Chicago International Produce Market

What Chicago International Produce Market does

Chicago International Produce Market (CIPM) is a privately-held terminal produce market facility located at 2404 S. Wolcott Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, operating as a centralized wholesale marketplace that aggregates over 22 independent produce merchant businesses under a single roof. The facility was founded circa 2002, though many of its merchant tenants are multigenerational family businesses whose produce trading heritage dates to the early 1900s. CIPM offers one of the few remaining terminal produce market formats in America, providing buyers access to fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, frozen items, and specialty dry goods sourced from local growers, domestic suppliers, and international shippers.

The company's core product is the terminal market facility itself, which includes state-of-the-art warehousing and distribution infrastructure with temperature-controlled cold chain transportation monitored for refrigeration integrity. Merchants operating within the facility hold food safety certifications under Primus and USDA governance. The facility is open seven days per week, 365 days per year, with free parking and no customer entry fee; over-the-road trucks pay a $40.00 gate fee for drop-offs. The facility is strategically positioned near I-55 and Midway Airport to support logistics efficiency and nationwide delivery capability through the merchant network.

CIPM's business model operates on a transaction-fee and facility-access basis: merchants pay to operate within the terminal market, truck operators pay gate fees, and merchants independently conduct wholesale produce sales to buyers who visit the facility or arrange deliveries. The customer base spans retailers, distributors, food service operators, government agencies, and institutional buyers including church and school organizations, with daily delivery service throughout Chicagoland and broader nationwide reach arranged through individual merchants. CIPM itself maintains a lean operational headcount of 11-50 employees consistent with a facility management and landlord-like entity rather than direct produce trading.

Name

Chicago International Produce Market

Legal name

CHICAGO International Produce Market

Website

https://cipm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago International Produce Market operates a terminal wholesale produce facility in Chicago housing over 22 independent merchants, serving retailers, distributors, food service operators, government agencies, and institutional buyers with daily Chicagoland and nationwide delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Produce Terminal Market

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Terminal Market / Produce Market Wholesalers (AFAIACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB), Produce Markets & Greengrocers (CRAHAHAA), Frozen Fruits & Vegetables Wholesale (AFAIAHAE)

Keywords

• Wholesale produce distribution
• Terminal market operations
• Fresh produce wholesale
• Produce merchant services
• Cold chain logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Produce Sales: The terminal market generates revenue through merchants selling fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, frozen items, and specialty dry goods) to wholesale buyers, retailers, distributors, and food service operators.
2. Facility Access and Delivery Services: Merchants pay for facility access at the terminal market and offer delivery services to customers. Over-the-road trucks are charged a $40 gate fee when dropping offloads.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Chicago International Produce Market operates a terminal wholesale produce facility that houses more than 22 independent produce merchants under one roof, offering fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, and specialty dry goods. The market provides centralized services including daily Chicagoland deliveries, nationwide shipping, free customer parking, free customer entry, cold chain management, Primus-audited food safety programs, and a $40 per over-the-road-truck gate fee. Buyers include retailers, distributors, food service operators, government agencies, schools, and churches, served seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Product overview

Chicago International Produce Market (CIPM) is a single unified wholesale produce marketplace — a state-of-the-art terminal market facility housing over 22 independent produce merchants under one roof. The market offers a complete range of fresh products including fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, and specialty dry goods sourced from local, domestic, and international suppliers. The individual merchant businesses (such as J.L. Gonzalez Produce Inc., Atom Banana, Coosemans Chicago Inc., Strube Celery & Vegetable Company, D&K, Galera Fresh, Panama Banana, and others) operate as separate vendors within the shared CIPM facility, providing buyers access to diverse product selections and competitive pricing through one convenient location. The market provides temperature-controlled transportation and delivery services throughout the Chicagoland area and nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chicago International Produce Market terminal market facility A wholesale terminal market facility at 2404 S. Wolcott Ave., Chicago, IL that houses 22+ independent produce merchants providing fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, and specialty dry goods to wholesale buyers, retailers, distributors, food service operators, government agencies, schools, and churches. The facility is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, with free customer entry, free parking, and a $40 per over-the-road-truck gate fee.
• Daily Chicagoland produce delivery service A daily produce delivery service operated out of the Chicago International Produce Market, delivering fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, and specialty dry goods to wholesale and institutional buyers across the Chicagoland area.
• Nationwide produce delivery service A nationwide delivery and shipping service for fresh and specialty produce, nuts, dried fruits, herbs, spices, and dry goods sourced from the terminal market's 22+ independent merchants, enabling buyers across the United States to procure from CIPM.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market: A state-of-the-art terminal produce market in Philadelphia housing multiple independent produce merchants under one roof. Directly comparable to CIPM as a multi-merchant wholesale facility serving regional retail, foodservice, and institutional buyers.
• Hunts Point Terminal Market: The largest wholesale produce market in the U.S., located in the Bronx, New York. Operates the same terminal-market model with hundreds of independent merchants selling fresh produce to wholesale and retail buyers—directly comparable in structure, customer base, and product mix.
• Atlanta State Farmers Market: A large terminal-style wholesale and retail produce market in Forest Park, Georgia. Comparable to CIPM as a multi-merchant produce facility serving wholesale buyers across the Southeast.

Broad incumbents

• Gordon Food Service: A major broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, schools, and institutions across North America. Comparable to CIPM's institutional and foodservice buyer overlap, with growing fresh produce capabilities.
• FreshPoint: One of the largest fresh produce distributors in North America, owned by Sysco. Comparable to CIPM in serving foodservice and retail buyers with broad produce assortments, but operates as a single integrated distributor rather than a merchant-aggregated facility.
• US Foods: A major broadline foodservice distributor with significant fresh produce capabilities. Overlaps with CIPM in serving restaurants, institutions, and government foodservice buyers, but operates as a national distributor rather than a wholesale terminal.
• Sysco: The largest U.S. foodservice distribution company with extensive produce sourcing and distribution operations. Competes with CIPM for institutional and foodservice produce volumes through direct grower relationships.
• KeHE Distributors: A large specialty food and produce distributor serving natural, organic, and conventional retail channels. Comparable in product breadth and buyer types (retailers, foodservice), but operates as a national distributor with integrated sourcing.

Regional players

• Testa Produce: A Chicago-based wholesale produce distributor serving restaurants, hotels, and institutional buyers in the Midwest. Directly comparable to CIPM's Chicago customer base but operates as an integrated distributor rather than a multi-merchant facility.
• Baldor Specialty Foods: A Northeast-based specialty produce and foodservice distributor. Comparable to CIPM in serving restaurants and retailers with fresh produce, but geographically focused on the New York metropolitan region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-produce

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Chicago International Produce Market