Farm-to-School Program
Welcome! We’re honored to have the chance to serve you.
Since 2008, The FruitGuys has provided high quality and unique produce to schools throughout California and other states through our Farm-to-School Program. We offer fresh produce, many items that are local and farm-direct, healthy single-serving snacks, complimentary nutrition education materials, and great customer service.
Our team is always available to help and we are happy to be of service to your students and staff!
OUR PROGRAM
The FruitGuys Farm-to-School Program is the best way to provide a wide variety of seasonal, local, and unique produce to your students and staff on an ongoing basis.
We help districts meet reporting requirements for state & federal nutrition programs, including:
- School Breakfast, Lunch, & Supper Programs
- Harvest Of The Month
- Grants/funding, such as (but not limited to):
- Fresh Fruit Vegetable Program (FFVP)
- Local Food For School (LFS)
- School Food Best Practice (SFBP)
- Supply Chain Funding
- Farm to School Incubator Grant Program
- Farm to Fork Program
Our goal is to be an important partner to food service staff, introduce students to delicious and nutritious produce, combat obesity and related diseases, and reduce hunger. Our program is geared to:
- Promote better eating habits
- Encourage physical activity
- Inspire wellness and positive behaviors
- Share the joy of eating healthy, farm-fresh produce
WHO WE SERVE
Students, staff, and families at:
- Public school districts throughout California (other states, please inquire)
- Private and parochial schools
- Preschools
- K-12
- Daycare and afterschool programs
- Summer school programs
HOW IT WORKS
We work with you to create a program that serves your administrative needs and excites your students and staff. Our friendly school team is ready to help in any way they can throughout the school year. Our wide variety of produce can be used in multiple ways: add it to your existing food service programs, include in salad bars, order as classroom snacks, for special events, and more.
Program Highlights:
- 15+ years experience with school districts
- Farm relationships with small to midsize farms, many that are certified Organic, as well as those that are family-owned, Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color (BIPOC)-Owned, Women-Owned, and/or Veteran-Owned
- You get a personal sales rep & 24 hour customer service
- Price sheets are emailed and include high-quality unique, farm-direct, and locally-grown produce
- Complimentary nutrition education materials
- Reliable delivery to single or multiple locations
- Accounting that makes it easy for administrators, including consolidated billing, invoicing separately by school, and by program
- Tracking and Velocity reports which include; amount and percentage of local produce purchased, conventional and organic produce purchased, best practice farm purchases, and distance of produce from district
- Menu planning services available – please inquire, restrictions apply
OUR PRODUCE
Our regional distribution hubs across California source the freshest, seasonal fruit and veggies grown by local farms and wholesalers closest to you, reducing shipping costs and climate impact. We are food safety-certified by Primus GFS, the global leader in food safety practices, and a certified USDA and CCOF organic handler.
Availability of any and all produce is subject to change due to unexpected harvest conditions or weather.
WHAT SCHOOLS SAY ABOUT US
We’ve been working with schools since 2008. Past annual surveys sent to administrators, staff and teachers reported:
- 99% rated the program “excellent” or “good” and that they would recommend it to other schools
- 97% reported that students tried new produce items and ate produce either regularly or most of the time
- 75% stated students were more aware of how produce is grown and where it comes from
I am a happy, longtime customer of The FruitGuys Farm to School Program! I cannot say enough good things about their customer service team. They are readily available to help with any question, concern, or delivery concern. I especially like that the order guide has the farm name and location listed so I truly know where the produce is coming from. The variety and quality of produce is unmatched with any other large scale produce company around.
The FruitGuys come through for us every time with fresh, delicious tasting fruit. Employees are happy to find healthy grab & go snack options waiting for them in the staff room. The School Team is always friendly and offers great advice on what fruit is in-season and has the best flavor. During the pandemic, we asked FG to help us with boxes that we sent out to people who were working at home. The boxes were a hit. Employees felt appreciated and it gave them a boost! Thanks Fruit Guys!
We first began using The FruitGuys in the 2015-2016 school year to support our Fresh Fruit and Veggie Program at four of our elementary sites - we haven't looked back since. The produce is always fresh, flavorful, and beautiful, the nutrition education information is both engaging and informative, and the staff always puts the customer first. Our students are always excited by the produce, particularly the variety of exotic and "new" fruits and veggies they are able to experience for the first time.
The company provides a unique and wide variety of produce from the United States and has been tremendous in supporting our initiative to use more locally grown produce. The company also provides colorful and highly informational materials with the produce that promote and encourage long term healthy habits which are in alignment with our child nutrition and education program. They provide consistently reliable deliveries directly to the schools that are participating in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. The Fruit Guys and their team ensure that we are not just clients but part of their family. It has and continues to be such a pleasure to partner and work with them.
PRODUCTS & PROGRAMS
A selection of some schools’ favorite FruitGuys products & programs.
If you don’t see what you are looking for, please ask us. We can source almost any product to suit your needs.
Already know what you’re looking for?
Offerings:
SCHOOL FAVORITES
HARVEST OF THE MONTH – NEW!
Harvest of the Month (HOTM) is a great way for students to taste California-grown seasonal produce in the classroom or through existing food service programs. Each month, you can choose from two seasonal produce items and order a Classroom Tasting Kit or cases of bulk produce.
- Produce Choices: Choose from two produce offerings each month from local California farms, from September through June
- Classroom Kit option: Everything you need, including non-perishable prep and serving items such as gloves and napkins, for either 24 or 32 students per classroom
- Order by the Case: Order HOTM selections in bulk cases for existing food service programs or classroom distribution (no non-perishable items included)
- Months of Service: You choose which months you want to order. No minimum order requirements
- Nutrition Education: Complimentary access to our nutrition education materials
- Harvest of the Month Presentation: Each month our web presentation will feature two HOTM produce items and a fun guide to how they’re grown, nutritional information, recipe suggestions; plus a featured farm
EAT THE ALPHABET A-Z – NEW!
Each week, you can order seasonal fruits or vegetables that correspond to the letters of the alphabet, and students can “eat the alphabet” by the end of the school year. Add items to your salad bar or food service programs!
- Students can eat the seasonal alphabet by the end of the school year
- Weekly selections available
- Perfect for a salad bar
- Great to add to food service meals or events
- Look for A-Z options on our weekly and monthly price sheets available
BULK PRODUCE
Whole, ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables packed by count, weight, and with point of origin included on price sheets.
- Perfect for large orders and curriculum-based consumption
- Choose from local, farm-direct, and unique fruits and veggies
- Harvest of the Month selections available
- Available selections listed on our weekly and monthly price sheets
UNIQUE PRODUCE
Ordering rare and unique items encourages adventurous eating that can last a lifetime.
- Selection of local, tropical, and unusual heirloom varieties available year round
- Available in bulk cases
- Choose from multiple unique items each month
- Perfect for special events and celebrations for both students and staff
PRE-CUT FRUITS & VEGGIES
Easy snacking with pre-cut and processed fresh fruits and vegetables
- Monthly price sheets
- Year-round availability of selected produce
- Packaged for individual servings or a five-pound tray
Please inquire to see if this option is available in your area
MIXED FRUIT & VEGGIE BOXES
MIXED FRUIT CASES
The FruitGuys legendary signature fruit mixes are available in
Small (16 servings), Medium (25 servings), and Large (50 servings)
- Staples Mix is apples, bananas, & citrus. Available in organic or conventional
- Harvest Mix includes our widest variety of seasonal fruit plus bananas. Available in organic or conventional
- Season’s Best Mix is all seasonal fruit & no bananas
FRUITS & VEGGIES BASICS BOX
A seasonal mix of commonly-used vegetables, PLUS seasonal fruit.- Available in organic or conventional
SNACKS
BULK SNACKS
Order bulk cases of your favorite snacks. Servings per case vary, ask us for our bulk snacks pricing sheet for available selections.
THOUGHTFUL SNACKS MIXED BOXES
You’ll receive a wide assortment of delicious and healthy snacks in single-serving packages. Each box contains a selection of items from our four snack categories.
Available in Mini (35+ snacks), Small (35+ snacks), Medium (75+ snacks), or Large (160+ snacks).
- Single-serving snacks
- Snack types include jerky, cheesy snacks, granola, bars, healthy cookies, chocolatey snacks, seeds, almonds, seaweed, olives, chips, crisps, and more!
- Counter-ready trays/boxes
- Real, pronounceable ingredients
- High in protein and fiber
- No/low/natural sugar
GIFTS
Looking for a unique and healthy gift for staff, vendors, or friends and family? We have a unique selection of healthy gifts that combine fruit with tea, coffee, chocolate, and snacks. Contact us for more information on our gift line.
COFFEE & FRUIT GIFT BOX
Perfect for the conscientious coffee lover.
Our Coffee & Fruit Box includes 1 lb. whole beans Bee Bold Medium Roast coffee, Thanksgiving Coffee, a family-owned and operated business in Fort Bragg, CA; 2-3 pieces of hardy seasonal fruit such as apple, citrus, kiwi, pomegranate; 8 Clover Honey sticks from GloryBee, a family B Corp in Oregon; and 2 The FruitGuys snacks (where available).
FRUIT & TEA GIFT BOX
A special gift to warm the heart.
Our Fruit & Tea Gift includes 2-3 pieces of seasonal fruit, 2 FruitGuys brand snacks, GloryBee honey sticks, and a Numi Tea sampler box with a mix of black, green, white, and herbal teas. This gift supports the missions of three B Corp companies: The FruitGuys , Numi Tea , and GloryBee .
SMILESNACK GIFT
Put a smile on everyone’s face! Each SmileSnack contains 9 pieces of fresh-picked seasonal fruit.
CONNECTIONS CRATE GIFTS
Enjoy 6 pieces of seasonal fruit and a selection of salty, savory, sweet, and protein-rich snacks from other mission-driven brands.
NUTRITION EDUCATION
Nutrition education is an integrated component of our program to nurture the whole person. Our beautifully-designed content is researched by educators, journalists, and parents. All materials are complimentary in the hopes that we are able to inspire both students and adults to eat well, play, and relax with ideas on how to incorporate healthy new habits into busy lives.
- Every school receiving FruitGuys produce receives resources and educational materials
- Materials and themes vary from year to year but focus on eating seasonally, where your food comes from, movement, life balance, the outdoors, and cooking
- Nutritional education materials, including archives, are available 24 hours on our Client Portal
Offerings:
DIGITAL MATERIALS
For easy sharing with teachers, staff, students, and families. Perfect for classroom or at-home use. Available in the client portal (login required).
- Easily posted to school websites or shared with teacher or internal mailing lists
- Easily printed on 8.5 x11 paper for use in cafeterias, playgrounds, classrooms, staff rooms, common areas, or at home
WEEKLY: WELLNESS FLYERS
Short and sweet, eye-catching and fun, weekly Health & Wellness Flyers include seasonal produce highlights, fun fitness activities, easy recipes, and inspirational quotes. Available every Friday in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
MONTHLY: SCHOOL BULLETIN
Our colorful monthly School Bulletin has a calendar with important and fun holidays; seasonal or unique produce highlights; farm or farmer profiles; healthy recipes and snack suggestions; and DIY craft projects for classroom or home. Available the last Friday of each month in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
ANY TIME: PRODUCE CARDS
Our library contains more than 150 produce cards featuring fruit and vegetables offered at The FruitGuys. Each printable produce card shows each item, what it looks like and how it is grown, as well as key growing areas, history, cultivation, and tips on ripening and how to to enjoy it. Standard nutrition facts provide nutritional information per 100 gram serving. Download anytime to share with students, teachers, and staff. Perfect for use in the cafeteria, classroom, office, or online.
ANYTIME: VIDEOS
Our videos have been developed specifically with students in mind but are enjoyable for adults as well. Video themes include farm and farmer visits, quick stretch & relaxation breaks, healthy eating and cooking, fun physical activities, school garden projects, and general wellness topics.
FEATURED:
- Take a Breather: 5-minute mental health and gentle stretching series for grade levels K-2, 3-6, and 7-12 developed with our partner WellFests. Perfect for class breaks or for an assembly.
- Farm to Table: Take your class on a virtual California farm visit, meet the farmer and learn about how produce is grown. Our host Shannan Slevin takes you to a virtual farmers’ market and shows you how to prepare an easy snack or meal with the produce. Great for food and farm themed lessons. Perfect for small classroom groups or large assemblies.
PRINTED MATERIALS
POSTERS
Posters are vibrant, informative and specifically-designed for school cafeterias, classrooms, or common areas. Our client portal also includes a digital library of posters that can be printed for school use.
ABOUT US
The FruitGuys Farm to School Team
Customer Service Hours:
6 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (PST), Monday – Friday
Contact us!
(650) 243-5722 | schools@fruitguys.com
CAROL STEWART
Director of School Programs
I was born and raised in San Francisco but currently live in Belmont, CA with my wonderful husband Paul. We have two amazing daughters who mean the world to us, two cats who have beyond fascinating personalities, and nine pet chickens who we’ve named and are a great source of amusement. We’ve just welcomed sweet Mila into our family, a little black and white border collie mix puppy. She’s already stolen our hearts! The cats and chickens are not amused!! I’m proud to say my mother was one of the first women to open a produce company in S.F. in 1947 and I returned to my family’s produce roots when I started working at The FruitGuys in 2007. One of the highlights of my job is getting to work closely with schools so together we can make a positive difference in students’ lives.
One of my greatest pleasures is cooking, usually with a Mediterranean flair, which comes from my Greek heritage. I love the ocean, taking long beach walks while looking for seashells and seaglass, and watching Paul surf. It’s hard to choose a favorite fruit but I love papayas, white nectarines, and cherries.
KRISTA FELDHOUSE
School Senior Account Coordinator
I was born and raised in Redwood City, CA. I now reside in Belmont, CA, with my husband and new baby! I have been with The FruitGuys since 2012 as an Account Manager for our School team. I absolutely love working closely with our school clients and seeing how we can best provide their students with our services. One of my favorite parts about my job is getting to visit school sites and seeing the children enjoy the fruit and veggies we’ve provided for them!
In my free time, I love to travel and root on my favorite sports teams! My favorite fruit is pineapple, so much so that when visiting Hawaii, my sister and I carried a 40lb case of pineapple down a dirt road back to our hotel so we could ship them home!
CZAREANAH DO
School Customer Service Supervisor
I have lived in the Bay Area for most of my life and currently live with my husband and three boys in South San Francisco, CA—The FruitGuys’ hometown. I joined The FruitGuys in 2014, and it has been a fruit-filled adventure every day since! I love being part of a program that provides children with healthy fruit and vegetables on a daily basis.
Some fun facts about me? I married my high school sweetheart; I love eating seafood; I have two karaoke machines; I own a poodle named Momo, who is the unofficial School team mascot! My favorite fruit is bananas—the world’s most popular fruit and also The FruitGuys’ ambassador fruit.
KRIZZIA DE LA CUESTA
School Account Coordinator
I was born in San Francisco but grew up in Manila, Philippines. Growing up, I remember visiting my grandparents’ home during the summer and one of my favorite things to do there was gathering all the mangoes that fell from the trees in their backyard. You can say I’ve tried mango served in 50 different ways from smoothies to salads. I moved to California in 2015 and joined The FruitGuys in 2018. I find working here very rewarding, as not only do I love working with my wonderful and talented team but I love being part of a child’s health, growth, and wellness.
I love watching movies, musicals and sports! Since moving to the Bay area, I enjoy trying different cuisines either at restaurants or food trucks. My go-to drinks are hot cocoa on colder days and a mango smoothie with a hint of mint on hotter days. If you can’t tell, mango is my all time favorite fruit!
JAYSA TABBADA
School Account Coordinator
I am a born and raised Southern California girl who moved to the Bay Area in 2022! Soon after moving to the Bay, I joined The FruitGuys and it’s been amazing being part of the Schools Team. Being able to connect closely with our clients, provide children with different varieties of produce, and be a part of their growing health/wellness is such a gratifying feeling.
I have a background in Nutrition Science, so I love learning about food and what it does to our body! I enjoy cooking, going on hikes, and finding new restaurants or coffee shops to try! Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents in their produce garden and kitchen – which started my love for fruits and vegetables. My top 3 favorites are Pomegranates, Pineapples, and Avocados! I also love all things Citrus, especially Lemons! More lemon the better!
IMPACT
The FruitGuys supports people and the planet
through our GoodWorks Programs
The FruitGuys supports people and the planet through our GoodWorks Programs
Since 1998, The FruitGuys has been on a mission to support sustainable agriculture and combat hunger. Buying from The FruitGuys helps our family-owned and operated B Corp sustain the small independent farmers we support and source from and the hunger-relief non-profits to which we donate all visually-imperfect and unused produce each week, rather than sending it to a landfill or selling it.
The FruitGuys Executive Team
The FruitGuys is a family-owned and operated certified B Corporation. Our mission is to bring healthy food and smiles to workplaces, schools, and homes while supporting small independent farms and feeding the hungry. Learn more about Our Mission.
CHRIS MITTELSTAEDT
Founder, CEO, and Chief Banana of The FruitGuys
Chris is responsible for the company’s vision and growth since its founding in his 1-bedroom apartment in San Francisco in 1998. He has a B.S. in business from American University, where he was captain of the rugby team. Chris lives in San Francisco with his wife Pia, who also works in the business. They have three grown children, two dogs, and one cat. His favorite fruit is cherries.
ERIK MULLER
President of The FruitGuys
Erik is responsible for managing strategic growth and business development. Erik brings an accomplished track record to The FruitGuys, with more than 20 years of growing businesses—25 years if you count the five he was a newspaper boy in Southern California. Erik earned an economics and business degree from Colorado College. In his free time, Erik enjoys staying active with his wife and their two children. He is an avid cyclist and loves coaching his kids’ sports teams.
ERIN MITTELSTAEDT
Chief Operating Officer of The FruitGuys
Erin is responsible for all strategic and operational aspects of The FruitGuys operations, as well as creation of new facilities. Previously, Erin worked as a Trader Joe’s manager in Philadelphia and a caseworker in New York City. Erin has a BA in Music from the University of Pennsylvania and is Chris Mittelstaedt’s sister. She lives in San Francisco with her wife and two children. She sings, tap dances, loves making jams and jellies, and swimming in the Bay.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER!
We can’t wait to bring delicious healthy produce to your school!
Tell us a little about yourself and your school and our team will reach out to you shortly.
Food Safety Certified
USDA Organic
California Certified Organic Farmer
