our approach

quality, made personal

KaliBee’s was born out of necessity – just like our parent company, Primo Produce. Primo was founded in 1991 by George Paxos, a local restauranteur. As the owner of one of the first ever high-end restaurants in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania area, George was determined to serve only the best ingredients to his guests, but he struggled to find produce that met his high standards.

George started making overnight trips to markets in other states, waiting in line at 3 am for the market to open to pick out the produce he would serve in his restaurant that day. Eventually, friends in the industry started asking George to pick up fresh produce for them, too. As the demand grew, so did George’s trips to the market – and those trips turned into the very first Primo truck, the very first warehouse, and finally into Primo Produce: a high-demand, full-service produce supply company servicing the entire Mid-Atlantic and New England regions.

As Primo has grown, the requests for processed produce grew as well. Customer’s high expectations never wavered, but they started to seek out added-value items, like blended vegetables and individually packaged products. Our team set to work to meet new industry demands, but Primo’s 30,000 sq ft warehouse, a state-of-the-art facility when it first opened in 2000, was quickly reaching capacity.

Plans to expand Primo became about more than just more space. We wanted to create efficiency and also bring in the specialty equipment needed to meet the demands of an ever-changing industry. It exacted a brand-new branch of Primo, and KaliBee’s was born.

Named for two of George’s grandchildren, KaliBee’s is a family business in name and in function. George and his son, Dimitrios, were hands-on in the design and execution of our brand-new 80,000 sq ft facility. Our pristine warehouse and processing facility are host to customized, state-of-the-art equipment, and our team is committed not only to impeccable food safety standards, but to finding sustainable solutions and supporting our environment and local community.

Now the owner of five successful restaurants, Primo Produce, and KaliBee’s, George is proud to have overseen the tremendous growth of these companies. At KaliBee’s, we are committed to delivering the same personal touch felt during that very first 3 am market run. Quality, made personal. That’s the Primo and KaliBee’s difference.