What Silva International does

Silva International is a B2B supplier of premium air-dried vegetable, herb, fruit, and mushroom ingredients to enterprise food and pet food manufacturers. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Momence, Illinois, the company operates 20-plus industrial production lines supporting approximately 70 SKUs and sources raw materials from over 25 countries. Its proprietary processing stack includes validated steam sterilization, infrared treatment, ZerOx oxygen-deprivation insect treatment, precision water activity control, and custom cutting, milling, and blending capabilities. Certifications include FSSC 22000, Non-GMO Project, and QAI organic, and the company runs an in-house commercial kitchen in Chicago for application development.

Silva sells exclusively to business customers through a consultative, sample-driven sales process with quote-based pricing and multi-year contracts, and emphasizes long-term partnerships with food and pet food manufacturers across categories including baked goods, snacks, seasonings, ready meals, plant-based proteins, and pet food. Distribution is direct, with bulk ingredients delivered in various packaging configurations, and the company supplements direct sales with industry tradeshow presence and content marketing aimed at food industry professionals.

The company was acquired by Universal Corp., an international agribusiness, for $170 million in cash in 2021 and now operates under the Universal Ingredients platform alongside sister companies FruitSmart and Shank's, enabling cross-company R&D and expanded product inventory. A recent leadership transition placed Jeff Weidenaar as president, succeeding Kent DeVries, and the company has launched new Product Concept Development and ZerOx capabilities, co-founded a Sports Performance Hub in Miami, and continues to add production capacity at its U.S. facility.

Name

Silva International

Legal name

Silva International

Website

https://silva-intl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Silva International is a B2B supplier of premium air-dried vegetables, herbs, fruits, and mushrooms to enterprise food and pet food manufacturers, operating 20-plus production lines from Momence, Illinois under Universal Corp.'s Universal Ingredients platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dehydrated Food Ingredients

NAICS

Spice and Extract Manufacturing (311942)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Dried Herbs & Herb Blends (AFAJANAC)

Keywords

• Dehydrated food ingredients
• Dried vegetable ingredients
• Dried herbs and spices
• Custom ingredient blending
• Food manufacturer supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Momence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bulk Dried Ingredient Sales: Silva generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of premium all-natural dried vegetables, herbs, select fruits, and mushrooms to food manufacturers. Products are sold in bulk quantities with custom cut sizes, blending, and treatment options. Approximately 70 products are offered, with raw materials sourced from over 25 countries and finished in the U.S. facility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Silva International produces and sells premium all-natural air-dried vegetables, herbs and spices, select dried fruits, and dried mushrooms in bulk quantities to food and pet food manufacturers. Products are offered with custom cut sizes, blending, and treatment options (including steam sterilization and infrared treatment) supported by global sourcing from over 25 countries and processing across more than 20 industrial production lines at the Momence, Illinois facility.

Product overview

Silva International is a food ingredient supplier offering premium air-dried vegetables, herbs, spices, select fruits, and mushrooms to food manufacturers. The product portfolio spans four core categories: dried vegetables (40+ varieties including carrots, tomatoes, peppers, leafy greens), dried herbs and spices (15+ varieties including basil, garlic, oregano), dried fruits (apples, blueberries, cranberries, citrus peels), and dried mushrooms. Additionally, the company offers custom blending services, multiple treatment options (steam sterilization, infrared treatment, ZerOx), and new product concept development capabilities. The company sources from over 25 countries and operates processing facilities in Illinois, serving both human food and pet food manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dried Vegetables Premium air-dried vegetables offered to food manufacturers, used in seasoning blends, sauces, soups, stews, pasta products, rice products, chips, snacks, bakery items, ready meals, and plant-based proteins. Available with custom cut sizes, blending, and treatment options (steam sterilization, infrared, ZerOx).
• Dried Herbs & Spices Dried culinary herbs and spices sold to food manufacturers for seasoning blends, cheese and dairy products, bakery products, ready meals, and other flavor applications. Custom cut sizes and blending available.
• Dried Fruits Premium dried fruits available either with or without added sulfites for color retention, used in bakery items, snack bars, salad toppers, seasoning blends, and pet food products.
• Dried Mushrooms Dried mushrooms sold to food manufacturers for culinary and functional food applications, available in multiple varieties with custom cut sizes.
• Pet Food Ingredients Full line of all-natural dried ingredients for pet food applications, including carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, spinach, mushrooms, beets, and other vegetables and fruits that deliver functional benefits, clean labels, and nutritional value for pet food manufacturers.
• Custom Blending Services Custom blending capabilities across multiple blender styles handling everything from delicate flakes to dense fine powders, with adjustable blend ratios and item quantities, optional oil coating, and various packaging options for direct delivery to manufacturing plants.
• Product Concept Development R&D partnership for developing new food and pet food products from inception, leveraging a full commercial kitchen in downtown Chicago with combo oven, grill top, deep fryers, stovetop, proof box, and blast freezer, plus combined access to sister companies for custom flavor creation, beverage development, extracts, and analytical analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shelf life extension: dried vegetables and herbs maintain quality for months or even years without refrigeration
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FruitSmartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within the Universal Ingredients platform. Silva leverages FruitSmart's product inventory as part of combined product concept development capabilities, expanding the available ingredient portfolio for customers seeking integrated solutions.
• Shank'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within the Universal Ingredients platform. Shank's products are accessible through Silva's product concept development and application development services, allowing combined ingredient solutions across the platform.
• ZerOx (Oxygen Deprivation Insect Treatment Technology)coreTechnology or IntegrationSilva integrates ZerOx all-natural insect treatment into its production process for all raw material entering the U.S. facility. ZerOx uses oxygen deprivation (removing 99.5% of oxygen) in sealed chambers to achieve 100% mortality of all insect pests including nesting eggs, replacing chemical fumigation. This is a validated process supporting organic ingredient lines.
• Third-Party Certified LaboratoriescoreTechnology or IntegrationBoth steam sterilization and infrared treatment capabilities have been validated through third-party certified laboratories. Water activity testing and quality verification are documented through these laboratory partnerships, providing customers with documented assurance of food safety and stability.
• Sports Performance Hub (Miami)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilva International is one of the founders of a new Sports Performance Hub campus under construction in Miami, indicating community investment and non-core strategic partnerships beyond the core dried ingredient business.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Van Drunen Farms / FutureCeuticals: Largest direct competitor in dried herbs, vegetables, and fruits for food and nutraceutical manufacturers, with similar air-drying technology, custom blending capabilities, and B2B contract model.
• American Dehydrated Foods: Direct competitor specializing in dehydrated vegetable and ingredient supply for food manufacturers, with similar B2B contract model and custom blending services.
• Kalsec: Supplier of natural herb and spice extracts, colors, and antioxidants to B2B food manufacturers; comparable in clean-label, all-natural positioning and B2B ingredient model.
• Griffith Foods: Custom food ingredient and seasoning supplier serving global food manufacturers; comparable in custom blending, co-development, and B2B enterprise sales model.
• Kanegrade: UK-based supplier of dried herbs, spices, dehydrated vegetables, and natural ingredients for food manufacturers; direct overlap in dried ingredient portfolio and B2B contract supply.

Broad incumbents

• McCormick & Company: Global leader in spices, seasonings, and flavors serving both B2B food manufacturers and B2C retail; overlaps with Silva in dried herbs, spices, and custom blends but operates at vastly broader scale and brand reach.
• Olam Food Ingredients (ofi): Global B2B ingredient platform with substantial spice, herb, and dehydrated vegetable capabilities serving food manufacturers; overlap with Silva in dried ingredients for bakery, snacks, and seasonings.
• Sensient Technologies: Diversified food ingredient supplier with natural colors, flavors, and dried ingredient offerings to B2B food manufacturers; comparable in serving clean-label positioning.
• Kerry Group: Global taste and nutrition company supplying ingredients and flavors to food manufacturers; overlaps with Silva in seasoning, herb, and functional ingredient categories.
• Döhler: Global B2B supplier of natural ingredients, flavors, and plant-based extracts for food and beverage manufacturers; comparable in serving clean-label ingredient needs at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Silva International