Capital City Fruit Revenue and Competitors

Capital City Fruit, Inc. was founded in 1949 by Joseph T. Comito and Ross and Bernard Grandanette as a fruit market at 1035 2nd Avenue in Des Moines. In 1954, Joseph T. Comito bought out his partners and, two years later, he journeyed to Bixby, Oklahoma, to handle sales for Clyde Miller Farms and Louie Baker Farms, shipping radishes, cabbage, and sweet corn. He followed this with a trip to Van Buren, Arkansas, to assist Farrel Swearingen at the Van Buren Farmers Coop, selling cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon. During his absence his wife Mary and son Joseph M. ran the 2nd Avenue fruit market. In 1959, the construction of the McVicar Freeway forced CCF to abandon its 2nd Avenue location, so the company moved to 1920 SE 14th Street. Shortly after the move, in 1961, Joseph M. Comito joined CCF as full-time employee. During this period, Capital City Fruit continued its retail operations while expanding its wholesale and distributing activities. In 1962, Capital City Fruit added Conrad Farms, whose sales they handled. That same year, CCF started handling apple sales for Conant Orchard in Cumming, Iowa. The retail business was disbanded in 1966 and CCF concentrated its efforts in shipping and distributing. Perhaps itching for a return to retail, Joseph T. and his brother, Al Comito, purchased Conant Orchards in 1967. In the hopes of capitalizing on emerging industries, CCF helped establish two more companies: Des Moines Truck Brokers in 1969, led by James A. DeMatteis, and Four Seasons Fundraising in 1974, directed by Lyle Roberts.