Our Story
Riveridge Produce Marketing, Inc. is a vertically-integrated apple grower/packer/shipper/marketer headquartered in Sparta, Michigan, a unique growing region in West Michigan in part due to the elevation, proximity to Lake Michigan and ideal soil conditions. The company represents one-half of Michigan’s fresh apple crop and is leading the way in food safety, new orchard technology and innovation in sales and marketing.
A Quarter Century of Heritage
More than 30 years ago, Riveridge was founded by three partners who shared a background in Michigan produce and the grocery industry – and a vision for a different way of doing business. A vision for growing and marketing quality fruit, sought-after varieties, tracked from the blossom to the store shelf while providing a personalized customer service experience.
Today’s Riveridge is led by original founder Don Armock who has continued to build on that original vision. Riveridge is a family business in many ways. While Armock family members head up sales and supply chain, the entire business is made up of long-standing employees, many of which are related as well. Husbands and spouses, brothers and sisters, Fathers and Sons, creating a true family dynamic. While there are decades of produce growing and selling experience on the staff, there is encouragement to try things a little differently – making for a uniquely Riveridge experience.
Working with the Best
Over the years, Riveridge Produce has developed partnerships with the best apple growers in Michigan and Wisconsin, along with seven state-of-the-art packing facilities. Working with data such Nielsen, watching the sales of our retailers and listening to their end consumers, Riveridge and their partner growers is always on the forefront of growing the variety for today and tomorrow’s palate.
The company has also diversified geographically, with orchards from Berrien Springs to blocks north of Traverse City, plus Wisconsin. An orchard in southwest Michigan helps kick off the apple harvest and having a mix of orchards further north helps ensure apples when Mother Nature mixes up the weather. A Wisconsin apple grower allows Riveridge to provide local to those on the other side of our Great Lake.
Riveridge Land Company
In 1995, Riveridge Produce planted the first of its own orchards while managing the day-to-day on orchards for some partner growers. Being a grower, Riveridge has the same experience as their fellow growers and can help provide insight into the latest growing techniques and innovations as well as work through issues that come with modern-day farming from pest control to frost prevention. Today Riveridge Land Company has more than 1,000 acres of apples, including a spindle-and-V trellis orchard planted not far from the company’s founding roots in Grant, Michigan. The more than 400 acres of trellis orchard was the first of its kind for a commercial operation in Michigan.
Riveridge Packing Company
Riveridge Packing came into existence in 2010 making Riveridge full integrated. Now growing and packing, Riveridge is not only just a marketer, but a fully-integrated provider of apples. The packing facility specializes in post-harvest treatment, storage and fresh packing of apples. Riveridge Packing utilizes the latest Compac equipment including pre-sizing sorters, internal and external defect cameras as well as employing automated storage systems that are monitored 24-hours for temperature, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
Riveridge Cider Company
New in 2017, Riveridge will market Riverdge Cider Co. ciders – a new facility producing and bottling blended gallons and varietal blends (Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji) in half gallons. The all-new operation is based in Grant, Michigan, among 400+ acres of apple orchards. Riveridge Cider will be a controlled blend making for a consistent flavor profile.
Where can you find Riveridge apples?
- Major retailers
- We work directly with a number of large retailers with names known across the country.
- Corner grocery stories
- By working with distributors and wholesalers who sell directly to your local mom and pop grocer or convenience store.
- In School Lunches
- Each year, Riveridge Produce bids on the opportunity to provide apples to the USDA school lunch program. These apples may end up school lunch trays, apple sauce packs or sliced apple bags.
- Restaurants
- We work with number of food service providers as well as terminal produce markets found in larger cities such as Chicago and Detroit.
- Sliced apples at your favorite fast food place
- That pack of sliced apples that came with your sandwich at lunch, those could be Riveridge apples.
- On your vacation overseas
- We export apples – Michigan apples are in demand and you may find them in places like Guyana, Trinidad or even India.
- In your cider
- While Riveridge now has its own cidery, you can still find Riveridge apples in other brands as well as our own.
Only Apples?
Apples are the foundation of Riveridge Produce, but over the years, Riveridge has grown and marketed additional Michigan Produce. Learn more on this site about Michigan-grown asparagus, sweet cherries and prune plums.