GrubMarket Acquires Provider of Mexican-Grown Produce to U.S. Grocers
GrubMarket, a food tech/e-commerce company operating in the American food supply chain industry, has completed the acquisition of Nogales, Ariz.-based Delta Fresh Produce, a distributor specializing in tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, grapes, watermelons and various other fresh produce commodities sourced from Mexico.
Delta Fresh manages an extensive farming and distribution network across Mexico, including more than 900 acres of open-field production, 1,400 acres of indoor production, and packing facilities across Baja, Sonora, Sinaloa and Central Mexico. Longstanding grower relationships allow Delta Fresh to access thousands of additional acres of production throughout Mexico, enabling the company to supply customers year-round. The company's customer base includes grocery retailers such as Walmart and Kroger and national restaurant chains like Subway, Jack in the Box, In-N-Out Burger, and Chipotle, as well as national distributors such as Sysco and Associated Wholesale Grocers.
Established in 1928, Delta Fresh Produce is a multi-generational business currently led by Atanasio Panousopoulos. In his 30 years of experience with the business, Panousopoulos has grown Delta Fresh's U.S. operations to include a 156,000-square-foot warehouse in Nogales, Ariz.; an 80,000-square-foot facility in McAllen, Texas; and a 30,000-square-foot space in San Diego.
Delta Fresh maintains Primus GFS certification, a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) recognized audit certification program, and has been an industry leader in establishing rigorous standards for safety practices that go beyond regulatory requirements, including frequent random audits of its growing operations and distribution facilities.
After the acquisition, the business will continue to be managed by its current leadership team, headed by Panousopoulos.
[RELATED: IAFP to Help Navigate Produce Trade With Mexico]
As part of GrubMarket's portfolio, Delta Fresh will have access to GrubMarket's proprietary AI-powered software solutions, including WholesaleWare, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) ERP platform that provides food industry wholesalers, distributors and shippers with financial management, sales support, online ordering, inventory management, lot traceability, grower accounting, and automated routing and logistics; GrubAssist, GrubMarket's suite of agentic enterprise AI assistants that empower food supply chain businesses with deep insights, intelligent analysis and automated order processing; Orders IO, GrubMarket's custom-branded mobile e-commerce solution; and GrubPay, the company's digital payments platform specifically designed for the needs of the food supply chain industry.
"Joining GrubMarket marks an exciting new chapter for Delta Fresh Produce," said Panousopoulos. "We are proud of our deep-rooted heritage and the operational excellence we've achieved through the generations. GrubMarket's commitment to AI technology and innovation aligns perfectly with our vision to further elevate our capabilities through integrating technology into our operations at scale, strengthening our customer relationships and driving future growth. We look forward to the incredible opportunities that lie ahead of us as part of the GrubMarket family."
Mike Xu, CEO of GrubMarket, added: "We are thrilled to welcome Delta Fresh Produce to the GrubMarket family. Delta Fresh's longstanding legacy in the produce industry in both the U.S. and Mexico, extensive grower and distribution networks, and exceptional reputation for food safety make them an ideal partner for GrubMarket as we continue to expand our strategic presence across North America. This acquisition significantly enhances our capabilities to serve customers nationally with high-quality, reliable produce year-round."
San Francisco-based GrubMarket operates in all 50 U.S. states and has a global presence in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Egypt, India, Mexico, South Africa and Spain. The company plans to expand further across the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Africa and other parts of the world.
