Because of its ability to supply the Culver’s restaurant chain with pumpkin puree and pie filling during a shortage in 2010, Truitt Brothers has been given the chain’s “Newcomer Award.”
For the last two years, suppliers of processed pumpkin have had to contend with lackluster harvests, making it difficult to meet the demand from large restaurant chains and foodservice operations. Truitt was approached last year by Culver's, a chain of 428 restaurants that needed pumpkin puree for its Pecan Pumpkin Concrete Mixer.
“When we introduced the Pecan Pumpkin Concrete Mixer and other pumpkin treats in 2010 and exceeded our sales forecast, Truitt Brothers came to our rescue, working closely with our distribution centers to make sure product was available,” said Donette Beattie, Culver’s vice president of Supply Chain. “Our transition with Truitt Brothers as a new supplier partner has been incredibly smooth.”
While the “Newcomer Award” recognizes Truitt Brothers as a company that stepped up to meet Culver’s pumpkin needs in 2010, the restaurant franchise also values Truitt’s “Oregon Sustainability Award.” Received in 2010, the award is in line with Culver’s “Mindful Choices,” a tool used in product and supplier selection, and it applauds the Oregon processor’s dedication to stewardship of the land, its citizens and its resources through Food Alliance certification.
“It’s always a thrill to us when we can play a role in completing the creation of a noble supply link between operators and growers,” said Peter Truitt, co-founder of Truitt Brothers. "When an operator can proudly tell a story about their food, we know we’ve done our job.”
Having already created a supply chain for the central ingredient in its shelf stable Pumpkin Pie Mix, Truitt Bros. was able to source for Culver's needs from Stahlbush Island Farms, a Food Alliance-certified grower located just down the road from Truitt’s Salem, Ore., facility. In addition to providing a much needed product, Truitt Brothers was able to offer Culver's cost neutral pricing on a product of excellent quality processed in its Food Alliance-certified processing plant.
