The Chiquita or Dole for avocados

The Tyson Foods for avocados

• Avocados: Sourcing, ripening, and distributing fresh Hass avocados to retail, wholesale, and foodservice customers globally.
• Mangos: Distributing fresh mangos, leveraging its established global supply chain network.
• Blueberries: Distributing fresh blueberries to various markets.

Mission Produce (AVO) primarily sells its products to other companies (B2B) rather than directly to individuals.

Its major customers include:

• Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) - This is Mission Produce's single largest customer, accounting for approximately 11% of its total revenue in fiscal year 2023, as disclosed in their annual report.
• Other major customers, while not individually named in public filings (as no single other customer accounted for 10% or more of revenue), are primarily large **retail grocery chains** and **foodservice companies** (which include restaurants, caterers, and food preparation businesses, often supplied through foodservice distributors).

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Stephen J. Barnard, Chief Executive Officer & Founder

Stephen J. Barnard founded Mission Produce in 1983. His father was a citrus and avocado farmer in Ventura County. Prior to founding Mission Produce, Mr. Barnard worked in the lettuce and avocado divisions of Santa Clara Produce, Inc. He acquired an avocado packhouse and developed it into one of the world's largest avocado companies, pioneering ripe avocados and expanding operations globally. Mr. Barnard previously served as Chairman of the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), Chairman of the Western Growers Association, a director of the California Avocado Commission, and a director of Sunkist Growers. He currently serves as a director for the Cal Poly Foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Bryan Giles, Chief Financial Officer

Bryan Giles has over 20 years of management experience in finance, accounting, and auditing. As CFO, he is responsible for financial planning, control structure, management of risks, financial forecasting, and acquisitions, and played a critical role in the acquisition of Grupo Arato. Before joining Mission Produce, Mr. Giles held multiple roles at Tecom Industries Inc., a division of Smiths Group, including Vice President of Finance & Administration and Vice President of Finance – MSS Technology Group. He also oversaw a group of military technology companies with approximately $200 million in revenues at Smiths Group, a diversified, multi-national manufacturer with multibillion-dollar annual revenues. Mr. Giles launched his career at Deloitte & Touche and holds a CPA license in California. He completed his undergraduate degree and MBA at California State University-Northridge.

John Pawlowski, President and Chief Operating Officer

John Pawlowski is an executive leader with over 25 years of experience in the global food and foodservice industry, specializing in business development, system optimization, and executive team management. He has a track record of leading international market growth strategies in global organizations, including J.M. Smucker, where he served in various leadership roles for over 16 years, culminating as VP of International. Prior to Mission Produce, Mr. Pawlowski was President and COO of Lipari Foods, where he was responsible for leading M&A and organic growth, expanding national distribution, and designing operational strategy. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Miami University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Kent State University.

Anita Lemos, Vice President of Human Resources

Anita Lemos is a human resources professional who provides executive strategy for staffing, leadership development, onboarding, culture, employee relations, compensation, and benefits.

Joanne Wu, General Counsel and Secretary

Joanne Wu has over fifteen years of experience in public company representation, securities law matters, corporate governance, complex commercial contracts, public and private equity and debt offerings, M&A, and legal department management.

The emergence of highly efficient, tech-driven supply chain platforms and logistics companies that could disintermediate traditional produce distribution. These platforms leverage artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and potentially blockchain to connect growers directly with retailers or other large buyers, optimizing logistics, reducing waste, and improving transparency more efficiently than traditional models. While these business models are not yet scaled to fully challenge global leaders in avocado distribution like Mission Produce, they are emerging in various segments of the fresh produce and food logistics industries, representing a potential long-term disruption to the established distributor-centric model.

Mission Produce (AVO) operates in the addressable markets for fresh avocados, mangos, and blueberries globally.

Avocados

• The global avocado market size was valued at approximately $16 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $30 billion by the end of 2032, growing at a CAGR of nearly 7.5% between 2024 and 2032. Other estimates place the global market at $15.83 billion in 2023, projected to reach $26.04 billion by 2030. Another source indicates a global market size of $19.2 billion in 2023, poised to grow to $47.54 billion by 2032. The market is likely to be valued at $19.8 billion in 2025 and is estimated to reach $30.2 billion by 2032.
• North America represented approximately 74% of the global avocado market revenue in 2023. The North American avocado market generated revenue of $6,952.5 million in 2023 and is expected to reach $9,586.2 million by 2030, with a CAGR of 4.7% from 2024 to 2030. The North American processed avocado market alone was valued at $1,125 million in 2024 and is projected to reach $1,992.13 million by 2033.

Mangos

• The global mango market size was valued at $63.65 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $89.55 billion by 2028, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1%. Another report states the global mango market size as $67.97 billion in 2024, expected to grow to $98.95 billion in 2029. The global mango market size is valued at $63.2 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $98.7 billion by 2033.
• The mango market in North America is expected to reach a value of $7,466.27 million by 2030. The North American processed mango products market generated revenue of $4,967.4 million in 2023 and is expected to reach $8,302.1 million by 2030.

Blueberries

• The global blueberries market was valued at $9,813.3 million (approximately $9.81 billion) in 2024 and is expected to reach $13,534.5 million (approximately $13.53 billion) by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2025-2031. Other estimates place the global market size at $6.6 billion in 2025, with a projection to reach $13.2 billion by 2035.
• In the United States, the blueberry sector contributes an estimated economic impact of $9.1 billion per year. The United States blueberry market size is estimated at $3.69 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach $4.77 billion by 2030. North America is a dominant region in blueberry production and is estimated to contribute 31% to the growth of the global market.

Mission Produce (AVO) is expected to drive future revenue growth over the next 2-3 years through several key strategies:

1. Expansion into New Product Categories: Mission Produce is actively diversifying its product portfolio beyond its core avocado business to include mangoes and blueberries. The company has seen significant growth in its mango division, with a roughly 50% increase in revenue in the first quarter of 2024, and aims to become a global leader in this category. Similarly, blueberry sales have shown robust growth, increasing 9% to $32.5 million in Q1 2024, with continued volume growth projected for fiscal years 2026 to 2028 due to investments in premium varieties and expanded acreage.
2. Geographic Market Expansion and Enhanced Distribution Network: The company is expanding its distribution capabilities and market presence. This includes strengthening its U.S. distribution network, highlighted by the recent expansion of operations to Miami, Florida, to directly service customers in the Southeast region. Internationally, Mission Produce plans to expand in Europe with direct imports from South America and to reinforce relationships with distributors in Asia, including China. The profitability achieved by its UK facility further indicates successful market penetration in new regions.
3. Increased Avocado Sales Volume through Diversified Sourcing: Mission Produce leverages its extensive global sourcing network across more than 20 growing regions, including California, Mexico, and Peru, to ensure a consistent, year-round supply of Hass avocados. This diversified approach enables the company to mitigate the impact of localized weather events or harvest disruptions, as demonstrated by a 9% increase in North American avocado sales volumes in Q4 2024 despite lower Peruvian output. Favorable weather conditions are expected to contribute to a strong Peruvian harvest and increased Mexican supply, leading to higher avocado volumes in the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2025.
4. Strategic Investments in Operational Efficiency and Infrastructure: Mission Produce is undertaking strategic capital investments aimed at improving operational efficiency and expanding its infrastructure. These investments include avocado and blueberry farming-related projects in Latin America and the construction of new packhouses, such as one in Guatemala. With moderating capital spending anticipated in fiscal year 2026 as these development projects conclude, the company expects to generate meaningful free cash flow, which can further fuel growth initiatives.
5. Pricing Power in the Avocado Market: Despite potential price fluctuations, Mission Produce has shown the ability to capitalize on strong consumer demand and favorable market conditions to enhance revenue through pricing. In Q4 2024, total revenue increased 37%, largely driven by a 36% rise in average per-unit avocado sales prices due to constrained supply and robust demand. The company anticipates a continued increase in avocado pricing in Q2 2025. This demonstrates its capacity to maintain pricing strength within its distribution business.

Share Repurchases

• Mission Produce announced an Equity Buyback program for up to $20 million worth of its common stock on September 10, 2023, scheduled to run for 36 months.
• The company repurchased $5.2 million in shares in Q2 2025 and $300,000 in Q1 2025.

Share Issuance

• Mission Produce has shown no significant common stock issuance in recent quarters, with "Common stock issuance" reported as zero in quarterly cash flow statements.
• Analysts note that the company has not sold out any shares from 2021 to 2024.

Capital Expenditures

• Capital expenditures were $32.2 million for the year ended October 31, 2024, a decrease from $49.8 million in the prior year (FY2023).
• For fiscal year 2025, year-to-date capital expenditures were $39.8 million as of Q3 2025, with full-year guidance projected at $50-55 million.
• Primary focuses of capital expenditures include avocado orchard development, pre-production orchard maintenance, and land improvements in Guatemala, blueberry land development and plant cultivation, and blueberry cooling facility construction in Peru, and distribution facility construction in the United Kingdom. During 2024, construction of a pack house in Guatemala also commenced.