Bix Produce

What Bix Produce does

BIX Produce Company, founded in 1930 in Austin, Minnesota by Max Bix and now headquartered at 3060 Centerville Road in Little Canada, Minnesota, is a specialty fresh-produce distributor serving food service operators across the Upper Midwest. The company distributes 4,000+ produce and specialty items, including vegetables, fruit, dairy and cheese, herbs, spices and bases, nuts and grains, and specialty items, with value-added processing through its Fresh Cuts pre-cut produce line (30+ years category leadership) and Snack Packs and Created Fresh! grab-and-go formats. Core technical infrastructure is a state-of-the-art, 190,000+ sq ft St. Paul production facility with SQF Level 2 certification, HACCP program participation, an in-house water treatment system, and proprietary cardboard-recycling auger technology; cold-chain logistics run on an owned fleet delivering six days per week across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North and South Dakota, with specialty distributor reach extending to Chicago since 2012.

BIX operates a transaction-based B2B wholesale revenue model: accounts are set up through a 20-person outside sales team averaging 12+ years of produce industry experience, with custom order capabilities, contract volume pricing, minimum order quantities on Snack Packs (five cases per SKU), and a customer-facing online ordering portal plus iOS and Android checkout apps. Sourcing is anchored by 30+ local farmer partnerships with an average 59-mile radius to the Little Canada facility, supporting the BIX Local grower program and Greener Fields Together sustainability membership. Since the Summer 2023 acquisition by Sysco's specialty produce subsidiary FreshPoint, BIX has been integrated into North America's largest wholly owned produce distribution network while retaining its brand and customer-first operating model; the September 2024 launch of the Created Fresh! grab-and-go line under FreshPoint Minnesota extends the company into consumer-facing prepared foods.

Name

Bix Produce

Legal name

BIX Produce Company

Website

https://bixproduce.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BIX Produce Company is a 1930-founded Upper Midwest specialty fresh-produce distributor serving food service operators (restaurants, hotels, schools, country clubs) across five states with 4,000+ SKUs, a 190,000+ sq ft SQF Level 2 facility, owned six-day delivery fleet, Fresh Cuts and Created Fresh! value-added lines, and FreshPoint/Sysco parent ownership since 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Cut / Value-Added Produce Wholesale (Pre-Cut, Packaged, Salad Kits) (AFAIACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fresh-Cut & Value-Added Produce (Washed, Peeled, Sliced, Packaged) (AFAKAFAA)

Keywords

• Fresh produce distribution
• Food service supply
• Pre-cut produce
• Specialty food distribution
• Wholesale fruits vegetables

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Distribution: B2B distribution of fresh produce, specialty items, and prepared fresh-cut products to food service operators. Transaction-based sales model with regular delivery schedules six days per week.
2. Snack Packs: Pre-packaged grab-and-go snack products including vegetables, fruit, and dried fruit with minimum order requirements of five cases per item.
3. Created Fresh! Grab-and-Go Line: Consumer-facing prepared foods including breakfast items, fruit cups, veggie cups, parfaits, salads, wraps, and sandwiches. Features locally sourced ingredients including Twin Cities-baked breads and regional cheeses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BIX Produce is a B2B fresh produce distributor providing 4,000+ bulk and pre-cut fruits, vegetables, dairy, and specialty food items to food service operators across the Upper Midwest. The company operates a state-of-the-art fresh-cut processing facility in St. Paul, Minnesota and delivers six days per week via company-owned trucks.

Product overview

BIX Produce is a specialty produce distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of fresh produce and food products. The core offering centers on 4,000+ produce and specialty items across Vegetables, Fruit, Dairy & Cheese, Herbs/Spices/Bases, Nuts & Grains, and Specialty Items categories. The company operates two key value-added divisions: Fresh Cuts (pre-cut produce leader with 30+ years experience offering guaranteed shelf life and 100% yield) and Snack Packs (grab-and-go portioned snacks). A newer sub-brand, Created Fresh, provides grab-and-go convenience items including breakfast, fruit cups, veggie cups, salads, wraps and sandwiches. All products are backed by SQF Level 2 certification and delivered via an online ordering platform, with deliveries six days a week throughout the Upper Midwest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fresh Cuts: Pre-cut produce product line; BIX has been a category leader in pre-cut produce for more than 30 years with a state-of-the-art St. Paul facility.
• Created Fresh!
• BIX Local

Products and services

• Fresh Cuts

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% yield with zero waste on Fresh Cuts products
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FreshPoint (Sysco)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2023In Summer 2023, Sysco's specialty produce company FreshPoint acquired BIX Produce. This marks the next evolution step for BIX, with FreshPoint being North America's largest wholly owned produce distributor backed by Sysco. BIX gained access to larger network and knowledge while maintaining its customer-first approach. FreshPoint connects BIX to Sysco's nationwide distribution capabilities.
• Greener Fields TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIX Produce is a proud member of Greener Fields Together, a sustainability program for the entire produce chain from seed to fork. The partnership focuses on sustainability initiatives, supporting local agriculture and communities where BIX operates.
• Local Farmers and ProducerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIX partners with over 30 local farmers and producers. Products are sourced averaging 59 miles from local farms to BIX facility. Working closely with local purveyors ensures crops are picked at peak freshness. Local products are handcrafted for best flavor, supporting local agriculture and communities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• FreshPoint: FreshPoint is Sysco's wholly-owned specialty produce subsidiary and the direct parent of BIX Produce since Summer 2023. It operates as North America's largest wholly-owned produce distributor with regional warehouses serving food service operators across the U.S., offering the same fresh-cut produce, broadline distribution, and foodservice customer base as BIX.
• ProAct (Castellini Group): ProAct is the produce distribution arm of the Castellini Group, serving food service operators across multiple U.S. regions with fresh and value-added produce. Comparable to BIX in fresh-cut specialization and food service distribution model.
• Get Fresh Produce: Get Fresh Produce is a Midwest-based specialty produce distributor serving food service operators with fresh-cut, value-added produce and broadline specialty items. Highly comparable to BIX in geographic footprint (Upper Midwest), product mix, and foodservice customer base.
• Hardie's Fresh Foods: Hardie's is a Texas-based fresh produce and food service distributor serving restaurants, schools, and institutional customers across the Southwest with fresh-cut produce and broadline food distribution. Comparable to BIX in fresh-cut processing capability and food service customer orientation.
• Coosemans: Coosemans is a specialty wholesale produce distributor with operations across multiple U.S. markets serving restaurants, hotels, and food service operators with fresh and value-added produce. Directly comparable to BIX in customer mix, distribution model, and emphasis on premium/specialty produce sourcing.

Others

• KeHE Distributors: KeHE Distributors is a large specialty food and produce distributor serving natural, organic, and specialty retail and food service channels across North America. Comparable to BIX's specialty/specialty-distribution focus and food service customer orientation, though primarily serving retail/natural channels.

Broad incumbents

• Gordon Food Service: Gordon Food Service is one of North America's largest broadline food service distributors, serving restaurants, schools, healthcare, and hospitality customers across the U.S. and Canada. Comparable to BIX's foodservice distribution model but at vastly larger national scale.
• Shamrock Foods Company: Shamrock Foods is a large broadline food service distributor serving restaurants, hotels, and institutions across the Western and Southwestern U.S. with produce, dairy, and broadline food products. Comparable to BIX in food service distribution but at significantly larger scale and broader product mix.
• Robinson Fresh: Robinson Fresh (C.H. Robinson subsidiary) is a major national fresh produce supplier serving retail, food service, and wholesale customers with broad produce sourcing and supply chain management. Comparable to BIX's wholesale produce distribution role but at significantly larger national scale.

Emerging players

• Lipman Family Farms: Lipman Family Farms is a vertically-integrated produce grower and fresh-cut processor serving retail, food service, and foodservice customers with pre-cut vegetables and fresh produce. Comparable to BIX in fresh-cut value-added processing focus and foodservice customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BixProduce
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bix-produce
• Instagraminstagram.com/freshpointinc
• Xx.com/bixproduce

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors6 records

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 Bix Produce