3 Generations
Sy Katz - Founder
Owen Margolis - Consultant
Ben Margolis - President and CEO
Our Years in Produce
Our founder, Sy Katz originally hailed from Cleveland Ohio, where as a young man prior to World War II distributed produce in the northeast Ohio area. After his service in the Army during the war he returned to Ohio to continue his career in produce. Shortly thereafter he moved to Florida to get direct access to the actual production of the fruits and vegetables at the farm level.
His endeavors there lead to his involvement in the marketing of fresh produce from Cuba, as well as product from the US. During the 1950’s and 1960’s Cuba, along with the state of Florida, provided an enormous amount of fresh food for the US and Canada. While in Cuba he farmed his own product as well as provided a vital marketing link to the US and Canadian markets for local Cuban growers.
At one point he was honored to be selected as one of the few Americans that the Cuban government employed to exclusively market all of the products from a large producing section of the nation.
In the early 1960’s the relationship between the US and Cuba deteriorated and eventually ended. At that time Mr. Katz focused his efforts on finding other countries to fill the void left by the elimination of Cuba as a viable producer. He then pioneered growing and shipping deals in Belize, Andros Island, and the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. The growing deal in Mexico eventually spread west to the Culiacan valley…where farming continues to this day.
Production in those areas provided a steady supply of products throughout the winter months. During the spring, summer, and fall he operated in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Michigan. Sy Katz Produce was one of the first companies to offer their customers a year-round supply of consistently high quality fresh produce to their customer base.
After 35 years of running Sy Katz Produce Owen Margolis determined that he needed to inject the same type of new enthusiasm and passion that he provided to his uncle decades prior. At that point in time his eldest son, Jake, entered the industry. 5 years later, his youngest son Ben, upon completion of his studies at Appalachian State University, entered the company. True to family tradition the two brothers had differing visions on how the company should proceed going forward. In 2019, Jake moved to form his own company, The Bird Dog Group, which continues to operate successfully. After training Ben to his satisfaction, in 2022 Owen moved into the position of consultant. The company continues to operate today under this leadership. Ben continues to surround himself with young, dedicated, and passionate people. We’re extremely confident that the company is in excellent hands with Ben at the helm.
In the early 1980’s, as Mr. Katz thought he was entering his twilight years as a produce man, he determined that he needed to bring new blood into the business. He brought his nephew, Owen Margolis, into the fold. Owen provided the enthusiasm and passion that Mr. Katz needed to take the company into the next generation. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Katz added another integral piece into the puzzle by bringing aboard Owen’s brother Gary. A certified accountant by trade, Gary provided the company with the skills necessary to take the company into the more sophisticated, complex industry. Gary eventually wore the hats of both the CFO as well as a valuable marketing man.
In 1984, the Margolis brothers fully took over the day to day operations of the company as Mr. Katz moved into a consulting position. The company operated as such for 8 successful years. At that point the Margolis brothers split as they had differing views of how to best operate going forward. Gary Margolis moved on to open his own entity, GEM Tomato Sales, which quickly evolved into a leader in the eastern tomato industry. Owen followed his original vision and continued with the game plan to operate as a year-round provider of a full line of fruits and vegetables.
Throughout the company's long and storied history it has always maintained the initial vision and objectives that our founder laid the groundwork for.
Our mission remains the same: To provide our country and Canada with the freshest, highest quality, and safest fruits and vegetables that the world has to offer. Our long lasting relationships with our valued customers is proof positive that our plan continues to be successful.