This past year was good for many Toronto-area produce distributors, and it seems like 2026 is off to a productive start as well.
Here's a glimpse at what's happening at some of the produce companies on the Ontario Food Terminal in Toronto.
F.G. Lister & Co.
“We had a very strong holiday season,” says Michael Fallico, vice president at F.G. Lister & Co. Ltd. “We can go into the new year very positive.”
Fallico mentions he is particularly pleased with the firm's expanding bagging operation.
“It's been a really positive program for us,” he says.
The focus is on citrus, he says, such as oranges, lemons, limes and clementines as well as avocados.
“We're always looking for an opportunity to add more items,” Fallico says.
F.G. Lister can pack any size bag a customer requests, he says.
On the vegetable side, the company's program dipped into a lull in the fall but rebounded by Christmas, Fallico says. Offerings include lettuce, romaine, romaine hearts, celery, greens, cauliflower, broccoli, broccoli crowns, peppers, onions and more.
On the fruit side, look for commodities like cherries, peaches, nectarines, apples, Spanish and California persimmons, pineapples, cantaloupes and honeydews.
“We're a full-service house,” Fallico adds.
Canadian Fruit & Produce
Sales also were good last year for Canadian Fruit & Produce Co. Ltd., says Angelo Alberga, who serves as the company's vice president of sales and general manager along with Pino Prosa.
Alberga touts the company's newly added Brazilian cantaloupe and a full line of fancy melons, including Santa Claus, canary and moon melons, as well as seedless and mini watermelons.
“We're doing extremely well with them,” he says. “Our SunVine label is growing dramatically.”
The SunVine label previously was attached to the company's local watermelon program but has been expanded to include the Brazilian deal, he says.
Canadian Fruit & Produce also has a citrus program that includes California oranges, grapefruit and Turkish and Egyptian pomegranates. Its vegetable deal includes zucchini, eggplant, hot peppers, and green, red and yellow bell peppers.
“Size and quality are all outstanding,” he says.
Ippolito Produce
Frank Quaranta is finishing his first year as manager of operations at Ippolito Produce Ltd.
“Over the past year, Ippolito Produce has continued to focus on strengthening operations, consistency and customer service,” he says. “I have taken on the role of manager of operations, with a focus on improving day-to-day execution, communication between departments and overall product flow through our facilities.”
His priority remains maintaining quality while supporting retail and foodservice customers in a challenging market environment, he says. Ippolito Produce will continue to expand its local hydroponic lettuce program, Quaranta says.
The company's late winter and spring programs typically include greenhouse lettuces and leafy greens, citrus, root vegetables and a range of imported fruits and vegetables as seasonal transitions occur.
J.E. Russell Produce
So far, J.E. Russell Produce Ltd. is on a strong trajectory entering 2026, says Hutch Morton, senior vice president.
“Some of that has to do with product availability, quality and pricing in our berry and grape categories,” he says.
The company is representing a new grape shipper from Mexico this year.
“That will fill a great need for us,” Morton says. “I'm proud of the way our team continues to build great programs with leading shippers.”
The company also has strong local partners in mushrooms, cucumbers and indoor lettuces; it has a full organic vegetable lineup as well.
“Organic sales have been tougher after a few years of leveling sales,” he says. “It's been harder to consistently bring in and sell organic berries [because] lower demand and prices are sometimes just out of reach for many of our customers.”
