Fresh Express Acquires McEntire Produce To Expand Foodservice

Dec. 13, 2024

The deal creates a new Fresh Express foodservice division to be called McEntire Produce.

Salad-maker Fresh Express Inc. bought McEntire Produce Inc., a Columbia, S.C.-based fresh-cut processor, repacker and wholesaler supplying the foodservice industry since 1938. The transaction effected a newly formed Foodservice Division of Fresh Express under the McEntire Produce name, with Carter McEntire as vice president of foodservice.

The price was not disclosed. The companies said the deal combines McEntire Produce’s foodservice strengths with Fresh Express’s national retail footprint and expertise in growing, harvesting, manufacturing, distribution and innovation.

With the addition of the new McEntire plant, Fresh Express now has six plants across all regions of the country.

Today’s announcement also noted food safety enhancements. “By combining McEntire Produce’s groundbreaking Simply Clean wash system with Fresh Express’s advanced RFID-based food traceability technology, the companies will further elevate their food safety programs, reinforcing their dedication to delivering superior products that build trust with consumers and customers alike.”

PHOTO AT TOP: John P. Olivo, president of Fresh Express, on the left with Carter McEntire.

About the Author

Dave Fusaro | Editor in Chief

Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.