MINNEAPOLIS – Wholesale Produce Supply LLC (“Wholesale Produce Supply”, “WPS” or the “Company”), a leading fresh produce logistics and inventory management solutions provider and a Cross Rapids Capital portfolio company, today announced that it has acquired Bandwagon Brokerage LLC (“Bandwagon”), a specialty produce company. The acquisition is complementary, as it allows both companies to grow by broadening the portfolio of products and services they offer to customers as well as by broadening their customer bases. Bandwagon’s founder, owner and President, Mr. Dennis Berman, will continue to run the business and has become an investor in WPS as part of the transaction.
Founded in 1988, Bandwagon serves foodservice distributors and other wholesalers throughout the continental USA, Hawaii, Caribbean, Canada and beyond. Bandwagon offers a wide variety of specialty fruits, vegetables and herbs, including Asian, Latin, organic, conventional, etc. Bandwagon procures the highest quality products from a rich network of growers and vendors. The company offers comprehensive specialty programs, covering hundreds of products, as well as consolidation services. Bandwagon operates out of a facility in Vernon, California, equipped with five separate temperature-controlled environments, a freezer, and a refrigerated repack room and located in close proximity to the Los Angeles produce market.
“Wholesale Produce Supply is thrilled to join forces with Dennis and the Bandwagon team,” said Mr. Jason Dugan, Chief Executive Officer of WPS. “We are excited to expand our offering to our customers to include a broad array of specialty produce and also offer Bandwagon’s customers access to our extensive core produce programs and value-added services, such as ripening, grading, and fresh-cut. Bandwagon’s focus on high-quality, reliable service overlaps with ours, and we extend a warm welcome to Bandwagon’s employees into the WPS family.”
“We are thankful to our dedicated employees as well as to our long-term customers, growers and vendors,” added Mr. Berman. “We look forward to continuing to provide outstanding service and to expanding our offering and capabilities, as part of Wholesale Produce Supply.”
Mayer Brown LLP served as legal counsel to Wholesale Produce Supply. Calabasas Capital served as financial advisor and Sklar Kirsh LLP served as legal counsel to Bandwagon.
About Wholesale Produce Supply LLC
Wholesale Produce Supply LLC is a fresh produce logistics and inventory management solutions provider to grocery wholesalers, foodservice distributors, and other customers throughout the Midwestern United States and Central Canada. Through its vast network of over 300 growers globally, WPS sources and aggregates approximately 100 fresh produce commodities. The Company also performs value-added services, such as ripening, grading, fresh-cut, washing, sorting, and packaging and delivers both on a recurring, daily basis as well as on a just-in-time less-than-truckload basis. WPS offers competitive pricing, reliable service, consistency, and flexibility.
About Bandwagon Brokerage LLC
Bandwagon Brokerage LLC is a specialty produce company, serving foodservice distributors and other wholesalers throughout the continental USA, Hawaii, Caribbean, Canada and beyond. Bandwagon offers a multitude of specialty fruit, vegetables and herbs of the highest quality.
About Cross Rapids Capital L.P.
Cross Rapids Capital L.P. is an operationally-driven investment firm, dedicated to North American middle-market industrial and services companies. We partner with owners and management teams to accelerate companies, and we bring decades of sector, operational, and investing expertise and a hands-on, collaborative approach to empower their business success.
