Calavo Growers, Inc.

Business overview

Calavo Growers is a global supplier of fresh avocados, tomatoes, and papayas, and a processor of guacamole and other avocado products. The company combines sourcing, packing, ripening, and nationwide distribution with value-added services and a prepared foods operation.

Segments

• Fresh: fresh avocados, tomatoes, papayas, and other fresh products.
• Prepared: retail and foodservice guacamole and avocado pulp sold to foodservice customers.

Operations and capabilities

• Sourcing from multiple growing regions, including California, Mexico (Michoacán and Jalisco), Peru, and Colombia, supported by packinghouses and ripening facilities.
• Value-added services include ripening, innovative packaging (for example, bagged avocados), and national distribution to large retail and foodservice customers.
• Prepared-product manufacturing is concentrated at a facility in Uruapan, Mexico, which operates under HACCP and GFSI-aligned certifications and supports both fresh and frozen shipments. Third-party co-packers operating under HACCP/GFSI controls are used as needed.

Sourcing, products, and market details

• Regional supply characteristics:
  • California: primarily Hass avocados; season runs April–September with peak May–August.
  • Mexico: Michoacán peak September–June; Jalisco peak June–January.
  • Peru: primarily supplied on a consignment basis.
  • Colombia: supplied on an FOB basis with price guidelines and inspections on arrival to the U.S.
• Fresh handling:
  • Avocados have a limited post-harvest life (typically 3–6 weeks) and are managed with controlled-atmosphere handling to preserve quality.
  • Higher crop volumes can reduce per-pound packing costs by spreading fixed handling costs.
• Other fresh products:
  • Tomatoes are handled on a consignment basis, with gross profit recorded as a commission of selling price.
  • Papayas are managed through a pooling system with a fixed fee per papaya delivered.

Prepared products

• Guacamole and avocado products are produced using ultra-high-pressure processing (cold pasteurization) to preserve taste without chemical preservatives and to extend shelf life for fresh or frozen distribution.
• Co-packers support production capacity under HACCP-based and GFSI-benchmarked systems.

Regulatory compliance and safety

• Subject to U.S. and Mexican regulatory authorities, including FDA, USDA, SADER, and APHIS, with certifications and testing for food safety, import/export compliance, and labeling.
• U.S. facilities comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act; Mexican operations comply with applicable U.S. and Mexican regulations.
• Holds C-TPAT certification and operates in accordance with the USDA Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) requirements.

People and culture (as of Oct 31, 2025)

• Total employees: 1,969
  • United States: 293 (Salaried: 125; Hourly: 168)
  • Mexico: 1,676 (Salaried: 209; Hourly: 1,467)
• Company emphasis on safety, training, and regulatory compliance. Benefits include health, retirement, life insurance, FSA, short- and long-term disability, EAP, paid leave, and pregnancy leave.
• Programs for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and employee development through platforms such as LinkedIn Learning; mobile-accessible HRIS is available for employees.

Intellectual property

• Trademarks include Calavo and branded variants such as Avo Fresco, Bueno, Calavo Gold, Celebrate the Taste, El Dorado, Taste of Paradise, The First Name in Avocados, The Family of Fresh, ProRipeVIP™, and RIPE NOW!.

Strategy and development

• Minimal research and development spending (under $0.1 million in fiscal years 2023–2025).
• Focus on packaging innovation, ripening strategies, and expanding year-round availability through diversified sourcing and value-added services.

Corporate transactions

• On January 14, 2026, Calavo entered a merger agreement with Mission Produce, Inc. under a two-step merger structure using Merger Sub I and Merger Sub II.
  • Consideration: $27.00 per Calavo share, consisting of 0.9790 Mission common shares and $14.85 in cash per Calavo share (subject to fractional share cash adjustments).
  • Conditions include shareholder approvals, regulatory clearances (for example, HSR and other antitrust/foreign investment laws), effectiveness of a Form S-4, Nasdaq listing, and customary closing conditions. Refer to the company’s filings for related risk disclosures.

Financial and investor information

• Sales and segment-level financial details are provided in Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements in the Form 10-K.
• SEC filings and investor materials are available on the company website and at sec.gov.

Executives and locations

• Principal executive offices: 1141-A Cummings Road, Santa Paula, California 93060; phone: (805) 525-1245.

Customers

• Serves retail grocers, club and mass-merchandise stores, foodservice operators, and wholesalers worldwide.