5 Things to Know Before Buying Bulk Fruit and Veggies for Work

Nothing says “wellness perk” quite like a table of colorful oranges, mangoes, and dragon fruits arrayed in the office for a free employee farmers market. That kind of spread is perfect for celebrating National Wellness Month or Employee Appreciation Day—and bulk produce will help you pull it off seamlessly. But knowing where to buy bulk fruit and veggies for your office is only part of the equation. You also need to know how to manage your delivery so everything is fresh, ripe, and ready to serve on the big day.

Bulk Fruit and Veggie Tips From the Pros

At The FruitGuys, we’ve delivered bulk fruits and veggies to workplaces for more than 25 years (more recently, we also added bulk packaged snacks). Our produce buyers are pros at selecting the best bites and timing their deliveries perfectly. So, we gathered their best tips for you! 

Whether you’re ordering from The FruitGuys or another fruit delivery company, here are five things you need to know before buying bulk produce for your office.

1. Not Every Case Is the Same

If you order one case of apples and one case of oranges, you might expect to get the same number of fruits in each box—but that’s not necessarily true.

What ‘One Case’ Really Means

In the produce world, “one case” isn’t a universal measurement. For instance, a case of potatoes might include 50 pounds of spuds, while a case of peaches could be as light as 20 pounds with fewer individual fruits. That’s because weight, fruit/veggie size, and packaging all influence the case count. The word “case” just indicates that you’re buying bulk. 

This variation matters a lot when you’re trying to calculate how much to order for a team lunch or week-long conference. So when you order, focus on the total number of servings you’re buying, not the total number of cases. 

If you go by servings, you can buy what you need to feed your team or guests without worrying about coming up short or being overwhelmed with leftovers. 

How to Calculate Servings

Some companies list servings per case on their website or price sheets, but many list cases by weight or number of items per case instead. You can use either of those numbers to estimate the servings per case using Google or an AI chatbot like ChatGPT. Just ask a question like, “How many servings of carrots are in a 50-pound box?”

Here are a few quick tips: For fruits like apples, oranges, and pears, one piece of fruit is typically equal to one serving. For smaller fruits like apricots and mandarins, two fruits often make a serving. When in doubt, ask the company you’re ordering from to estimate servings for you. 

2. Timing is Everything

Want to serve your team ripe, succulent peaches that are dripping with juice—not firm ones that taste like cardboard? You’ll have to time your delivery just right. 

Different fruits ripen at different rates, so if you want your bulk delivery to be event-ready, it’s important to know how ripening works.

Fruit Ripening Timelines to Know

• Stone Fruits – Stone fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines bruise easily, so most companies ship them while they’re still firm. Plan to ripen them at room temperature for at least a few days before serving.
• Bananas – If your bananas arrive green, they’ll need time to ripen before your event. If they arrive fully yellow, you should serve them right away! Check with your fruit delivery company on what to expect and plan accordingly. Here at The FruitGuys, we always aim to deliver bananas at stage 5 (yellow with green tips). At this stage, the bananas are sturdy enough for transport but will ripen in a couple of days to a full yellow.
• Berries and Grapes – Berries and grapes are delicate, so it’s best to serve them right away. Schedule your delivery so that they arrive just before your event.

Most other fruits and veggies are less sensitive, so you can serve them right away or store them for a few days until you need them. Keep reading for more storage tips!

When In Doubt, Leave It to the Experts

You don’t have to memorize all of those fruit ripening timelines to have a successful delivery. If you order from the FrutiGuys, just let us know when you plan to serve your produce. Our team can help you choose fruits and veggies that will arrive in peak condition or guide you through how long they’ll take to ripen post-delivery. This is a great way to make sure you get the best taste with the least waste. 

3. When You Unpack Your Delivery Matters

When your fruit and veggies arrive, don’t let them sit in a storage room. Unpack them from their cases right away. This helps the produce breathe. 

Why Airflow Is Essential 

Many fruits release a gas called ethylene, which can speed up ripening. Trapping them inside a box speeds up that process because the ethylene can’t escape. Unpacking your fruits and veggies right away will help them last longer. 

How to Use Ethylene to Your Advantage

The advice above is great for produce that arrives ripe or will ripen just in time for your event. But if you get a case of stone fruits or green bananas and think they might not be ready in time, you can keep them packed in their cases longer to ripen them up more quickly.

4. The Right Storage Is Key for Freshness and Flavor

Did you know that bananas store best at 59° Fahrenheit? Every fruit and veggie has its sweet spot, but it can be tricky to give them what they need in an office setting.

Most offices aren’t equipped with full-size walk-ins or temperature-controlled produce rooms (understandably!). But that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. With a few clever tricks, you can still store your produce safely and effectively so that it’s fresh when you need it.

Smart Office Hacks for Storing Bulk Produce

• Choose a Cool, Dry Place – Storing your fruit and vegetables in a cool, dry spot will help them stay fresh and tasty longer.
• Keep Apples, Bananas, and Avocados Separate – These fruits produce a lot of ethylene gas and can make their neighbors ripen (or overripen) faster.
• Ripen Most Fruits at Room Temperature – Once they’re ripe, refrigerate them to extend their shelf life.
• Immediately Refrigerate Berries, Asian Pears, Cherries, and Grapes – These fruits are delicate, so the fridge will keep them fresh. If you don’t have enough fridge space, try to serve them right away.
• Never Refrigerate Bananas – They turn brown at low temperatures!

Still have questions? Check out these fruit storage and ripening tips. 

5. The FruitGuys Has Your Back 

If you buy bulk fruits and veggies from The FruitGuys, keep in mind that we have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. That means if you’re ever unhappy with the quality of the produce we deliver, we’ll replace it or issue a credit immediately, no hassle. Just contact us to explain what went wrong. If you can, snap a few photos of the issue—that will help us diagnose what happened and make sure you don’t have the same problem again! 

How to Order Bulk Fruit & Veggies From The FruitGuys

You have a lot of choices for where to buy bulk fruit and veggies, but we’d be honored if you chose us. Ordering is easy—just visit our Marketplace by the Case and choose your region to browse the items available near you. If you already know what you want, you can skip ahead and request a quote from our team. 

FAQs

1. What’s the shelf life of bulk fruit? 

That depends on the type of fruit and how you store it after delivery. See No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 above for more information and tips. 

2. Can I mix and match fruit in bulk orders? 

At The FruitGuys, yes! We’re happy to deliver a variety of fruits and veggies—say one case of plums, two cases of carrots, and five cases of apples. However, we don’t mix and match fruit within individual cases. If you want a variety of fruits in one box, try our office fruit mixes instead of bulk fruit delivery.

3. What if my office doesn’t have refrigeration? 

If you need to store all of your produce at room temperature, it’s even more important that you time your delivery right. See No. 2. and No. 4 above for advice that will help you with that. 

4. Is there a minimum order size for bulk? 

Not at The FruitGuys! We’ll deliver a single case or a whole truckload of produce to you. 

5. How do I store bananas to keep them fresh longer?

Store bananas at room temperature away from direct sunlight and other fruits. Make sure they’re not in a box or piled in a bowl—airflow is key for longevity! See No. 3 and No. 4 above for more tips.