What Chefs Want Expands Fresh-Cut Produce Business With Florida Acquisition

What Chefs Want is expanding its fresh-cut produce capabilities in Florida with the acquisition of Quality Cut Produce, adding production capacity as foodservice operators increasingly look for products that can reduce kitchen labor.

Quality Cut Produce is a Florida-based processor of prepared fruits and vegetables serving restaurants, schools, healthcare providers, hospitality groups and other foodservice customers.

The acquisition will expand What Chefs Want’s PrepKitchen operation and add a fresh-cut production facility to its growing Florida network.

“This acquisition is a natural fit for our long-term vision in Florida,” said Ron Turnier, founder and CEO of What Chefs Want.

Quality Cut Produce has built its business around fresh fruits and vegetables that arrive ready for foodservice kitchens to use, eliminating portions of the washing, peeling, trimming and cutting traditionally performed by kitchen employees.

That can help operators improve consistency while addressing one of foodservice’s persistent challenges: labor.

What Chefs Want said the combination will allow it to increase its ability to help chefs reduce preparation time and labor while delivering more consistent finished products. The added facility also gives the company greater production capacity for its PrepKitchen business.

Quality Cut Produce customers will continue working with their existing team following the acquisition. They will also gain access to the wider What Chefs Want assortment, which includes whole fresh produce, meat, seafood, dairy, specialty products, pantry items and foodservice supplies.

“Both companies share a commitment to quality, service and helping foodservice operators succeed,” said Wanzell Underwood, owner of Quality Cut Produce.

The acquisition adds to a series of investments by What Chefs Want in Florida.

The distributor has been building a broader network in the state through acquisitions, including produce businesses that have expanded its geographic reach and distribution capabilities. The latest deal adds a more specialized piece of the fresh produce business through additional processing capabilities.

Fresh-cut products can also provide operators with more predictable yields. Instead of purchasing whole produce and accounting for trim and preparation losses, kitchens receive a greater percentage of usable product while reducing the amount of prep waste generated in-house.

What Chefs Want markets its PrepKitchen program around those labor, yield and consistency benefits, offering both stocked prepared produce and customized cuts.

The Quality Cut acquisition strengthens that strategy at a time when distributors are increasingly being asked to provide more than cases of whole fruits and vegetables.

For produce suppliers, processors and distributors, value-added preparation has become another way to help foodservice customers manage costs and simplify operations.

With Quality Cut Produce now part of its network, What Chefs Want is betting that demand for those labor-saving fresh produce solutions will continue to grow.