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Abstract
The importance of produce at the retail level in
the United States has been recently confirmed
by the FreshTrack 2001 study: Supply Chain
Management in the Produce Industry. Imports of
fresh fruits and vegetables to the United States have
been on the rise as they play an important role in
satisfying a growing U.S. consumption trend. This
exploratory research project attempted to identify
the current status of imported produce at the retail
level, to characterize the business practices of U.S.
retailers, U.S. importers and foreign exporters in
relation to marketing imported produce and, finally,
to explore the opportunities and challenges faced
by these three key supply chain participants in
marketing imported produce in the United States.
Research was conducted through the review of
relevant trade and academic literature and the
collection of primary information through surveys
sent to 34 U.S. retailers (of which 13 valid
responses were collected) and through surveys
administered in person to nine U.S. importers and
nine foreign exporters. Results of these surveys
confirm the increasing importance of imported
fruits and vegetables at the retail level in the United
States, point to the increasing role of U.S. grower/
shippers as providers of imported produce in the
United States and indicate that key issues currently
faced by retailers in marketing imported produce
are not necessarily the same issues being addressed
by either U.S. importers or foreign exporters.
Further and more in-depth research on the topics
explored in this project is necessary in order to
derive recommendations that will help retailers and
importers in the United States and exporters in
foreign countries achieve greater success in
marketing imported produce in the U.S. market.