NORTHWOOD — Hirzel Canning Co. & Farms, the family-owned farming and food production company known for producing the Dei Fratelli brand, is gearing up for its 100th planting season in the company’s history.
“We’re excited to kick off the planting season and continue our tradition of growing high-quality crops and creating products our customers have come to expect,” said Steve Hirzel, president of Hirzel Canning Co. and Farms. “Our success hasn’t happened overnight – it is the product of decades of hard work, trial and error, and most importantly, the relationships we’ve built with local farmers and communities in the region.”
At Hirzel, planting season is about much more than just putting tomato plants in the ground. Each year, it means continuing to foster and lean on the relationships developed long ago – relationships with the communities in which they operate, the family farms they partner with, and the customers who have come to expect the high-quality, fresh products.
The company has over 160 people year-round on its staff, and during tomato season that number increases to more than 300. Last year, over 4,000 truckloads of tomatoes were preserved by the company.
In addition to its own Hirzel Farms, the company works closely with over two dozen family growers in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Of those farms, nearly 80% have been growing with Hirzel Canning Co. and Farms for at least two generations.
“Our partnership with Hirzel is at the very heart of our farm’s success,” said Butch Iott, owner/operator of Iott Ranch in Ida, Michigan. “Our relationship is built on mutual trust, respect and a shared commitment to delivering the best possible produce to Hirzel Canning Co. and Farms. Working together, we’ve been able to combine individual expertise, resources and a passion for farming, which has resulted in better outcomes for both our farm and the Hirzel Canning Co. operation as a whole.”
For more information, visit deifratelli.com.
