About UsBACKGROUND
A & A Produce, Inc. is a wholesale produce company owned by Warren and Glenda Kemp and their sons Andy and Adam. This is the story of who we are, how we came to be in the wholesale produce business, and why we are now venturing into retail produce.
Warren is the son of T.R. (Junior) and Shirley Kemp. Their family moved to Myrtle Beach when Warren was three months old. Glenda is the daughter of Melvin & Genette Miller from the Pawley Swamp area southwest of Conway. She was born in Conway and grew up on a farm until the family moved to Myrtle Beach when she was 13. Warren & Glenda both attended Myrtle Beach High School and met when Glenda was a senior. Eight months later they were married on November 11, 1973. On their wedding day their combined personal possessions consisted of a three-year-old Volkswagen that was paid for, another car they owed more on than it was worth, a few wedding gifts, a stereo, a television, $100 in a bank account, a lot of love, hope, determination and a strong work ethic.
Their first son, Andy, was born on November 5, 1975. The family moved to Conway in 1978. Their second son, Adam, was born April 28, 1981. Andy & Adam grew up in Conway and graduated from Conway High.
The Kemp family has deep family roots in Horry County. They are blessed to be surrounded by a fantastic network of friends and family. They believe in hard work, striving for unreachable perfection, have a spirit of servitude and giving to the community, and believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
WHY RETAIL PRODUCE?
The seed was planted in the early 90's when Warren & Glenda were raising their sons. Their home was often filled with exchange students, foster children, nieces and nephews, and any other children who needed a place to hang out.
Warren was a delivery truck driver for U.S. FoodService, one of the nation's top wholesale food distributors. Glenda owned and operated a freelance court reporting business. Andy & Adam were active and growing. When Jose, a Spanish exchange student, came to live with them in 1991 Glenda was often making three trips a week to the grocery store and hauling in food to replenish the pantry and refrigerator.
When Warren & Glenda realized they could save money and time by buying their produce direct from Warren's employer their first food co-op was born. Glenda's sister, a couple of neighbors and a good friend each decided to chip in $20 a week (now this was a long time ago). We would decide what we wanted to order for the week. Warren would get up with one of the sales staff, place the order and would then bring the fresh produce home. The mothers in the co-op would get together and divvy up the goods. The only way they could buy it was in the same large containers sold to restaurants. For months every Thursday evening the Kemps' kitchen and dining room were filled with 50-pound boxes of potatoes, carrots and onions. There were boxes with 88 apples, gigantic bags of fresh oranges and 30-pound boxes of fresh squash.
The refrigerators were filled with fresh produce and our pantries stored the potatoes and onions. In a time that often found the entire family on a baseball or football field every evening and the parents working long hours it was a matter of convenience, smart budgeting and having healthy food readily available for our family.
2000
Fast forwarding 15 years to 2000. Andy are Adam are now young adults. Andy has just left the kitchens of Myrtle Beach's restaurants as a chef and is a sales representative for U.S. FoodService. Adam is a delivery driver for Coca-Cola.
Glenda has been court reporting 15 years and owns the largest court reporting business within 100 miles with several employees and is ready for a change.
Warren is still with U.S. FoodService. After being a top delivery driver for 10 years and having developed some serious back problems from overwork, he has moved into sales where he consistently ranks nationally in the top ten percent of the sales staff. One of his accounts is a small wholesale produce company named APC.
One day, while calling on customers, the owner of APC tells Warren he is ready to retire and Warren should buy his business. Warren mentions it to Glenda in passing and life went on. A few months later Warren comes home and repeats the same story. Warren & Glenda think about it and realize opportunity doesn't knock often and perhaps they should think about it.
They discuss things with their sons and decide to sit down and talk with the owners. Through the meetings with the owners of APC, the family decides to try to buy the business. It is decided that Glenda will sell the court reporting business and begin the produce company with Adam and Andy while Warren remains with U.S. FoodService. Adam, now 19 years old, becomes one of APC's delivery drivers. Serious discussions ensue but the timing isn't quite right and the idea is pushed to the back burner.
2001
In January, after 16 years as a freelance court reporter, a job with long hours and unreasonable demands, Glenda has sold her court reporting business and is "taking it easy." She quickly learns it is not an easy transition and goes through a 15-month period of feeling lost with no footing. It is a season of being still and listening. It is a time of great emotional turmoil, long walks on the beach and much prayer.
Warren remains at U.S. FoodService, continuing to be in the top level of sales people.
Andy is 26 years old and has just been named Rookie of Year in Sales for the Carolinas with U.S. FoodService.
Adam is 20 years old and continuing to deliver produce with APC while attending Horry-Georgetown Technical College.
2002
The same people still own APC and Adam loves working in the produce business.
Glenda continuous to pray for guidance until finally one day on the beach she just screams for God to do something! "I will do whatever You need me to do and go wherever You want me to go. Just remove me from this emotional tornado and place me where I belong."
U.S. FoodService has recently purchased PYA. Warren and Andy become dissatisfied and disillusioned with the local results of the merger. In March, almost two years after initially meeting with the owners of APC, thoughts of alternative employment spur discussions about buying the produce company again.
Knowing their sons, the young men they are, the values they have and their work ethics, and feeling it truly is the answer to prayer and where God wants them to be, Warren and Glenda decide to financially invest in their family. Andy is 27 and Adam is 21. Warren continues working at U.S. Food Service and Moma and the boys jump into the wholesale produce business.
The money received from selling the court reporting business is the down payment on the purchase of APC. After much consideration the new company is named A&A for Andy and Adam. For the next couple of years almost everything Warren and Glenda have acquired through 30 years of hard work is put into building a business.
The Kemp Family purchases APC and begins business in an old rundown building on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base where APC was based.
Joe Egan, Andy's good friend, who is often referred to as "the third son" volunteers to work at A&A on his days off refusing to be paid for his time.
September 30, 2002 "Relocating!"
We purchase our existing warehouse located at 4726 Northgate Boulevard.
In the fall Joe comes on board full time at A&A and is currently the Director of Operations.
The Kemp Family continues their "do whatever it takes" attitude and works countless hours.
January 2003 "YEAH!"
The first two new refrigerated trucks are purchased.
August 2003 "Coming & Going."
Warren leaves U.S. FoodService and joins the rest of the family at A&A.
Glenda goes to part-time at A&A and continues her real estate career she began in 2001.
2004-2007 "A & A Produce continues to grow."
January 2008-May 2008 "Time To Grow & Get On The Go"
Adam takes a sabbatical.
Glenda becomes the Quality Assurance Manager.
Andy is the Operating Partner & General Manager.
Joe Egan is Operations Manager.
Warren continues building a sales staff.
Expansion of warehouse to include more cooler space & refrigerated loading docks.
Inspected by ASI with a score of 97.4% out of 100%.
HACCP Trained and Certified.
July - August 2008 "A&A's Best Summer Ever!"
Warren is A&A's sales manager with three sales representatives.
Glenda works part-time at A&A as the Quality Assurance Manager and is broker-in-charge of her real estate company.
Andy is the operating partner, married to a wonderful woman, and has two beautiful young children.
Adam, who began working at A&A one year after graduating high school, has taken a year sabbatical to obtain his Commercial Driver's License in order to see the United States while driving long-distant tractor-trailers. He is ready to come back home!
With the success of A &A and the new upgraded facility A&A is ripe for a new challenge!
Which leads to a meeting where the general consensus is reached . . .
It worked for the Kemp family years ago!
"We can assist families by delivering good fresh quality 100% guaranteed produce at a overall cost savings."
With the recent addition to the warehouse and six years wholesale produce experience, A&A Produce was finally in a position to go retail with a slightly different spin on an old family idea: community or office delivery of fresh produce without customers having to buy in large volumes and no one will have to use their kitchen as a warehouse until someone can pick it up.
The Kemp family is proud to announce their latest endeavor . . .
A&A On The Go
a wholly-owned subsidiary of A&A Produce, Inc.
"Please Allow Our Family To Help Your Family."
