Calavo Growers
Calavo Growers is a Santa Paula, California-based producer and distributor of fresh avocados, tomatoes, Hawaiian papayas, and prepared guacamole products, serving grocery retailers, foodservice operators, club stores, and wholesale customers across North America via vertically integrated operations in the U.S. and Mexico.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1924
- HeadquartersSanta Paula, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Calavo Growers does
Calavo Growers, Inc. is a Santa Paula, California-headquartered producer and distributor of fresh produce and prepared avocado-based foods, founded in 1924 as the California Avocado Growers Exchange. The company operates two primary divisions: the Grown segment, which sources, packs, and distributes fresh Hass avocados, greenhouse-grown tomatoes, and Hawaiian papayas (Calavo Gold brand, ~75% share of Hawaiian papaya imports); and the Calavo Foods (Fresh Foods) segment, which produces ready-to-eat guacamole, dips, avocado pulp, IQF/frozen processed avocado products, and other prepared foods under the Calavo, AvoFresco, AvoCrema, and private label brands, holding an estimated 33–40% of the North American guacamole market.
The underlying technology centers on High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) for prepared foods, which extends shelf life and preserves nutritional content without preservatives—a meaningful differentiator for ready-to-eat guacamole and dips. Calavo also employs ripening and sorting technology in fresh-produce operations and runs a vertically integrated facility network across California, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey, Texas, and Mexico (Uruapan/Michoacán and Jalisco packing and processing plants), with sourcing extending into Peru and Colombia. The technology stack is conventional for the produce industry rather than software-driven; there is no disclosed AI/ML or platform architecture.
Calavo operates a sales-led B2B model, distributing fresh produce and prepared foods to grocery retailers, club stores, foodservice operators, wholesale distributors, e-commerce platforms, and food manufacturers on transaction-based pricing (specific pricing is not publicly disclosed). FY2025 net sales totaled $648.4 million, down from $661.5 million in FY2024, while adjusted EBITDA grew 12% to $40.8 million and net income from continuing operations rose 192% to approximately $20 million following the 2024 divestiture of the Fresh Cut business for $83 million. On May 28, 2026, Mission Produce completed its acquisition of Calavo for approximately $430 million in enterprise value, making Calavo a wholly-owned subsidiary within a combined entity targeting ~22% of the North American avocado market and ~$2.0 billion in pro forma net sales.
Calavo Growers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Calavo Growers
- Legal name
- Calavo Growers, Inc.
- Website
- https://calavo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1924
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Calavo Growers is a Santa Paula, California-based producer and distributor of fresh avocados, tomatoes, Hawaiian papayas, and prepared guacamole products, serving grocery retailers, foodservice operators, club stores, and wholesale customers across North America via vertically integrated operations in the U.S. and Mexico.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Calavo Growers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Produce Distribution
- NAICS
- Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991), Food Manufacturing (311)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution (CRAOABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Plant-Based Prepared Meals & Convenience Foods Manufacturing (AFAKAGAL), Pesto, Cooking Pastes & Concentrated Flavor Bases Manufacturing (AFAKADAN), Frozen Plant-Based & Vegetarian Meals (CRADADAF)
Keywords
Where Calavo Growers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Paula
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices12 records
Markets served
Calavo Growers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fresh Produce Sales: Revenue from selling fresh avocados, tomatoes, and Hawaiian papayas to retail and foodservice customers. The Grown segment includes sourcing, packing and distribution of fresh produce.
- Prepared Foods: Revenue from Calavo Foods division selling guacamole, avocado pulp, IQF/Frozen processed avocado products, and other dips to grocery retailers, foodservice, wholesale, and food manufacturing customers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
Calavo Growers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Calavo Growers is a global leader in the distribution and marketing of fresh Hass avocados, tomatoes, and Hawaiian papayas, along with prepared guacamole, dips, and avocado-based foods. The company operates a vertically integrated farm-to-table supply chain across the U.S., Mexico, and Central/South America, using High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) technology to produce preservative-free ready-to-eat prepared foods for grocery retailers, foodservice operators, club stores, and food manufacturers.
Product overview
Calavo Growers is a global leader in fresh produce and prepared foods, operating two divisions: the Fresh Foods division producing guacamole, dips, and avocado-based foods, and the Grown division handling avocados, tomatoes, and papayas. The company operates a vertically integrated model from farm to table, using High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) in its prepared foods to maintain food safety without preservatives. Products include fresh avocados, tomatoes, Hawaiian papayas, guacamole and dips (Calavo brand and private label), AvoCrema, avocado pico de gallo, IQF/frozen processed avocado products, and USDA Certified-Organic options. The company was acquired by Mission Produce in May 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Avo Fresco: Brand for guacamole, avocado pulp, IQF/Frozen, processed avocado products
- AvoCrema
- Calavo Gold
Products and services
- Fresh Avocados Fresh Hass avocados sourced from optimal growing regions across the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, supplied to retail and foodservice customers as the company's core offering with nearly 100 years of expertise.
- Farm Fresh Tomatoes Year-round supply of vine-ripened round and Roma tomatoes, 100% greenhouse grown with high food safety standards, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
- Hawaiian Papayas (Calavo Gold) Premium Hawaiian papayas marketed under the Calavo Gold brand, with Calavo importing and marketing 75% of all Hawaiian papayas to retail and foodservice customers.
- Guacamole & Dips Ready-to-eat premium guacamole, salsas, and plant-based dips sold under the Calavo brand and private label to grocery retailers and foodservice providers, using High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) for food safety without preservatives.
- Organic Avocados & Guacamole USDA Certified-Organic Hass avocados and guacamole products targeting health-conscious retail and foodservice customers seeking organic produce options.
- AvoCrema Avocado and sour cream blend product used as a dip or condiment, featured in recipes and marketed as a convenient prepared foods option for retail and foodservice customers.
- Avocado Pico de Gallo Fresh salsa combining avocado with tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice, sold as a prepared food product to retail and foodservice customers.
- IQF/Frozen Processed Avocado Products Individually quick frozen (IQF) and processed avocado products sold to retail, foodservice, wholesale, and food manufacturing customers for use as ingredients or finished products.
Quantifiable outcome
- 12% EBITDA growth to $40.8 million in FY2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Calavo Growers
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Calavo Growers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Calavo Growers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Calavo Growers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mission Produce: Now the parent company of Calavo following the May 2026 acquisition. Mission Produce is a global leader in Hass avocados with operations across 25+ countries and is the most directly comparable avocado sourcing, ripening, and distribution business.
- West Pak Avocado: Family-owned U.S. avocado grower, packer, ripener, and distributor serving retail and foodservice; competes directly with Calavo's Grown division across North American fresh avocado supply.
- Index Fresh: U.S.-based avocado grower-shipper sourcing from California, Mexico, and South America with ripening and distribution operations; competes head-to-head with Calavo in fresh avocado marketing and distribution.
- Wholly Guacamole (MegaMex Foods): Leading branded refrigerated guacamole manufacturer owned by Hormel Foods/MegaMex; competes directly with Calavo Foods in retail and club store guacamole aisles where Calavo holds 33–40% share.
- Sabra Dipping Company: Joint venture between PepsiCo and Strauss Group producing hummus, guacamole, and refrigerated dips; directly competes with Calavo's AvoFresco guacamole and AvoCrema avocado-based dip products in retail deli.
Broad incumbents
- Fresh Del Monte Produce: Global producer, distributor, and marketer of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables including pineapples, bananas, melons, and avocados; broad incumbent with overlapping avocado and prepared produce capabilities.
- Dole plc: Global fresh produce company producing, sourcing, and distributing fruits and vegetables worldwide; operates broader portfolio but overlaps with Calavo in fresh produce sourcing, ripening, and distribution to retailers.
- Chiquita Brands International: Major branded fresh produce distributor (bananas, pineapples, avocados) with global supply chain; broader incumbent with similar customer base in retail and foodservice channels as Calavo.
Regional players
- Bonduelle Group: Global leader in packaged and prepared vegetables including fresh-cut salads and IQF/canned vegetable products; comparable to Calavo's prepared foods business but primarily serving European markets with limited North American overlap.
Others
- Avocados From Mexico: Marketing and promotional organization jointly funded by Mexican avocado growers and U.S. importers to promote Mexican avocados in the U.S.; adjacent ecosystem participant that influences category demand Calavo benefits from.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Calavo Growers social profiles
Digital presenceCalavo Growers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Calavo Growers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Calavo Growers subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Calavo Growers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Calavo Growers 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 Calavo Growers
What does Calavo Growers do?
Calavo Growers is a global leader in the distribution and marketing of fresh Hass avocados, tomatoes, and Hawaiian papayas, along with prepared guacamole, dips, and avocado-based foods. The company operates a vertically integrated farm-to-table supply chain across the U.S., Mexico, and Central/South America, using High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) technology to produce preservative-free ready-to-eat prepared foods for grocery retailers, foodservice operators, club stores, and food manufacturers.
Is Calavo Growers a public or private company?
Calavo Growers is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Calavo Growers founded?
Calavo Growers was founded in 1924. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Calavo Growers based?
Calavo Growers is headquartered in Santa Paula, United States, in the North America region.
How does Calavo Growers make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fresh Produce Sales are the primary driver. The others are prepared Foods.
Who are Calavo Growers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mission Produce, West Pak Avocado, Index Fresh, Wholly Guacamole (MegaMex Foods) and Sabra Dipping Company. Broad incumbents are Fresh Del Monte Produce, Dole plc and Chiquita Brands International. Bonduelle Group is listed as a regional player. Avocados From Mexico is listed as an others.
Does Calavo Growers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Calavo Growers.
What industry is Calavo Growers in?
Calavo Growers's product category is Fresh Produce Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOABAK, Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution, with a secondary code of AFAKAGAL, Plant-Based Prepared Meals & Convenience Foods Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3114 and its SIC code is 2030.