Agri Exotic Trading Acquires Mellone Wholesale Produce
Agri Exotic Trading, an independent produce distributor and fresh-cut processor serving the New York and New Jersey foodservice market, has announced the acquisition of Mellone Wholesale Produce, a long-established wholesale produce company based in Hackensack, New Jersey. The transaction brings together two businesses with deep roots in the regional produce industry and a shared focus on customer service, product quality and long-term relationships.
The acquisition strengthens Agri Exotic Trading’s presence across the New York/New Jersey foodservice market while adding the experience and customer relationships developed by Mellone Wholesale Produce over more than eight decades. The combined business is expected to provide Mellone customers with continued access to the people and service they know, while also expanding the resources and capabilities available to them through Agri Exotic Trading.
Mellone Wholesale Produce has been operating in the produce industry for more than 80 years. Throughout that time, the company has built a customer base across Northern New Jersey and the broader New York market. Its longstanding presence has been supported by an emphasis on dependable service, quality produce and close relationships with customers.
Under Agri Exotic Trading’s ownership, the Mellone team will remain in place. This approach is designed to provide continuity for customers who have worked with the company and its employees for generations. Rather than making immediate changes to the customer-facing organization, Agri plans to maintain the relationships and expertise that have contributed to Mellone’s long operating history.
Stu Kaminsky, owner of Agri Exotic Trading, said the company has significant respect for the business Mellone Wholesale Produce has developed over the years. He emphasized that the transaction is intended to bring together two organizations with similar backgrounds and values rather than simply increase the size of Agri’s operations.
“We have tremendous respect for what the Mellone team has built,” Kaminsky said. “This isn’t simply about getting bigger. We’re bringing together two businesses that grew up in the same industry, in the same market, with very similar values.”
The combination gives Mellone customers access to Agri Exotic Trading’s broader operational capabilities. These include expanded sourcing resources, refrigerated warehousing and distribution infrastructure, a wide product portfolio and an SQF-certified fresh-cut processing program.
These capabilities are particularly relevant to foodservice customers that require consistent product availability, reliable delivery and products prepared to meet specific operational needs. By combining Mellone’s established customer relationships with Agri’s infrastructure and processing capabilities, the companies aim to create additional opportunities for customers while maintaining the service standards associated with both businesses.
Fresh-cut processing is another important component of Agri Exotic Trading’s operations. Its SQF-certified program provides customers with access to processed produce designed for foodservice applications. The integration of Mellone into Agri’s broader platform could allow longstanding Mellone customers to utilize these capabilities while continuing to work with the existing Mellone team.
Kaminsky also highlighted the importance of relationships within the produce distribution industry. Although technology, logistics and sourcing capabilities continue to evolve, produce distribution remains highly dependent on communication and customer service.
“The produce business is still a relationship business,” Kaminsky added. “Customers want quality and consistency, but they also want someone who knows their business and responds when they need help. Our goal is to preserve that while putting more resources and capabilities behind the Mellone team.”
The acquisition reflects Agri Exotic Trading’s broader investment in the New York/New Jersey foodservice market. The region represents a significant market for fresh produce distribution, with restaurants, foodservice operators, institutions and other commercial customers requiring dependable access to fresh and processed products.
For Agri, expanding through an established regional business provides an opportunity to build upon an existing customer network while leveraging its current distribution and processing infrastructure. For Mellone, joining Agri Exotic Trading provides access to additional operational resources while maintaining continuity through the existing team.
The companies’ shared geographic focus is also expected to support operational efficiencies. Both businesses have experience serving customers in and around New Jersey and the New York market, creating an established foundation for integrating operations while continuing to meet the needs of regional foodservice customers.
Mellone’s more than 80-year history represents a significant element of the transaction. The company has developed long-term relationships across generations of customers, making continuity a central consideration in the acquisition. Keeping the Mellone team in place allows Agri to retain institutional knowledge and preserve the customer connections associated with the business.
At the same time, Agri Exotic Trading’s infrastructure can provide additional support as customer requirements evolve. Its sourcing capabilities can contribute to product availability, while refrigerated warehousing and distribution resources support the handling and movement of fresh produce. The company’s extensive product offering also gives customers access to a broader range of produce products and processing options.
The transaction is part of an ongoing trend in the produce distribution sector in which established regional businesses combine their market relationships with larger operational platforms. Such combinations can enable companies to expand capabilities while retaining the local knowledge and customer-focused service that are particularly important in fresh food distribution.
Agri Exotic Trading’s acquisition of Mellone Wholesale Produce therefore represents both an expansion of its regional operations and a continuation of Mellone’s long history in the New Jersey and New York produce markets. The companies share an emphasis on quality, service and customer relationships, providing a common foundation for the integration.
North Point Mergers and Acquisitions, Inc. served as the financial advisor to Agri Exotic Trading for the transaction. Craig S. Peligri, Attorney at Law, served as the company’s legal advisor.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
With the transaction, Agri Exotic Trading adds Mellone Wholesale Produce’s established customer base and decades of industry experience to its existing operations. The company plans to build on that foundation by combining Mellone’s longstanding relationships with Agri’s sourcing, distribution, warehousing and fresh-cut processing capabilities, while continuing to serve the evolving needs of the New York/New Jersey foodservice market.
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