Smoky Mountain Family Farms announces expansion plan, acquisition 

Tennessee-based Smoky Mountain Family Farms, a partnership between the Pappas, Esformes and Hellers tomato farming and distribution families has announced the purchase of Midway, Tenn.-based Triple C Family Farms. 

Smoky Mountain Family Farms is the first and only Tennessee farm to be certified by the Fair Food Program in partnership with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, according to a news release. The acquisition by Smoky Mountain Family Farms includes an expansion of the programs reach for fair treatment of farm workers into Tennessee. 

“We had a vision for a regionally local summer and fall fresh tomato farming operation,” Aris Pappas and Jon Esformes, co-managing partners of Smoky Mountain Family Farms, said in a joint statement. “This acquisition of Triple C, is one part of our strategic plan to provide the Northeast, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Appalachian Mountain and Midwest regions with the absolute finest in outdoor-grown tomatoes. We are honored to have the opportunity to continue to build upon the legacy of the Chandley family in our expansion from Newport into Midway and beyond.”

With the acquisition, production of Smoky Mountain Family Farms will triple in 2021, the release said.

Smoky Mountain Family Farms now operates out of Newport, Tenn., and Midway, Tenn., locations, the release said. The strategy consolidates Pacific Tomato Growers’ Virginia operation, which was closed in late 2020, as part of their plan and in anticipation of this Tennessee farming expansion. 

Additional farmland purchases in the offseason will support further growth into the 2022 season and the future, the release said.

Smoky Mountain Family Farms, with the tagline “Following the Sun, Leading in Quality,” will pack premium outdoor-grown rounds, romas, snacking tomatoes and organics under the Sunripe Certified and Suncoast Certified brand names, the release said.