Okray Family Farms

What Okray Family Farms does

Okray Family Farms is a fourth-generation, family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of fresh produce headquartered in Plover, Wisconsin. Founded in 1905 as Joseph Okray and Bros. Company and incorporated as Okray Produce Co. in 1918, the company operates a vertically integrated potato and row-crop business on more than 1,800 acres of potatoes (Norkotah and Silverton russets, Red Norlands, Jelly and Augustas yellows, plus Tasteful Selections and Fingerling specialty SKUs) and approximately 5,900 acres of sweet corn, green beans, peas, soy, and maize. Operations are anchored by a River Drive warehouse and packing facility built in 1962, with energy-efficient cold storage using spray-foam insulation and air-curtain technology, compressed-air drying via air knives, and a customer-facing Spud Cam that streams the packing line in real time. The farm also maps its full carbon footprint using the Cool Farm Tool and operates under a 10-year emissions reduction plan developed with the Central Wisconsin Windshed Partnership and other sustainability programs.

The company sells through three coordinated channels: direct wholesale potato sales (with named personnel Mark Finnessy and Brian Lee covering sales and transportation), retail potato and onion-set sales, and channel partnerships including the Roundy's Locally Grown Initiative that places Wisconsin-grown potatoes in regional grocery stores. It also operates an in-house transportation/logistics function that supports produce distribution. Pricing is quote-based and varies by variety, size, quantity, and season, and the business is reinforced by voluntary annual third-party food safety audits and active membership in the National Potato Council, Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association, United States Potato Board, and United Potato Growers of America. The firm is closely affiliated with Indian Hills Cranberry, LLC and has collaborated with the Wisconsin Institute of Sustainable Technology on experimental cold-climate grape research. All hiring is conducted through staffing agencies, and the company remains entirely family-owned with no disclosed external investors or parent entity.

Name

Okray Family Farms

Legal name

Okray Family Farms

Website

https://okray.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Okray Family Farms is a fourth-generation, family-owned grower, packer, and shipper in Plover, Wisconsin, producing 1,800+ acres of potatoes and 5,900+ acres of row crops for wholesale buyers, regional grocery partners such as Roundy's, and retail customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Plover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Potato Production and Sales: Family owned grower, packer, and shipper of fresh potatoes. Produces over 1,800 acres of potatoes including Norkotah and Silverton russets, Red Norlands, and Jelly and Augustas for yellows. Controls all aspects of the supply chain from growing to shipping.
2. Vegetable Production: Produces over 5,900 acres of sweet corn, green beans, peas, soy, and maize annually.
3. Retail and Wholesale Produce Sales: Direct sales to wholesale customers and retail sales including onions and onion sets. Volume increased 10% in 2012 compared to 2011.
4. Transportation and Logistics: Dedicated transportation manager and sales team handling logistics for potato and produce distribution.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Okray Family Farms is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of fresh potatoes in multiple varieties (Norkotah and Silverton russets, Red Norlands, Jelly and Augustas yellows, Fingerlings, and Tasteful Selections branded potatoes) and rotation crops including sweet corn, green beans, peas, soy, and maize. The company controls the entire supply chain from cultivation through packaging and delivery rather than acting as a broker, supplying wholesale buyers, retail grocery partners, and direct retail customers with locally grown produce and supporting transportation/logistics services.

Product overview

Okray Family Farms is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of fresh produce based in Plover, Wisconsin. The company operates a vertically integrated supply chain controlling all aspects from cultivation through delivery. Their core potato products span multiple varieties including russet (Norkotah, Silverton), red (Red Norland), and yellow types (Jelly, Augustas), with specialty sizes marketed as 'Tasteful Selections' branded products. Beyond potatoes, they cultivate approximately 5,900 acres annually of sweet corn, green beans, peas, soy, and maize. They also offer onion sets at retail. The company provides total quality control as a direct grower rather than a broker, with voluntary annual third-party food safety audits ensuring product safety.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Potatoes (Russet, Red, Yellow, Fingerling varieties) Family-grown potatoes in Norkotah and Silverton russets, Red Norlands, Jelly and Augustas yellows, Fingerlings, and specialty 'Tasteful Selections' branded sizes including '3 bite' and '1 bite' offerings, packed and shipped under Okray's vertical quality control.
• Sweet Corn Sweet corn grown across Okray's rotation acreage in central Wisconsin and shipped alongside other produce.
• Green Beans Green beans grown as part of Okray's annual rotation crop program in central Wisconsin.
• Peas Peas grown as part of Okray's annual rotation crop program in central Wisconsin.
• Soy Soybeans grown as part of Okray's crop rotation on Portage County acreage.
• Maize Maize (corn grain) grown as part of Okray's rotation schedule alongside potatoes, beans, and peas.
• Onion Sets Onion sets offered for retail sale by Okray Family Farms' retail sales division for household and small-buyer use.
• Transportation and Logistics Services In-house transportation and logistics services managed by a dedicated transportation manager and sales team to distribute potatoes and produce to wholesale buyers and retail customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% increase in potato volume in 2012 compared to 2011
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wisconsin Institute of Sustainable Technology (WIST)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2015Okray's Plover Farms teamed up with WIST on 'pharming' grapes - an experimental project attempting to produce cold-climate tolerant grapes for pharmacological purposes.
• Roundy'scoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 June 2012Okray Family Farms joined Roundy's 'Locally Grown Initiative' where Roundy's promotes locally grown products including Wisconsin potatoes in their stores. This partnership connects local farmers with retail grocery chains.
• Central Wisconsin Windshed PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Working at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station since 2000, the partnership has added over 25 miles of windbreaks to reduce wind erosion over the flat, sandy soils of Portage County.
• Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers AssociationminorOthersIndustry association headquartered in Antigo, Wisconsin helping growers with research, government support, and consumer outreach.
• United States Potato BoardminorOthersNational potato marketing organization providing ideas, information, tools and inspiration for the industry to unite in achieving common goals.
• National Potato CouncilminorOthersAdvocate for economic well-being of U.S. potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental, and trade issues.
• United Potato Growers of AmericaminorOthersFederated farmer cooperative focusing on managing potato supply to positively affect members' economic success.
• Indian Hills Cranberry, LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClosely affiliated company expanding Okray's agricultural operations beyond potatoes and vegetables.
• Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA)minorOthersMembership organization working to improve herd and habitat management, promoting harvesting depending on herd size and pressure for woodland health.
• Cool Farm Tool ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationUses the Cool Farm Tool (CFT) developed by Unilever, The University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and the Sustainable Food Lab for carbon footprint mapping and emissions reduction planning.
• Express Employment ProfessionalsminorOthersStaffing agency in Stevens Point, WI used for all hiring. Located at 1001 Brilowski Road, Suite C, Stevens Point, WI 54482.
• Service First Staffing (Nicolet Staffing)minorOthersStaffing agency in Wisconsin Rapids, WI used for all hiring. Located at 720 Daly Ave, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wada Farms: Wada Farms is an Idaho-based grower, packer, and shipper of fresh potatoes with a multi-variety product line. It is a direct comparable to Okray's vertically integrated fresh potato business model.
• Heartland Potato Company: Heartland Potato Company is a multi-state potato grower and shipper offering fresh and specialty potatoes. Its grower-to-customer model and product breadth overlap with Okray's russet, red, and yellow offerings.
• Black Gold Farms: Black Gold Farms is a multi-state potato grower and shipper producing russet, red, and specialty varieties. Its vertically integrated farm-to-customer operations closely mirror Okray's structure.
• Sun-Glo of Idaho: Sun-Glo of Idaho is a potato grower, packer, and shipper focused on fresh market potatoes. It competes with Okray for wholesale potato accounts across similar customer segments.
• R.D. Offutt Company: R.D. Offutt Company is one of the largest potato growers in North America and a vertically integrated farm operation. Like Okray, it controls the supply chain from growing through shipping, but at meaningfully greater scale and across multiple states.
• NoKota Packers: NoKota Packers is a Red River Valley potato packer and shipper handling reds, yellows, and russets. It is comparable to Okray as a multi-variety fresh potato shipper with similar wholesale go-to-market motion.

Regional players

• Bushmans' Inc. Bushmans' Inc. is a Wisconsin-based potato grower and shipper serving retail and foodservice customers. It is the closest geographic competitor to Okray, operating in the same Central Wisconsin growing region.

Broad incumbents

• Lamb Weston: Lamb Weston is the largest North American processor of frozen potato products. As a buyer of fresh potatoes and a dominant force in the broader US potato value chain, it is a relevant comparable for industry dynamics affecting Okray.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Okray Family Farms