#8: Interview with Phillip Grant from Hunts Point Produce Market - 06-6-2024

Summary

Podcast Summary: New York Farm Bureau News Bytes – Episode #8: Interview with Philip Grant from Hunts Point Produce Market

Podcast Information

• Title: New York Farm Bureau News Bytes
• Host: Steve Ammerman, Director of Communications for New York Farm Bureau
• Episode: #8: Interview with Philip Grant from Hunts Point Produce Market
• Release Date: June 6, 2024

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Introduction to Hunts Point Market

In Episode #8 of New York Farm Bureau News Bytes, host Steve Ammerman delves into the operations and future plans of one of the world's largest produce markets—Hunts Point Market in the Bronx. Serving as a crucial distribution hub, Hunts Point feeds millions daily across New York City and the Tri-State area, sourcing produce both locally and internationally.

Philip Grant's Role and Background

Philip Grant, the CEO of Hunts Point Market, shares his extensive background and vision for the market. With nearly a decade at Hunts Point and over five years in a leadership role, Grant emphasizes his commitment to enhancing the market's infrastructure and fostering strong relationships with local farmers.

Philip Grant [01:31]: "Hunts Point has been around for, I guess, centuries. It's what, the largest food distribution center in the world, is that correct?"

Steve Ammerman [01:40]: "Kind of."

Current Operations and Impact

Hunts Point Market operates as a bustling logistics hub, managing daily operations that involve sourcing from 55 countries and 49 states. With support from 27 merchants, the market handles approximately 10,000 daily visits, ensuring that about 60% of New York City's produce supply originates from Hunts Point.

Philip Grant [02:25]: "So you're literally feeding millions of people a day."

Philip Grant [02:29]: "Millions. Our team, my team here would tell me that we're getting better numbers. It's about 23.6 million people we feed daily within a 50 mile radius of the market."

Relationship with Local Farmers

A significant portion of the discussion centers on Hunts Point's symbiotic relationship with New York's farmers. Grant highlights the market's role as a primary outlet for local produce, fostering an environment where farmers can reliably distribute their goods to a vast customer base.

Philip Grant [05:21]: "We have such aligned goals, farmers and the market. And actually our slogan prior to our, prior to this was that it's where farmers go to market."

The market's approach ensures that local farmers receive fair prices and timely distribution of their products, strengthening the overall agricultural ecosystem in the region.

Redevelopment Plans and Future Growth

Looking ahead, Philip Grant outlines ambitious redevelopment plans aimed at modernizing Hunts Point Market. Secured with $400 million in grant funding from city, state, and federal sources, the $600 million project will introduce two new buildings and repurpose existing structures to enhance operational efficiency and capacity.

Philip Grant [07:56]: "All three sectors, we have it from the city, state and the federal government. So those are the three parts that are funding us now for an Ultimately a $600 million project..."

The redevelopment is projected to take five to seven years, promising to increase the market's capacity by 30% and streamline logistics, thereby benefiting both local and international supply chains.

Philip Grant [09:31]: "If we expand the amount of food that can come through, obviously that means more opportunity, but also it may physically just make it easier to get the food to you and out the door."

Insights and Notable Quotes

Throughout the interview, Grant emphasizes the importance of relationships and efficient logistics in maintaining Hunts Point's status as a leading produce hub.

Philip Grant [10:54]: "The merchants here... this is a relationship business, you know, and it's a business that thrives on a handshake and the fact that if you send your product here, we guarantee you that will get you on a fair market price."

He also shares memorable experiences from farm visits and industry events, highlighting the diverse and innovative agricultural practices within New York State.

Philip Grant [12:09]: "I've been to the Taste of New York for the last two years... my team members would tell me about whipped honey. So there's a lot of food related things that... broadens my horizons..."

Final Thoughts and Future Outlook

In concluding remarks, Grant reiterates Hunts Point Market's commitment to supporting local agriculture and ensuring a robust food distribution network. He envisions a future where the market not only continues to grow but also enhances the livelihoods of New York's farmers.

Philip Grant [14:11]: "Our goal and our shared goal here is to open up that pipeline... see the farming community, see the market community just thriving and working towards that 57 plus new Thanksgivings that we want to have here at the market and right here in the Bronx."

Host Steve Ammerman echoes Grant's optimism, underscoring the essential connection between producers and consumers in sustaining a strong food system.

Steve Ammerman [15:20]: "It's so important for people in New York City to understand where their food comes from and that we have that relationship between the growers, you know, our producers as well as... our customers."

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

The episode also highlights upcoming events organized by the New York Farm Bureau, including the state convention and the relaunched Food and Farm Experience, aimed at educating and connecting stakeholders within the agricultural community.

• State Convention: December 3-5, 2024, at Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Verona, NY.
• Food and Farm Experience: October 16-18, 2024, in Fayetteville, NY.

These events focus on leadership, innovation, diversification, and career opportunities in agriculture, reinforcing the Farm Bureau's dedication to advancing the sector.

Conclusion

Episode #8 of New York Farm Bureau News Bytes offers an in-depth exploration of Hunts Point Market's pivotal role in New York's agricultural landscape. Through Philip Grant's insights, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the market's operations, its vital partnership with local farmers, and the transformative redevelopment plans set to shape its future. This episode serves as a testament to the interconnectedness of producers and consumers in fostering a resilient and thriving food system.

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For more information on upcoming events and initiatives, visit nyfb.org and navigate to the Events section.

Transcript

[Steve Ammerman]

One of the largest produce markets in the world is right here in our state. It feeds millions of people every day and serves as an important outlet for our own farmers, for New York fruit and vegetable producers. And today we're going to take a deep dive in just how this market works and how it plans to get bigger and better. Hi, I'm Steve Ammerman, director of communications for New York Farm Bureau, and welcome to News Bites. Hunts Point Market is in the Bronx. It's a major outlet to distribute fresh fruit and vegetable throughout New York City in the Tri state region. Produce comes from markets and countries all over the world, but it also comes from farmers right here in New York State. The wholesale market is a very competitive place, as you can imagine, with a lot of buying and selling going on every day, where buyers coming in looking to get a good deal, but also looking for high quality produce that they can sell to their own customers at grocery stores, bodegas, restaurants and many other places throughout the city. So today we're going to talk to the man who runs Hunts Point. His name is Philip Grant. He's the CEO of Hunts Point Market. Today we're going to talk to him about how he wants to grow opportunities for his market, but that also means growing opportunities for our farmers as well and why he says New York Farm Bureau is so important.

[Philip Grant]

Well, Phil, thanks so much for joining us here on News Bites today. It's always a pleasure to talk to you and we're just happy to have you aboard.

The same here too, Steve. Thank you for having me. Thank you for having me.

So Hunts Point has been around for, I guess, centuries. It's what, the largest food distribution center in the world, is that correct?

[Steve Ammerman]

Kind of.

[Philip Grant]

Tell me just what is Hunts Point if people aren't familiar with it?

Oh, so great question, Steve. So we've been in The Bronx since 19, almost 57, 57 years. 1967. And. But the merchants have roots going back for 200 years. So we used to be in Lower Manhattan until we moved up. So what is Hunts Point? Hunts Point is the largest produce food hub there is in the city. 60% of the produce that goes out into New York City and the surrounding area comes out of the market. We like to say if, if you're having a local apple, nine times out of 10, it's coming out, six times out of 10, it's going, it's coming out of the market, or one of our merchants had some sort of a touch point with it.

So you're literally feeding millions of people a day.

Millions. Our team, my team here would tell me that we're getting better numbers. It's about 23.6 million people we feed daily within a 50 mile radius of the market.

That's astronomical when you think of just the infrastructure that has to be in place for that to happen. So how does that work? Kind of give us a bird's eye view of that distribution center.

It is, it is a beautiful dance that happens here every single day. I just, I just got off the dock, by the way. But we're supported by 27 merchants and those 27 merchants handle their logistics. So they source from 49 countries, 55 countries in 49 states. We have to figure out what's going on with Alaska, but then we'll figure that out. However, it's a beautiful dance. You know, it's roll up your sleeves type of market where we get in, get out. We start at 10pm on average the night before and we rock and roll all the way until 3pm the next day. We do that daily until Friday afternoon. So within that period we have trucks coming in with delivery, with products and trucks going out. So upwards of 10,000 daily visits happen on a 24 hour, 24 hour cycle here at the market. So it's a beaut, it's a beautiful dance that the folks here at the market have been doing for almost 57 Thanksgiving in this facility and for over 200 years in the city.

And how long have you been with HuntsPoint and as CEO, you know, what is your role?

So I like to call this my almost decade long journey with the market. Because prior to my role as CEO, the market was a part of my portfolio while at the New York City Economic Development Corporation. So over those years I've been building the city's infrastructure. And one of the most notable was the seawide ferry system. It's always been, you know, public infrastructure. And here I am now at the market championing a new redevelopment that would basically keep us in the Bronx for another 57 plus Thanksgivings. So, you know, those are some of the things that I do on a daily basis. So it's broken into three buckets. The overall operations keeping the city and the 23 million people fed. It's also the engagement, dealing with our local electeds and stakeholders. And then there's the redevelopment that takes up a piece. So I'll break it down into those three buckets. And that's what goes on on a daily basis here.

Those are three big buckets.

So I've been in the room for about almost Close to three plus years, but in the market for almost five.

Okay, so you were talking about engagement and you've been doing so much more outreach with the farm community, with New York Farm Bureau, you know, something that we probably haven't seen before at this level, which it makes a lot of sense because, you know, your market starts with the food, it starts with the farms.

[Steve Ammerman]

Right.

[Philip Grant]

Why is it important for you to get involved and to network with the farm community and how are you going about doing that? Why is this so important to you?

You know, so the thing is we have such aligned goals, farmers and the market. And actually our slogan prior to our, prior to this was that it's where farmers go to market. You know, so we really want to get back to our traditions where, listen, the farmer grows, they ship it to the market and we get it out to the public. So it's definitely an organic relationship and it's such a natural one too. And it's, it's because we're all similar, doing similar things, are going after similar goals there. So it's definitely important the farmer grows and we try to get this out, get the product out to the 23.6 million people on a daily basis. So it's definitely aligned goals there.

So how does it work if a farmer is interested in selling at Hunts Point to take advantage of the huge market that you have? How does that work?

Well, absolutely, as I said before, we're supported by our 27 merchants and each merchant have their individual relationships with, with farmers. I've been across the state and I've, I've heard, and I've heard individual farmers, you know, tell me about the relationships they've been having with our merchants here for over the last several decades. So, you know, one of the short shot ways is still deal with a merchant directly. If there's any challenges there on our end and the market management and my end, we could get that farmer involved with our merchants. And then on the redevelopment end, one of the things I am very optimistic about is actually the redevelopment. You know, once we redevelop, we will open up the pipeline. We could guarantee that a farmer will send their product down here and we could get them out in a certain time period. So, so those are some of the things that we are excited about. With a new market, we look to bring new jobs. We also look to increase our pipeline by 30%. So that's more locally grown product than we could handle here in the market.

That's awesome. I'm happy you brought that up because that's something I did want to talk about. I've been to Hunts Point a few times on tours. It's a huge facility, many, many acres. It's very busy. But it's also the infrastructure is fairly old, at least in parts. And you are looking to revitalize that. Can you expand a little bit more on the millions of dollars that you're looking to invest in and what that ends goal will look like?

Absolutely. And I'm grateful and thankful to our partners and our, our team here at the marketing, our executive board that we've been able to bring in $400 million worth of grant funding.

Wow.

All three sectors, we have it from the city, state and the federal government. So those are the three parts that are funding us now for an Ultimately a $600 million project that would basically bring two brand new buildings here at the market on the east side of our property and then repurposing the other buildings here on the property for future use or for another venture. So we are very, very excited. Something like this will take us about five to seven years to get completed. However, we've been having some productive conversations with our stakeholders that's on the city side on what this place will be and how soon we'll get into construction. So that's. I'm a glasses guy, so I'm on my six full glasses of optimism here that we're going to get something done. And, and, and it just means so much for our industry. It means so much for the farmers locally and so much for the farmers nationally. So it's a, it's a local challenge we have. But that. Which means a lot locally and a lot nationally and also internationally as well. Because we source international.

Well, it's exciting because I mean if you expand the amount of food that can come through, obviously that means more opportunity, but also it may physically just make it easier to get the food to you and out the door. Is that also one of the goals? Because you know, for, for some of our farmers, especially if they're coming from far away and New York City can be intimidating to some people as well. So I would, I would assume the easier that you can make it, the better.

Steve, you have it echoed perfectly. You know, if would have an increased or larger market in terms of volume, we could actually bring the product in quicker, faster and get out. So it's. I see this as a will pick up efficiency. On the logistics side it was also. And on the relationship side with the, with the folks actually the farmers will send product here. We could guarantee that you'll send your product down and we'll give you your truck down and we'll send guarantee you to get you out on time. So those are some of the things that we're excited about, and those are some of the challenges that we hear as we, you know, my team and I, we. We go across the state, they, you know, saying, listen, we could. We want to get product down there, and we want to know that once we send our truck down, that we'll get unloaded and get back out so we could do that same cycle again. So those are some of the things that we are excited about here. So you hit it right on the head there.

Very good. It's good to know. Now, I know your focus and your job at the market is to physically run the market. You're not there to negotiate prices or as you said, you leave it to your. Your vendors to establish, you know, their. Their suppliers and their network. But is there something. Because obviously it has to be a competitive market. I mean, there's so many people there. And is there anything that you would like farmers to know or any advice that you would have for farmers to be a part of that or to navigate that network?

You know, the merchants here, and I see it day in, day out, as I said earlier, I was just on the dock and the merchants will remind me that this is a relationship business, you know, and it's a business that, you know, thrives on a handshake and the fact that if you send your product here, we guarantee you that will get you on a fair market price and you'll see that. And we, as a market wouldn't be able to sustain this if we weren't able to stay by our word, you know, to the farm and farming community. If you get your product here, we'll get you a fair price. And it's also something that we, we celebrate with our stakeholders. Like, listen, it's a place where you could send something fresh from a farm here, and the next day it's on your table, or a few hours it's on your table. So we thrive on those. That relationship.

I know that you've really been great of. You're not just at Hunts Point. You come upstate, you go to Long island, you visit farms, you've been to a number of events. You're really engaged to build those relationships. As you said, this is a relationship business. Do you have a story or a moment that stands out of a farm tour or a conversation you've had with a farmer? I know you have a great Relationship with Commissioner Ball at the ag markets. Anything that stands out or surprised you about New York agriculture?

Oh, listen, I love the. So I've been to the Taste of New York for the last two years.

Our big reception in Albany. Yes. For the farm beer reception.

It is one of the best things to do actually start. And it's also the start of our kickoff of our season. But the last two years have been a joy. We get to see new product. We also, I think one of my favorites was the cross between the Fuji apple and the honeycrisp taste. You know, my team members would tell me about whipped honey. So there's a lot of food related things that, you know, that basically broadens my horizons outside of the traditional, you know, apples and so forth. And even the, that new brand of apples. I mean, every.

Yeah.

Back. So no. So just the fact that we're bringing everybody in the rooms and also your, the, the farm event convention in December where I get to meet, you know, the other stakeholders and we just, you know, shared experiences. So I've got the relationship that we're continuing to cultivate with the farm viewers. Just an excellent, outstanding relationship and it's a necessary one for our sustainability, by the way.

Yeah. And I think it's, you know, we are so appreciative of your time and when you come because you walk the walk and I think that's really important and our farmers appreciate that. So thank you very much for being so engaged and it is great to see the diversity that we have here in New York State in terms of agriculture and that there is so much opportunity to provide the people in New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area with all of that great food and the products as well that they produce. So it really is a great effort, connected effort. As you said, we don't have too much more time, but you talked about the goals of expanding and remodeling, if you will, rejuvenating the market. You know, in final thoughts on, on ultimately what you we want to see with the market and how it relates to, to our farms in New York State.

Well, absolutely. So I, you know, currently we, on the revenue side, we bring in 10%, 10% of our local, our revenues from locally grown products. Our goal and our shared goal here is to open up that pipeline. You know, so a new market helps the locally grown market, the local farmers. And with that it would be a beautiful, a beautiful future, beautiful goal to get this market done, open up that pipeline and just see the farming community, see the market community just thriving and working towards that 57 plus new Thanksgivings that we want to have here at the market and right here in the Bronx.

That's really exciting because, you know, you think about it, the. It's so important for people in New York City to understand where their food comes from and that we have that relationship between the growers, you know, our producers as well as. As our customers. And the better that connection exists, the better understanding exists and it creates even more opportunity. So I'm really excited for you and the market and to see where this all goes.

But it's the same here, too, Steve. I really appreciate this opportunity and this platform for us to share our collective goals together and look forward to the future.

Thanks so much.

Thank you. Thank you, Steve.

[Steve Ammerman]

It's going to be exciting to see how Hunts Point grows under Philip's leadership and how our farmers can grow their opportunities right along with it. And really, it's just another reminder about the important connection that our farmers have with the people of New York City and why we really need each other, both as a producer and as a consumer of locally produced food, because we both need a strong food system in order to be able to enjoy the literal fruits of the labor there. Well, Philip, as you mentioned, he comes to the state convention that we have every year at New York Farm Bureau. And make sure you want to put it on your calendar for this year's event as well, to be December 3rd and 5th, third through the fifth, rather, at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York. We're going to have all kinds of exciting workshops and networking possibilities. And it all is going to revolve around the theme of farming Forward, leadership, innovation and diversification. So it's really about capitalizing on opportunities. And there's going to be a number of different workshops that will focus on those three target areas. Again, leadership, innovation and diversification, and how it's going to affect all aspects of New York agriculture and what our farmers can learn from it. Because really, that's what New York Farm Bureau is all about. Yeah, there's a great advocacy effort and component that we do, but it's also about networking with your fellow farmers and others throughout agriculture and really taking what you learn and using it on your own farm to be a better farmer and a better business person. So that's going to be really exciting. At our state convention again, December 3rd, 3rd through the 5th, at Turning Stone Resort, sponsorship opportunities are available and registration will open up on August 1st as well. Also, one other thing to bring up is the food and farm experience. This is part of New York Farm Bureau's foundation. It's put on hold during the pandemic and it's relaunching this year. It's a great opportunity for middle school and high school career counselors to come and learn about agriculture and all the career opportunities that exist in agriculture. Farm Farming is important. We need our farmers, but we also need people that support our farmers, whether it's on the business side, whether it's in transportation, communications, marketing, research. There are so many job opportunities to learn about food and farming, and we're excited to bring back the food and farm experience October 16th through the 18th in Fayetteville, New York. So if you know of a career counselor in your own school district who might be interested in learning about agriculture and how that can benefit your students, let them know about this opportunity. Registration is open until July 1, and all of the information both for the food and farm experience as well as the state convention can be found on our [e-mail] just click on events and you'll get all the information that you need. Well, that will do it for this edition of News Bites. We hope you enjoyed the conversation today with Philip and also like to thank Seth Moser Katz for putting this podcast together. As always, make sure you thank a farmer for all that they do.