Established in 1985, Astro was originally located at the old “City Market” on San Pedro Street. Tight on space, and with an unreliable 100 year old elevator, Astro was still successful in supporting a growing niche market within the food service industry.
In June of 2005, Astro relocated to a larger more modern facility in order to accommodate growth and increase overall efficiency. With a newly constructed freezer and processing room, Astro was now capable of stocking more items, and processing more orders, more efficiently than ever before.
In March of 2010, Astro acquired key employees from Thrifty Vegetable, a processing company that had recently closed its doors after over 30 years in business. Expansion of the fresh-cut produce division ensued, along with the launching of Astro’s new “The World’s Harvest” fresh-cut brand.
Always at the forefront, Astro’s utilization of technology has played an important role in providing its customers with added convenience, service and value. In 1999, Astro was one of the first in the industry locally to convert from hand written to computer generated invoicing and inventory management. Mobile phone communication with drivers followed soon after, enhancing Astro’s ability to respond swiftly in a rapidly changing, fast paced environment. Pricing, specials and notifications were faxed out in a weekly newsletter format, but are now distributed via email as a more eco-friendly alternative. Email communication and ordering between customers and vendors is now common place, with online ordering and customer account access available in late 2010.