Costa Fruit & Produce

What Costa Fruit & Produce does

Costa Fruit & Produce is a privately held, family-owned B2B distributor of fresh produce and specialty foods headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, serving foodservice operators across the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). Founded by Manny Costa Sr. with roots in the 1930s and formally established after World War II, the company is now led by CEO Manny Costa Jr. Its purpose-built 100,000 sq ft headquarters at 18 Bunker Hill Industrial Park houses a 10,000 sq ft SQF-certified fresh-cut processing operation (Fresh Ideas), an in-house food safety laboratory, ripening and temperature-controlled zones, and a fleet of 38 refrigerated vehicles. The company sells through three specialized segment sales teams (Chef Central, Team Fresh, Real Meal Solutions) targeting restaurants, hotels, healthcare dining, college and university dining, and independent retailers, supplemented by an online ordering portal at costa.pepr.app.

Costa's product portfolio is organized into four core categories — Conventional Produce, Fresh Cut Produce (Fresh Ideas), Local Products, and Specialty Foods — supplemented by dairy and eggs, artisan cheese, plant-based foods, beverages, charcuterie and cured meats, and kitchen essentials. The Fresh Ideas division produces value-added pre-cut fruits, vegetables, custom salad blends, stir-fry mixes, and prepared salads in an SQF-certified facility rated in the top 1% of food companies globally for Category 14 (Fruit and Vegetable Processing). The Specialty Foods category spans 500+ SKUs sourced globally through the Harvest Sensations importer partnership, while the Local Products category connects operators with a curated network of 40 New England farms, 30 cheese makers, and 20 food producers, all within roughly 250 miles.

Costa generates revenue through wholesale B2B distribution on quote-based pricing negotiated per customer, with no public pricing or subscription tiers. The business is supported by the Pro*Act national purchasing network for cost advantage, industry association leadership (Massachusetts Restaurant Association, United Fresh, Produce Marketing Association), and credentials including Sustainable Business Leader certification. The company has no external institutional ownership, no disclosed funding rounds, and no M&A activity; ownership remains within the founding Costa family.

Name

Costa Fruit & Produce

Legal name

Costa Fruit & Produce Co.

Website

https://freshideas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Costa Fruit & Produce is a family-owned B2B distributor of fresh produce, fresh-cut produce, and specialty foods serving restaurants, hotels, healthcare, higher-education dining, and independent retailers across the six New England states from its Boston headquarters and SQF-certified Fresh Ideas processing facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Produce Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Produce distribution
• Fresh-cut produce
• Specialty foods
• Foodservice distribution
• Wholesale produce

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Produce and Specialty Foods Distribution: Costa generates revenue through wholesale distribution of fresh produce, fresh-cut produce, local products, and specialty foods to foodservice operators throughout New England. The company operates as a B2B distributor selling to restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities, and independent retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Costa Fruit & Produce is a Boston-based B2B wholesale distributor of fresh produce, fresh-cut produce, local farm products, and specialty foods serving foodservice operators throughout New England. The company operates a 100,000 sq ft headquarters and distribution facility, runs an in-house SQF-certified Fresh Ideas fresh-cut processing operation, and delivers via a fleet of 38 refrigerated vehicles with direct field sales teams organized by customer segment.

Product overview

Costa Fruit & Produce is a produce and specialty foods distributor serving fine dining establishments throughout New England. The company offers four main product categories: Conventional Produce (sourced nationally and internationally), Fresh Cut Produce under the Fresh Ideas brand (SQF-certified processing facility offering value-added pre-cut products), Local Products (connecting operators with 40 New England farms, 30 cheese makers, and 20 local food producers), and Specialty Foods (featuring over 500 gourmet items including artisan cheeses, charcuterie, Asian specialties, and organic produce). The portfolio also extends to dairy, eggs, plant-based foods, beverages, and kitchen essentials, positioning Costa as a comprehensive one-stop-shop for hospitality operators seeking both whole and prepared ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fresh Ideas: SQF certified in-house processing facility for fresh cut produce, value-added fruits, vegetables, and prepared salads
• Harvest Sensations

Products and services

• Conventional Produce

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 1% SQF food safety certification globally - only achieved by top performers in Category 14 (Fruit and Vegetable Processing)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, important and minor.

• Pro*ActcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of local produce companies joined together to offer competitive advantage through collective purchasing power and industry expertise. Costa's direct link and strong relationships with national growers and shippers through Pro*Act have enabled cost-saving solutions for hospitality operators.
• Harvest SensationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImporter of specialty produce items with bi-coastal procurement teams in Los Angeles and Miami. Affiliation enables Costa to provide wide variety of specialty, conventional and organic produce from established grower network spanning U.S., Mexico, Central and South America.
• Sustainable Business Network of MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization working with businesses and community to build economies that are green, local and fair. Certifies Costa as a Sustainable Business Leader requiring continued focus on sustainability improvements.
• 40 New England FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farm network within 250 miles participating in Massachusetts Commonwealth Quality Program for food safety. Farm partners provide locally grown produce including greens, squash, herbs, rooted vegetables, sprouts, potatoes, tomatoes, and apples.
• 30 Local Cheese MakersimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local cheese artisans throughout New England providing selection of local artisan cheeses including blues, soft ripened, aged cheddar, gouda, and specialty varieties.
• 20 Local Food ProducersimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local food artisans providing eggs, dairy, jams, sauces, beverages, chocolate, snacks, pickles, fermented vegetables, hors d'oeuvres, and coffee.
• Massachusetts Restaurant AssociationimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Manny Costa Jr. serves as Honorary Lifetime Board Member. Industry association for restaurant and hospitality businesses in Massachusetts.
• Produce Marketing AssociationimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal trade association for companies involved in marketing of produce and floral products. Costa maintains membership and industry involvement.
• Boston University School of Hospitality AdministrationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCosta serves on Advisory Board for BU School of Hospitality Administration, supporting education and industry development.
• United Fresh Produce Marketing AssociationimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Board Member and Nutrition Council member. Industry association focused on produce marketing and nutrition.
• Greater Boston Food BankimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Food Advisory Board member. Costa supports food insecurity initiatives and organizations making sure communities are nourished.
• Daily TableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization working to end hunger. Costa supports their efforts to provide healthy food access in communities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• FreshPoint: Sysco subsidiary specializing in fresh produce distribution to foodservice operators across North America. Most directly comparable to Costa as a fresh-produce-focused foodservice distributor, though operating at national scale versus Costa's New England footprint.
• Baldor Specialty Foods: Northeast-based specialty produce and foodservice distributor serving restaurants and hotels in New York and surrounding markets. Comparable to Costa in specialty foodservice distribution model, customer mix, and emphasis on fresh and value-added categories.
• Keany Produce: Mid-Atlantic produce and specialty foods distributor serving foodservice operators in the DC/Maryland/Virginia region. Closely comparable to Costa as a regional fresh-produce distributor with foodservice customers, fresh-cut capabilities, and local sourcing programs.
• Sam Tell and Son: Family-owned New York metropolitan area foodservice distributor of fresh produce, meats, and specialty foods. Comparable to Costa in family ownership structure, foodservice customer mix, and regional fresh-produce distribution model.
• Vistar / PFG Customized Distribution: Performance Food Group subsidiary distributing specialty, fresh, and frozen foods to vending, concession, and foodservice operators nationwide. Comparable to Costa in fresh and specialty foodservice distribution, though operating nationally with broader customer categories.

Emerging players

• Restaurant Depot: Cash-and-carry foodservice distributor operating warehouse-style stores selling fresh produce, specialty foods, and restaurant supplies. Partially overlaps with Costa in serving independent restaurants and retailers with fresh and specialty foods, though via a self-service model rather than delivery.
• Country Pure Foods: East Coast-based fresh juice, dairy, and beverage processor serving foodservice and retail channels. Adjacent comparable to Costa's fresh-cut processing capability under Fresh Ideas and the fresh juice/beverage SKUs in Costa's product portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Sysco Corporation: Largest North American broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, healthcare, education, and hospitality. Overlaps with Costa across foodservice customers and product categories, but competes via scale, private label, and broadline convenience rather than Costa's specialist fresh and local focus.
• US Foods: Major broadline foodservice distributor competing with Sysco across the U.S. Overlaps with Costa on restaurant, healthcare, and hospitality customers and increasingly on fresh produce and specialty categories, though differentiated by national scale and broadline product breadth.
• Gordon Food Service: Family-controlled broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, schools, and healthcare across North America. Comparable to Costa as a family-owned foodservice distributor, though broader in product range and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CostaFruitandProduce
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/costa-fruit-&-produce
• Instagraminstagram.com/costa_fruit_and_produce/?hl=en
• Xx.com/COSTA_Produce4U

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Costa Fruit & Produce