It’s the Friday night following a challenging week of balancing the demands of work, home, and everything in between. Tucked into a cozy booth in my favorite dimly lit restaurant, I settle in for a long-awaited meal, knowing it will provide me with not just sustenance, but a lulling yet invigorating experience to ease me into a highly anticipated weekend. The white wine swirls in my glass, soothing music quietly adding to the ambiance as the server places a dish on the table, engulfing me in the delightful sight and aroma of lively leafy greens and fresh veggies.
This is the experience I imagine being brought to life as Ernst van Eeghen, Vice President of Foodservice Business Development at Church Brothers Farms, walks me through the advantages of the producer’s robust foodservice portfolio.
Ernst van Eeghen, Vice President of Foodservice Business Development, Church Brothers Farms: Our core lineup consists of Iceberg, Romaine, green leaf, Little Gems, and Baby Romaine lettuce, as well as Tuscan Salads, spinach, arugula, and a variety of whole-leaf options. In addition to the items you listed, we also supply Brussels sprouts, green onions, slaws, and more.
Since we offer both commodity and value-added products, we’re able to meet the needs of different foodservice operators, from fast food to white tablecloth. We are an ideal partner for broadline distributors and independent produce distributors because we are a one-stop shop, allowing our customers to minimize the number of pickups they have to make in the area. If we can fill a customer’s truck with everything they need, that’s fewer stops and fresher product: a win-win for everyone.
EVE: Church Brothers was founded on our foodservice business—it’s in our DNA. We know what it takes to stay in supply and keep orders filled. Our systems and processes are designed for large-scale production and processing.
As a vertically integrated company, we have a better ability to fully control all aspects of the supply chain, from farming and harvesting to processing and industry-leading food safety practices. All are geared toward offering the best possible quality year-round at the highest food safety standards and an affordable price. These qualities will do nothing but help us as we continue to grow our retail business.
EVE: After the pandemic, produce sales had to find their groove again as the foodservice segment took a major hit. Many items were discontinued, and there was a focus on only key items during that time. Now, the foodservice channel is more alive than ever, and there’s a great desire for differentiation. Since the cost of dining out has gone up, the eating experience and perceived value by diners are really important.
The competitive landscape is intense, and pressure for cost reduction is felt throughout the supply chain. As a company, we have beefed up our innovation efforts both functionally, with products like our Burger & Sandwich Leaf and Washed & Trimmed Romaine, and from a product perspective with new blends and varieties such as our Tuscan Salads line, Little Gems, and Baby Romaine.
“Church Brothers [Farms] was founded on our foodservice business—it’s in our DNA. We know what it takes to stay in supply and keep orders filled.”
Ernst van Eeghen, Vice President of Foodservice Business Development, Church Brothers Farms
EVE: We are focused on staying in supply; to us, that’s where the opportunity lies. Traditionally, yield has been one of the biggest drivers in our farming operations, but with changing weather conditions and environmental hurdles, maintaining a steady supply has become more challenging. We mitigate our risks by hedging, spreading out our acreage, and exploring alternative growing areas and varieties.
From a product trend perspective, we’ve been hearing from customers that there’s a general fatigue around chopped Romaine, which has been another opportunity for us. We’ve been able to offer alternatives like Baby Romaine and Little Gems, both of which meet similar operator needs but offer a little more pizazz.
EVE: Customer service is the name of the game. We recently expanded our operational footprint with the acquisition of a large facility in Salinas, California, where we can better service our customers, offer more items, and get trucks in and out even faster.
Automation is another area of growth. We’re involved in several projects at the field and facility levels to reduce our dependence on expensive labor. We have a continuous improvement team that constantly looks for better and safer ways to produce our products.
Lastly, we travel the world looking at improving our varietal selections to reduce our exposure to changing farming conditions, plant and soil diseases, etc.
I’m proud of the fact that we’re a family company, and as such, our decision model is different. Short-term financial gains do not drive us; we’re in it for the long haul with our customers, and we think they know that too. Relationships matter in this business, and as our Founder Steve Church always says, "If you don’t take care of your customer, someone else will."
As Ernst emphasized at the start of this conversation, the art of foodservice is embedded deeply in the DNA of Church Brothers Farms.
With a wealth of experience in the culinary space, a wide-ranging portfolio, and a drive to continue uncovering new solutions for its foodservice customers, the grower is bringing only the best fresh produce to the plate—ensuring a delightful dining experience can be achieved time and time again. 
