GrubMarket expands to Texas with distributor purchase

GrubMarket, San Francisco, has entered a new market — Texas — with yet another purchase of a fresh produce distributor.

The company has acquired Fresh Tex Produce, an Alamo-based distributor in the lower Rio Grande Valley. Fresh Tex partners directly with growers in the region, according to a GrubMarket news release. Management at the company, founded by Kenny Alford and Jesus Falcon in 1999, remains the same.

"We are excited to join the GrubMarket family and embrace the new growth opportunities that GrubMarket's technology and network will bring,” Alford said in the release. “Delivering fresh food is more than just a job, it's our lifestyle.”

GrubMarket’s software platform, WholesaleWare, provides suppliers and vendors with seamless financial management, easy online ordering and sales and inventory management, according to the release.

“They work directly with an incredible variety of farmers in the region, and really take pride with supplying healthy fresh produce with the highest standard of quality and sustainability,” Grubmarket CEO Mike Xu said of Fresh Tex Produce, in the news release. “ … Together we will build a greater customer base and a stronger supplier network in the food ecosystems of Texas and nationwide."

GrubMarket has made numerous acquisitions of Fresh Produce distributors recently:

• July: The company acquired Growers Produce and Cali Fresh Produce, both in South San Francisco. According to GrubMarket, the acquisitions make it a major supplier of California cherries nationwide and strengthens its sourcing in California produce.
• June: GrubMarket acquired Hung San Foods, a Seattle distributor of produce and specialty foods to grocery stores and restaurants in the area.
• February: The company acquires Organic Harvest Network, Richmond, Calif.
• October 2019: The company completes the acquisition of Golden Greek Fresh, Westminster, Calif., and Happy Farm Produce. Golden Greek Fresh supplies more than 60 restaurant clients in Southern California, and Happy Farm Produce supplies San Francisco Bay area retailers.
• May 2019: Grubmarket acquires VIP Wholesale, which supplies produce and specialty foods to San Diego restaurants and retailers.