February 2021 - 5

PEPPERS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
" Chefs want what they want when
they want it, " he said. " Ark Foods has
worked since our founding to develop a
program that meets the demand across
the country. We use the same seeds
as you would find in Japan. The only
reason why shishitos were being flown
in from Japan in such high numbers is
because they simply weren't accessible
here in the U.S. "
Finding niches
That logical method of finding niches
in the vegetable market has allowed
the company to grow into other crops,
doubling its acreage each year from
2016-2019. Red Fresno Chili peppers
have become another signature vegetable
alongside the shishitos. Ark Foods
launched a veggie bowl product in 2018
with vegetable stand-ins for noodles
and expanded the veggie bowl line in
early 2020 with more flavors. Robbins
declined to give specific acreage counts,
but said it has growing operations in
New York, New Jersey, North Carolina
and Georgia in addition to Florida.
In late 2020, the company introduced
a glossy purple bell pepper marketed to
be the first of its type grown " at scale, "
as opposed to small farm markets.
Lou Terrulli, director of farm
development for Ark Foods, said in a
news release that the variety breaks new
ground in the pepper category.
" The Purple Bell is a great entry point
for people who know and love the taste
of bell peppers, but are looking for
more diversity and excitement on their
plate, " he said.
Ark Foods items are carried
nationwide at Whole Foods Market,
Costco and Walmart. The company
operates without middlemen, and has
its own freight line.
Stokes Seeds Trial Evaluation
Researching the best for our customers since 1881.
FLAGLER
77 day, high quality 8 in/20 cm
bicolor ear with 16-18 rows.
Strong plant with good stress
tolerance offering excellent
yield potential. Intermediate
resistance to Rp1-GFJ Rust.
LASALLE
54 day, high yielding, dark,
easy to harvest 3-4 sieve bean
with high yields. Good heat
tolerance. Resistant to CBMV,
Halo Blight and Brown Spot.
Ark Foods' 12,000-square-foot packhouse in Immokalee, Florida, is used for processing a
number of crops.
ORANGE
SUNRISE
HERMES
Ark Foods recently introduced a purple
bell pepper.
" Growing and marketing unique
vegetables is a very difficult thing to
do, and we decided early on that if
we're going to do anything, we'll do
it ourselves, " Robbins said. " It was
critical from day one that we are deeply
involved in the entire process, from
seed selection to distribution. We've
been fortunate to create a successful
program around that structure. While
brokers certainly have their value, we're
proud to be hands-on. " VGN
Contact Your Area
Territory Manager:
Tim Clark
WI, MN, IA, NE, IL
608-609-5884
Tom Jacobs
MI, OH, IN
616-307-4322
Tom Dauria
NJ, VA, PA
908-489-4896
Dominic Levari
New Jersey
856-777-0817
Randy DeMay
New York
585-747-3379
Blake Myers
NY, PA, MA, CT
585-303-3252
Karen Grybko
ME, VT NH, RI, MA
603-654-5362
Tom Pagels
NJ, MD, DE, PA
609-247-7140
- Quality Seed Since 1881 -
800-962-4999 │www.stokeseeds.com │ 13031 Reflections Dr Holland MI 49424
VGN | FEBRUARY 2021 | 5
John Hoffman
OH, IN, IL, MO
419-388-6731
James Young
MI, OH, IN
616-250-0329
Bryan Hannigan
NJ, DE, MD
609-440-3685
Early maturing 12-18 lb/5.58
kg precocious pumpkin. Good
deep orange color with a nice
round shape. Intermediate
resistance to Powdery Mildew.
90 days. Highly productive dark
orange medium round 10-12 lb/
4.5-6 kg pumpkin with strong
handle, uniform size and
well-defined ribs. Semi-bush,
multi-fruited plant.
Resistance to PM.
http://www.stokeseeds.com
February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2021
