Fresh from the Start

What Fresh from the Start does

Fresh from the Start is a 4th generation, family-owned wholesale produce company that sources, packs, and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to retailers, food service operators, and food manufacturers across the United States, with growing operations extending into Canada and Mexico. The company operates through an integrated family of wholly-owned subsidiaries including ADS-Fresh (farming focused on potatoes, onions, and citrus), Freshouse (refrigerated warehouse, packing, consolidation, and distribution in Salisbury, NC), Hapco Farms (retail supply with 70+ years of category management experience), and MR Farms (Canadian and Mexican growing operations with cooling, storage, and repackaging services). Vertical integration spans seed selection, harvesting, packing, and shipping, supported by Primus Superior-rated food safety facilities with full-time food safety personnel in Lawrenceville, GA and Salisbury, NC.

The product portfolio spans potatoes, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts, citrus, mixed berries, strawberries, sweet corn, watermelon, carrots, and mini potatoes, plus sub-brands Fresh Sides (microwaveable, re-sealable bag products such as sweet potatoes and medley potatoes) and Organics. Products are modified to customer specifications and the company offers re-grading, repacking, and consolidation services. Sustainability is emphasized across grower practices covering soil health, water conservation, solar and wind power, recycling, pest management, ecosystems, and farm worker welfare.

Revenue is generated through B2B wholesale produce distribution on a sales-led motion with direct enterprise sales, a sales contact line (1-800-645-0033), and email-based quoting. The company maintains consumer-facing brand presence through a recipe blog of over 100 entries and social media channels on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, but these channels are top-of-funnel brand engagement rather than direct-to-consumer commerce. No pricing, revenue figures, funding history, headcount, or management team information is publicly disclosed.

Name

Fresh from the Start

Legal name

Fresh from the Start

Website

https://freshfromthestart.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fresh from the Start is a 4th generation, family-owned wholesale produce company that sources, packs, and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to retailers, food service operators, and food manufacturers across the US, Canada, and Mexico through integrated farming, packing, and distribution subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh Fruit Wholesale (AFAIACAA), Fresh Vegetable Wholesale (AFAIACAB), Fresh-Cut & Value-Added Produce (Washed, Peeled, Sliced, Packaged) (AFAKAFAA)

Keywords

• Fresh produce distribution
• Wholesale produce supply
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Food service produce
• Produce packing and repacking

Headquarters

HQ city

Riverhead

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Sales: Wholesale distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables to retailers, food service operators, and manufacturers. Products include potatoes, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts, citrus, berries, corn, watermelon, carrots, and organics. Modified to customer specifications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fresh from the Start is a 4th generation family-owned produce company that sources, re-grades, repacks, and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables (potatoes, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, citrus, berries, corn, watermelon, carrots, and organics) to retailers, food service operators, and food manufacturers. The company offers products modified to customer specifications, with year-round supply enabled by multi-region grower relationships and a Canadian division.

Product overview

Fresh from the Start is a 4th generation family-owned produce company that operates as a unified fresh produce brand offering. The core offering includes a diverse portfolio of fresh fruits and vegetables such as potatoes, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, citrus, mixed berries, strawberries, sweet corn, watermelon, carrots, and mini potatoes. The company extends its portfolio through sub-brands including Fresh Sides (convenience-oriented re-sealable microwaveable produce products) and an Organics line. All products are sourced from select growers across multiple growing regions to ensure year-round availability and quality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Produce Portfolio Wholesale portfolio of fresh fruits and vegetables sourced from select growers across multiple growing regions, sold to retailers, food service operators, and food manufacturers. Products are modified to customer specifications and delivered year-round.
• Fresh Sides Ready-to-cook produce products including sweet potatoes and medley potatoes packaged in microwaveable re-sealable bags for convenient meal preparation. Targets consumers and food service operators seeking convenience.
• Organics Organic produce offerings as part of the company's fresh produce portfolio, addressing the growing demand for certified organic fresh fruits and vegetables.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• ADS-FreshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Fresh from the Start family of produce companies. Farm operations and growers from multiple growing regions provide year-round supply of fresh produce, specializing in potatoes, onions and citrus. Located in Lawrenceville, GA.
• Fresh HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily owned, full service refrigerated warehouse located in Salisbury, NC, specializing in produce packing, consolidation, and distribution. Growers and farmers provide continuous supply of year-round fresh fruit and vegetables from farms that span locally to internationally.
• Hapco FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProviding fresh fruits and vegetables to retailers for over 70 years. Strong grower relationships, state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated personnel and category management teams provide quality produce and first-class customer service.
• MR-FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian division with growing operations in Canada and Mexico. Expands product and service offering and grows farm acreage. Services include distribution, cooling and storage and repackaging.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• KeHE Distributors: Large-scale distributor of natural, organic, specialty, and fresh products to grocery, natural food, and food service retailers across North America. Comparable as a B2B fresh produce distributor serving retail and food service, though operating at much larger scale with broader product portfolio.

Direct peers

• Dole plc: One of the world's largest producers and marketers of fresh fruits and vegetables, with integrated growing and distribution operations. Comparable in product breadth (multiple produce categories), multi-region sourcing, and B2B retail/food service go-to-market.
• Robinson Fresh (C.H. Robinson): Sourcing and distribution arm of C.H. Robinson focused on fresh produce, supplying retailers, restaurants, and food service operators across North America. Comparable in multi-region sourcing, B2B distribution model, and service breadth to retail/food service.
• Hapco Farms: Multi-generational fresh produce distributor to retailers with category management, repacking, and value-added services. Listed as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fresh from the Start, but operates as a comparable fresh produce wholesale distributor in its own right.
• Driscoll's: Leading marketer of fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) with proprietary genetics and global grower network. Comparable in multi-region sourcing, B2B retail distribution, and branded fresh produce positioning.
• Taylor Farms: North America's largest producer of value-added fresh foods, including fresh-cut produce, salad kits, and ready-to-cook vegetable products. Comparable in value-added produce processing and as a B2B supplier to retailers and food service operators.
• Castellini Group of Companies: Family-owned, multi-generational fresh produce distributor serving retail, food service, and wholesale customers across the U.S. Comparable in family-owned heritage, multi-region sourcing, value-added repacking services, and B2B fresh produce distribution.
• Fresh Del Monte Produce: Global producer, distributor, and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables with vertical integration across growing, packing, and distribution. Directly comparable as a multi-region fresh produce distributor serving retail and food service channels.
• Lipman Produce: Vertically integrated grower-packer-distributor of fresh tomatoes and vegetables supplying North American retailers and food service. Comparable in integrated growing-to-distribution model, B2B supply to retail and food service, and fresh produce specialization.
• Four Seasons Produce: Wholesale distributor of organic and conventional fresh produce to retailers, food service, and natural foods customers across the U.S. East Coast and Midwest. Comparable in B2B wholesale model, East Coast distribution focus, and organic product line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCW9lgGpZaGHkgUIvem68bkg
• Facebookfacebook.com/FreshFromTheStart
• Instagraminstagram.com/freshfromthestart_
• Xx.com/frshfrmthestart

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 Fresh from the Start