Welch Foods Inc., A Cooperative

Welch Foods Inc., A Cooperative, a small agricultural cooperative based in Waltham, Massachusetts and operating as a child entity of the National Grape Co-Operative Association, Inc., supplies bottled and frozen Concord grape juice and related fruit beverages to federal food assistance programs as a prime contractor under total small business and partial small business set-asides. The vendor operates exclusively as a prime (100% of awards) and competes predominantly under small business set-asides across USDA contracts.

Welch Foods' federal capability portfolio centers on Concord grape juice in bottled form (8/64 fluid ounce plastic bottles) for domestic food donation programs, particularly the National School Lunch Program administered through USDA's Food and Nutrition Service and Agricultural Marketing Service. Recent representative awards include four definitive contracts totaling $13.4 million issued by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service on September 24, 2026, for bottled Concord grape juice commodities under total small business set-asides with completion dates ranging from February 28, 2027, through June 30, 2027; a $11.4 million definitive contract from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service awarded February 25, 2026, for frozen and bottled Concord grape juice under total small business set-aside; and a June 1, 2024, cooperative agreement with USDA Food for Education for market development activities to expand export markets for U.S. agricultural commodities. All production occurs at the vendor's North East, Pennsylvania facility, and all commodities meet Agricultural Acquisition Regulation requirements mandating U.S. manufacture.

Customer concentration is heavily weighted toward military and military family food programs. The Defense Commissary Agency anchors the portfolio at 103 awards carrying $289.6 million in combined potential value, representing 83% of the top five customers' combined value (91% coverage by potential value). The Defense Logistics Agency accounts for 428 awards but dollar magnitude is not specified; the two rankings diverge significantly, suggesting DLA places high-volume small-dollar orders while DeCA concentrates larger contract values. USDA represents the secondary customer base: Agricultural Marketing Service Washington Office (5 awards, $24.8 million), Food and Nutrition Service (6 awards, $4.9 million), and Agricultural Marketing Service (10 awards, unspecified combined value).

The vendor operates under five major parent vehicles. Indefinite Delivery Contract HDEC0105G3127 carries the largest footprint at 23 task orders with $198 million combined potential value, followed by HDEC0105G3126 at 23 task orders and $71.4 million. Basic Ordering Agreements DLA13H8150031 and DLA13H8250031 each account for 22–23 task orders. Award activity has accelerated sharply — one award in 2020–2021, four in 2025, and seven in 2026 — though this trajectory reflects recent sourcing patterns rather than historical baseline; the source documents 891 total awards spanning back to 1980 with combined potential value of $349.2 million and obligated dollars at $117.6 million (34% realization). Five awards totaling $13.9 million in potential value complete within the next twenty-four months. Primary NAICS codes are General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (54 awards), Frozen Fruit, Juice, and Vegetable Manufacturing (19 awards), and Fruit and Vegetable Canning (14 awards), with PSC 8915 (Fruits and Vegetables) dominating at 721 awards.