Jun 7, 2011 9:57 AM

The Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market (PWPM), home to 26 fresh produce merchants in a 700,000-square-foot fresh produce wholesale facility, announced that the new market at 6700 Essington Avenue in Philadelphia PA is officially open for business.

Sonny DiCrecchio, chief executive officer of the PWPM, said, “The years of planning and building have certainly been challenging, but in the end, we have a one-of-a-kind facility that is open and ready to service customers.”

The new PWPM provides fresh produce to customers within a 500-mile radius. With a state-of-the-art cold chain management system in place, the facility maintains temperature effectively, thereby supplying fresher products with a longer shelf life.

“The delayed move to the new market simply provided the merchants with an opportunity to further plan logistically for a smooth transition,” said John Vena Jr, PWPM board member and president of John Vena Inc.

The previous market on South Galloway Street officially closed at 4 pm EDT June 2, 2011, and the new PWPM opened at 10 am EDT June 5.