wholesalers from the BMT followedtheir competitors from the NEPC and bought spacein Everett.

The NEPC and the BMT were competitorsin close quarters. Despite being located indifferent cities, the NEPC and BMT are literally only

steps apart. Initially.the New England ProduceCenter was an eastern fruitand vegetable market.handling local produceand importing producefrom elsewhere along the

eastern seaboard.The BostonMarket TerminalCorporation was awes tern frui t andvegetable market.handling productfrom the West

coast and Mexico. A thirdmarket, the Boston FruitAuction (BFA), was aroundthe corner. At the BFA,shippers sold their best

produce at top dollar to anxious buyers. Whenshippers began replacing the hot product withclean-up product, buyers lost interest, and themarket lost its edge. The Boston Fruit Auctiondissolved by the mid-1980s.

26 - BLUEPRINTS

ARKETS

he/sea and Everett areas

As the BFA dissolved, the fruit busi-ness went to companies at the NEPC andme BMT. The lines separating the twomarkets became muddled and finallyeased to exist. Many houses now carry a

rull line of fruit and vegetables from allover the country and around the world._-\n eggplant carrier, for example, will;::arry product from India, Thailand,California, and Florida. A house that spe-;:ializes in tropical fruit will carry product:Tom Mexico, South America, Florida,and California. Many companies buy:Tom Canada, and even have their own. bel growing there.

In 2007, Massachusetts farmers:::xporred $160 million in produce._ fassachusetts' Commissioner of_-aricultural Resources, Doug Petersen,says the state constantly encourages farm-

s to look at exports as part of their rev-:::nue stream. Apples and berries are highn the list. "We have one of the largest

Derry producers in the world, who exports, lover the country and the world,"

ys Petersen.While companies at the Boston termi-

::at markets assist with some exporting ofal produce, many growers handle their

wn shipping. Massachusetts boasts;.everal crops that rank in the top thirty

ationwide, including cranberries,

blueberries, pumpkins, squash, raspber-ries, apples, pears, strawberries, green-house vegetables, sweet corn, broccoli,and organics. The growing season inMassachusetts is short, but certain spe-cialty items are exclusive to the region.

With 129 farms totaling $7.8 millionin sales, Massachusetts ranks thirteenthnationwide in organic sales. More than80 percent of Massachusetts farms arefamily-owned, and over 93 percent fit thecategory of "small farms" under rheUnited States Department of Agriculturedefinition of sales below $250,000.

PurchasingA heighrened awareness of the role of

fresh produce in health and fitness hascreated a new marketplace for farm

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products. While the wholesale marketscontinue to prosper, Petersen says he haswitnessed an explosion in the popularityof farmers' markets, roadside stands, andcommunity-supported agriculture systems(CSAs) among consumers. "In five yearsfarmers' markets have grown from ninetyto 160, and we're starting twenty tothirty new community farmers' markets

a year," he says. According to Petersen,Massachusetts has the highest rateof direct marketing of any state inthe nation. "Buyers are looking foreverything local," he says. "The organic

movement is big, but pales next to'Buy Local.'"

Demographics Affect the MarketDemographic changes have made a big

impact in the state, as well.Massachusetts farmers are growing exoticvegetables, like Brazilian eggplants and avariety of Asian produce to suit theCambodian population. In an effort tomeet the demands of the growing immi-grant population, local farmers of all eth-nicities are growing produce they maynever have encountered at their own din-ner table. The climate is conducive to

growing these things, but the growingseason is shorter, so local farmers cannotalways meet the needs of the populace.

Consequently, the buying patterns ofthe Cambodian and Vietnamese immi-grants have also impacted Boston's whole-sale importing patterns. Steven Piazza,president of Community Suffolk, Inc.,says he credits recent immigrants withtaking over some of the urban marketsthat the chain stores have deserted."Everybody's building 60,000 to 70,000square-foot 'have-everything' stores, andabandoning the inner city little ones,"says Piazza. "These hard-working immi-grants have come in and taken over thisreal estate, and because they don't have awarehouse and may only have one store,they shop the market three or four timesa week, and have really been a great influ-ence for the Boston Market Terminal andthe New England Produce Center."

Anthony Sharrino, president of Eaton& Eustis Co. at the NEPC, says diversityhas helped his business significantly."Hispanics and Asians use a lot of freshproduct, more so I think than Americansand Italian-Americans," he says.

Peter Condakes Company, Inc.'s buy-ing practices have shifted dramatically asa result of both changing local demo-graphics and the increasingly refinedtastes of Massachusetts consumers. In theearly 1900s, the company patriarchstarted out buying lemons from theFaneuil Hall produce center and sellingthem from a push cart that he walkedthrough the streets of Boston. Seventyyears later, the company was establishedas a car lot receiver and distributor, carry-ing a variety of fruit and vegetables.Peter's grandson Steven Condakes is nowthe company's vice president. In the1970s, he says, someone could open afruit stand with twenty-five differentitems, but today's supermarkets claimthey carry 500 different commodities.

"Grape tomatoes didn't exist,"says Condakes. "Yellow tomatoes didn'texist; the organics didn't exist; the babyvegetables didn't exist. Some of the prod-uct just didn't exist period." Condakessays certain specialty items, like babyvegetables, may have been developedfor chefs. As the chefs desired aneggplant that could be cut it in half and

just served, growers responded."Many of these items weren't devel-

oped here in the United States," saysCondakes. "They were developed in Asia,they were developed in Europe. Nowthey're being mass produced where theycan be produced more cheaply. Some ofthem are done in hothouses in Canadaand across the U.S. and Mexico. It's aworld market."

Dana Hayes, general manager for theBoston Market Terminal, says the newworld market makes it possible for abuyer to ger pretty much anyrhing at anytime at the BMT, and the seven whole-salers there handle a variety of importedpecialty items. Fresh dates and fresh figs

are just part of a line of high-end fruitand greens carried by Peter CondakesCompany. Community Suffolk mostlycarries vegetables at the Boston Market,

ut they sell citrus in the New EnglandProduce Center. Tropical Banana carriesoconuts, plus a variety of Caribbean

'oots and root vegerables.The Boston Market Terminal officially

opens at 5 AM, but customers often arrivewell before that time. Business is gener-ally over by 11 AM. "It's an early, fasr;msiness," says Hayes. When buyers enrer:he building, they can stop at the cafe orcontinue rhrough into the heared sampleoom to see what the sellers have avail-

able. The advantage of this design is that-ustomers are shielded from the weatherwhile they shop. The refrigerated ware-

ouse space beyond the sample room per-its sellers to handle larger orders. Once

Lhe seller writes a ticket, the buyer canretrieve the product at the warehouse.

In the past, selling was done on con--ignment. Today, the Internet allows for:nany transactions to be handled over the;:lhone. Generally, the producr is good,Dur if a buyer is unsatisfied they can sell itack. The public are also welcome at the

BMT, provided they are willing to buy aox of produce, rather than just a hand-ill I. Hayes says food co-ops often savemoney on groceries by buying a cart ofsomething and splitting it.

The Boston Market Terminal's organi-zational structure is similar to a co-op orhopping mall. The two-story, 66,000

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square-foot building contains a hearedsample room and warehouses on the firstfloor, and office space on the secondfloor. BMT rents warehouse space to itssellers, and rents office space to sellers,brokers, and buyers for companies. BMTalso rents to the government, so inspec-tors are readily available to examine a loadas it comes in.

srranded, without much help from thestate or city of Boston. With no time towait for providence, they builr the NEPC,and it has been full ever since.

Today, the New England ProduceCenter is approximately four times thesize of the BMT, and there are seventimes as many wholesalers in the center.Still, it is a close community with ties tothe Boston Market Terminal. The organi-zation and structure of the NEPC is simi-lar to a condominium. Each companyowns its own bay and attached warehousespace, and all owners pay "condo" fees to

When Faneuil Hall burned down in1967, many wholesalers were left

"~or Over 70 Yearj "f<ojebud on the tabet rneanj CfJua~t'!on the table!

COMMUNITY SUFFOLK INC.Continuing to operate in both the Boston Market

Terminal and New England Produce Center.

Third Generation of Full Service...Consignment specialists, food service products

and a full line of fruits & vegetablesfrom all producing areas.

Joe, Tom, Steven, Jack or David PiazzaRon Dugas, Joe Gelardi, John Michaels, Mike Patalano

or Chris Rodes

617 -389-5200Fax: 617-389-6680

Boston Market Terminal304 Second S1, • Everett, MA 02149

Jackie Piazza: 617-884-0127 • Fax: 617-884-0108New England Produce Center, Bays 126 & 127

BLUEPRINTS - 29

the management company. The by-lawsset by the original members of the NewEngland Produce Center are overseen by aBoard of Directors. The Board monitorscapital expenditures and sets guidelinesfor the day-to-day operation of the mar-ker. Only the owners of the actual bays

project. The alternative would have beento leave it up to people to fix their ownroofs, and in the end it was simpler andmore cost-effective for everyone to raisethe association fees.

Tavilla says the New England ProduceCenter is in better shape than many other

"The advantage of having a market is that your customers have a choice, and ifyour customers have a choice, you're more likely to have the right product."

can be elected to the Board. MarketManager Brian Eddy handles the day-to-day operational issues.

Ernie Tavilla, president of P. TavillaCompany, Ine. at NEPC, says that whilethis business structure creates a level oftrust among the owners, it also presentschallenges. When extra capital is needed(Q pay for repairs to the building in the

arket, owners must charge themselves to2Ae sure such expenses are covered.

en the roofs needed replacement a;:0 t>le of years ago, management fees

raised to cover the $2 to $3 million

terminal markets he has visited aroundthe nation. "A lot of us have newmachinery," he says. "You get to choosehow much you do in there. You're makingyour space more valuable if you ever wantto sell. That's to your own advantage."

VOLUME AND DIVERSITY:COMMODITIES AT NEPC

Not all the companies at NEPC arestrictly wholesale distributors. Some han-dle food service, and others operate as apackaging company. With over forry

;J1Arrowfarms f)

James M. CiprianoPresident

617884 7371 • 6178842218 • james@arrowfarms.com57 New England Produce Center, Chelsea, MA 02150

78 New England Produce Center, Chelsea, Massachusetts 02150Telephone: 617-884-9100

Fax: 617-884-2696P. TAVILLACO./ INC.3 Generations of Quality Receivers

BUYING & SALES:ERNIE TAVILLA • RICK TAVILLA • SUSAN TAVILLA

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FULL LINE OF EAST COAST & WEST COAST VEGETABLESWITH BLUEBERRIES & STRAWBERRIES

companies operating at NEPC, there'sprobably nothing a buyer can't find there.And while many wholesalers shy awayfrom what they consider a "niche" mar-ket, Mark DeMichaelis, president of StateGarden, Inc.lOlivia's Organics, says theshelf space "conventional" retailers arenow devoting to organics is proof thatorganics have entered the main stream.

State Garden jumped into organics in2000 when they acquired a companycalled NorEast Fresh. DeMichaelis sayshe felt the trend and the growth sectorover a five-year horizon would be organie.When NorEast Fresh failed to resonatewell with the organic consumer,DeMichaelis took the opportunity to cre-ate a new label.

In 2005, State Garden, Ine. introducedOlivia's Organics as a non-profit founda-tion, and the brand has seen a great dealof success. The business model wasinspired by DeMichaelis' father. Theelder DeMichaelis suggested creating afoundation and taking profits from theproducts sold to fund children's charities."It was an initiative we pursued withzeal," says DeMichaelis. "That's our vehi-cle, our way of giving back."

Olivia's Organics handles greens fromMaine when they're in season, and fromArizona and California during theoff-season. Regardless of where the pro-duce comes from, the company processes,washes, packs, and ships everything inNew England. They're serving theNortheast corridor, and by packing andshipping on the same day, DeMichaelissays he feels they're providing a superiorproduct when it comes to freshness.

LOCATON IS EVERYTHING:THE BOSTON ADVANTAGE

While most wholesalers do their busi-.ness from one of the Boston producemarkets, Peter Condakes Company andCommunity Suffolk operate in both theNew England Produce Center and theBoston Market Terminal. This is possiblebecause of the close proximity ofthe markets.

Proximity to TransportationWith Boston Harbor not far away,

wholesalers are easily able to receive pro-duce from overseas. Eaton & Eustis sellspeeled garlic from China. P. Tavilla and

•...ompany carries Holland bell peppers.'=rare Garden, Inc. imports berries from:hile in the winter months. Condakes:eceives product from Asia andSouth America.

Tommy Piazza, clerk of Community-uffolk, says he appreciates the market's- ose proximity to the railroad. "Becauser rhe volume that we move, we can bring

stuff by rail, and ir often is a savingsyer rruck rates," he says. "You pay less

:t r package for freight if you go by rail::ar. We use the rails as much as possible;_='san advantage rhar we have. The little~ys have to split a truck; they don'r get:he rruck rate."

Boston BuyersSharrino says alrhough the Boston

arket is not rhe biggest in terms of vol-,-,me, ir could very well boasr the best

uality. "We probably have the fussiestuyers in the country in Boston,"e says. "I've been to other terminal mar-

-ets where they can get away with sellingaumber two labels, number three labels.30ston [customers] are very, very:ussy buyers."

DeMichaelis has spent a significant

amount of time at other terminal mar-kets, but says he loves working in hishometown. "I find the Boston market tobe completely vibrant," he says, and theNEPC is still doing a tremendous amountof business every day, so there's still agreat need for terminal market opera-tions. The local customer gets to touch,feel, and see what it is that they're pur-chasing. "Being a local supplier of thosefolks, we're that much closer to the cus-tomer so we understand their needs bet-ter," he says.

Condakes says he agrees that cus-tomers need to have physical access totheir wholesale market. "I can show youall rhe e-mail pictures that I have, but youcan't smell the aroma, you can't feel whatthat product feels like," he says. "I canshow you what may look like a beautifulbox, and you think it's perfect, and youget it and it may be just fine, but it maynot be what you're looking for. Youcannot get that advantage without com-ing in. The advantage of having a marketis that your customers have a choice,and if your customers have a choice,you're more likely to have the right

PETERCONDAKESCO:MPANY, INC.PHONE 617 884-5080· FAX 617 884-395034 MARKET ST., SUITE 21· EVERETT, MA 02149

product; and if you work hard enough onyour end to get a great product, thenyou'll be able to satisfy your customersand build your business."

A Family AffairMany company owners at the markets

are third-generation wholesaler/distributors. Shan-ino's grandfatherstarted working with Eaton & Eustis in1906, and now Sharrino carries on thetradition as president of the company.

DeMichaelis sits on the Board ofGovernors at the New England ProduceCenter with people he grew up with. Thefact that rheir fathers and grandfathersalso sat side-by-side at Board ofGovernors meetings means a lot to him.He says the sense of camaraderie thatexists within the confines of both theNEPC and the BMT is a bond that tran-scends the competition among their com-panies. "There's something satisfyingabout seeing the same families carryonthe traditions that their grandfathers car-ried on," he says. "I have some dearfriends here."

Even Hayes is following in rhefoots reps of his father, who was general

Handling a Full Line of Fresh Fruits & Vegetablesto Meet Your Produce Needs.

Peter James Condakes, Suzanne Condakes Polymeros, Ben HorneCitrus, Stone & Deciduous Fruits • Melons & Grapes

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manager of rhe Bosron Market Terminalfor fifty-one years until his death in 1999.

Giving BackIn general, wholesalers in Bosron are

generous. Tavilla says his company is oneof many around the market that donatesexcess produce ro food banks and to thecharitable organizations that come seek-ing supplies for the needy. "There shouldbe no hungry people in this country, andthere are millions," he says. "That bothersme the most. One of the nicest parts ofmy business is ro give."

State Garden found a unique way rogive back when they formedOlivia's Organics, but DeMichaelis tellsanother srory ro describe the caring of theBosron wholesaler community. "In 1988,a year or so after I started, there was agentleman who worked for a customerout in Springfield-a hard, hardworkingman," says DeMichaelis. "He'd get up atone o'clock in the morning, drive out robe here at 3 AM, load up his products,and get out on time. Unfortunately, hepassed away suddenly of a heart attack.One of the members of the market heresaid, 'he's been coming into this facility

for as long as I can remember. We needro do something.'

''A hat was passed around throughoutthe entire terminal market, and themoney was given to his wife; she wasoverwhelmed with the generosity and thesense of community that is here in thismarket," he says. "This industry is full ofvery, very generous, concerned people,and it's really what makes it fun, is toknow that you belong ro a community.That srory is just one of maybe a millionthat we could tell. It's not stuff that peo-ple seek a lot of publicity for. It's justbecause it was the tight thing ro do."

The challenges facing Boston's whole-salers are not unique ro the region. Still,how these companies address such con-cerns may provide insight ro wholesalersseeking solutions in other regions.

Food SafetyThe recent Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) scare had manywholesalers talking. Sharrino says manyof his colleagues have dealt with chal-

lenges in the last twO or three yearsregarding food safety, but it has notaffected Earon & Eustis, as his companyhandles garlic from China and Californiaand manages a full onion program.

Tavilla says he questions whether therecent FDA salmonella scare was well-founded. "They're chasing somethingfrom [months] ago that's ingested andgone," he says. "In the past five years orso, they've talked about labeling, butthat's another cost."

Peter Condakes Company, which car-ries and packages several types of roma-roes, is familiar with additional costs inorder to ensure product safety.Fortunately, they were able ro implementtheir enhancements well in advance of therecent scare. One of these enhancementsis obtaining a certification through third-party food safety audits, which Condakessays assures consumers of the cleanlinessof the company's packing plant and pack-aging practices. The certification also ver-ifies Condakes Company's ability ro tracefood sources and handle the other issuesthat have arisen regarding food safety.Such certification is not yet standard

From our horse-drawn wagon days in 1897, S. Strock & Co. has grown to one of thelargest and most respected firms supplying the New England region. With a team of

specialists at your service, you can be certain that you will get the highest qualityproduce available on the market. Our team takes great pride in ensuring

that the Strock name is associated with the best produce available.

Phil Silva • Bob Somerville· Tom Vallante. John Schleicher· Robert Lee • Patrick Rennie

Ralph DiGiacomo • John DiGiacomo

Sam Strock • Bruce Strock • Rick Strock • Mike Strock • Adam Strock

Phone: 617-884-0263· Fax: 617-884-7310sales@sstrock.com

61-64,85-86 & 95-96 New England Produce CenterChelsea, MA

practice in the industry, so Condakes sayshis company is ahead of the game, but healso says he can see a future where it iscommon. "In the long run, people willhave to have these third-party inspectors,or rhey'll have fewer and fewer customersto sell to," he says.

LegislationWhile the Free Trade Agreement may

have affected other markets in the U.S.,most wholesalers in Boston say it has hadno effect on their marker. However,many folks at the market feel currentimmigration laws have hurt the entirefood industry. "We need these people,"says Steven Piazza. He says he hopes gov-ernment officials will negotiate a reason-able compromise to keep immigrantsworking, get them to pay their taxes, and"make everybody happy."

Tavilla says he believes all politicalagendas and decisions affect some seg-ment of his industry. Many of his suppli-ers tell him they can no longer afford tofarm because of labor restrictions. "Theycan no longer have the twenty-five[immigrants], who live to come and loveto come because they make more herethan they ever could at home," he says."That's a real pet peeve of mine. They'regetting paid more here than they wouldin their country!"

Fuel CostsWholesalers are being hit hard across

the board by rising fuel costs. Everyoneinterviewed says there are no immediatesolutions to the problem other than get-ting used to paying more for product.The best negotiators may be able to workout slightly better deals with growersthan their competition, and the largercompanies may be able to get creativewith transportation arrangements inorder to save a little money. Even so,with fuel COSts rising as they are, foodprices are expected to double.

Some companies are fortunate to haveestablished relationships with growers inCanada, which allows them to pay one-half to one-third the cost of loads comingfrom California. Sharrino says peoplewill have to adjust their habits. As he seesit, the good news is that even if con-sumers eat out less, and eat home more,wholesalers will still do brisk business."Whether it's to food service or retail,you're still moving the product," he says.

Direct MarketingMany local farmers are using the

CSA/farmers' market combination astheir entire retail operation. In doing so,they set their own prices and eliminatethe middle man. The direct marketingefforts of local farms have a minimaleffect on the market's commerce, though,because there's not enough volume tomake a significant dent in business."They might bother us in Romaine for aweek or ten days," says Steven Piazza."People like to shop the farm stands in

because the small- or medium-sized com-pany had no ability to bring in product.But "when the intermodals came along,smaller wholesalers could bring in smallerquantities, they could bring in mixedloads," says Piazza. "The chain storescould get pretty good deals on potatoes,onions, and carrots, usually things thatthey weren't pulling out of the market.That hurt the markets a lot."

Ultimately, says Piazza, the challengehas forced Community Suffolk tobecome a better buyer and a better

"Hopefully we get a portion of the business because we have stuff hereevery day, and if [buyers] need stuff late on a Friday or Saturday, we've got

the product here."

late July and August, but [the volume]comes back in October and November."

It's a different story when a whole-saler's out-of-state suppliers engage indirect marketing efforts. As a volumehouse, Community Suffolk's biggestcompetition are the shippers and growersthemselves. "Hopefully we get a portionof the business because we have stuff hereevery day," says Piazza, "and if [buyers]need stuff late on a Friday or Saturday,we've got the product here."

Availability of CommoditiesSteven Piazza says the invention of the

intermodals and piggyback trailersaround fifteen years ago presented a chal-lenge that they're still dealing with. Priorto that, approximately 85 to 90 percentof produce coming from California wasin freight cars. This was a tremendousadvantage to Community Suffolk,

l:aton &' l:nstis [ompany'

seller. Because they've been working withthe same shippers year after year, insome cases for over fifty years, Piazzasays he's confident they will never gowithout product. He says the companieswho bounce in and out of different com-modity lines probably won't have theopportunities when crises arise, such asthis summer's fires and resulting watershortage in California, floods in Iowa,or other unforeseen events. He expectsshippers will stay with the houses thatthey know can pay their bills and movetheir product.

This summer's floods in the Midwestaffected P. Tavilla and Co. "Even thoughwe don't buy anything from the Midwest,markets in other parts of the country do,"says Tavilla. "Now they don't have theirsupplier, so they're pulling on our suppli-ers." Tavilla also says corn was extremely

QUALITY RECEIVER &.. DISTRIBUTOR SINCE 1880

IMPORTER AND WHOLESALER OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC PRODUCE INCLUDING:

Onions II..Garlic from All GrOWing AreasCoconuts, Chestnuts, Dried Fruit II..Nuts in ShellConsumer Packs of Nuts, Dried Fruits II..Garlic

BUYING &.. SALE.SAnthony Sharrino

expensive during the month of July, andhe thinks another factor affecting theprice is that it's being used in fuel. "It'snot the same type of corn," says Tavilla," ... but if some farmer knows he's goingto be guaranteed a buyer by growing cornfor fuel, he changes what he grows, sothere's a little bit less in the country forwhat we need."

A little bit less may not seem like a bigdeal, but Tavilla says when all fifty statesand Canada are taken into account, a"little bit" actually adds up to quite a lot.

The effects of such shortages trickle

down. "If you're working on small mar-gins and working on $0.50 or $1 a pack-age, you can't afford to be wrong a lot,"

he says. "You can sell 95 percent of yourlot for profir, and that 5 percent you losecan take away all that profit."

THE FUTURE OF THE BOSTONPRODUCE MARKETS

Evidence suggests the wholesalers atthe Boston produce terminals haveadapted, and will continue to do so tomeet the challenges of the future. As fuel

&PETE

By buying Olivia's Organics Salads,you provide your family with healthy

organic produce, protect the earthby supporting organic farming,and give much needed support

to children throughout the region.

www.oliviasorganics.orgOlivia's Organics, 21 New England Produce Center, Chelsea, MA 02150

Eat Healthy! Have Fun! Give Back!

costs soar, labor issues arise, and Motherature wreaks havoc on growing patterns

worldwide, the hardworking people ofBoston find ways to thrive.

While local farmers and Boston'swholesalers do not always support eachoth~r, Petersen says Massachusetts farmersand the terminal markets complementeach other. "Neither one can supply theneeds of everyone in the commonwealth,"he says. "They serve a different desire onconsumers' parts, but both are necessary."

DeMichael is says he expects Boston'swholesale business to come full circle andreturn to its origins. His grandfatherstarted by selling locally-growncelery. When he began, the market wasdeveloped so local growers had an outletto sell their products. DeMichaelis saysthe infrastructure remains the same sixtyyears later. "All of a sudden, after watch-ing the price of fuel and the other issuesfacing our world right now, there is a bigpush for locally-grown," he says.He expects that as the "Buy Local" pro-grams grow and become more in demand,the market will playa major role in assist-ing the local growers in bringing theseproducts to consumers.

According to Agriculture's Hold on theCommonwealth, many Massachusettsfarmers have responded to changes inprices and costs by turning away fromlivestock and entering into produce. Theresulting increase in crop production mayultimately feed into the wholesale mar-kets. Steven Piazza says the New EnglandProduce Center and Boston MarketTerminal are the terminal markets farthestaway from most shipping points, and it'san accomplishment to play with the samecommodity business as other wholesalersaround the country, the same freight busi-ness as everybody else, and to bring it thefarthest distance at the most expense andstill make a profit. "You have to be pretty

good at what you do," he says. "Youprobably have the most talented group ofpeople in the business back here. It'sincredibly competitive." 0

Rebekah L. Fraser is a freelance writer andconsultant living in Massachusetts. Fraser is agraduate of Yale University, and her articleshave been published in numerous trade andconsumer magazines. For more information,visit www.rebekahlfraser.com