Hirzel Canning: Keeping it in the family...
Our next visit was to Hirzel Canning in Northwood, another family-owned business supplying tomato-based products to the retail and food service industry under the Dei Fratelli brand.
While the canned tomato market is not setting the world on fire right now, the firm is seeing "some nice growth" in supplying bulk tomato-based products to the food manufacturing industry, says president Steve Hirzel.
As for the retail side of the business, while there is very strong competition from national brands such as Hunt's and Del Monte and private label brands made by fellow MidWest tomato firm Red Gold in 14.5oz cans, the Dei Fratelli brand is holding its own in the larger 28oz cans, he says.
