Ripening more than 75,000 boxes of bananas and 100,000boxes of plantains per week requires precision, predictabilityand partners that can scale. For Exp. Group, one of the largestripening operations in the United States, its multi-decadepartnership with Catalytic Generators has provided thereliable ethylene foundation needed to support growth whiledelivering consistent quality across its expanding US footprint.

For more than three decades, Catalytic Generators, a specialist in ethylene application systems for fruit ripening, has worked alongside Exp. Group, supporting its growth from a family-founded produce distributor into one of the largest banana ripening operations in the United States. The partnership began with Gene Akins and Emil Serafino. Today, their sons Greg Akins and Anthony Serafino continue that legacy.

Exp. Group is a family-owned, nationwide fresh producedistributor headquartered in North Bergen, New Jersey.It sources high-quality products from domestic farms andimports from the Caribbean, South America, and CentralAmerica. The company operates a large-scale banana andplantain ripening and distribution platform with facilitiesin North Bergen, New Jersey, and McAllen, Texas.

The company ripens more than 75,000 boxes of bananasand more than 100,000 boxes of plantains per week, handlingclose to one million boxes of fresh produce across its supplychain, including papayas, pears, tomatoes and othercommodities. Its four pillars - quality, service, brand, andculture - guide daily operations.

As Exp. Group president and principal Anthony Serafino explains: “Ripening is an art. Anyone can turn fruit yellow, but delivering the right colour, shelf life and consistency foreach customer requires discipline and precision.”

Precision and predictability at scale

Catalytic Generators’ systems support efficient and controlledfruit ripening. Their Easy-Ripe generators and Ethy-Gen IIethylene concentrate allow Exp. Group to manage ripeningcycles precisely, achieving consistent colour and qualityacross multiple commodities while minimising variabilityacross high-volume operations.

“Ethylene should not be complicated,” Mr Serafino said. “Our clients don’t want surprises. If they ask for a certain colour, they expect exactly that. As we grow, we need predictability. We need to know that what we put into the chamber is going to deliver exactly what our customers expect.”

Catalytic Generators president and chief executive officerGreg Akins said: “Our goal is to make ethylene the easiest partof the ripening process. When operators can apply ethylenereliably and predictably, they can focus on serving theircustomers and scaling their operations with confidence.”

Mr Serafino said his organisation’s relationship with CatalyticGenerators was so strong because they’re also a familyorganisation and understand their values.

Scalable, dependable partnership

Over the years, Catalytic Generators has been at Exp. Group’sside through every stage of growth. e company’s technologyenables Exp. Group to meet diverse client specifications, from slower ripening cycles for customers with larger inventory capacity to faster colour turns for high-density urban outlets.

Mr Serafino explains: “It’s not a one-size- fits-all model. One client may want greener fruit and a slower cycle because they hold more inventory. Another client, operating smaller stores in Manhattan, needs higher colour fruit with quicker turnover. We manage 15 to 20 different customers, and each one has specific expectations. Catalytic understands that, and the system allows us to adapt without losing consistency.”

Mr Serafino also values Catalytic Generators’ focused approach. “We prefer working with a company that does one thing extremely well,” he notes. “Ethylene works. It’s cost-effective, scalable and proven.”

“Clients don’t want surprises. They want to know that if theyrequest a certain colour, they’re going to get exactly that. WithCatalytic, quality and predictability are constant - and that’scritical for our growth. When you’re moving close to a millionboxes a week, consistency isn’t optional - it’s essential.

”Catalytic Generators also brings global experience to the partnership. The company operates across the world, navigating different regulatory frameworks and operational requirements.

Supporting Exp. Group’s last-mile strategy

As Exp. Group continues expanding its last-mile deliverycapabilities, the focus remains on ensuring produce reachescustomers in optimal condition. Mr Serafino describes thecompany’s goal as building a di erentiated distributionnetwork - a model designed to combine ripening expertisewith operational precision at the nal stage of delivery.

“Last-mile delivery is where quality meets the consumer,”Mr Serafino said. “ That’s what made Amazon, Amazon. If you control that last step, you control the customer experience. Catalytic Generators allows us to ripen efficiently and reliably, so the fruit arrives at the right colour and condition, every time.”