Ark Foods
Ark Foods is a Brooklyn-based farming company that grows Non-GMO specialty vegetables (Shishito peppers, heirloom tomatoes, seasonal squash) on East Coast Primus GFS-certified farms and produces Clean Label Eats chopped salad kits, selling through Whole Foods, FreshDirect, Amazon Fresh, and Instacart.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ark Foods does
Ark Foods is a Brooklyn-headquartered, privately held modern farming company founded in 2013 by Noah Robbins that produces specialty vegetables and value-added clean label food products. The company operates Primus GFS-certified farms across six East Coast states (South Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, and New York) to supply fresh produce year-round using 100% Non-GMO seeds, with internal Operations handling packing and nationwide distribution directly to retailers without brokers or middlemen. Its product portfolio spans two sub-brands: "From Our Farms" (packaged and bulk specialty vegetables including Shishito peppers, Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, Poblanos, Jalapenos, Hungarian Wax, Cubanelle, Jimmy Nardello, Red Fresno, Long Hots, and seasonal Honeynut Squash, sold in 8oz tote bags and bulk half-bushel quantities) and "Clean Label Eats" (plant-based chopped salad kits in flavors such as Taco Truck, Sweet Kale Lemon Poppyseed, Honey Mustard Pretzel, Crunchy Sesame Ramen, and Blue Cheese Cornbread Crunch).
Distribution runs through major grocery retailers and online platforms: Whole Foods is the flagship physical retail partner, with additional presence through FreshDirect, Amazon Fresh, and Instacart; the company also lists on the RangeMe B2B buyer-discovery platform and accepts sales outreach via [email protected]. Pricing is publicly disclosed through retail channels, with comparable chopped salad kits at a suggested $3.99 retail price point, while bulk vegetables are quoted on request. The company is Non-GMO Project Certified (Shishitos, Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, Honeynut Squash) and Primus GFS-certified, and operates with an 11-50 person headcount led by founder/CEO Noah Robbins, COO Ed Mestre, Chairman Peter Robbins, and SVPs and VPs across Sales, Farm Operations, QA/R&D, and Operations, plus Directors of Product Innovation and Procurement.
The business is privately held and founder-owned, with approximately $3.0 million raised in outside capital in July 2021 and an earlier, undisclosed-value round in January 2018 involving Brooklyn Bridge Ventures and Outbound Ventures. Strategic differentiators are the vertically integrated supply chain, curated specialty-produce portfolio, and value-added clean label innovation targeting younger convenience-focused consumers; the company has also donated over 350,000 pounds of fresh produce to food banks and community fridges since the pandemic began, primarily through partnerships with City Harvest and the Society of St. Andrews.
Ark Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ark Foods
- Legal name
- Ark Foods Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://arkfoods.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ark Foods is a Brooklyn-based farming company that grows Non-GMO specialty vegetables (Shishito peppers, heirloom tomatoes, seasonal squash) on East Coast Primus GFS-certified farms and produces Clean Label Eats chopped salad kits, selling through Whole Foods, FreshDirect, Amazon Fresh, and Instacart.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ark Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Packaged Produce and Value-Added Salads
- NAICS
- Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Food Manufacturing (311), Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fresh-Cut & Value-Added Produce (Washed, Peeled, Sliced, Packaged) (AFAKAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fresh Cut / Value-Added Produce Wholesale (Pre-Cut, Packaged, Salad Kits) (AFAIACAD), Asparagus, Artichoke & Specialty Vegetable Farming (Asparagus, Artichokes, Celery, Okra) (AFAGADAI)
Keywords
Where Ark Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ark Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Packaged Vegetables Sales: Ark Foods sells packaged vegetables including Shishito Peppers, Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, Poblano Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, and Honeynut Squash in retail-ready packaging (8oz tote bags, 12oz party packs). Products are sold through grocery retailers and online platforms.
- Chopped Salad Kits Sales: Ark Foods produces and sells value-added chopped salad kits under the Clean Label Eats line including Taco Truck, Sweet Kale Lemon Poppyseed, Honey Mustard Pretzel, Crunchy Sesame Ramen, and Blue Cheese Cornbread Crunch varieties. Sold in 6-packs at retail.
- Bulk Vegetable Distribution: Ark Foods offers bulk vegetables (half-bushel and bushel quantities) for wholesale and retail distribution, including Shishito Peppers, Long Hots, Poblano Peppers, Red Fresno Peppers, Cubanelle Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, and Anaheim Peppers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk vegetables available by half-bushel or bushel for wholesale/retail distribution |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels3 records
Ark Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ark Foods grows and packages specialty Non-GMO vegetables (Shishito peppers, Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, Poblano, Jalapeno, Jimmy Nardello, Cubanelle, Hungarian Wax, Red Fresno, Long Hots, Honeynut Squash) at Primus GFS-certified farms across the East Coast, and produces plant-based Clean Label Eats chopped salad kits (Taco Truck, Sweet Kale Lemon Poppyseed, Honey Mustard Pretzel, Crunchy Sesame Ramen, Blue Cheese Cornbread Crunch). Products are sold to consumers through grocery retailers including Whole Foods and online platforms, and to wholesalers via bulk half-bushel and bushel quantities.
Product overview
Ark Foods operates as a modern-day farming company with two main product lines: 'From Our Farms' (fresh vegetables grown up and down the East Coast including packaged peppers, tomatoes, and seasonal squash available in retail bags, totes, and bulk quantities) and 'Clean Label Eats' (plant-based chopped salad kits featuring creative flavor profiles like Taco Truck, Sweet Kale Lemon Poppyseed, Honey Mustard Pretzel, Crunchy Sesame Ramen, and Blue Cheese Cornbread Crunch). The vegetables include specialty peppers (Shishito, Jalapeno, Poblano, Cubanelle, Hungarian Wax, Jimmy Nardello, Red Fresno, Long Hots), Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, and seasonal Honeynut Squash, all grown from Non-GMO seeds at Primus GFS-certified farms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Clean Label Eats: Chopped salad kits featuring creative crunch, tons of veggies, and clean takes on dressings.
- From Our Farms
Products and services
- Shishito Peppers (Packaged)
Quantifiable outcome
- Strong early velocity and repeat purchase success with Taco Truck Chopped Salad Kit
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ark Foods
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ark Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ark Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City HarvestcoreArk Foods partners with City Harvest, a food rescue organization, to donate surplus produce and support food access in local communities. This partnership is part of the company's commitment to food banks and community fridges.
- Society of St. AndrewscoreArk Foods works with the Society of St. Andrews, another food bank partner, to give back to the community by donating fresh produce that would otherwise go unused.
- Raaka ChocolateminorArk Foods collaborated with Raaka Chocolate to create a Red Fresno Hot Cacao recipe featuring Raaka's cacao powder and baking chocolate. This is a recipe collaboration showcasing Ark Foods' Red Fresno peppers.
- Anita's Coconut YogurtminorRecipe collaboration with Anita's Coconut Yogurt for a Tahini + Za'atar Coconut Yogurt Dip recipe featuring Ark Foods Shishito peppers.
- Soom TahiniminorRecipe collaboration partner for Tahini + Za'atar Coconut Yogurt Dip recipe featuring Ark Foods Shishito peppers.
- Home Spice Za'atarminorRecipe collaboration partner for Tahini + Za'atar Coconut Yogurt Dip recipe featuring Ark Foods Shishito peppers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ark Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Taylor Farms: Largest producer of value-added salads, chopped salad kits, and fresh packaged produce in North America — directly comparable to Ark Foods's Clean Label Eats salad-kit line and competes for the same grocery shelf space and prepared-produce category buyers.
- Fresh Express: National packaged-salad and chopped salad-kit brand owned by Chiquita — competes head-to-head with Ark Foods's Clean Label Eats line in grocery salad-kit sets and is referenced in pricing data.
- Dole plc: Global fresh produce major with packaged salads, vegetable kits, and branded produce — directly comparable to Ark Foods on packaged produce and salad-kit SKUs across mainstream grocery channels.
Direct peers
- Earthbound Farm: Organic and specialty packaged produce brand sold at Whole Foods and other premium grocers — closely comparable to Ark Foods on clean-label positioning, organic-leaning messaging, and specialty packaged SKUs.
- Pero Family Farms: Family-owned grower and packager of specialty packaged vegetables (peppers, mini vegetables, sweet onions) — comparable to Ark Foods on vertically-integrated specialty pepper and heirloom tomato SKUs in tote/bag retail formats.
- NatureSweet: Vertically-integrated grower of specialty tomatoes and peppers sold in branded retail packaging — directly comparable to Ark Foods on specialty packaged produce SKUs, controlled-supply model, and clean-label retail positioning.
Emerging players
- Little Leaf Farms: East Coast greenhouse grower selling packaged leafy greens and salad kits at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and other regional grocers — overlapping with Ark Foods on East Coast fresh-packaged produce SKUs and same retail banners.
- BrightFarms: Indoor-grown packaged salad and greens brand distributed through grocers including regional East Coast chains — comparable to Ark Foods's Clean Label Eats and packaged produce on retail distribution model and salad-kit category.
- Gotham Greens: Urban greenhouse operator producing packaged salad greens and salad kits, sold at Whole Foods and other grocers — comparable to Ark Foods on packaged fresh produce, salad-kit adjacency, and Whole Foods retail placement.
- Local Bounti: Controlled-environment agriculture operator selling packaged salads and salad kits in grocery retail — directly comparable to Ark Foods's Clean Label Eats chopped salad-kit line and fresh-packaged produce category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ark Foods social profiles
Digital presenceArk Foods compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Ark Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ark Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Ark Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ark Foods M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ark Foods
What does Ark Foods do?
Ark Foods grows and packages specialty Non-GMO vegetables (Shishito peppers, Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, Poblano, Jalapeno, Jimmy Nardello, Cubanelle, Hungarian Wax, Red Fresno, Long Hots, Honeynut Squash) at Primus GFS-certified farms across the East Coast, and produces plant-based Clean Label Eats chopped salad kits (Taco Truck, Sweet Kale Lemon Poppyseed, Honey Mustard Pretzel, Crunchy Sesame Ramen, Blue Cheese Cornbread Crunch). Products are sold to consumers through grocery retailers including Whole Foods and online platforms, and to wholesalers via bulk half-bushel and bushel quantities.
Is Ark Foods a public or private company?
Ark Foods is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ark Foods founded?
Ark Foods was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ark Foods based?
Ark Foods is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ark Foods make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Packaged Vegetables Sales are the primary driver. The others are chopped Salad Kits Sales and bulk Vegetable Distribution.
Who are Ark Foods's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Taylor Farms, Fresh Express and Dole plc. Direct peers are Earthbound Farm, Pero Family Farms and NatureSweet. Emerging players are Little Leaf Farms, BrightFarms, Gotham Greens and Local Bounti.
Does Ark Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ark Foods.
What industry is Ark Foods in?
Ark Foods's product category is Fresh Packaged Produce and Value-Added Salads. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAFAA, Fresh-Cut & Value-Added Produce (Washed, Peeled, Sliced, Packaged), with a secondary code of AFAIACAD, Fresh Cut / Value-Added Produce Wholesale (Pre-Cut, Packaged, Salad Kits). Its NAICS code is 3114 and its SIC code is 2030.