Product Offerings
Product Categories:
fruits and vegetables, logistics, Fruits
Products:
Fresh avocados: Hass avocados
Value‑added services: ripening, bagging, custom packing, logistics
Product Gallery:
Mission Produce, Inc., headquartered in Oxnard, California, is one of the world's largest suppliers of fresh avocados and a leading distributor of mangos and blueberries. Founded in 1983, Mission Produce has built a vertically integrated business model that spans sourcing, production, ripening, packaging, and global distribution, enabling it to serve customers across more than 25 countries with consistency, freshness, and quality.
Core Business and Global Footprint
Mission operates an advanced global network with farming, sourcing, and distribution operations strategically located in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. The company owns and operates facilities in Peru, Mexico, Colombia, the United States, the Netherlands, China, and the United Kingdom. Their vertically integrated supply chain ensures year-round availability of fresh avocados and other produce through company-owned farms and long-term grower partnerships.
As of FY2023, Mission Produce handled over 640 million pounds of avocados, supported by 11 forward distribution centers (FDCs) globally equipped with advanced ripening and packing technology.
Product and Service Offerings
Mission’s core products and services include:
Fresh Produce:
- Hass Avocados (primary product)
- Fresh Mangos
- Fresh Blueberries
Value-Added Services:
- Ripening to customer specifications
- Customized bagging and labeling
- Private label packaging
- Cold-chain logistics and transportation
- In-house quality assurance and food safety programs
Their forward distribution centers across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia allow them to provide next-day delivery with pre-ripened, ready-to-eat avocados tailored to customer needs.
Financial Overview
Mission Produce is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol AVO. Below are highlights from the latest annual financial reports:
- Revenue (FY2023): $980.5 million
- Net Income: $5.3 million
- Total Assets: $873 million
- Employees: Over 3,000 globally
Mission has consistently reinvested in cold storage, automation, and farm-level efficiency to maintain high gross margins in a volatile commodity-driven market.
Supply Chain and International Reach
Mission’s supply chain is a core strength of the business:
- Over 14,000 acres of company-owned and partnered farms
- FDCs in key locations: U.S. (Oxnard, Laredo, Atlanta, etc.), UK (Thetford), Netherlands (Poeldijk), China (Shanghai)
- Year-round sourcing from Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and California
- Strong export performance from Latin America to the U.S., Europe, and Asia
According to ImportYeti and Panjiva shipment data, Mission handles over 3,500 international shipments annually, with key buyers in retail, wholesale, and foodservice segments.
Target Markets
Mission serves major retail chains, foodservice distributors, and wholesalers. Key customer segments include:
- U.S. national retailers (Walmart, Kroger, Costco)
- European supermarkets (Tesco, Albert Heijn, Lidl)
- Asian importers and e-commerce platforms (JD Fresh, Alibaba)
The company leverages ripening and cold chain infrastructure to customize deliveries based on regional consumption preferences and transit timelines.
Certifications and Compliance
Mission’s operations comply with stringent global food safety and sustainability standards:
- GlobalG.A.P.
- PrimusGFS
- BRCGS (British Retail Consortium Global Standards)
- Fair Trade Certified™
- Rainforest Alliance (for selected farms)
- Organic certifications for selected produce
- Sedex member for ethical trade practices
All packing facilities and farms undergo regular third-party audits to maintain these certifications.
Sustainability Commitments
Mission’s sustainability strategy, titled “AvoGreen,” focuses on:
- Water conservation: Drip irrigation and weather sensors reduce water use by up to 40%
- Carbon footprint reduction: Investment in solar and green logistics
- Waste reduction: Over 90% of packaging materials are recyclable
- Community investment: Education, healthcare, and infrastructure development in farming regions
Their FY2023 ESG report shows a 17% reduction in energy usage per pound of avocado processed compared to FY2020.
Capabilities and Innovations
- Mission Control proprietary system for ripening and distribution tracking
- In-house R&D for packaging and cold storage innovation
- Dedicated agronomy team to optimize yield and fruit quality
- Integrated logistics and sales forecasting through SAP and AI-driven platforms
These innovations allow Mission to fulfill large-scale global contracts while ensuring freshness, traceability, and operational resilience.
Customer Testimonials
“Mission’s ability to deliver consistent quality avocados across our entire store network is unmatched.”
— Senior Produce Buyer, U.S. Retail Chain
“Their ripening program has allowed us to reduce shrink and improve customer satisfaction.”
— Category Manager, European Grocery Chain
Major Achievements
- World’s largest global supplier of fresh avocados
- First U.S. avocado company to go public (NASDAQ: AVO)
- Over $3 billion in cumulative avocado sales since IPO
- Pioneered avocado ripening at scale with ‘Mission Control’ technology
- Awarded ‘Best Supplier’ by multiple global retail chains
Mission Produce continues to define leadership in the fresh produce sector, delivering sustainable growth and innovation in a category that is central to global nutrition and health trends.