Hector Larivée

What Hector Larivée does

Hector Larivée is a fourth-generation, family-owned fresh produce distributor founded in 1940 in Montréal, Canada, sourcing and delivering fruits, vegetables, and complementary foods to the Quebec and Eastern Ontario foodservice industry. The company serves hotels, restaurants (fine dining and chains), institutions, schools, and cafeterias through a direct refrigerated delivery fleet of approximately 50 trucks operated by ~75 branded delivery ambassadors, supported by a 70,000 sq ft SQF Level 2-certified warehouse at 1755 Bercy Street in Montréal. Core revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis across a catalog of more than 800 produce SKUs and over 3,500 complementary products (with access to 30,000 SKUs via the Pro*Act network), supplemented by a sister company, Groupe Tomapure (founded 2005, Laval), which uses proprietary electrostatic washing (Tomapure) plus UV disinfection to supply ready-to-eat washed produce to fast-food chains including Subway.

Distribution is differentiated by Pro*Act network membership (Hector Larivée is the only Quebec supplier member), full supply chain traceability via a WMS adopted in July 2015, SQF Level 2 certification achieved in November 2017, and a Key Drop program enabling unattended delivery. Go-to-market is hybrid: enterprise field sales targeting HRI accounts, an inside sales team (8 AM–8 PM, Monday–Saturday), and a 24/7 B2B e-commerce ordering portal (hectorlarivee.pepr.app). Ownership and management remain with the Larivée family across four generations, including current President Guy Larivée, VP Sales Michel Larivée, and Tomapure President Daniel Larivée, with fourth-generation family members now occupying director-level commercial, operations, and buyer roles.

Name

Hector Larivée

Legal name

Hector Larivée inc.

Website

https://hectorlarivee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hector Larivée is a fourth-generation Montréal-based fresh produce distributor, founded 1940, serving Quebec and Eastern Ontario foodservice operators (restaurants, hotels, institutions) via a refrigerated fleet, SQF Level 2-certified warehouse, and Pro*Act network membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Distribution: Core revenue stream from distributing fresh fruits and vegetables to the foodservice industry (restaurants, hotels, institutions). Products include over 800 varieties of fruits and vegetables sourced locally and internationally.
2. Complementary Products: Sale of complementary food products including proteins (meats, seafood, tofu), dairy, juices, baked goods, oils, specialty items, and pre-cooked/pre-portioned foods. Catalog offers over 3,500 products with access to 30,000 through supplier network.
3. Specialty Products and Pre-cut Items: Revenue from specialty products, pre-cut vegetables and fruits, mini and micro-vegetables, and edible flowers. Includes products from the Artisans des Saveurs experimental garden.
4. Ready-to-Eat Produce (Tomapure): Pre-washed, ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables through sister company Tomapure Group, serving fast-food chains and retail businesses with food safety guaranteed produce.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hector Larivée sources and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to the Canadian foodservice industry, serving restaurants, hotels, institutions, schools, cafeterias, and chain restaurants across Quebec and Eastern Ontario. The company operates a 70,000 sq ft SQF Level 2 certified warehouse with a fleet of refrigerated trucks that maintains cold chain from warehouse to customer kitchen, complemented by a catalog of over 3,500 complementary products and a sister company (Groupe Tomapure) providing ready-to-eat washed produce.

Product overview

Hector Larivée operates as a fourth-generation family business (since 1940) providing comprehensive distribution services for the foodservice industry in Quebec and Ontario. The company functions as a single integrated offering centered on fresh produce distribution, complemented by an extensive catalog of over 3,500 complementary products spanning from appetizers to desserts. The portfolio includes the core fresh fruits and vegetables distribution business, the Groupe Tomapure sub-brand (washed ready-to-eat produce using electrostatic technology), the e-commerce ordering platform (Pepr.app) for B2B online ordering, and specialized services like the Key Drop Program for after-hours delivery. The company maintains a 70,000 square foot warehouse with SQF Level 2 certification and a fleet of 50 refrigerated trucks for cold chain delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Groupe Tomapure: Sister company founded in 2005 providing fresh, washed and ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables for fast-food restaurants and retail businesses using patented electrostatic washing technology.

Products and services

• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Distribution Core distribution business providing fresh, frozen, and pre-cut fruits and vegetables to foodservice clients across Quebec and Ontario, including restaurants, hotels, institutions, schools, and cafeterias. Catalog covers more than 800 fruit and vegetable varieties sourced locally and internationally.
• Complementary Products Distribution Extended product portfolio including proteins (meats, seafood, tofu), dairy (eggs, fish, yogurts, cheeses), juices, baked goods (breads, baguettes, pita, tortillas, pastries), oils, nuts, legumes, appetizers, canapés, salads, desserts, and specialty grocery items. 90% of the complementary products portfolio consists of Quebec products; catalog offers over 3,500 products with access to 30,000 through the supplier network.
• Groupe Tomapure — Ready-to-Eat Washed Produce Sister-company offering of pre-washed, sanitized, ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables for fast-food restaurants (including Subway across Canadian provinces and the Northeastern US) and retail businesses. Uses patented Tomapure electrostatic washing technology combined with UV disinfection that eliminates 99% of pathogens and extends shelf life by up to 7 additional days.
• B2B E-Commerce Ordering Platform (Pepr.app) Online B2B ordering platform that allows foodservice customers to place orders 24/7 and access a dedicated Customer Area for account management and order tracking.
• Cold Chain Refrigerated Delivery Service Temperature-controlled delivery service using Digi Cool technology in approximately 50 refrigerated trucks to maintain the cold chain from the Bercy Street warehouse to customer kitchens across Quebec and Eastern Ontario, with deliveries between 4 AM and 6 PM. GPS tracking via Omnitracs Roadnet ensures route coordination and punctuality.
• Key Drop Delivery Program Delivery service option allowing products to be delivered when clients are absent by using client-provided keys and alarm codes, eliminating the productivity impact of missed deliveries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Less than 3 days from harvest to delivery during winter months
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Groupe TomapurecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Sister company founded in 2005 by Daniel, Guy, and Michel Larivée. Provides fast-food restaurants and retail businesses with fresh, washed, and ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables. Uses proprietary electrostatic washing technology unique in Quebec that eliminates 99% of pathogens and extends shelf life by up to 7 days. Serves Subway chain across Canadian provinces and Northeastern US.
• Subway (Canada)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2005Subway approached the Larivée brothers in 2005 to partner with a Quebec business capable of ensuring food safety of vegetables between harvest and kitchen. This partnership led to the creation of Tomapure Group, which now supplies Subway locations across Canadian provinces and into the Northeastern United States.
• Pro*ActcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro*Act is the largest fruit and vegetable buying network in North America with 7,200 employees from 50 companies. Hector Larivée is the only Quebec supplier member. This partnership provides access to California and Mexico produce during Quebec winter months, with harvest-to-kitchen delivery in less than 3 days. The combined purchasing volume provides competitive pricing advantages for members.
• GastronomiaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian frozen pasta and pastry supplier. Hector Larivée distributes Gastronomia products including 8 varieties of individually frozen pasta made with 4-6 eggs per kilo of flour. Products are GMO-free, preservative-free, and flash-frozen without artificial flavors. Hector Larivée features Gastronomia in sponsored articles and distributes their products.
• Colibri VanilleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVanilla supplier company owned by Chantale Caron. Hector Larivée sources handcrafted vanilla directly from producers in Madagascar, Uganda, Indonesia, Costa Rica, and other origins. Products are purchased equitably directly from producers, eliminating international intermediaries. Producers receive approximately 5 times more than through large aggregators.
• Les Artisans des SaveursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and development garden created in May 2015 in collaboration with Michel Lachaume. Mission is to advance biodiversity and create new varieties of fruits and vegetables. Tests exotic vegetables to see how they adapt to Quebec climate. Reintroduces ancestral and rare varieties known for taste qualities.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Charlie's Produce: Seattle-headquartered fresh produce distributor focused on the foodservice industry across the Pacific Northwest and Western US. Directly comparable to Hector Larivée on customer mix (restaurants, schools, healthcare), cold-chain delivery, and produce-specialty positioning.
• FreshPoint: Sysco-owned specialty fresh produce distributor serving foodservice operators across the US and Canada. Closest functional comparable on the customer/channel side — produce-specialist within a broadline owner's footprint, similar SQF/cold-chain requirements, and shared chain-account RFX dynamics.
• The Oppenheimer Group (Oppy): One of North America's largest fresh produce marketers/distributors with major Canadian operations out of Vancouver. Comparable on grower sourcing, retail and foodservice channels, and integrated cold-chain distribution across North America.
• Fortune Fish & Gourmet: Specialty fresh and gourmet foodservice distributor serving fine-dining, hospitality, and institutional customers in the US Midwest. Highly comparable specialty/distribution model and customer mix to Hector Larivée, including premium produce, dairy, and proteins.

Broad incumbents

• Gordon Food Service: Privately held broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, schools, healthcare, and hospitality across North America. Overlaps with Hector Larivée on fresh produce category and Quebec/Ontario foodservice accounts but offers a much wider portfolio of dry, frozen, and equipment categories.
• Sysco: Global broadline foodservice market leader with growing fresh produce/private-label capabilities, including its FreshPoint subsidiary. Competes for chain and institutional contracts where Hector Larivée participates, with significantly broader SKU and geographic coverage.
• US Foods: Top-three US broadline foodservice distributor with national fresh produce programs and private-label. Competes in chain and institutional RFPs with a one-stop-shop proposition that pressures specialty produce distributors on share-of-wallet.
• Imperial Dade: Large foodservice and janitorial/sanitation distribution platform with a fresh produce and specialty foodservice practice. Comparable on B2B foodservice customers and cold-chain logistics, though with a much broader product portfolio and US-Northeast concentration.

Regional players

• Y. Hata & Company: Hawaii-headquartered foodservice produce and broadline distributor serving Pacific-region HRI customers. Comparable business model and customer set, but operates in a distinct regional geography where it does not overlap with Hector Larivée.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Groupe-Tomapure-inc-218198651591464
• Xx.com/hectorhli

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hector Larivée