KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA - Look out lettuce lovers, a new leafy greens line is on the market. Mastronardi Produce® is launching its new locally grown greenhouse lettuce line under the Backyard Farms® brand that will support growers in Florida and Colorado.

“We have relationships with growers spanning decades, and we highly value them,” remarked Dean Taylor, Vice President of Business Development. “We have always fostered relationships that are win-win, so we are thrilled to partner with Naples Fresh and Spring Born to launch our Backyard Farms lettuce line while supporting both the local workforce and food supply at the same time.”

The background behind these two partnerships is a prime example of Mastronardi Produce’s mission to bring fresh, local flavor to market. The company recently partnered with two family-owned lettuce greenhouses that were serving local markets but facing challenges, a press release explained. Naples Fresh in Florida was looking for a strong marketing partner to fuel its lettuce sales; Spring Born in Colorado had idled its operations late last year due to insufficient retail presence.

Expanding its presence in greenhouse lettuce, Mastronardi will support Naples Fresh and Spring Born in marketing and distributing their products under the new Backyard Farms lettuce line, driving mutual growth for the businesses. Both facilities are new and feature cutting-edge growing systems for leafy greens.

Backyard Farms already has a loyal consumer base and a history of providing locally grown, fresh-from-the-vine tomatoes in Maine. The brand has expanded in recent years to New York, Michigan, Ohio, and Colorado. Naples Fresh and Spring Born will help expand the Backyard Farms brand to the Southeast and Western regions of the United States, producing over two million pounds of greenhouse-grown lettuce per year.

“Mastronardi Produce is an industry pioneer with innovative spirit,” expressed Nicholas Martins, Managing Director of Naples Fresh. “This partnership supercharges our ability to serve the community in our backyard—in Florida and the greater Southeast region.”

Charles Barr, Chief Executive Officer of Spring Born, also offered a quick remark on the partnership.

“The entire team at Spring Born is eager to partner with the leader in produce,” said Barr. “Our greenhouse was built to serve high volume customers, and we could not have found a better partner to serve the Colorado market."

The greenhouse-grown lettuce from Naples Fresh and Spring Born will supply butterhead, Romaine, red leaf, green leaf, and organic spring mix blends to the new lettuce line.

Strong support for the line is already in effect, as retailers attending SEPC Southern Exposure were excited to get a first look at the Backyard Farms lettuce.

Lettuce grown under the Backyard Farms brand will be available through retailers and foodservice operators this spring.

We’ll be on the lookout for more news from Mastronardi Produce, so stay tuned!

Mastronardi Produce®