Greg Reinauer, president and CEO, Lange Companies, Inc.

Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Lange Companies, Inc. BB #:102175 is an importer/exporter, distributor, and logistics provider founded in 1960.

The company handles a broad range of conventional and organic fruits and vegetables, serving customers through Lange Farms BB #:208581 and BB #:190767, Lange Fresh Sales, Inc. BB #:166798, and Lange Logistics, Inc. BB #:168549.

We talked to Greg Reinauer, president and CEO, about what makes this longtime supplier tick.

Q: Tell us about your background and how you came to be in the produce industry.

My career in the produce industry has traversed multiple sectors. This has provided me with a wealth of experience and knowledge from growing to distribution to retail/foodservice businesses. 

My mentors, colleagues, and industry friends who have been part of my journey have all contributed to my growth in the industry which prepared me to lead Lange Companies.

The ability to be nimble and have forward-thinking leadership and employees is the foundation driving our success. This entrepreneurial spirit remains at the heart of Lange today.

Q: How has Tom Lange Companies continued to thrive for more than six decades in a highly competitive industry?

For over 65 years, Lange Companies has shown itself to be an organization able to effectively react and pivot with the everchanging marketplace. Produce, at its core, can be extremely unpredictable.

The ability to be nimble and have forward-thinking leadership and employees is the foundation driving our success. This entrepreneurial spirit remains at the heart of Lange today.

We’re still moving mountains for every customer while remembering our roots and keeping our focus on the future.

Q: Tell us about the subsidiaries—Lange Fresh Sales, Lange Farms, and Lange Logistics—and what they do.

With decades of experience, Lange Fresh Sales connects all the pieces of the supply chain; from quick turnaround times to market shifts to proactive, innovative strategies.

Lange Fresh Sales not only manages risk but also takes ownership of the produce we ship. With access to high volumes of product, our goal is to make the supply chain seamless. 

Lange Farms is a global collective of growers cultivating farm-fresh produce from berries to citrus to asparagus and more.

We offer grower-direct programs paired with global access and import management to provide custom, end-to-end solutions for customers big and small.

Lange Logistics offers transportation solutions throughout North America.

We have unmatched expertise in refrigerated shipping with a focus on produce. But we don’t stop there—our trusted network of carriers offers flexible solutions for all shipping needs.

Q: Is Lange Logistics an asset-based company? Does it coordinate both domestic and global shipments?

Lange Logistics is a non-asset based third-party logistics and transportation provider.

We coordinate domestic shipments as well as shipments from Mexico and into Canada for the produce, food and beverage, automotive, industrial, and retail industries.

Q: What was behind the transition to become an employee-owned company?

Lange Companies is one of the oldest ESOP (employee stock ownership program) companies in the United States. 

The ESOP was instituted in the early 1980s to give employees a stake in the business, not only as a way to encourage productivity, but to encourage loyalty and tenure.

Q: What prompted the company’s recent rebranding? How does the realignment reflect the company’s vision for the future?

After 65-plus years and to better tell the story of Lange Companies’ vertically integrated services, we thought it was time for a new look, website, and refreshed narrative. 

Over a year of thoughtful work from multiple stakeholders went into the new look, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the acceptance both internally and from the industry.