KINGSVILLE, ON & MADISON, ME – Mastronardi Produce has announced a new extension to its professional family. The leading grower and distributor of specialty and commodity greenhouse produce in North America announced that it has acquired New England year-round greenhouse tomato grower Backyard Farms®.
“We have long been impressed with Backyard Farms’ commitment to fresh, high-quality tomatoes,” said Paul Mastronardi, fourth generation President and CEO of Mastronardi Produce. “Backyard Farms® not only is a growing, customer-focused tomato grower with a strong and well-known presence in the Northeastern United States, but it also shares the same community-centric ethos that drives Mastronardi. Being a family-operated business, we have long prioritized our local communities and a ‘fresh from the farm’ commitment to our customers that we believe are critically important to our success.”
The Backyard Farms brand name will be retained and continue to represent high-quality locally grown produce, according to a press release, and greenhouse operations in Madison, Maine will continue uninterrupted, as it has since it was founded a decade ago.
Together, Mastronardi Produce and Backyard Farms will supply flavorful world-class, non-GMO verified tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers to the top food retailers in North America.
“With Backyard Farms’ complementary capabilities, loyal and passionate customer base, growing footprint and enthusiasm for premium, vine-ripe tomatoes, we are excited for what our future holds together,” Mastronardi continued. “We look forward to working alongside Stuart Jablon and his talented team as we continue serving customers the great produce they have come to expect from the familiar SUNSET® and Backyard Farms® brands.”
The combined company stated it will be better positioned to serve the underrepresented Northeastern region of the United States, where retailers focus on meeting consumer demand for locally grown, fresh produce.
“We are excited to be taking our business to its next level of operations,” said Stuart Jablon, who will continue to lead Backyard Farms, which is now an operating wholly-owned affiliate of Mastronardi. “Joining the Mastronardi team allows us to continue expanding our business to reach more customers while remaining committed to growing the freshest, best-tasting fruit possible and deepening our community relationships. We look forward to being a part of a market leader and making sure that customers continue to receive fresh and high-quality produce throughout every season.”
Backyard Farms operates two greenhouses totaling 42-acres in Madison, Maine, producing and delivering fresh tomatoes to the Northeastern United States year-round, including:
- Tomatoes on the vine
- Cocktail tomatoes
- Beefsteak tomatoes
Backyard Farm’s items appear on the shelves of grocery stores from Maine to Maryland. The addition of Backyard Farms will increase Mastronardi Produce’s internal greenhouse network to six locations across North America, and will increase the combined company’s headcount to approximately 3,000 employees, the release noted.
In total, Mastronardi produces and delivers fresh, locally grown flavorful produce to retailers from more than 4,000 productive acres of growing capacity.
