Cavalier Produce turns 20!

“It all comes down to the relationships,” says Denise Yetzer, the founder of Cavalier Produce. "We still have customers we’ve had from day one.” 

This year, the woman-owned business celebrates 20 years of highlighting farmers and purveyors in central Virginia, along with building lasting connections with chefs, restaurateurs, and the community. 

Longtime industry veterans, Denise and her husband Stephen have worked in the produce biz for decades. After working for several years in the industry in DC, the duo moved to Charlottesville working with Four Seasons Produce. In 2001, they took the leap and purchased the business, renaming it Cavalier Produce. In those years, they also had a retail store called The C’Ville Market.

“I’m really thankful and grateful we did,” says Denise, a James Madison University graduate. “We love the area and love the industry — it’s been an incredible journey. Food connects people. Building those relationships and helping chefs put their best food forward by helping them service their customers well — that’s really what it’s always been about. The food and the people.” 

Over time adopting the tagline, "Where great meals begin," Cavalier has evolved from a produce supplier to a community and restaurant industry partner, forming connections with chefs, purveyors, and consumers alike. 

"Seeing some of these chefs as they’ve grown their restaurants, their businesses, notoriety and success — that’s my proudest moment,” shares Denise. “When the chefs and clients we service are experiencing tremendous success and have built a great reputation, it makes us so proud to partner with them and support their journey.

Cavalier takes pride in their clients, working with everyone from a smoky barbecue outpost in Gordonsville to college universities to an almost three-decade-old downtown Charlottesville institution, and now, the public. 

“We’ve grown organically and consistently every year,” says Denise. “We have a really diverse clientele and culinary tastes are always evolving and changing.  Every year is a little different, which keeps it interesting and keeps us on our toes!” 

While Cavalier has gained momentum, so has the industry itself. In the past decade, the restaurant world has experienced a significant shift to celebrating local products and highlighting the farmers, cheesemakers, and growers from across the region. The farm-to-table movement has helped propel Cavalier into the future.

In 2016, however, Cavalier reached a turning point. In need of a larger space that could handle their expanding operations, the Yetzers left their former location in downtown Charlottesville for their current one in Louisa.  

“It became challenging because our wholesale side was growing,” Denise explains. “It was difficult to leave, but … we’re really happy with our facility and where we are now.” 

Over the years, Cavalier has sponsored events from the Richmond-based food festival Fire, Flour & Fork, Special Olympics 5K Run, American Heart Association, and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer services conferences, to name just a few. In 2020, they entered a new era, deepening their community outreach efforts with the introduction of Grace’s Good Food Box, along with the “Buy a Box, Give a Box” produce box program for furloughed restaurant workers, donating over 3,000 boxes to those in need. 

Named for Yetzer's daughter, Grace, each box featured a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and assorted grocery items to help families. In addition, during COVID Cavalier worked with local nonprofits, Loaves & Fishes, Louisa County Resource Council, PB & J Fund and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, providing them with produce during a time when families were in need the most. 

"COVID took everyone by storm and stopped everything dead in its tracks,” says Denise. “When that happened, we were trying to figure out what to do and thought, ‘we cannot just sit here and do nothing while so many are in need’ and that’s when we started the public program.” 

As for the next 20 years? 

“We want to continue to just really cherish the relationships we have fostered with our staff and the people that work with us and our vendors, as well as expanding our local growers and producers — we’re here to serve them,” says Denise. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the relationships, the quality of product we bring in the door and serving others.”

Written by our guest blogger Eileen Mellon