Freshness & flavor in a box

Freshness & flavor in a box

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the late Manuel Vidal Aragon would spend his days knocking on people’s doors selling fresh fruits and veggies to the local community.


“He would visit different neighborhoods and go house by house selling produce,” said Abraham Aragon, his son. “He enjoyed being out, visiting the different farms and getting to know the farmers.”


Before running his travel and trade produce service, Manuel Aragon worked at Gillespie’s Steak House, a local restaurant in Five Points and Montana, which operated from 1946 to 1986.



“He started working the dishwasher then became a server,” his son said. “As a server, he would get sent to the market and began making connections.


A man he met taught him how to peddle fruit in town, and that’s how he began the business.”



Abraham AragonPhoto by Herman Delgado



AJ Aragon unloads boxes of fruits and vegetablesPhoto by Herman Delgado


Vidal Aragon passed away in 2006, but Abraham Aragon made it his mission to continue running his father’s business, Honeybee Distributing Aragon Produce.


Almost two decades later, Abraham Aragon has successfully preserved what made his father’s company special while helping it evolve.


“We’ve been at it since before my dad passed,” he said. “Sometimes we’re running a skeleton crew, and it’s not always easy, but we’re proud to serve local fresh fruits and veggies to our customers. Our goal is to help El Paso eat fresh and snack healthy.”


Though no longer by foot, Honeybee Distributing continues to deliver goods right to customers’ doors.


Clients can choose between various fruit and veggie boxes, including the Classic Box, the Tropical Box, the Veggie Box, the Party Box, the Hot Box and the Cold Case.



“In addition to the six boxes on our menu, we also have seasonal boxes and holiday boxes,” Aragon said. “In the spring, customers can expect tons of citrus fruits, mandarins, tangerines, honeydew melons, cantaloupes, watermelons and tomatoes, as well as other fruits and veggies.”


Box orders start at $30, but clients can also shop a la carte in person at Honeybee Distributing, 4114 Montana.


“We offer the best bang for your buck, and give clients better quality and quantity,” Aragon said. “Every box is unique and prepared by hand to ensure its up to parr and perfect.”


Roxy Lynch has been ordering from Honeybee since 2020.



Box orders start at $30, but clients can also shop a la carte in person at Honeybee Distributing.Photos by Herman Delgado


The California native loves knowing her items are locally sourced, come crisp and plump and are always rich in flavor.


“I love it,” she said. “The ease of having it delivered to your house is wonderful. The produce is always very good, and their honey is amazing. I’ve never had any issues.”


In addition to fresh produce, Lynch loves their exceptional customer service and says it’s another reason why the company has kept her business.


“They send text reminders before orders arrive and when they have specials,” she said. “When I first started ordering, the boxes were $25, now they’re $30.But that’s understandable considering everything has gotten more expensive. I would rather support a local business like them than a huge corporation like Target or Walmart.”

Photo by Herman Delgado


Delivery service is free with Honeybee.


“There’s no markup to deliver your goods; all you pay is for your box,” Aragon said. “Try us out. Ordering is easy — you choose your box, call or text us to place an order, and we set up delivery. Our car service is always friendly. We set up our daily routes and begin deliveries in the afternoon.”