Current Operations and Strengths

In November 1997, Garden Grove Distribution was formed, with the lease/purchase of a 35,000 square foot warehouse. Renovations in excess of three million dollars were undertaken to include 6 state of the art banana rooms, separate controlled temperature, tomato room, citrus cooler, apple cooler, potato and onion cooler, wet cooler with an ethylene gas extraction system, as well as a low temperature 2,000 square foot freezer. As well, Garden Grove was awarded the Produce and Grocery supply contracts for Manitoba’s eight correctional institutions and the Department of National Defence.

Currently Garden Grove Distribution is a distributor to The Winnipeg Health Authority (WRHA) WRHA is owned by Winnipeg’s nine hospitals and personal care home facilities. As a supplier and distributor, we are very responsive to high demands of the health care industry, and carry a fulline of Institutional and Foodservice products.

GGDL currently imports a full range of fruits and vegetables from several different countries around the world. The majority of these products are purchased from the southern U.S. and Mexico. About 85% of imported produce received in the company's Winnipeg warehouse is trans-shipped to customers within the province. The rest is shipped across western Canada, Ontario and the U.S. The current client list numbers about 400 companies with about two-thirds located within Manitoba. The majority of this business is with independent grocers and with food service operations. They are 100% independent!

Over the past two years, GGDL has also developed a good working relationship with local produce suppliers. The company has provided a valuable new marketing channel for local growers as well as for the Manitoba Vegetable Producers' Marketing Board. The company values this expanding relationship and looks forward to increased business for mutual benefit in the future. It is company policy to obtain product locally when it is available and when the quality meets the needs of their customers.
In March 2000, Garden Grove Distribution divested itself of Jaguar Transportation in order to better capitalize its asset structure.

In early March of 2000, Garden Grove Distribution expanded in the Protein area with regards to supplying Beef, Pork, Poultry, Fish and Seafood products to present and new customers. Both fresh and frozen varieties of retail and foodservices items are offered in these categories, complemented by a large variety of Cooked, Smoked and Prepared food items like Pizzas, Traditional Dishes and Seasonal favourites. The products Garden Grove Distribution delivers are made by the well known quality producers like Lakeside Packers, Lilydale Poultry, Schnieders and Olymel Foods just to mention a few. We also support local companies in helping them bring their products to the areas we serve for all to enjoy. Fresh quality products, daily, from Canada and around the world “brought together for you!”

Perhaps the greatest strength GGDL possesses is its management's aggressive and innovative style. Management understands the full meaning of customer service and how it leads to customer satisfaction and purchasing loyalty. Additionally they believe any market is attainable, and they have the track record to prove that they can indeed make things happen.

Another important strength is the strong presence the company is building in Mexico and the southern U.S. The two-way trade in produce which is being developed with this region of the continent will become increasingly important to the Canadian vegetable industry. This reciprocal arrangement is ideal as many of the crops traded between Canada and Mexico are different and therefore non-competitive with one another. The fact that Mr. Behl has become fully conversant in Spanish is indicative of the commitment management has made to this business. This Mexican business has an added benefit to GGDL as it gives the company first hand experience in washing and packaging vegetables. The knowledge gained from the Mexican operation will be highly valuable in the company's Canadian operation.

Additional advantages that GGDL provides over competitors:

• Computer tracking reports by store, product, quantity, etc. Stores can e-mail orders.
• Dole and Delmonte Banana Program which is unique only to GGDL.
• Ownership of our own trucking fleet, enables us to deliver all products to remote stores direct, which combined with other grocery products will reduce freight costs and damage claims.

The expanding fleet of trucks which the company has acquired must also be considered a strength. Where many companies have shied away from the capital expense and the overhead associated with operating a fleet of vehicles, GGDL has recognized the important role company owned vehicles play in building the image of the company and in providing first rate customer service.