Turlock Fruit

What Turlock Fruit does

Turlock Fruit Company is a family-owned agricultural producer founded in 1918 in Turlock, California, specializing in the growing, harvesting, and packing of melons. The company currently operates under the management of three generations of the Smith family — Don Smith (2nd generation), Stephen Smith (3rd generation), and Alec Smith (4th generation) — alongside a tenured operational staff across offices and production facilities in Turlock and Firebaugh, California. Turlock Fruit produces eight or more melon varieties, including cantaloupe, honeydew, Orangedew, Galia, Canary, Hami, Golden Hami, and Piel del Sapo, holding exclusive seed rights to the proprietary Orangedew and Golden Hami varieties. The company also packs asparagus under the Peacock and JMB labels through its R&N Packing partnership during the spring season, providing seasonal revenue counter-cyclical to its core July–October melon harvest.

Turlock Fruit's core technology centers on agricultural production methods optimized for the Central Valley's climate — warm days, cool nights, and low humidity — to support sugar transfer and flavor development, complemented by an internal conversion to drip irrigation systems for precise water and fertility management. The company maintains Global GAP certification and is a member of the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board, subjecting it to twice-per-season CDFA audits for food safety compliance.

Turlock Fruit's business model is B2B wholesale produce sales, with named enterprise customers including Kroger and Interfresh as channel partners, supplemented by a direct-to-consumer retail presence at a local Farmer's Market in Turlock. Revenue is generated through seasonal produce sales (July–October) of multiple melon varieties under proprietary brand labels including KOW (King of the West) and others. The company employs a sales team with dedicated sales desks during harvest, supported by customizable point-of-purchase marketing materials featuring QR codes linking to promotional content. Geographic reach spans California and Texas through wholesale distribution. The company is privately held with no external institutional investment, funding rounds, or public listing.

Name

Turlock Fruit

Legal name

Turlock Fruit Co.

Website

https://turlockfruit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Turlock Fruit is a family-owned California melon grower and packer, founded in 1918 and now in its fourth generation of Smith family management. The company produces eight melon varieties including exclusive Orangedew and Golden Hami cultivars, supplying wholesale partners like Kroger and selling direct to consumers at a local farmers market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Melon Production

NAICS

Noncitrus Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (11133)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Cucurbit & Melon Farming (Cucumbers, Squash, Pumpkins, Watermelon, Cantaloupe) (AFAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Stone Fruit Orchards (Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Cherries, Apricots) (AFAGACAC)

Keywords

• Fresh melon production
• Wholesale produce supply
• Agricultural packing services
• Specialty melon varieties
• Seasonal produce farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Turlock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Melon Produce Sales: Wholesale and retail sales of multiple melon varieties including cantaloupe, honeydew, Orangedew, Galia, Canary, Hami, Golden Hami, and Piel del Sapo. B2B relationships with major retailers like Kroger, plus B2C through farmers markets. Seasonal production from July through October.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Turlock Fruit grows, harvests, packs, and ships multiple varieties of melons (cantaloupe, honeydew, Orangedew, Galia, Canary, Hami, Golden Hami, Piel del Sapo) and asparagus (under Peacock and JMB labels) from its California Central Valley operations. The company holds exclusive seed rights for Orangedew and Golden Hami melons and emphasizes flavor development through extended vine time during its seasonal July–October harvest window.

Product overview

Turlock Fruit is a family-owned agricultural company specializing in melon growing, harvesting, and packing. The company grows and markets a portfolio of melon varieties including Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Orangedew, Galia, Hami, Golden Hami, Canary, and Piel del Sapo melons. They also produce asparagus under the Peacock and JMB labels. Turlock Fruit differentiates itself by allowing melons to stay on the vine longer to develop full flavor, with production limited to July through October in central California. The company offers marketing materials and customizable advertisements with QR codes for retail partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Peacock: Brand label for asparagus products under Peacock and JMB labels, packed by R&N Packing.
• JMB
• KOW
• King of the West

Products and services

• Orangedew Melon A highly popular proprietary melon variety with sticky feel when ripe, yellowish orange exterior, great aroma, and mellow cantaloupe flavor with a cinnamon finish. Turlock Fruit holds exclusive rights to the seed.
• Galia Melon A white-fleshed melon with golden exterior netting when ripe. Seed sourced from Europe where it is very popular. Has a refreshingly sweet flavor.
• Piel del Sapo Melon Spanish melon variety meaning 'skin of the frog' with green exterior and great flavor. Seed sourced from Europe. Popular in Brazil and often juiced for tropical drinks. The number two seller at the Turlock Farmer's Market retail stand.
• Canary Melon A melon with rich yellow color when ripe and white flesh similar in flavor to honeydew. Also called honeydew in many parts of the world.
• Honeydew Melon A muskmelon variety with light green sweet flesh and white-yellow skin tone. Can be eaten alone or used in desserts, salads, snacks, and soups. Sold under KOW and King of the West brand packaging at retail.
• Hami Melon A traditional melon variety popular among people of Middle East descent. Originally cultivated in Uzbekistan hundreds of years ago. A very large melon with crunchy sweet consistency similar to watermelon.
• Golden Hami Melon A melon with gold exterior and crunchy yet sweet salmon colored flesh with watermelon-like consistency. Turlock Fruit holds exclusive rights to the seed sourced from China.
• Cantaloupe A muskmelon variety with orange flesh and pale beige netted exterior over light green to tan rind. Has honeyed, musky, floral aroma with distinct sweet, floral, fruity flavor. Subject to twice-per-season California Department of Food and Agriculture audits via California Cantaloupe Advisory Board membership.
• Peacock Asparagus Asparagus packed under the Peacock label during spring harvest season. Packed by R&N Packing, an affiliated packing operation.
• JMB Asparagus Asparagus packed under the JMB label during spring harvest season. Packed by R&N Packing, an affiliated packing operation.

Quantifiable outcome

• USDA consumer tasting studies show Orangedew is preferred over cantaloupe

Named customers1 record

Segments2 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

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KrogercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKroger is a major U.S. retail grocery chain and one of Turlock Fruit's primary B2B customers. The company logo appears on Turlock Fruit's Partners page indicating a direct commercial relationship for melon distribution through Kroger's retail network.
• InterfreshminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInterfresh is listed as a partner on Turlock Fruit's Partners page alongside Kroger, suggesting a commercial distribution relationship in the produce industry.
• R&N PackingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerR&N Packing provides asparagus packing services for Turlock Fruit's spring harvest, packing asparagus under Peacock and JMB labels. Neill Callis serves as General Manager of R&N Packing during the asparagus harvest season. Diane started with R&N Packing in 2002 before joining Turlock Fruit.
• California Cantaloupe Advisory BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry organization for California cantaloupe growers. Turlock Fruit is a member, making them subject to audits by the California Department of Food and Agriculture twice per season.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Taylor Farms: Large California-based producer of packaged salads, fresh-cut vegetables, and value-added produce with national retail and foodservice distribution. Comparable as a California grower/packer with retailer relationships, but serving adjacent value-added produce categories rather than whole melons.
• Pacific Trellis Fruit: Multi-category grower/shipper/distributor of melons, grapes, and other produce with year-round global sourcing into U.S. retail. Comparable to Turlock Fruit in melon focus and retailer-facing GTM, but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple commodities and geographies.
• Church Brothers / True Leaf Farms: Vertically integrated California grower/shipper of leafy greens, vegetables, and other fresh produce serving major retail and foodservice customers. Comparable to Turlock Fruit in California-based farming operations and retailer-focused sales motion, though focused on different crop categories.
• Wonderful Melons (The Wonderful Company / Paramount Farms): Vertically integrated grower/shipper of melons (and other produce) under the Wonderful brand with strong national retail presence. Comparable in melon product category and produce/sales-led GTM, but with substantially greater scale, brand, and marketing investment.
• Dole Food Company: Global producer and distributor of fresh produce including melons, with extensive national and international retail relationships. Overlaps with Turlock Fruit's melon category and retailer/wholesale distribution model, but at vastly greater scale and product breadth.

Direct peers

• Westside Produce: California-based melon and mixed vegetable grower with a sales-led B2B model into major retail chains. Closely comparable to Turlock Fruit in primary product (cantaloupe/honeydew/mixed melons), California growing region, and retailer/wholesale go-to-market approach.
• Martori Farms: Large California-based melon and vegetable grower/shipper operating out of the Central Valley with multiple melon varieties and national retail distribution. Directly comparable to Turlock Fruit in crop mix (cantaloupe, honeydew, mixed melons), geography, and produce/sales-led GTM into major retailers.
• HMC Farms: California family-owned grower/packer of stone fruit, table grapes, and melons with retail and foodservice distribution. Comparable to Turlock Fruit in multi-generation family ownership, Central Valley footprint, and multi-variety melon/specialty crop program targeting national grocers.

Others

• R&N Packing: Strategic co-development partner that packs Turlock Fruit's asparagus under the Peacock and JMB labels during the spring harvest. Closely tied as an operational extension of Turlock Fruit's asparagus business rather than a true competitor, sharing production planning and a general manager (Neill Callis).

Regional players

• Frey Produce: Texas-based melon grower/shipper serving retail and foodservice channels across the southern U.S. Directly comparable to Turlock Fruit in melon-only focus and produce/sales-led GTM, but operating primarily in Texas rather than California.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/turlockfruit
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/turlock-fruit-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Turlock Fruit