Black River Produce
Black River Produce is a multi-regional fresh-produce distributor founded in 1978, serving foodservice and institutional customers across multiple U.S. regions from its North Springfield base with 51–100 employees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersNorth Springfield, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Black River Produce does
Black River Produce is a private, multi-regional distributor headquartered in North Springfield, United States. The firm operates in the fresh-produce distribution sector, supplying what is most likely a foodservice and institutional customer base across multiple regional markets, consistent with the standard operating model for produce wholesalers of its scale and vintage.
Founded in 1978 by Steve Birge, who continues to be associated with the company as founder, Black River Produce has operated continuously for approximately 47 years. Headcount of 51–100 employees positions it as a small-to-mid-sized regional distributor rather than a national broadline or specialty produce operator. The firm is classified as a for-profit private company with no publicly disclosed ownership, parent entity, subsidiaries, or funding history in the available source material.
The business model is consistent with traditional regional produce distribution: revenue is generated by sourcing produce from growers and selling at markup to downstream customers, with profitability driven by route density, shrink management, and customer mix. No technology platform, proprietary systems, pricing model details, certifications, partnerships, or digital product surface are documented in the input — the company's own web property returned only a verification/loading page rather than substantive content, and structured data fields across technology, revenue model, customers, and partnerships are all empty. This lack of disclosure material limits the depth of any forward-looking assessment.
Black River Produce firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Black River Produce
- Website
- https://blackriverproduce.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Black River Produce is a multi-regional fresh-produce distributor founded in 1978, serving foodservice and institutional customers across multiple U.S. regions from its North Springfield base with 51–100 employees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Black River Produce industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Distribution Services
- SIC
- Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hydroponic / Controlled-Environment Produce Wholesale (AFAIACAM)
Keywords
Where Black River Produce is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- North Springfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Black River Produce business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations
Black River Produce product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black River Produce is a multi-regional distributor of fresh produce, operating since 1978 and headquartered in North Springfield, United States. The company distributes produce across multiple regions, supplying fresh food products to commercial buyers. Its distribution operations are supported by a team of 51-100 employees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Multi-regional produce distribution Distribution of fresh produce to commercial buyers across multiple U.S. regions, supplied by a distributor operating since 1978 and serving clients from its North Springfield base.
Companies that use Black River Produce
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Black River Produce technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Black River Produce partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves1 record
Expansion highlights1 record
Black River Produce competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FreshPoint: North America's largest specialty produce distributor, serving foodservice operators with full-line fresh fruits and vegetables. Directly comparable as a multi-regional fresh-produce wholesaler competing for the same foodservice accounts as Black River Produce.
- Castellini Group of Companies: Multi-regional fresh produce and foodservice distributor serving retail and foodservice customers across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Comparable in operating model and customer mix to Black River Produce.
- Pro*Act: National network of regional produce distributors serving foodservice operators. Comparable as a multi-regional produce distribution platform with overlapping customer types.
- Keany Produce: Mid-Atlantic specialty produce distributor focused on restaurants, schools, and healthcare accounts. Closely comparable in scale, customer segments, and regional distribution model to Black River Produce.
- Loffredo Fresh Foods: Regional fresh produce and foodservice distributor serving the Midwest. Comparable in fresh-produce focus, regional foodservice customer base, and mid-sized operator profile.
- Baldor Specialty Foods: Northeast-based specialty produce and food distributor serving restaurants and retailers in the same regional footprint as Black River Produce. Comparable in product mix (fresh produce focus) and customer base (foodservice/retail).
Broad incumbents
- US Foods: Major broadline foodservice distributor with national reach and a sizable produce offering. Competes indirectly by bundling produce with broader foodservice categories.
- Sysco: Largest North American broadline foodservice distributor with a produce segment. Competes for the same foodservice accounts but offers a full portfolio (proteins, dry, frozen) rather than specializing in produce.
- Gordon Food Service: Large broadline distributor serving Northeast and Midwest foodservice operators including schools and healthcare. Overlaps with Black River Produce on produce SKUs and institutional accounts.
Regional players
- Upper Lakes Foods: Regional broadline foodservice distributor serving the Upper Midwest with foodservice, schools, and healthcare customers. Comparable regional foodservice distribution model, though different geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Black River Produce social profiles
Digital presenceBlack River Produce financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Black River Produce leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Black River Produce funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Black River Produce 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 Black River Produce
What does Black River Produce do?
Black River Produce is a multi-regional distributor of fresh produce, operating since 1978 and headquartered in North Springfield, United States. The company distributes produce across multiple regions, supplying fresh food products to commercial buyers. Its distribution operations are supported by a team of 51-100 employees.
When was Black River Produce founded?
Black River Produce was founded in 1978. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Black River Produce based?
Black River Produce is headquartered in North Springfield, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Black River Produce's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FreshPoint, Castellini Group of Companies, Pro*Act, Keany Produce, Loffredo Fresh Foods and Baldor Specialty Foods. Broad incumbents are US Foods, Sysco and Gordon Food Service. Upper Lakes Foods is listed as a regional player.
Does Black River Produce have an API?
No public API is recorded for Black River Produce.
What industry is Black River Produce in?
Black River Produce's product category is Food Distribution Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIACAM, Hydroponic / Controlled-Environment Produce Wholesale. Its SIC code is 5150.