Riverwards Produce

What Riverwards Produce does

Riverwards Produce is a privately held, founder-owned produce-forward neighborhood grocery operator founded in 2016 by Vincent Finazzo in Philadelphia. The company operates two retail markets — at 2200 East Norris Street in Fishtown (housed in a historic firehouse) and at 146 Bread Street in Old City — open seven days a week, 8AM–8PM. The core assortment emphasizes local and organic produce sourced from New Jersey and Pennsylvania farms, alongside bulk nuts and grains, locally raised meat and eggs, bread from partner bakeries (Lost Bread, Merzbachers), local cheeses (Valley Milkhouse), flowers (Terra Luna Florals), and vegan options. A planned third market on Detroit's East Side is in development.

The business runs a dual wholesale and retail channel: in parallel with consumer sales, Riverwards sells produce directly to neighborhood restaurants, a B2B arm that also functions as a waste-mitigation mechanism, allowing near-expiry and 'ugly' inventory to be redirected before spoilage. The company partners with Bennett Compost and local food banks to drive in-house waste to practically zero. A secondary revenue stream consists of branded merchandise (t-shirts, tote bags, hats, limited-edition prints) and gift cards sold through an own e-commerce storefront. Pricing on merch items ranges from $11.99 (tote) to $29.99 (5-panel hat), with gift cards available in $25–$500 denominations.

The company is bootstrapped and capital-light; the only known external capital event was a January 2017 Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that funded the move into the permanent Fishtown location. There is no institutional venture or private equity backing disclosed. The founder brings prior experience at Whole Foods Market and a national produce broker. Riverwards has received regional press coverage across Eater Philadelphia, Philadelphia Magazine, Edible Philly, Bon Appetit, and others, and was recognized as a 2018 Edible Philly Local Hero in the Food Shop category. The company uses Instagram as its primary marketing channel and maintains an active vendor recruitment and hiring pipeline via its website.

Name

Riverwards Produce

Legal name

Riverwards Produce

Website

https://riverwardsproduce.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Riverwards Produce is a founder-owned Philadelphia neighborhood grocery operator running produce-forward retail markets in Fishtown and Old City, with a planned Detroit location. It serves local consumers and restaurants via direct retail, B2B wholesale, and a small branded-merchandise e-commerce line.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Grocery Retail

NAICS

Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230), Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (44511)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops) (CRAHAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE), Produce Markets & Greengrocers (CRAHAHAA)

Keywords

• Neighborhood grocery store
• Local produce market
• Organic grocery retail
• Wholesale produce supply
• Specialty food market

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: Walk-in retail sales of produce, organic goods, local meat, eggs, bread, cheese, and other grocery items at two Philadelphia locations.
2. Wholesale Produce: B2B produce sales to neighborhood restaurants, secured over two years of building wholesale business.
3. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including t-shirts, tote bags, hats, and limited edition prints sold through the website.
4. Gift Cards: Gift card sales in denominations of $25, $50, $100, $300, and $500.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Riverwards Produce operates produce-forward neighborhood grocery markets in Philadelphia's Fishtown and Old City neighborhoods, selling locally-sourced produce, organic and bulk goods, locally raised meat and eggs, bread from local bakeries, cheeses, vegan options, and flowers. The company also runs a wholesale produce business supplying neighborhood restaurants and sells branded merchandise and gift cards online.

Product overview

Riverwards Produce is a produce-forward grocery store operating as a unified retail concept. The core offering is the Riverwards Produce Market, featuring local and organic produce, bulk goods, locally raised meat and eggs, bread from local bakeries, local cheeses, vegan options, and flowers. The company also operates a merchandise line including branded apparel (t-shirts, hats), accessories (tote bags), and art prints. A new Detroit neighborhood market is planned. The company combines wholesale and retail operations to reduce waste and ensure product freshness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Riverwards Produce Market A produce-forward neighborhood grocery store specializing in local, organic, and sustainable products. Operates retail storefronts in Philadelphia's Fishtown (2200 E. Norris Street) and Old City (146 Bread Street), featuring local and organic produce, bulk nuts and grains, locally raised meat and eggs, bread from local bakeries, local cheeses, vegan options, and flowers from local farms.
• Wholesale Produce Supply B2B wholesale produce sales to neighborhood restaurants and chefs in the Philadelphia region. Provides fresh, locally-sourced produce from New Jersey and Pennsylvania farms as an alternative to big-box distributors, offering fresher products at better prices and access to 'ugly' produce not typically stocked by supermarkets.
• Riverwards Tee

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced in-house waste to practically zero through combined wholesale and retail operations

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lost BreadcoreOthersLocal bakery supplier providing bread to Riverwards Produce markets. Customers can purchase bread from Lost Bread at the market locations.
• MerzbacherscoreOthersLocal bakery supplying bread products to Riverwards Produce markets.
• Valley MilkhousecoreOthersLocal cheese maker supplying cheeses to Riverwards Produce markets, featured as part of the local and artisanal product selection.
• Terra Luna FloralscoreOthersLocal flower farm supplying fresh flowers to Riverwards Produce markets.
• Bennett CompostcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComposting program partner. Riverwards Produce participates in composting where any produce or flowers that spoil are collected into buckets throughout the day and tossed in large compost bins outside, minimizing operational food waste.
• Local Food BanksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local food banks to ensure food that cannot be used or saved doesn't go to waste.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Whole Foods Market: National natural and organic grocery chain owned by Amazon. Directly comparable category (produce-forward natural foods) and overlapping customer, but operates at vastly greater scale with a broader assortment and online delivery infrastructure.
• Natural Grocers: Public natural and organic grocery chain operating small-format stores with strict product standards. Comparable on category positioning and small-box footprint, though at substantially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Sprouts Farmers Market: Large publicly traded natural and specialty grocery chain with a fresh, produce-forward format. Overlaps on assortment and target shopper (health-conscious, locally minded), but at chain scale with national distribution.
• Fresh Thyme Farmers Market: Midwest-focused small-format natural and specialty grocer. Comparable on store format and produce-led assortment, but operates as a multi-state chain rather than a local independent.

Direct peers

• Weaver's Way Co-op: Philadelphia-based member-owned food co-op operating multiple neighborhood locations in the same metro as Riverwards, with a comparable emphasis on local, organic, and sustainably sourced groceries. Overlap in customer base (Fishtown/Mt. Airy/Chestnut Hill neighborhoods) and category mix makes it the closest geographic and format peer.
• The Common Market: Philadelphia-founded wholesale and retail food distributor operating a dual B2B/B2C model with regional farm sourcing. Direct comparability on the wholesale-to-restaurant channel and the dual retail/wholesale structure that drives Riverwards' waste-reduction advantage.
• Metropolitan Market: PNW-based small-format premium grocer emphasizing local sourcing, fresh departments, and neighborhood-store positioning. Comparable on curated, fresh-forward assortment and multi-store independent operator structure.
• New Leaf Community Markets: Northern California independent natural foods grocer operating multiple neighborhood stores with a mission-driven local-sourcing and community focus. Comparable small-format, multi-store operator model with strong ESG positioning.
• New Seasons Market: PNW neighborhood grocery chain focused on local, organic, and natural products with strong fresh/perishable emphasis. Highly comparable on store format, category mix, and local-sourcing brand promise.
• MOM's Organic Market: Mid-Atlantic-based small-format organic and natural grocery chain with multiple urban-adjacent stores, curated local assortment, and a strong sustainability/composting story. Closest regional competitor in format and category positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/riverwardsproduce/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/riverwards-produce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Riverwards Produce