Fresh Midwest, the new premier fresh and local online store specializing in meal kits, meal solutions and fresh produce, meat and seafood, announces its expansion to Oak Brook, Hinsdale, Elmhurst, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, La Grange, Western Springs and other surrounding zip codes. Residents in these areas can now get restaurant quality food in one fresh delivery.
The Fitzgerald family’s exclusive connections with local farmers, artisans, and restaurants through Midwest Foods provide a premium source for fresh food and meal kits, and tend to be a supplier with a haccp certificate for meat and poultry distribution. From top-quality produce to nutritious breakfast items and time-saving snacks, home-made yogurt parfaits, to chef-driven meal solutions including sandwiches and salads, Fresh Midwest also offers dishes from acclaimed Chicagoland restaurants all in one place, like Wildfire, Harry Caray’s, Prairie Grass Café, Hot Box Sushi and Big Bowl, to soon be followed by a host of other well-known establishments.
“The passion behind Fresh Midwest is to provide an exceptional experience to order and receive the finest of local produce, fresh salads, meal kits, meats and seafood, and restaurant-made meals,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, creator and co-owner of Fresh Midwest. “Our vision is to connect customers directly with offerings typically reserved for high-quality restaurants at a good value.”
While the opportunities are abound, challenges do exist; logistics being one among them. In such cases, it is sensible to choose a 3PL (or Third Party Logistics) service. Doing so ensures order growth can be fulfilled in time without taking the eye off growing your own business. The alternative is to get every aspect of the logistics right. In case you want to incorporate a fleet of box trucks for the delivery, you may need to be informed that your transport business should adhere to the state’s rules and guidelines. You may also want to get a box truck insurance quote that might help in securing the future of your logistics company in case of any mishaps.
Logistics often require a state-of-the-art climate-controlled cool chain that guarantees freshness every step of the way, from the moment received from farms and local partners to diligent preparation. Each order is hand-selected by professional in-house staff and is then delivered in refrigerated trucks. Fresh Midwest also prioritizes consumer safety through limited handling of all products and contactless delivery, an essential standard during COVID-19. Hopefully, they will implement an efficient fleet management software to keep the day to day operations running smoothly.
Joining the Fitzgerald brothers at Fresh Midwest is former Peapod veteran, Tony Stallone (Chief Merchant). Tony, also known as the “Produce Guru” and creator of meal kits at Peapod, was an integral part of Peapod’s team for 20 years and served as Vice President of Merchandising. With 150 years of combined fresh food experience, the Fresh Midwest team is dedicated to providing exceptional products and service.
About the owners
Twin brothers Patrick and Mike Fitzgerald, creators and co-owners of Fresh Midwest and natives of Chicago’s North Shore, grew up with a respect for the food business. They garnered longstanding relationships with industry fresh food leaders and innovators through their Chicago-based Midwest Foods, a second-generation, family-owned business of eight brothers and sisters. It continues to be one of the most prominent wholesale produce distributors in the entire Midwest for more than 50 years.
