Ippolito Group

What Ippolito Group does

Ippolito Group is a privately held, family-owned Canadian produce company headquartered in Burlington, Ontario, that operates a vertically integrated supply chain spanning growing, packing, processing, and transportation across North America. The group is structured around four core operating subsidiaries: Ippolito Fruit & Produce Ltd. (Eastern Canada / U.S. distribution from Ontario), Ippolito International LP (second-generation farming and processing from California and Arizona using the Queen Victoria and King Coast brands), Ippolito Produce Ltd. (wholesale at the Ontario Food Terminal with over 200 SKUs), and Ippolito Transportation Inc. (LTL, consolidated LTL, and TL temperature-controlled freight). Founded as a farmers' market stand by Carmelo and Filomena Ippolito in the 1930s and incorporated in 1946, the company is now in its third generation of family ownership, with Joel Ippolito holding sole ownership of the principal operating entities since 2018.

The group's product portfolio centers on leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, squash, and value-added fresh-cut items, supported by a 1,200-acre farm, a 100,000 sq. ft. Burlington campus, and processing facilities in Ontario, California, and Yuma, Arizona. Membership in both the Arizona and California Leafy Green Marketing Agreements provides food-safety certification that is a baseline procurement requirement for major retail and foodservice customers. The company serves three primary B2B segments — retail chains (commodity, value-add, organic, and local programs under branded or private-label packaging), foodservice operators (via distributor partnerships), and wholesale distributors — and complements its produce operations with a growing specialty services menu (bagging, reclamation, grading, ripening, merchandising, and custom program development). Revenue is generated transactionally through produce sales and freight services, with no pricing details publicly disclosed.

Name

Ippolito Group

Legal name

Ippolito Group of Companies

Website

https://ippolitogroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ippolito Group is a family-owned, vertically integrated Canadian produce company that grows, packs, processes, and transports leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, and other fresh vegetables, serving retail chains, foodservice operators, and wholesale distributors across North America through four operating subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Terminal Market / Produce Market Wholesalers (AFAIACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Natural, Organic & Health Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAK)

Keywords

• Fresh produce supply
• Vertical produce integration
• Leafy green processing
• Value-added vegetables
• Produce wholesale distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Produce Sales: Direct B2B sales of fresh produce including leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, squash, and value-added vegetables to retail, foodservice, and wholesale customers. Revenue generated through commodity programs, value-add products, organic and local programs.
2. Transportation & Logistics Services: LTL, consolidated LTL, and TL transportation services for time-sensitive, temperature-controlled freight across North America, serving both internal sister companies and external customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ippolito Group is a vertically integrated fresh-produce company that grows, packs, processes, and transports leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, squash, and value-added vegetables. The company supplies retail chains, foodservice operators, and wholesale distributors across North America through four operating subsidiaries spanning farming, packing, processing, and refrigerated transportation. Its portfolio is sold under brands including Queen Victoria, Queen Vic Organic, Lovin' Life, Frisco, and King Coast.

Product overview

Ippolito Group is a vertically integrated produce company comprising multiple operating companies and brands. The group operates through four main entities: Ippolito Fruit & Produce Ltd. (serving Eastern Canada and U.S. from Ontario), Ippolito International LP (California-based farming and processing), Ippolito Produce Ltd. (Ontario Food Terminal wholesale), and Ippolito Transportation Inc. (freight services). The portfolio includes multiple consumer brands—Queen Victoria, Queen Victoria Organic, Lovin' Life, Queen Vic Original, Frisco, and King Coast—along with core service verticals: Growing, Packing, Processing, Transportation & Logistics, and Specialty Services. The vertically integrated model enables the company to control the full supply chain from field to shelf.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Queen Victoria: Primary brand for vegetables - flagship brand launched in 1946
• Queen Vic Organic
• Lovin' Life
• Queen Vic Original
• King Coast
• Frisco
• Ippolito Transportation

Products and services

• Queen Victoria Branded Produce

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Arizona Leafy Green Marketing AgreementcoreOthersIppolito Group is a member of the Arizona Leafy Green Marketing Agreement, ensuring that field packed products meet the highest standards of food safety as they flow through cutting edge cooling facilities. This membership provides food safety certification and compliance standards.
• California Leafy Green Marketing AgreementcoreOthersIppolito Group is a member of the California Leafy Green Marketing Agreement, ensuring that field packed products meet the highest standards of food safety. This membership applies to their California operations and processing facilities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Calavo Growers: Vertically integrated producer and distributor of avocados and other fresh produce with established retail and foodservice channels. Comparable for its grower-to-customer integration and value-added fresh produce offerings, though concentrated in tropical produce categories.
• Driscoll's: Vertically integrated berry producer with global growing operations and branded retail distribution. Comparable for its grower-network model, food safety certifications, and brand-led retail strategy, though focused on berries rather than vegetables.
• Dole Food Company: Global diversified fresh produce company with extensive branded fresh fruit and vegetable operations. Overlaps with Ippolito in retail fresh produce supply and value-added packaged vegetables, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Grimmway Farms: Vertically integrated grower-processor of carrots and organic produce with national distribution. Comparable as a privately held, vertically integrated produce company with farm-to-customer operations and retail/foodservice channels.
• Earthbound Farm: Leading organic produce grower and packer supplying bagged salads and organic vegetables to retail. Comparable through its organic line (Queen Victoria Organic) and packaged fresh produce retail programs.
• Bonduelle Group: Global vertically integrated producer of fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables serving retail and foodservice. Comparable in the integration of growing, processing, and branded distribution across multiple produce categories.
• Taylor Farms: One of the largest vertically integrated fresh produce processors in North America, supplying leafy greens, salads, and value-added vegetables to retail and foodservice. Directly comparable to Ippolito's vertically integrated model and customer segments.

Regional players

• Mastronardi Produce: Canadian family-owned greenhouse produce company growing and distributing tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers across North America under the Sunset brand. Comparable as a Canadian-headquartered, vertically integrated fresh produce supplier with similar North American retail reach.
• Mucci Farms: Canadian-controlled-environment grower of greenhouse vegetables serving North American retail. Comparable in Canadian origin, protected growing operations, and retail-focused fresh vegetable distribution, though primarily greenhouse rather than field-grown.

Others

• C.H. Robinson: Large third-party logistics provider with substantial fresh produce transportation and sourcing capabilities across North America. Comparable to Ippolito Transportation Inc.'s external freight services and produce supply chain expertise, though not vertically integrated into growing.

Market position

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IppolitoGroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/IppolitoGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ippolitogroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/theippolitogroup

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Ippolito Group