US – FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies, has acquired Tennessee based McCartney Produce for an undisclosed sum.

Founded in 1947, McCartney distributes fresh produce and specialty products to foodservice and retail customers from its facility in Paris, Tennessee.

As a result of the merger, McCartney now joins  a growing family that includes Get Fresh, Indianapolis Fruit, Piazza Produce & Specialty Foods, Garden Cut, CIBUS Fresh, and Papania’s.

“We are pleased to continue to build our family of ‘Best in Class’ fresh food distribution companies that are supported by our collection of vertically integrated value-added operations,” said Steve Grinstead, CEO of FreshEdge.

The acquisition will further diversify FreshEdge’s combined customer base and expand its service offerings and presence in the Midwest and Southeast US.

“We believe combining our operations in Tennessee with McCartney’s strong market presence will enhance FreshEdge’s ability to serve foodservice and retail customers in the south and southeast,” Greg Corsaro, president of FreshEdge.

According to a statement from FreshEdge, the transaction positions the combined group of companies as one of the largest independent produce and specialty food distributors in the US.

This family of companies is backed by Rotunda Capital Partners, a Bethesda, Maryland-based private equity firm that invests equity capital in established lower middle-market companies.

 Rotunda which entered the food business in 2017 with the acquisition of Indianapolis Fruit and Piazza, provides opportunities for management teams to reach strategic, financial, and operational objectives.

FreshEdge was formed in 2019 through the combination of Get Fresh Produce and the IF&P Foods family of companies, primarily composed of Indianapolis Fruit and Piazza Produce.

Together, Rotunda and FreshEdge intend to continue expanding FreshEdge by welcoming more companies into the group—all focused on high quality produce and specialty food products, along with exceptional service—to create a unique team of complementary entities.

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