Bland Farms, Battleboro Produce, Boyette Brothers Produce, and Sandyland Produce Form Sand Candy Produce; Delbert Bland and Joel Boseman Share
ROCKY MOUNT, NC - Bland Farms has recently pulled back the curtain on an iconic alliance set to make the sweet potato category that much sweeter. The supplier has announced it has teamed up with Battleboro Produce, Boyette Brothers Produce, and Sandyland Produce to launch a new partnership and sales company, Sand Candy Produce, to provide marketing for the category.
“We’ve been growing Georgia sweet potatoes for several years now. This partnership will allow us to expand our production of sweet potatoes and complement our Vidalia sweet onion season,” said Delbert Bland, Owner and President of Bland Farms.
Four major sweet potato growers have partnered with Sand Candy Produce to focus on selling sweet potatoes from North Carolina and Georgia, according to a press release. With their respective packing facilities, each of these growers has the ability to pack bins, boxes, and bags, with sizes ranging from two to 10 lbs, including shrink wrap and microwave.
The new company’s main office will be located in Battleboro, North Carolina, and will handle sales for more than 10,000 acres of sweet potato production, positioning Sand Candy Produce as one of major marketers of sweet potatoes in the United States. As it grows, the new company will optimize the synergy of their combined domestic and international customer bases to expand market reach for each of its partners.
“We are one of the three North Carolina-based growing partners that have been farming world famous North Carolina sweet potatoes for over 50 years,” Joel Boseman, Owner and President of Battleboro Produce, states. “We have enjoyed a strong export business and are excited that now, with Sand Candy, we can grow our domestic business along with our international business. Having both North Carolina and Georgia sweet potatoes this season will be a win for our customers."
Because of its diversified growing areas in both states, Sand Candy Produce is able to provide its customers with a secure and consistent supply of sweet potatoes and ensure fresher products for a longer period of time.
The combined company will also be able to provide full marketing and promotional services to its retail partners, including in-store POS, social media, and customer-specific marketing. Sand Candy Produce will also help its customers maximize fresh produce sales by providing mixed bins of sweet potatoes and sweet onions upon request.
Keep reading AndNowUKnow to find out how this powerful new alliance will continue to boost not only the sweet potato category, but the produce department as a whole.
