Loffredo

What Loffredo does

Loffredo Fresh Foods is a fifth-generation, family-owned regional food and produce distributor headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, founded in 1892 as Loffredo Fruit and Tobacco Company. The company distributes fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, eggs, cheese, gourmet and specialty items, spices, deli salads, hors d'oeuvres, meat, and disposables to restaurants, managed cafeterias, K-12 schools, grocery retailers, and convenience stores across the Midwest. Operations span five regional distribution centers (Des Moines, Council Bluffs/Omaha, Davenport/Quad Cities, Kansas City, and Deforest/Madison) covering over 175,000 square miles, with a company-owned delivery fleet and an online ordering platform at loffredo.pepr.app. The company ships more than 6 million cases annually to over 2,500 active accounts.

The company's product and technology footprint centers on physical food processing and distribution infrastructure rather than software platforms. The Produce Innovations division operates a 50,000 sq. ft. SQF Level 2 Certified fresh-cut processing facility in Norwalk, Iowa — described as the largest produce warehouse in Iowa — producing proprietary brands including Hwy 28 Farms (fresh-cut fruits, vegetables, snack cups, bean dips, pico de gallo), Season Well (hand-crafted premium spices and herbs, launched 2017), USDA Kitchen (grab-and-go items), and Lunch Box Kitchen (USDA-approved sandwiches, wraps, salads, and protein trays, acquired 2023). Food safety certifications (SQF, HACCP, GFSI, plus FDA, State of Iowa, and U.S. Army regulatory audits) anchor the regulatory position. Local grower partnerships across Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota — including Lopata Gardens (400 acres), Deardorff Sweet Corn, and Johnson Family Farm — support farm-to-distributor supply chain integration. The legal entity is Loffredo Gardens, Inc., incorporated in Iowa.

Loffredo's business model is traditional B2B foodservice distribution with transaction-fee economics. Revenue is generated through per-case/per-order pricing on physical goods delivered to operators, with no subscription, SaaS, or platform-revenue component. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led (dedicated sales team and customer service professionals coordinating with drivers and warehouse workers) supplemented by channel partnerships through the PRO*ACT national network of independent distributors (membership since 1999), which provides coast-to-coast fulfillment capability through 71 affiliated distribution centers. Customer segments are horizontal across foodservice end markets rather than vertically specialized. The company operates with no external institutional investors or private equity backing under current ownership.

Name

Loffredo

Legal name

Loffredo Gardens, Inc.

Website

https://loffredo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Loffredo Fresh Foods is a fifth-generation, family-owned regional food distributor founded in 1892, serving restaurants, managed cafeterias, schools, and retailers across the Midwest with fresh produce, specialty foods, and value-added products from five distribution centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Gourmet Foods Distribution (CRAOABAF), Dips, Salsas, Relishes & Chutneys Manufacturing (AFAKADAM)

Keywords

• Fresh produce distribution
• Food service supply
• Specialty foods wholesale
• Midwest food distribution
• Fresh-cut processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Distribution: Core revenue from distributing fresh fruits and vegetables to restaurants, managed cafeterias, and schools across the Midwest. Products include fresh produce, fresh-cut items, and specialty foods.
2. Specialty Food Products: Distribution of specialty food items including dairy, eggs, cheese, gourmet products, spices, deli salads, hors d'oeuvres, meat, and disposables
3. Prepared Foods (Lunch Box Kitchen): Revenue from USDA-approved prepared foods including sandwiches, wraps, salads, and protein trays produced at Produce Innovations facility in Norwalk, Iowa

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Loffredo Fresh Foods is a family-owned regional food distributor founded in 1892 that sources, processes, and distributes fresh produce, dairy, proteins, and specialty foods to food service operators across the Midwest United States. The company operates five regional distribution centers and runs proprietary fresh-cut and processed-food brands including Hwy 28 Farms, Season Well, Produce Innovations, Lunch Box Kitchen, and USDA Kitchen. It serves restaurants, schools, healthcare facilities, cafeterias, and other institutional food service buyers.

Product overview

Loffredo Fresh Foods operates as a regional food and produce distribution company serving the Midwest since 1892. The core offering is a comprehensive portfolio of fresh foods organized into distinct product categories: Fresh Fruits & Vegetables forms the cornerstone business; Fresh-Cut Fruits & Vegetables (under the Hwy 28 Farms brand) are processed at the company's own 50,000-sq.-ft. Produce Innovations facility in Norwalk, Iowa; Dairy, Eggs & Butter, and Cheese provide dairy products from regional and national brands; Gourmet foods include specialty items, edible flowers, and micro greens; the Season Well sub-brand offers premium hand-crafted spices; Deli Salads & Sides, Hors d'oeuvres, and Meat categories round out the offerings; and the Lunch Box Kitchen (acquired in 2023) provides fresh prepared sandwiches, wraps, and salads. The company also offers Disposables, Locally Grown produce programs, and an Online Ordering Platform for customers. USDA Kitchen provides grab-and-go items under private labels. As a PRO*ACT member, the company accesses a national network of produce suppliers while maintaining regional distribution operations from five locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hwy 28 Farms: Fresh-cut produce brand of fruits, vegetables, snack cups, bean dips, and pico de gallo processed at the 50,000-sq.-ft. Produce Innovations facility near Des Moines.
• Produce Innovations
• Season Well
• Lunch Box Kitchen
• USDA Kitchen

Products and services

• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Wholesale distribution of fresh whole fruits and vegetables to food service operators across the Midwest.
• Hwy 28 Farms Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables
• Dairy, Eggs and Butter
• Cheese
• Gourmet Foods
• Season Well Spices and Seasonings
• Deli Salads and Sides
• Hors d'oeuvres
• Meat and Protein
• Disposables
• Lunch Box Kitchen Sandwiches, Wraps and Salads
• Locally Grown Produce
• Produce Innovations Custom Produce Solutions
• USDA Kitchen Food Service Items

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6 million cases shipped annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PRO*ACTcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1999Loffredo is a proud member of PRO*ACT, a National Network of local, independent distributors specializing in fresh produce and specialty food products. PRO*ACT provides coast-to-coast distribution capability with 71 distribution centers, 3.5 million square feet of warehouse space, 1,950 distribution trucks, and 2.6 million miles of coast-to-coast distribution. PRO*ACT contracts with the industry's leading growers and shippers, providing the foodservice industry with product quality, safety and value.
• SQF InstitutecoreOthersSafe Quality Food (SQF) certification through SQF Institute. Loffredo maintains SQF Level 2 Certification at their Produce Innovations facility and meets GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) requirements.
• Green Business BureauminorOthersSustainability partnership through Greener Fields Together program administered by Pro*Act. Membership provides resources for environmental sustainability practices.
• Hwy 28 FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProprietary fresh-cut produce brand featuring fruits, veggies, snack cups, bean dips, and pico de gallo produced in-house at their 50,000 sq. ft. SQF Level 2 Certified facility.
• Produce InnovationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn-house fresh-cut processing division established in 2014 to embrace growth in the fresh-cut segment. Operates 50,000 sq. ft. SQF Level 2 Certified facility near Des Moines.
• Lunch Box KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA-approved prepared foods company originally founded in Omaha in 2013, acquired by Loffredo Fresh Foods in 2023. Now produces made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, salads, and protein trays at Produce Innovations in Norwalk, Iowa.
• Season WellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProprietary hand-crafted spice and herb brand launched in 2017, featuring premium-quality spices with vibrant colors and fragrant aromas.
• Lopata GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grower partner in Winthrop, Iowa farming 400 acres bordered by Wapsi River. Produces cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer and fall squash, peppers, eggplant, pumpkins, and fall seasonal items.
• Deardorff Sweet CornminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-owned local grower in Adel, Iowa operating for 30+ years with 21 separate plantings. Hand-picks corn in the morning and delivers same afternoon, seven days a week. Employs approximately 50-55 people.
• Johnson Family FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1993 in Hatfield, Missouri by Dave and Debbie Johnson and their 8 children. Specializes in chemical-free culinary herbs grown in fields and 20 greenhouses.
• KabobsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremier hors d'oeuvres specialists providing handcrafted appetizers including shish kabobs, spring rolls, empanadas, and other appetizers.
• Omaha SteaksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium meat supplier providing beef brisket, ribeye, striploin, tenderloin, ground beef, and specialty meat products.
• Reser's Fine FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium deli salads and sides provider including pasta salads, chicken salad, tuna salad, coleslaw, egg salad, and potato salads.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ben E. Keith Foods: Private foodservice distributor serving restaurants, schools, healthcare, and convenience retailers across the South-Central US. Comparable broadline-plus-specialty foodservice model and customer segmentation to Loffredo.
• Baldor Specialty Foods: Specialty fresh produce, dairy, and gourmet foods distributor serving restaurants and foodservice in the Northeast US. Comparable fresh-produce-led product mix, value-added processing, and foodservice customer base to Loffredo.
• Shamrock Foods Company: Private, family-owned foodservice distributor with strong fresh produce and dairy focus, serving restaurants and institutional customers across the Southwest and Western US. Closely mirrors Loffredo's regional broadline-plus-fresh-cut model and family-owned governance.
• FreshPoint: Sysco-owned fresh produce and specialty foods distributor with regional operations across the US. Directly comparable to Loffredo in fresh produce distribution to restaurants and foodservice operators; regional operating centers overlap Loffredo's Midwest footprint.
• KeHE Distribution: Specialty foods and natural/organic products distributor serving grocery retailers and foodservice operators nationwide. Comparable in distributing gourmet, specialty, dairy, and protein items to overlapping customer segments; Loffredo competes for similar specialty accounts.
• Caito Foods: Fresh fruit and produce repackager and distributor serving retailers and foodservice customers. Highly comparable in fresh produce processing/repackaging capabilities (similar to Produce Innovations) and customer overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Performance Food Group: Major US foodservice and convenience distributor with broadline operations overlapping Loffredo's restaurant and institutional customer base. Comparable in product breadth and foodservice distribution model.
• US Foods Holding Corp: Second-largest US broadline foodservice distributor offering fresh produce, dairy, meat, and specialty items to restaurants and institutional customers. Direct overlap with Loffredo's product portfolio and foodservice customer segments in overlapping Midwest geographies.
• Gordon Food Service: Private, family-led broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, schools, and healthcare in the Midwest and beyond. Closely comparable business model and customer mix to Loffredo as a private regional broadliner; competes in several of Loffredo's core Midwest states.
• Sysco Corporation: Largest US broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, healthcare, education, and hospitality nationwide. Comparable to Loffredo in serving the same customer segments, but with national scale, broader assortment, and broader geographic reach; Loffredo competes head-to-head in its Midwest footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loffredo-fresh-produce

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 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 Loffredo