The Organization of the Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Markets in Minneapolis-St. Paul and Duluth-Superior

Excerpts from the report Introduction: As the major market in the upper Midwest, the Minneapolis-St. Paul market supplies fruits and vegetables throughout Minnesota and into parts of South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Canada. One firm makes regular truck shipments to Winnipeg, Manitoba, a distance of 450 miles, and several firms provide regular service to customers 200 to 300 miles from the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul). In contrast, the Duluth-Superior market is primarily local, receiving almost half of its volume from Minneapolis- St, Paul, and most sales are made within a radius of 50 miles of the market. This report describes the organization and operation of these markets, including the buying, selling, and operating practices of wholesalers and chains in both markets, and the changes that have occurred in Minneapolis- St. Paul during the past 30 years. Information on which this report is based was obtained as part of a nationwide study of the organization and operations of wholesale produce markets. The purpose of the study was to describe and appraise the status of wholesale markets and to determine changes that have occurred.