MONROE - Amish and Mennonite-grown produce often doesn't travel beyond local farmers markets, but one Monroe man's business helps Amish goods reach three states.
David Parr, owner of Parrfection Produce, works with about 120 farmers in the Madison area - many of whom are Amish and Mennonite - and distributes their produce in stores in lower Wisconsin, northern Illinois and Minnesota. In addition, Parr cultivates several acres of assorted herbs for distribution and sale.
Parr, who is 27 years old, said he has worked with produce all his life, beginning with his grandparents, who regularly sold vegetables at Monroe farmers markets. When Parr began attending the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to pursue an agricultural business major, his business began to take shape.
"I started working on distribution when I was in school," Parr said. "I would do my deliveries and drive a refrigerated truck to school."
Parr hired his first employee in 2010 and now has seven people working for him and his wife, Victoria Solomon.
"We just hired some herb packers, and we're looking for another driver," Parr said.
Parr said the ever-growing business distributes thousands of certain products each week: For example, Parrfection sends almost 4,000 pounds of its newest line of packaged chives to Chicago alone each week and transports nearly 3,000 gallons of maple syrup and honey throughout the region.
"In the winter we still do a lot of root crops," Parr said, saying he moves more than 10,000 cases of sweet potatoes in the colder months.
Parr said the growth of the organic food movement is a large contributor to Parrfection's growth; he estimated that 25 percent of the business' products are certified organic.
"There's also not really a lot of businesses around here that distribute produce at scale," Parr said.
However, Parr's job is not easy. He works 14-hour days regularly, getting up at 2 a.m. several times a week to drive to Chicago and back. Parr said the extreme hours are why few, if any, people his age have attempted to start a similar business.
"And there's a certain amount of risk," Parr said. "When I started out, I thought having a couple hundred dollars meant I was doing well. Now I'd be really scared if I had only that much."
David Parr, owner of Parrfection Produce, works with about 120 farmers in the Madison area - many of whom are Amish and Mennonite - and distributes their produce in stores in lower Wisconsin, northern Illinois and Minnesota. In addition, Parr cultivates several acres of assorted herbs for distribution and sale.
Parr, who is 27 years old, said he has worked with produce all his life, beginning with his grandparents, who regularly sold vegetables at Monroe farmers markets. When Parr began attending the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to pursue an agricultural business major, his business began to take shape.
"I started working on distribution when I was in school," Parr said. "I would do my deliveries and drive a refrigerated truck to school."
Parr hired his first employee in 2010 and now has seven people working for him and his wife, Victoria Solomon.
"We just hired some herb packers, and we're looking for another driver," Parr said.
Parr said the ever-growing business distributes thousands of certain products each week: For example, Parrfection sends almost 4,000 pounds of its newest line of packaged chives to Chicago alone each week and transports nearly 3,000 gallons of maple syrup and honey throughout the region.
"In the winter we still do a lot of root crops," Parr said, saying he moves more than 10,000 cases of sweet potatoes in the colder months.
Parr said the growth of the organic food movement is a large contributor to Parrfection's growth; he estimated that 25 percent of the business' products are certified organic.
"There's also not really a lot of businesses around here that distribute produce at scale," Parr said.
However, Parr's job is not easy. He works 14-hour days regularly, getting up at 2 a.m. several times a week to drive to Chicago and back. Parr said the extreme hours are why few, if any, people his age have attempted to start a similar business.
"And there's a certain amount of risk," Parr said. "When I started out, I thought having a couple hundred dollars meant I was doing well. Now I'd be really scared if I had only that much."