CJ Brothers says small orders are no problem

Not only does CJ Brothers on New York’s Hunts Point Produce Market stock a full line of fruits and vegetables, but the company can put up mixed loads and even customize orders for customers who need less than a full pallet, said Justin Leis, buyer and director of business development for the 30-year-old, family-owned distributor.

Avocados, pineapples, mangoes and peppers are among the firm’s bestselling products, but the company has about 300 items stored in nine units at the market occupying 25,000 square feet, Leis said.

Buyers can expect exceptional fruits and vegetables because of the care CJ Brothers exercises throughout the distribution process, he said.

“We keep a really close eye on how things are moving, including the weekly volume and the age of the produce in the store,” he said. “We try not to order more than we’re using in any given week, and we try not to have anything more than five to seven days old.”

That means most of the company’s product is “very, very fresh,” he added.

CJ Brothers, with its 65 employees, brings in goods from across the country and around the world, serving primarily the New York area but also reaching into markets throughout the Northeast, Leis said.

Hunts Point is a good location for produce distributors because the New York area has a number of regional supermarket chains that are not large enough to purchase directly from many farms or growers because they have relatively small orders, he said.

“There are a lot of regional supermarkets for us to sell to where we can mix loads and give them a pallet of this or 20 boxes of that and mix it all together for them,” Leis said.

Now through spring is a busy time for CJ Brothers because there’s not a lot of locally grown produce available, Leis said.

“Distributors like us source things from Mexico, California and other parts of the world,” he said.