By Elijah Perez
You might have to shop around if you are looking for a star fruit or a jicama. Not all things are equal in the produce sections at local supermarkets. Distribution of produce in Tucson-area markets largely depends on where in the metropolitan area a store is located. Produce managers and those who work in produce distribution to retail stores agree the availability of much produce depends on the ethnicity in store neighborhoods. If you want to buy a nice ripe mango, El Super on the southside is the place to go, but if you are looking for a good exotic mushroom AJ’s in the Catalina Foothills is the store for you. Christopher Ciruli, chief of operations for the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, with offices in Nogales, Arizona, said retailers often order food for individual stores, so not all stores carry similar fruits and vegetables. This isn’t just a modern business model, Ciruli said, but can be seen historically | Victoria Grijalva |
Most of the first local grocers in Tucson were “oriental markets” that served Asian residents who were cooking Chinese and other eastern foods. Eventually, the concept of localizing stores and making them serve a broader audience developed, but still most markets order specific to their customers’ ethnic and economic backgrounds.
John Watkins, produce manager at Food City at 2950 S. Sixth Ave., said that store gets a lot of Mexican produce and tropical fruits that other stores don’t get, such as guava, Mexican papaya, aloe vera and others. Some of their produce comes from Yuma and Phoenix, as well as Mexico.
At the Food City at 1221 W. Irvington Road, a customer can choose from a vast array of chile peppers, with shiny yellow, green and red peppers filling bins spanning a wall about 10 feet long.
Saustino Martinez, produce manager for the El Super on 3372 S. Sixth Ave., also gets Hispanic goods from its main supplier.
Some local grocers, like Fry’s, carry produce from local growers. But most comes from around Arizona, other states and Mexico.
Many stores around Arizona are part of large grocery chains, meaning products are ordered and distributed from a centralized, corporate office and then shipped to the stores for produce managers to handle.
While square footage of a market or grocery store is also a factor for what produce is carried, variety is often a result of where a store located.
“Location is where it’s at,” Ciruli said.
John Watkins, produce manager at Food City at 2950 S. Sixth Ave., said that store gets a lot of Mexican produce and tropical fruits that other stores don’t get, such as guava, Mexican papaya, aloe vera and others. Some of their produce comes from Yuma and Phoenix, as well as Mexico.
At the Food City at 1221 W. Irvington Road, a customer can choose from a vast array of chile peppers, with shiny yellow, green and red peppers filling bins spanning a wall about 10 feet long.
Saustino Martinez, produce manager for the El Super on 3372 S. Sixth Ave., also gets Hispanic goods from its main supplier.
Some local grocers, like Fry’s, carry produce from local growers. But most comes from around Arizona, other states and Mexico.
Many stores around Arizona are part of large grocery chains, meaning products are ordered and distributed from a centralized, corporate office and then shipped to the stores for produce managers to handle.
While square footage of a market or grocery store is also a factor for what produce is carried, variety is often a result of where a store located.
“Location is where it’s at,” Ciruli said.