JC Produce To Close Doors

After nearly 30 years in business JC Produce of West Sacramento will be closing their doors this Friday.

Founded in 1980 in Sacramento, JC Produce has built its reputation as a leader in distribution since its beginning. They had grown with the industry to become one of the primary independent statewide distributor of fresh produce and other perishables in California, with facilities in Sacramento, Fresno, Hayward, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego and San Jose.

In July of this year JC Produce had filed a lawsuit against one of their customers, Steakhouse Partners, for non-payment. Ronald Stargis, Attorney for JC Produce, claimed that they hadn't received payment for produce deliveries from January through March. A total before legal fees was estimated at about $250,000.00.

Steakhouse Partners operates under the brand names of Carvers, Hungry Hunter Steakhouse, Hunter Steakhouse, Mountain Jack's, Mountain Jack's Steakhouse, Texas Loosey's and Galveston's. The firm bought Paragon's 78 restaurants and later closed five of them.

In July 2007 the company sued its former chief executive, Paul Abess, claiming he violated a non-compete agreement by starting a rival business that succeeded in taking some key customers away from JC Produce.

News reports about their closing sited the weak economy, increased fuel costs, and the tomato recall as the reason for their demise.