October 29, 2025
Superfruit company Fruitist has secured $150 million in equity financing to accelerate international growth and expand its premium berry offerings. The round was led by a vehicle managed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management, with participation from both new and existing investors.
Founded in 2012 by CEO Steve Magami, the Los Angeles-based company began with a focus on growing and distributing blueberries from Peru. Since then, Fruitist has evolved into a vertically integrated global supplier known for its oversized, premium blueberries.
Today, the company sources fruit from growing regions across Mexico, Chile, India, Morocco, China, and the United States, with additional production expanding in Oregon and California. Its berries now reach more than 12,500 retail outlets across 40 countries.
Expanding beyond blueberries
Blueberries remain Fruitist’s largest category, but the company is increasingly investing in additional berries to build a broader, year-round fruit platform.
According to Magami, blackberries, raspberries, and cherries represent key growth areas that complement the company’s core blueberry business. While blueberries currently generate most of the revenue, Fruitist is scaling these categories to diversify supply and capture new market opportunities.
Berry demand boosted by GLP-1 medications
Fruitist is also seeing demand trends linked to the rapid adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
Magami said the company’s internal data suggests that consumers using these treatments tend to purchase more berries after beginning the medications. Retailers have also seen measurable sales increases when Fruitist products are stocked.
“Fruitist has the highest unique incremental growth per SKU across our top retailers,” Magami said, indicating that the brand is bringing in new buyers rather than simply shifting sales from competing products.
Direct-to-consumer and sports partnerships
Beyond traditional grocery retail, Fruitist is expanding through e-commerce and partnerships in sports. The company recently became the official superfruit snack partner of USC Athletics and brought on Caleb Williams—quarterback for the Chicago Bears—as both an investor and brand ambassador.
These initiatives are designed to connect directly with consumers through stadiums, online platforms, and other lifestyle channels while reinforcing the brand’s focus on healthy, performance-oriented snacking.
Fruitist reported approximately $400 million in trailing twelve-month sales earlier this year and says it continues to grow rapidly.
Building a data-driven berry supply chain
The company has also been investing heavily in technology to optimize its global production and distribution network. Recently, Fruitist hired CTO Jim Trahanas and partnered with RipeLocker, a Seattle-based startup that uses low-atmosphere vacuum chambers to extend the shelf life of fresh produce.
Magami says Fruitist is developing a proprietary intelligence platform powered by millions of berry-level data points collected each month across its farms and supply chain.
The system analyzes microclimates and growing environments to determine optimal harvest timing, forecast quality attributes, and reduce waste. According to the company, the data-driven approach helps optimize labor and resource use while maintaining a consistent year-round supply of premium berries.
Brad Demong, managing director at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, said the investment reflects confidence in Fruitist’s vertically integrated model and its ability to drive premiumization in the berry category.