Sales fatten on fresh diet

Innovative Food Holdings binged this quarter.

The specialty foods purveyor's sales rose 101% in the most recent quarter, boosted by the acquisition of The Fresh Diet last year.

Sam Klepfish, Innovative Food's CEO, was the Business Observer's Entrepreneur of the Year finalist for the Fort Myers-Naples area in 2013.

The Bonita Springs-based company delivers more than 7,000 specialty food items such as cheeses and meats to chefs around the country. The company's direct-to-chef business grew 18% last quarter.

But the big growth came from the company's Fresh Diet operations, which deliver freshly prepared meals to consumers in 570 cities and towns around the country. Innovative Food Holdings acquired The Fresh Diet in August 2014.

Now, Fresh Diet accounts for 41% of Innovative Food's total quarterly revenues of $11.1 million. In the most recent quarter, Fresh Diet revenues hit $4.6 million, up 43.9% in just six months.