GrubMarket Acquires Coast Citrus Distributors, a Major Provider of Tropical Produce in the U.S.

We are thrilled to announce that GrubMarket has completed the acquisition of Coast Citrus Distributors, the renowned San Diego–based importer and shipper of tropical fruits, specialty root vegetables, chili peppers, limes, and other premium produce sourced from Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the United States. This landmark deal is the largest acquisition in GrubMarket’s history and dramatically expands our capacity to deliver high-quality, reliable produce to customers nationwide, year-round.

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Coast Citrus Distributors: 75 Years of Excellence

Founded in 1950 by Roberto Alvarez, Coast Citrus Distributors has grown from a single produce stand to a coast-to-coast enterprise generating hundreds of millions of dollars in annual sales. Its strategically located infrastructure includes:

• 220,000 sq ft facility in McAllen, Texas
• 80,000 sq ft facility in San Diego, California
• 85,000 sq ft facility in Union City, California
• Additional warehousing in Los Angeles, CA and Princeton, FL
• Fleet of 90+ trucks delivering directly throughout the West Coast
• State-of-the-art ripening and packing lines to meet any customer specification

Coast Citrus maintains PrimusGFS certification for food safety and SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) accreditation for workplace and business-ethics standards. Its robust year-round import programs are bolstered by decades-long, often exclusive, grower partnerships.

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Blue-Chip Customer Base

Coast Citrus Distributors proudly serves a broad spectrum of retail and food-service leaders, including Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club, Albertsons, Publix, and Sprouts, along with hundreds of independent grocers and food-service providers—many of whom have partnered with the company for over 30 years.

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Leadership Perspectives

“Joining GrubMarket marks an exciting new chapter for Coast Citrus Distributors. We are proud of the tremendous growth we have seen over the years, while always maintaining the highest level of operational excellence driven by our employees’ ‘ownership mentality,’ where everyone operates like a business owner, day in and day out. GrubMarket’s commitment to AI technology and innovation aligns perfectly with our vision to continue to elevate our capabilities, strengthen customer relationships, and drive future growth through technology integration. We look forward to incredible opportunities ahead as part of the GrubMarket family.”
— Isabel Freeland, President & CEO, Coast Citrus Distributors

“We are thrilled to welcome Coast Citrus Distributors to the GrubMarket family. Their exceptional reputation in tropical and other unique commodities, extensive grower partnerships, and strategic presence throughout the U.S. significantly enhance our capabilities to provide high-quality produce to our customers nationwide, year-round. This acquisition is, so far, the largest acquisition in the history of GrubMarket. Coast Citrus Distributors perfectly complements our business and aligns with our plans for strategic growth across North America.”
— Mike Xu, CEO, GrubMarket

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Future Growth Powered by Innovation

Coast Citrus Distributors will continue to be led by its experienced leadership team, ensuring continuity and ongoing operational excellence. As part of GrubMarket, the company will gain access to our proprietary, AI-powered software suite:

• WholesaleWare – ERP for seamless financial, sales, inventory, and lot-traceability management
• GrubAssist AI – agentic AI assistants delivering deep insights and automated order processing
• Orders IO – custom-branded mobile and online ordering solution
• GrubPay – secure digital payments built specifically for the food supply chain

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This historic acquisition reinforces GrubMarket’s mission to modernize and strengthen the food supply chain through strategic growth and cutting-edge technology. Join us in welcoming the Coast Citrus Distributors team to the GrubMarket family!