Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Wholesale Produce Supply LLC, a fresh produce logistics and inventory management solutions provider, has announced additions to the board of directors of its parent company. This action follows its acquisition by an investor group led by Cross Rapids Capital L.P.
Charles Veniez, John J. Leavy and Kevin Leavy have joined the board of directors of the parent company of Wholesale Produce Supply.
“We are pleased with these additions to our board and their highly relevant and successful prior experience,” said Brian Hauge, CEO of Wholesale Produce Supply. “With their support and that of Cross Rapids Capital, we plan to grow WPS both organically and through acquisition, including expanding our relationships with our supplier partners, broadening our product offering, growing geographically and investing in our team members’ skills development and engagement. These initiatives will support our primary mission of continued exceptional service to our customers.”
Veniez is an executive partner at Cross Rapids Capital and has more than 25 years of senior leadership experience. He is a director of Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services and has previously been, among other roles, CEO of five private-equity-owned services companies, an entrepreneur and a long-term executive at United Technologies Corp.
John J. Leavy and Kevin Leavy are executive advisors to Cross Rapids Capital, directors of Harvest Food Distributors, and previously the CEO and COO, respectively, of Harvest Food Distributors for 30 years. They grew the company, both organically and through acquisition, into one of the largest food distributors in the U.S., with more than 9,000 customers in the retail, foodservice, distribution, manufacturing and further processing segments, 900 employees, 10 distribution centers and 12 sales offices.
Through its network of more than 300 growers globally, Wholesale Produce Supply 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.
Wholesale Produce Supply offers competitive pricing, reliable service, consistency and flexibility.
Cross Rapids Capital L.P. is an operationally-driven investment firm, dedicated to North American middle-market industrial and services companies.
