Testa Produce, Inc.
Mark Smidt is an experienced culinary and sales professional with a strong background in the food industry. Currently serving as an Account Executive at Testa Produce, Inc. since November 2019, Mark previously held roles including Executive Sous Chef at Truluck's Seafood, Steak and Crab House and Executive Chef at Eddie Merlot's Prime Aged Beef and Seafood. Mark began a career in retail as a Retail Sales Manager at Meijer from August 2001 to December 2012. Mark holds a Bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology from Kansas State University, earned between 2018 and 2023, as well as a degree in Culinary Arts, Pastry and Culinary from Elgin Community College, completed from 2009 to 2012.
Testa Produce, Inc.
Testa distributes to Chicagoland's foodservice entities including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools, country clubs, sports venues, and catering services. To date, Testa services hundreds of customers and that number continues to grow. We are always willing to work with our customers to make sure our services are the best fit for their needs. At Testa, we pride ourselves on our commitment to quality produce and quality service. We take the extra steps to ensure that the product you get from us has been taken care of from the start. We source from premier vendors, store and distribute your produce in our LEED® Platinum Certified facility, and put every item that enters our warehouse through a strict safety process to make sure you are getting the best quality out there. Our service is what distinguishes us from all the rest. We put you as the customer first. Our Customer Service department is on hand to process your orders all day. Our sales staff will attend to you personally whenever there is an issue. Our drivers are experienced and work the hardest to make sure you get your product when you are supposed to, and they do it with a smile. We have built relationships with our customers to get to know you better. When we know what you want, we can getter serve you what you need. Testa Produce is a family owned and operated organization. The family business began in 1912, with founder Dominick Testa selling stalks of celery door-to-door out of a basket. The creation of the Chicago Terminal Produce Market pro¬vided a central selling location for the company and Testa maintained a stall there for several years. Eventually Testa Produce outgrew that area and moved all operations to a larger building off of the Market. As the restaurant industry evolved, so did Testa Produce. In 2011, Testa expanded yet again and moved into its new home: a 91,300 square foot, LEED® Platinum Certified facility featuring the most state-of-the-art green technologies.