North Bay Produce
North Bay Produce is a Traverse City, Michigan-based grower-owned cooperative of 30+ farmers across the Americas that markets and distributes a 12-SKU fresh-produce portfolio year-round to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors across North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersTraverse City, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What North Bay Produce does
North Bay Produce, Inc. is a private, grower-owned cooperative headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, that markets and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors across North America, Europe, and Asia. The cooperative is owned by more than 30 grower-owners from North, Central, and South America, and traces its origin to 1984 as Wilderness Fresh Produce, a division of parent company Cherry Central Cooperative, Inc., before being formally incorporated as North Bay Produce, Inc. in 1991 with its Latin American partners. The company operates year-round (365-day) supply through farms and offices positioned in both hemispheres, supported by owned cold-storage warehouse facilities in Miami, Florida (since 1995, relocated in 2001) and Mascoutah, Illinois at the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, plus international offices in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, China, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala.
The core product portfolio is a 12-SKU fresh-produce range covering apples (more than 15 premium varieties), asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, Brussels sprouts, cherries, cranberries, French beans, raspberries, snow peas, strawberries, and sugar snap peas, with additional seasonal items such as figs and butternut squash. The product page explicitly names enterprise retail customers including Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Meijer, Safeway, Sprouts, Hy-Vee, Schnucks, and SpartanNash. The company is sales-led (24/7 sales representatives from the corporate office) and is differentiated by its cooperative structure, hemispheric farm network, and a comprehensive third-party-audited food-safety and sustainability stack (GFSI, GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP, SPRING, LEAF Marque, SMETA, FDA FSMA, HACCP).
Revenue is generated through B2B marketing and distribution of fresh produce, with pricing negotiated individually with retail, wholesale, and food service accounts (not publicly disclosed). Distribution runs through direct sales to retail grocery chains, wholesale distributors, and food service operators globally. The company maintains an organic consumer-facing presence (website recipe content, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter) and participates in industry organizations including the International Fresh Produce Association, the Center for Produce Safety, the International Association for Food Protection, and GLOBALG.A.P. Ownership is held by member growers rather than outside investors; no venture capital, private equity, or institutional investor signals are present.
North Bay Produce firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- North Bay Produce
- Legal name
- North Bay Produce, Inc.
- Website
- https://northbayproduce.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- North Bay Produce is a Traverse City, Michigan-based grower-owned cooperative of 30+ farmers across the Americas that markets and distributes a 12-SKU fresh-produce portfolio year-round to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors across North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
North Bay Produce industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Produce Distribution
- NAICS
- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables) (AFAIABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB)
Keywords
Where North Bay Produce is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Traverse City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
North Bay Produce business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Fresh Produce Sales: Revenue is generated through the marketing and distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables produced by grower-owners. Products include apples, asparagus, berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries), cherries, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, French beans, snow peas, and sugar snap peas. The company operates as a cooperative, with products sold to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
North Bay Produce product offering
Product offeringCore offering
North Bay Produce is a grower-owned cooperative of more than 30 member growers from North, Central, and South America that markets and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables year-round to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors worldwide. The product portfolio spans apples, asparagus, berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), Brussels sprouts, cherries, cranberries, French beans, snow peas, and sugar snap peas, with hemispheric sourcing enabling continuous 365-day supply.
Product overview
North Bay Produce is a farmer-owned cooperative of more than 30 grower-owners from North, Central, and South America, marketing and distributing fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. The company's product portfolio consists of a diverse range of produce categories that work together to provide 365-day supply: core commodities include apples, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and snow & sugar snap peas, supplemented by seasonal items such as asparagus, cranberries, figs, and butternut squash. Headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, with global offices across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, the company distributes products worldwide to retailers, wholesalers, and foodservice distributors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Apples Fresh apples grown by family growers across Michigan, featuring more than 15 premium varieties including Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, and McIntosh. Hand-picked at peak ripeness for crisp texture, vibrant color, and naturally sweet flavor. Sold to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors.
- Asparagus Michigan-grown asparagus available in Organic Green, Conventional Green, and Conventional Purple varieties. Grown in the rich soils of Michigan, delivering crisp texture and vibrant taste for grilling, roasting, sautéing, or adding to omelets. Sold to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors.
- Blackberries Sweet and juicy blackberries grown by dedicated growers across North and South America. Available in both conventional and organic varieties, harvested at peak ripeness for perfect balance of sweetness and juiciness. Sold to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors.
- Blueberries
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- French Beans
- Raspberries
- Snow Peas
- Strawberries
- Sugar Snap Peas
Companies that use North Bay Produce
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
North Bay Produce technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
North Bay Produce partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)coreNorth Bay Produce actively participates with IFPA as a member organization. The company has publicly endorsed the IFPA Ethical Charter for Responsible Labor Practices, which provides guiding values, principles and a framework for coordinated action across the fresh produce industry.
- Center for Produce Safety (CPS)coreNorth Bay Produce is a member of CPS and regularly sponsors the annual Center for Produce Safety Research Symposium, demonstrating commitment to implementing science-based food safety practices and staying informed of cutting-edge research for the industry.
- International Association for Food Protection (IAFP)coreNorth Bay Produce is a member of IAFP, participating in industry collaboration to strengthen food safety partnerships, share knowledge, and advance best practices across the fresh produce supply chain.
- GLOBALG.A.P.coreNorth Bay Produce is a Community Member of GLOBALG.A.P., supporting the advancement of food safety standards and sustainable agricultural practices globally.
- SedexcoreNorth Bay Produce participates in the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA), a third-party audit covering four pillars of Health & Safety, Labor, Environment and Business Ethics for comprehensive sustainability review.
- LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming)minorNorth Bay Produce growers practice LEAF Marque sustainable farming certification, which focuses on environmental stewardship and biodiversity conservation.
- Berry Sustainable InitiativeminorNorth Bay Produce is committed to sustainable packaging and participates in the Berry Sustainable Initiative, collaborating with academia, stakeholders and customers on sustainable packaging solutions.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
North Bay Produce competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wonderful Company (The): The Wonderful Company owns POM Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios, and Wonderful Halos mandarins, and operates as a vertically integrated grower-marketer of fresh produce. Comparable as a large-scale vertically integrated grower-marketer supplying major US retailers.
- Dole plc: Dole plc (formed via Total Produce / Dole merger) is a global fresh-produce grower-marketer with diversified categories including berries, bananas, and vegetables. Comparable as a broad incumbent in fresh-produce distribution to retail and foodservice customers.
- Taylor Farms: Taylor Farms is one of the largest producers of fresh-cut salads, vegetables, and meal kits in North America, supplying retail grocery and foodservice. Comparable as a large-scale fresh-produce supplier to the same major US grocery and foodservice customers.
- Fresh Del Monte Produce: Fresh Del Monte Produce is a large publicly-traded producer, distributor, and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables worldwide. While much larger and broader in scope (tropical, bananas, prepared), it overlaps with North Bay Produce on the fresh-produce wholesale and direct-retail distribution model.
- Bonduelle Group: Bonduelle is a global producer of fresh and processed vegetables (canned, frozen, fresh-cut) supplying retail and foodservice in Europe and North America. Comparable as a multi-region fresh-and-processed produce supplier to retail channels.
Direct peers
- Naturalia | Naturipe Farms: Naturipe Farms is a grower-owned cooperative marketing fresh berries (blue, straw, rasp, black) to US retailers. It shares the cooperative structure, multi-region grower base, and berry-focused portfolio with North Bay Produce's berry program.
- Driscoll's: Driscoll's is a global grower-owned marketer of fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) with a comparable year-round multi-region sourcing model and retailer-direct go-to-market. Like North Bay Produce, Driscoll's relies on a global independent-grower network to deliver consistent fresh berries to the same major US grocers.
- Ocean Spray Cranberries: Ocean Spray is a US grower-owned cooperative marketing cranberries and other fresh/frozen fruit to retailers and foodservice. Highly comparable cooperative structure and grower-owned fresh-produce marketing model to North Bay Produce.
- Wish Farms: Wish Farms is a US-based grower and shipper of fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) supplying retail grocery chains. Comparable as a berry-focused grower-shipper serving the same North American retail customers.
Emerging players
- Crunchies Natural Food Company: Crunchies Natural Food Company manufactures freeze-dried fruit and vegetable snacks sourced from fresh produce. Adjacent to North Bay's grower base and partially overlapping in cranberry/berry sourcing channels, though it operates in the value-added processed-snack subcategory rather than fresh distribution.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
North Bay Produce social profiles
Digital presenceNorth Bay Produce compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
North Bay Produce financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
North Bay Produce leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
North Bay Produce funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
North Bay Produce 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 North Bay Produce
What does North Bay Produce do?
North Bay Produce is a grower-owned cooperative of more than 30 member growers from North, Central, and South America that markets and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables year-round to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors worldwide. The product portfolio spans apples, asparagus, berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), Brussels sprouts, cherries, cranberries, French beans, snow peas, and sugar snap peas, with hemispheric sourcing enabling continuous 365-day supply.
Is North Bay Produce a public or private company?
North Bay Produce is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was North Bay Produce founded?
North Bay Produce was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is North Bay Produce based?
North Bay Produce is headquartered in Traverse City, United States, in the North America region.
How does North Bay Produce make money?
One revenue line is on record: fresh Produce Sales.
Who are North Bay Produce's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wonderful Company (The), Dole plc, Taylor Farms, Fresh Del Monte Produce and Bonduelle Group. Direct peers are Naturalia | Naturipe Farms, Driscoll's, Ocean Spray Cranberries and Wish Farms. Crunchies Natural Food Company is listed as an emerging player.
Does North Bay Produce have an API?
No public API is recorded for North Bay Produce.
What industry is North Bay Produce in?
North Bay Produce's product category is Fresh Produce Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIABAE, Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables), with a secondary code of CRAOABAB, Fresh Produce Distribution. Its NAICS code is 424480 and its SIC code is 5140.