Posts Tagged “Testa Produce”
n the decades long discussion to move Chicago’s wholesale produce businesses from the South Water Street Market to the current Chicago International Produce Market, one design compromise reached, was to keep the feel of the modern market, with open loading docks.
Chicago produce wholesalers “fought” for years over building a new market. The move finally came in 2002. Ironically, two individuals that were instrumental in making it happen – didn’t even move to the new market. Instead, Peter Testa of Testa Produce Inc., as well as Gene Ruffolo of C. Ruffolo & Sons moved elsewhere in Chicago. Ruffolo, who is located just across the Chicago River from the new Chicago Market is leasing space from one of the nation’s largest produce wholesale distributors, Anthony Marano Co. Marano built his gigantic facility before the new market was even built as he decided not wait on others to make up their minds what to do.
While some wholesalers wanted to keep an old time produce market feel, eventually concerns over food safety prevailed as cold chain considerations grew in the industry. This eventually led to the decision to enclose the front docks.
When the market opened a dozen years ago, the market’s back side was cold chain controlled for receiving produce. Customers loading on the front dock had a high overhang, but it wasn’t enclosed.
This spring the Chicago International Market is completing the addition of rolling doors — similar to large garage doors — to help protect the display dock.
The doors are not insulated to control the cold chain, but they will block blowing blizzards and the cold wind. The doors may have some influence in dock temperatures, but they will certainly cut the wind, wind chill and snow on the dock.
The winter two years ago was the final straw for many in making the decision to invest in the doors.
There are no heaters behind the new doors, but when it is minus 20 degrees, the snow at least will not be blowing across the dock.
Mexican produce crossing the border into the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas – grossing about $3000 to Chicago.
Chicago’s Testa Produce, which added two all-electric trucks to its delivery fleet earlier this year, is now adding 10 new trucks that run on clean-burning, low-cost domestic compressed natural gas (CNG). The new 24-foot refrigerated CNG trucks will replace existing biodiesel trucks in Testa’s fleet, helping the foodservice distribution industry’s green leader to lower its carbon footprint even more and to bring the company closer to its goal of zero dependence on foreign oil within five years.
Manufactured by Cummings (chassis) and Kidron (refrigerator body), Testa Produce’s CNG trucks are quieter, have lower emissions and require less maintenance than diesel/biodiesel trucks with no loss of power or mileage. In addition to being more eco-friendly, the new trucks deliver cost savings: CNG is priced at around $2.60 per gallon compared to biodiesel’s recent $4.30 to $4.89 per gallon including tax, according to Stephanie Testa, Distribution Manager at Testa Produce.
Adding CNG delivery vehicles is in line with Testa Produce’s commitment to raise the bar on sustainability in the foodservice distribution industry. The company is the first perishable food distributor in the nation to earn LEED® Platinum, the highest certification available from the U.S. Green Building Council, for its award-winning state-of-the-art “green” distribution center. The facility incorporates energy-saving solar, wind and water technologies. Prior to piloting electric and CNG trucks, Testa was one of the first to convert its entire delivery fleet to biodiesel and all company cars to hybrids.
“We are always looking for innovative, cost-effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint,” says Peter Testa, President of Testa Produce. “Powering trucks with clean, renewable domestic compressed natural gas is an alternative-fuel solution that we’re excited to implement. Along with our electric vehicles, CNG will help move reduce our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels. As a transportation-based business, we’re demonstrating that we can, indeed, operate in much more sustainable ways.”
The first of Testa Produce’s new CNG-powered trucks arrived in late June. Nine more will be delivered over the next few months as leases on existing trucks expire.
About Testa Produce:
Founded in 1912, Testa Produce, Inc. is Chicago’s premier independent produce distributor. In addition to a broad line of domestic, local, organic, sustainable, and imported fresh produce items, the company delivers frozen, canned, and specialty foods to fine restaurants, hotels, and institutions throughout Illinois and much of Wisconsin. Testa is a member of Legacy Foodservice Alliance. In 2012, the company became the first food distributor in the nation to earn U.S. Green Building Council LEED® Platinum certification, the highest level available.
Press Release by: Testa Produce