Rio Fresh
Rio Fresh is a third-generation family-owned Texas farm and packer that grows, packs, and ships roughly 30 varieties of conventional and USDA-organic vegetables, herbs, and onions across nearly 4,000 acres to grocery retailers and foodservice customers in 20 U.S. states and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersSan Juan, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rio Fresh does
Rio Fresh, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned farming and packing operation headquartered in San Juan, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, with a second dedicated onion packing facility in Donna, Texas. The company grows approximately 30 varieties of fresh vegetables, herbs, and onions across nearly 4,000 acres of farmland, with harvest season running from October through May, and offers both conventionally grown and USDA-certified organic product lines. Sustainably grown produce is packed at a PrimusGFS-certified on-farm facility and shipped directly to customers across 20 U.S. states and Canada, with documented deployment of drip tape irrigation, laser-leveled fields, field packing of greens, and a state-of-the-art onion packing line with rapid cooling technology. Rio Fresh generates revenue through transactional, quote-based sales of fresh produce to grocery retailers and foodservice companies via a dedicated sales desk handling direct customer relationships, logistics coordination, and day-to-day program management. Its most significant commercial relationship is a long-term strategic partnership with Sweetgreen, under which Rio Fresh supplies 15 organic commodities (including over 5.7 million pounds of organic kale) and is featured in the brand's "Faces of the Farm" storytelling series. The business holds USDA Organic, PrimusGFS, FDA, and WBENC certifications, and twelve second- and third-generation Schuster family members actively work in operations, with the company remaining privately held and free of institutional investors.
Rio Fresh firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rio Fresh
- Legal name
- Rio Fresh, Inc.
- Website
- https://riofresh.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Rio Fresh is a third-generation family-owned Texas farm and packer that grows, packs, and ships roughly 30 varieties of conventional and USDA-organic vegetables, herbs, and onions across nearly 4,000 acres to grocery retailers and foodservice customers in 20 U.S. states and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rio Fresh industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Produce Farming and Packing
- NAICS
- Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Allium Vegetable Farming (Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Shallots, Chives) (AFAGADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Asparagus, Artichoke & Specialty Vegetable Farming (Asparagus, Artichokes, Celery, Okra) (AFAGADAI), Produce Markets & Greengrocers (CRAHAHAA)
Keywords
Where Rio Fresh is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Juan
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rio Fresh business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fresh Produce Sales: Rio Fresh generates revenue through the sale of fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits grown on their Texas farm. Products include over 30 varieties of greens, herbs, and onions sold to retailers and foodservice customers. Revenue is transactional, based on volume and commodity type with both conventional and organic product lines.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Rio Fresh product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rio Fresh grows, packs, and ships fresh vegetables, herbs, and onions from its nearly 4,000-acre farm in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The company offers over 30 varieties in both conventional and USDA-certified organic lines, packed at on-farm PrimusGFS-certified facilities and sold directly to grocery retailers and foodservice customers across 20 U.S. states and Canada.
Product overview
Rio Fresh is a third-generation family-owned farming and packing operation offering fresh vegetables, herbs, and onions from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The company operates two distinct product lines: conventionally grown produce and USDA certified organic produce, both distributed to customers across multiple states and Canada. Their core offering spans approximately 30 varieties of greens, herbs, and onions, harvested from October through May, with sustainable farming practices including drip tape irrigation and laser-leveled fields. The company also provides a recipes section on their website to showcase their fresh produce.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Conventional Produce Conventionally grown vegetables, herbs, and fruits including beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage varieties, celery, cilantro, collards, dandelion, dill, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, methi leaf, mustard, napa, onions, parsley, spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens, watermelon, and melons. Available seasonally from October through May, packed on-farm and shipped to grocery retailers and foodservice customers.
- USDA Certified Organic Produce USDA certified organic vegetables and herbs including broccoli, sweet baby broccoli, cabbage, celery, cilantro, dandelion, kale (green and Tuscan), leeks, onions (red, white, yellow, and sweet), and parsley (curly and plain). Available seasonally from November through May and sold to grocery retailers and foodservice customers seeking certified organic supply.
Quantifiable outcome
- Expanded from ~50 acres to 850+ acres over 8 years under current leadership
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Rio Fresh
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rio Fresh technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Rio Fresh partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SweetgreencoreLong-term strategic partnership where Rio Fresh supplies Sweetgreen with 15 organic commodities. Rio Fresh has delivered over 5.7 million pounds of organic kale to Sweetgreen and ships produce to 20 states and Canada. Rio Fresh was featured in Sweetgreen's 'Faces of the Farm' brand storytelling series, highlighting Courtney Schuster Moore's leadership in building the organic program from approximately 50 acres to over 850 acres over eight years.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rio Fresh competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Calavo Growers: Public fresh produce marketer (avocados, tomatoes, papayas) with national distribution infrastructure, comparable in scale and B2B sales motion though heavier in fruit than Rio Fresh's vegetable focus.
Broad incumbents
- Taylor Farms: One of the largest North American fresh produce processors and growers, with a broad packaged salads and vegetables portfolio overlapping directly with Rio Fresh's greens and herbs offering to retail and foodservice.
- Driscoll's: Largest berry grower/marketer in North America, with a similarly private, grower-network model and deep relationships with grocery retailers comparable to Rio Fresh's Sweetgreen-style account model.
- Dole Food Company: Diversified fresh produce grower and marketer with broad retail and foodservice distribution, overlapping with Rio Fresh's greens, herbs, and onions portfolio across 20+ states.
- Grimmway Farms: Large-scale diversified organic and conventional vegetable grower (notably carrots) serving national retail and foodservice; comparable in scale, certifications, and channel mix to Rio Fresh.
- Fresh Express: Major packaged salads and fresh vegetables brand owned by Chiquita; competes with Rio Fresh's greens and herbs offering in the same retail and foodservice channels.
Direct peers
- Tanimura & Antle: Multi-generation family-owned grower/packer of fresh vegetables and leafy greens, with comparable direct-to-retail sales motion and similar SKU breadth across conventional and value-added lines.
- Earthbound Farm: USDA Organic certified grower/packer of salads, greens, and vegetables sold through grocery and foodservice — directly comparable to Rio Fresh's organic program and Sweetgreen-style customer base.
- Church Brothers Farms: Vertically integrated leafy greens and vegetable grower/shipper with conventional and organic lines serving retail and foodservice; directly comparable in product mix, certifications, and channel strategy.
- Growers Express: Grower-owned supplier of fresh vegetables (including leafy greens and value-added) to foodservice and retail, mirroring Rio Fresh's grower-direct B2B model and SKU breadth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rio Fresh social profiles
Digital presenceRio Fresh compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Rio Fresh financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rio Fresh leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Rio Fresh funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rio Fresh M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rio Fresh
What does Rio Fresh do?
Rio Fresh grows, packs, and ships fresh vegetables, herbs, and onions from its nearly 4,000-acre farm in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The company offers over 30 varieties in both conventional and USDA-certified organic lines, packed at on-farm PrimusGFS-certified facilities and sold directly to grocery retailers and foodservice customers across 20 U.S. states and Canada.
Is Rio Fresh a public or private company?
Rio Fresh is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Rio Fresh founded?
Rio Fresh was founded in 1970. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Rio Fresh based?
Rio Fresh is headquartered in San Juan, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rio Fresh make money?
One revenue line is on record: fresh Produce Sales.
Who are Rio Fresh's main competitors?
Calavo Growers is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Taylor Farms, Driscoll's, Dole Food Company, Grimmway Farms and Fresh Express. Direct peers are Tanimura & Antle, Earthbound Farm, Church Brothers Farms and Growers Express.
Does Rio Fresh have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rio Fresh.
What industry is Rio Fresh in?
Rio Fresh's product category is Fresh Produce Farming and Packing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGADAD, Allium Vegetable Farming (Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Shallots, Chives), with a secondary code of AFAGADAI, Asparagus, Artichoke & Specialty Vegetable Farming (Asparagus, Artichokes, Celery, Okra). Its NAICS code is 11121 and its SIC code is 100.