Mission Produce (AVO) 10-K2021 FY Annual report

This annual report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “could”, “intends”, “target”, “projects”, “contemplates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this report primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects, business strategy and financial needs. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report. These risks are not exhaustive. Other sections of this report include additional factors that could adversely impact our business and financial performance. Furthermore, new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this report. We cannot assure you that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and actual results, events or circumstances could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this report, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

You should read this report, including documents that we reference and exhibits that have been filed, in this report and have filed as exhibits to this report, with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, performance and achievements may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

The forward-looking statements made in this report relate only to events as of the date on which such statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this report or to conform such statements to actual results or revised expectations, except as required by law.

This annual report may also include trademarks, tradenames and service marks that are the property of the Company and also certain trademarks, tradenames and service marks that are the property of other organizations. Solely for convenience, trademarks and tradenames referred to in this annual report appear without the ® and ™ symbols, but those references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights, or that the applicable owner will not assert its rights, to these trademarks and tradenames.

We maintain a website at www.missionproduce.com, to which we regularly post copies of our press releases as well as additional information about us. Our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), are available free of charge through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after being electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information contained in our website does not constitute a part of this report or our other filings with the SEC.

Mission Produce, Inc. (“Mission Produce” or the “Company,” “Registrant,” or “Issuer,” and generally referred to as “we” or “us”) is a world leader in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh avocados, serving retail, wholesale and foodservice customers.

We have two operating segments which are also reporting segments:

We source, produce, pack and distribute avocados. The avocados we sell are primarily of the Hass variety. We sort and pack avocados and match their specifications to respective customer requirements. We sell both pre-ripe and ripened avocados, and with our network of ripening facilities, we can adjust the level of ripeness to the needs of our customers. Our custom ripening programs provide customers with the option of ordering avocados at five different stages of ripeness – hard, preconditioned, breaking, firm-ripe and ripe – which are delivered on specifically tailored schedules according to stage of ripeness.

We also provide value-added services including ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In addition, we provide our customers with merchandising and promotional support, insights on market trends and hands-on training to assist with their retail sales of our avocados. For example, we operate category management, merchandising and packaging programs, such as our “Avocado Intel,” “Minis,” “Emeralds in the Rough,” “Ready,” “Size Minded,” “small but mighty,” “Jumbos—more to eat, more to love” and shelf-life extension programs, to promote the sale of avocados that might otherwise be underutilized, to identify ready-to-eat and various size avocados for consumers and to increase shelf life.

We primarily serve retail, wholesale and foodservice customers. We focus on delivering quality avocados on time and within customer specifications. Owning and farming our own avocado orchards also helps to mitigate potential disruptions across our third-party grower supply relationships. We forecast avocado sourcing costs for the season for our own production, which enables us to enter into fixed price contracts with customers for a season without bearing pricing risk from spot market purchases. We do not have long-term contracts with our customers and focus instead on building strong, long-term relationships based on product quality and specifications, on-time delivery and customer support and service.

Our global distribution network includes twelve forward distribution centers in North America, China and Europe that offer value-added services such as ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In fiscal 2021, we opened a mega distribution center in Laredo, Texas, improving our ability to efficiently distribute Mexican avocados throughout North America. Its strategic position near the Mexican border fosters enhanced customer service, increased flexibility and expanded capabilities for our customer base. Our network of distribution facilities puts us in close proximity to our customers, allowing us to better provide fruit on time and to specification, and to adapt to changing customer volume and ripeness needs. Within the United States, our distribution network enables the delivery of avocados within approximately eight hours or less. Internationally, we have distribution centers and investments in other distributors in Europe and Asia to serve the growing retail demand outside of the United States.

Before being forwarded to distribution centers, avocados are sorted and packed at one of our four state-of-art packing facilities in Mexico, Peru, and California, or by co-packers in various locations. Transportation logistics are managed across truck, ocean, air and rail platforms to bring product from their source to end markets. Proximity to growers enables us to develop stronger relationships, control the logistics of the supply chain from tree to packing, and export fruit from the country of origin faster.

We compete based on a variety of factors, including the appearance, taste, size, shelf life and overall quality of our products, price and distribution terms, the timeliness of our deliveries to customers and the availability of our products. The avocado and fresh produce business is

We source avocados primarily from Mexico, Peru, and California, as well as Colombia, Guatemala, South Africa, and Chile. Our diverse sourcing network mitigates the impact of potential geographical or grower-specific supply disruptions and optimizes our ability to fulfill year-round global demand. We do not have exclusive sourcing contracts with growers.

We have relationships with thousands of third-party growers. Our large scale and long track record of working with growers contributes to strong existing relationships and facilitates new relationships with third-party growers.

In addition to purchasing avocados from third-party growers, we grow avocados on owned or leased land to further diversify our sourcing network and provide additional control over our supply. In Peru, we own farmland with developed orchards that are in various stages of maturity as well as undeveloped land that we intend to plant in future years. In fiscal 2020, we secured farmland under long term leases in Guatemala that we have begun to develop. We also invest in a joint venture in Colombia that owns land that is under development. After planting, our avocado trees begin to produce avocados in approximately three years and reach full production in approximately five to seven years, depending on location.

We are also involved in the farming of other products on a limited scale. We have planted mango orchards in Peru to enable us to realize synergies from labor and facility management during the avocado off-season. We have also invested in a blueberry farming joint venture, Moruga. While we do not market blueberries, our investment in Moruga further allows us to leverage labor and facility investments in Peru.

We have a dedicated research and development department focused on finding new ways to innovate across our value chain. In 2021, we focused on the reduction of food waste and extending overall fruit-quality, tailored to our customers’ needs. Our International Farming segment also performs studies to innovate our farming practices, such as soil-analysis, test plots, and seed research. Total research and development expense was $0.4 million, $0.5 million, and $0.3 million for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.

We have registered or submitted registrations for certain trademarks with the United Stated Patent and Trademark Office and with the appropriate bodies in international jurisdictions, including the Mission tower logo design. In addition we have several issued patents that are not material to our business at this time.

The total sales and sales price of avocados fluctuates throughout the year due to variations in supply of avocados based on geographic location. For example, in California and Peru, the production of avocados peaks between April and August. In Mexico, avocados are harvested year-round, but production peaks between December through March. Although these geographical differences may lead to fluctuations in the purchase price of avocados, our diverse geographical avocado growth and production capabilities help us mitigate volatility in our access to supply of avocados. As a result of the volumes sourced from our farming operations in Peru, we realize a greater portion of our gross profit during the third and fourth quarters of our fiscal year.

As of October 31, 2021, we had approximately 2,800 employees located worldwide, 1,500 of which were located in Peru, 700 of which were located in Mexico, 400 of which were located in the U.S., and 200 in other regions such as Guatemala, Europe, and Canada. Due to the cyclical nature of avocado production, we also hire temporary and seasonal workers on our farms in Peru and packing houses in the U.S. to meet our needs.

For nearly four decades, we have remained rooted in honesty, respect, and loyalty. Globally, we support our people in the distinct ways needed according to their respective regions and environment and commit to treating every individual with dignity and respect by following our human rights declaration. We’ve made actionable goals to address the incorporation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DE&I”) in our organization and industry by sponsoring and participating in certifications and trainings. Appointed teams continually work to improve the working conditions of our people through our Health and Safety program. Additionally, in fiscal year 2021, we reported a 93% global employee retention rate. Our social initiatives embody our core values: Fun, Innovative, Reliable, Successful, and Trustworthy. Our corporate culture embodies these values and, as a result, we believe we have a highly motivated and skilled workforce that is committed to the success of our business.

Our business is impacted by environmental, health and safety, government procurement, anti-bribery and other government regulations and requirements. Below is a summary of some of the significant regulations that impact our business.

As an agricultural producer and marketer of consumable products, our operations are subject to extensive regulation by various federal government agencies, including the FDA, the USDA and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), as well as state and local agencies, with respect to product attributes, packing, labeling, storage and distribution. Under various statutes and regulations, these agencies prescribe requirements and establish standards for safety, purity and labeling. In addition, advertising of our products is subject to regulation by the FTC, and our operations are subject to health and safety regulations, including those issued under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”). Our packing facilities and products are subject to periodic inspection by federal, state and local authorities, including the California State Department of Food and Agriculture (“CFDA”), which oversees weights & measures compliance at our California packing facilities. All of our US facilities are also in compliance with the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (“FSMA”). In addition, our operations in Mexico are subject to Mexican regulations and our operations in Peru are subject to Peruvian regulations.

The agricultural products sold and marketed by us are subject to additional specific government acts or regulations, including the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research and Information Act of 2000 for our avocados.

We are subject to numerous federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and regulations. These laws and regulations govern, among other matters, the treatment, handling, storage, use and disposal of, and exposure to, hazardous materials and waste, including herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural products, the remediation of contaminated properties and climate change.

In the U.S., the Hass Avocado Board was established by the USDA to promote the sale of Hass variety avocados. This board provides a basis for unified funding of promotional activities based on an assessment on all avocados sold in the U.S. marketplace. The California Avocado Commission, which receives its funding from California avocado growers, has historically shouldered the promotional and advertising costs supporting avocado sales. We believe that the incremental funding of promotional and advertising programs in the U.S. will, in the long term, positively impact average selling prices and will favorably impact our avocado businesses. Similarly, Avocados from Mexico (“AFM”) was formed in 2013 as the marketing arm of the Mexican Hass Avocados Importers Association (“MHAIA”) and the Association of Growers and Packers of Avocados From Mexico (“APEAM”).

We seek to comply at all times with all such laws and regulations and to obtain any necessary permits and licenses, and we are not aware of any instances of material non-compliance.

Our corporate headquarters are located at 2710 Camino Del Sol, Oxnard, California, and our telephone number is (805) 981-3650. Our internet address is www.missionproduce.com. The information on or that can be accessed through our website is not incorporated by reference in this report.

We make available free of charge certain reports and amendments that we file with the SEC, such as our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, our directors’ and officers’ Section 16 reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after filing or furnishing such materials to the SEC on the “Investor relations” section of our website. They are also available free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

You should carefully consider the following risk factors, together with the other information contained in this annual report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements and the related notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” before making a decision to purchase or sell shares of our common stock. We cannot assure you that any of the events discussed in the risk factors below will not occur. These risks could have a material and adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth prospects. If that were to happen, the trading price of our common stock could decline. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may impair our business operations or financial condition.

Our ability to distribute avocados is limited by our ability to acquire supply from third-party growers and to produce on our own farms. With a limited number of avocado trees on our farms and on the farms from which we purchase, our ability to obtain supply from third parties and adapt to any changes in demand of our product is constrained. If we are unable to purchase sufficient volumes from third-party growers at acceptable prices or demand for our products were to increase in the future, we would need additional production capacity, which may take time, whether by purchasing additional fruit from third-party suppliers or by waiting for our younger avocado trees to bear fruit. These purchases may expose us to increases in short-term costs and additional production may expose us to additional long-term operating costs. If supply were to

Sales to our top 10 customers amounted to approximately 59%, 64%, and 60% of our net sales for the years ended October 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. We expect that a significant portion of our revenues will continue to be derived from a relatively small number of customers. We believe these customers make purchase decisions based on a combination of price, product quality, consumer demand, customer service performance, desired inventory levels and other factors that may be important to them at the time the purchase decisions are made. Changes in our customers’ strategies or purchasing patterns, including a reduction or increase in the number of suppliers from which they purchase, may adversely affect our sales. Additionally, our customers may face financial or other difficulties which may impact their operations and cause them to reduce their level of purchases from us, which could adversely affect the results of operations. Customers also may respond to any price increase that we may implement by reducing their purchases from us, resulting in reduced sales of our products. If sales of our products to one or more of our largest customers are reduced, this reduction may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any bankruptcy or other business disruption involving one of our significant customers also could adversely affect our results of operations.

We conduct a substantial amount of business internationally, including: doing business with growers and customers who are located outside the United States; purchasing fruit from growers and packers in Mexico and other countries; owning or leasing thousands of acres of farms in other countries, operating packing facilities in Peru and Mexico, having farming joint ventures in Colombia and South Africa, operating sales and distribution offices in China and in Europe, and selling products to foreign customers. We also continually explore sourcing, distribution and sales opportunities in additional countries. Conducting business internationally exposes us to a variety of risks, including:

Any of these risks, if encountered, could harm our international expansion and operations and, consequently, have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our business is also impacted by the negotiation and implementation of free trade agreements between the United States and other countries, particularly in Mexico, which is the largest source of our supply of avocados. Such agreements can reduce or increase barriers to international trade and thus affect the cost of conducting business internationally, including the cost of purchasing avocados.

Mexico is the largest source of our supply of avocados, and our business is affected by developments in that country. Shipments from Mexico to the United States are dependent on the border remaining open to imports, which has closed from time to time. In addition, security institutions in Mexico are under significant stress as a result of organized crime and gang and drug-related violence, which also could affect avocado production and shipments. This situation creates potential risks that could affect a large part of our sourcing in Mexico and would harm our operations if it impacts our facilities or personnel. In addition, Mexican growers strike from time to time to obtain higher prices for their avocados. We cannot provide any assurance that economic conditions or political developments, including any changes to economic policies or the adoption of other reforms proposed by existing or future administrations, in or affecting Mexico will not have a material adverse effect on market conditions or our business, results of operations or financial condition.

A significant part of our farming operations are conducted in Peru. Accordingly, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be affected by changes in economic or other policies of the Peruvian government or other political, regulatory or economic developments in the country. During the past several decades, Peru has had a succession of regimes with differing policies and programs. Past governments have frequently intervened in the nation’s economy and social structure, and also faced money laundering and corruption issues. Among other actions, past governments have imposed controls on prices, exchange rates and local and foreign investments, as well as limitations on imports, have restricted the ability of companies to dismiss employees and have prohibited the remittance of profits to foreign investors.

Because we have significant operations in Peru, we cannot provide any assurance that political developments and economic conditions, including any changes to economic policies or the adoption of other reforms proposed by existing or future administrations, in Peru and/or other factors will not have a material adverse effect on market conditions, prices of our securities, our ability to obtain financing and our results of operations and financial condition.

The pricing of avocados depends on supply, and excess supply can lead to price competition in our industry. Growing conditions in various parts of the world, particularly weather conditions such as windstorms, floods, droughts, wildfires and freezes, as well as diseases and pests, are primary factors affecting market prices because of their influence on the supply and quality of product.

Pricing also depends on quality. Fresh produce is highly perishable and generally must be brought to market and sold soon after harvest. The selling price received depends on the availability and quality offered by us to customers and available in the market generally.

Pricing also depends on demand, and consumer preferences for particular food products are subject to fluctuations over time. Shifts in consumer preferences that can impact demand at any given time can result from a number of factors, including dietary trends, attention to particular nutritional aspects, concerns regarding the health effects of particular products, attention given to product sourcing practices and general public perception of food safety risks. Consumer demand for our products also may be impacted by any public commentary that consumers may make regarding our products, as well as by changes in the level of advertising or promotional support that we employ or that are employed by relevant industry groups or third parties. If consumer preferences trend negatively with respect to avocados, our sales volumes may decline as a result.

The market for avocados and processed avocado products is highly competitive. Competition for the purchase of avocados from suppliers and the sale of avocados to distributors primarily comes from other avocado distributors. If we are unable to consistently pay growers a competitive price for their avocados, these growers may choose to have their avocados marketed by alternate distributors. If we are unable to offer attractive prices or consistent supply to retail and wholesale customers, they may choose to purchase from other companies. Such competition may adversely affect our volumes and prices, which would harm our business and results of operations.

Our results of operations may be adversely affected by numerous factors over which we have little or no control and that are inherent in farming, including reductions in the market prices for our products, adverse weather including drought, high winds, earthquakes and wildfires. Growing conditions, pest and disease problems and new government regulations regarding farming and the marketing of agricultural products can impose additional costs on, or make it more difficult to conduct, our business.

Our earnings may be affected by seasonal factors, including:

In particular, our farming operations in Peru are affected by seasonal factors, as the harvest in Peru is generally concentrated in the third and fourth fiscal quarters.

An overall decline in economic activity could adversely impact our business and financial results. Economic uncertainty or inflationary pressures may reduce consumer spending as consumers make decisions on what to include in their food budgets. This could also result in a shift in consumer preference. Shifts in consumer spending could result in increased pressure from competitors or customers that may require us to increase promotional spending or reduce the prices of some of our products and/or limit our ability to increase or maintain prices, which could lower our revenue and profitability. Instability in financial markets may impact our ability, or increase the cost, to enter into new credit agreements in the future. Additionally, it may weaken the ability of our customers, suppliers, third-party distributors, banks, insurance companies and other business partners to perform their obligations in the normal course of business, which could expose us to losses or disrupt the supply of inputs we rely upon to conduct our business. If one or more of our key business partners fail to perform as expected or contracted for any reason, our business could be negatively impacted.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and restrictions intended to prevent its spread, have had a significant adverse impact on economic conditions around the world, including the United States and the geographic markets in which we operate or sell our products. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. Continued economic deterioration in the markets in which our products are sold, including unemployment, reductions in disposable income, declining consumer confidence, and perception of our products as non-essential, could result in future declines in the demand for our products. Going forward, the extent to which COVID-19 may impact our business will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, such as the emergence of variants, the ultimate geographic spread of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, travel restrictions, mask and vaccine mandates, and social distancing in the United States and other countries, business closures or business disruptions and the effectiveness of actions taken in the United States and other countries to contain and treat the disease.

Should the coronavirus pandemic continue, our business operations could be further delayed or interrupted. For instance, if we experience a COVID-19 outbreak at our headquarters in Oxnard, California, the domestic or international farms from which we source fruit or our shipping and packing facilities, we may experience a decrease in labor availability from our employees. Government-imposed travel restrictions could also affect our supply and distribution chain. The spread of COVID-19 throughout the world has also created global economic uncertainty, which may cause potential customers and avocado consumers to closely monitor their costs and reduce their spending budget. Any of the foregoing could materially adversely affect our results of operations.

The price of various products that we use in shipping or distributing avocados can significantly affect our costs. Fuel and transportation costs are a significant cost component and make up a meaningful portion of the price of much of the fruit that we purchase from growers, and such costs have recently been increasing. There can be no assurance that we will be able to, or to what extent we can, pass on to our customers the increased costs we incur in these respects.

The cost of paper is also significant to us because most of our products are packed in cardboard boxes. If the price of paper increases and we are not able to effectively pass these price increases along to our customers, then our operating income will decrease.

Food safety is a top priority, and we dedicate substantial resources to ensure that our customers enjoy safe, quality products. However, food safety events, including instances of food-borne illness, have occurred with avocados in the past, and could occur in the future. Food safety events at customers, whether or not they involve avocados, could adversely affect sales to those customers. In addition, customers who purchase our avocados for their food products could experience negative publicity, or experience a significant increase in food costs if there are food safety events. If such customers experience a decline in sales as a result of such food safety event, our results of operations would be adversely affected.

The sale of food products for human consumption involves the risk of injury to consumers. Such injuries may result from tampering by unauthorized third parties, product contamination or spoilage, including the presence of foreign objects, substances, chemicals, or residues introduced during the growing, storage, handling or transportation phases. While we are subject to governmental inspection and regulations and believe our facilities comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, we cannot be sure that consumption of our products will not cause a health-related illness in the future or that we will not be subject to claims or lawsuits relating to such matters. Even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued, the negative publicity surrounding any assertion that our products caused illness or injury could adversely affect our reputation with existing and potential customers and our corporate and brand image.

The USDA has established, and continues to modify, regulations governing the importation of avocados into the United States, and also limits the countries from which avocados may be imported. Our permits that allow us to import foreign-sourced avocados into the United States generally are contingent on our compliance with these regulations. Our results of operations may be adversely affected if we are unable to comply with existing and modified regulations and are unable to secure avocado import permits in the future.

The FDA establishes, and continues to modify, regulations governing the distribution of avocado products, such as the new Food Safety Modernization Act, which implements mandatory preventive controls for food facilities and compliance with mandatory produce safety standards. Our results of operations may be adversely affected if we are unable to comply with these existing and modified regulations.

Changes in U.S. or international social, political, regulatory and economic conditions or in laws and policies governing foreign trade, development and investment in the territories or countries where we currently conduct our business, as well as any negative sentiment toward the U.S. as a result of such changes, could adversely affect our business. The U.S. presidential administration has instituted or proposed changes in trade policies that include the negotiation or termination of trade agreements, the imposition of higher tariffs on imports into the U.S., economic sanctions on individuals, corporations or countries, and other government regulations affecting trade between the U.S. and other countries where we conduct our business.

As a result of policy changes and government proposals of the U.S. presidential administration, there may be greater restrictions and economic disincentives on international trade. The new tariffs and other changes in U.S. trade policy could trigger retaliatory actions by affected countries, and foreign governments have instituted or are considering imposing trade sanctions on U.S. goods. Such changes have the potential to adversely impact the U.S. economy or sectors thereof, our industry and the global demand for our products, and as a result, could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are required to comply with health and safety laws and regulations in the United States, and in other countries where we do business and/or conduct our operations, including Peru and Mexico, and are subject to periodic inspections by the relevant governmental authorities. These laws and regulations govern, among others, health and safety work place conditions, including high risk labor and the handling, storage and disposal of chemical and other hazardous substances. Compliance with these laws and regulations and new or existing regulations that may be applicable to us in the future could increase our operating costs and adversely affect our financial results of operations and cash flows.

We are subject to a variety of federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to environmental matters. In particular, our business depends on the use of herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural products and the use and disposal of these products in some jurisdictions are subject to regulation by various agencies. These laws and regulations may require that only certified or professional users apply the product or that certain products only be used in certain types of locations. These laws and regulations may also require users to post notices on properties at which products have been or will be applied, notification to individuals in the vicinity that products will be applied in the future, or labeling of certain products or may restrict or ban the use of certain products. We can give no assurance that we can prevent violations of these or

There has been a broad range of proposed and promulgated state, national, local and international regulation aimed at reducing the effects of climate change. Such regulations apply or could apply in countries where we conduct operations or have interests or could conduct operations or have interests in the future. In the United States, there is a significant possibility that some form of regulation will be enacted at the federal level to address the effects of climate change. Such regulation could take several forms that could result in additional costs in the form of taxes, the restriction of output, investments of capital to maintain compliance with laws and regulations, or required acquisition or trading of emission allowances. Climate change regulation continues to evolve, and while it is not possible to accurately estimate either a timetable for implementation or our future compliance costs relating to implementation, such regulation could have a material effect on our business, results of operations, financial position or capital expenditures.

We intend to review acquisition and investment prospects that would complement our business. Future acquisitions by us could result in accounting charges, potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities, and increased debt and contingent liabilities, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and the market price of our common stock. Acquisitions entail numerous risks, including the integration of the acquired operations, diversion of management’s attention to other business concerns, risks of entering markets in which we have limited prior experience, assumption of liabilities and the potential loss of key employees of acquired organizations. We may be unable to successfully integrate businesses or the personnel of any business that might be acquired in the future, and our failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business and on the market price of our common stock. We may also not be able to achieve an attractive return on our investments.

We have an infrastructure that supports our production and distribution, but if we lose machinery or facilities due to natural disasters, mechanical failures, or other reasons, we may not be able to operate at a sufficient capacity to meet our needs. We will also continue to make investments in existing and new facilities to meet our needs. Any inability to have sufficient facilities, or loss or failure of facilities, could have a material adverse effect on our business, which could impact our results of operations and our financial condition.

Our ability to make, move and sell products in coordination with our suppliers is critical to our success. Our inability to maintain sufficient internal production capacity or our inability to enter into co-packing arrangements on terms that are beneficial to the Company could have an adverse effect on our business. Failure to adequately handle increasing production costs and complexity, turnover of personnel, or production capability and efficiency issues could materially impact our ability to cost effectively produce our products and meet customer demand.

Additionally, damage or disruption to our collective production or distribution capabilities resulting from weather, any potential effects of climate change, natural disaster, disease, crop spoilage, fire or explosion, terrorism, pandemics, strikes, repairs or enhancements at our facilities, or other reasons, could impair our ability to produce or sell our products. Failure to take adequate steps to mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or to effectively manage such events if they occur, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and may require additional resources to restore our supply chain.

We use multiple forms of transportation to bring our products to market. They include sea, truck and air-cargo. Transportation costs include ship and truck operating expenses, using chartered refrigerated ships and trucks and container equipment related costs. Disruption to the timely supply of these services or dramatic increases in the cost of these services for any reason including availability of fuel or labor for such services, labor disputes, governmental regulation, or governmental restrictions limiting specific forms of transportation could have an adverse effect on our ability to serve our customers and consumers and could have an adverse effect on our financial performance.

In particular, as a result of increased shipping demand as economies and markets reopen and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has experienced increases in transportation costs, decreases in the availability of shipping, and other global supply chain complexities, including labor shortages. Such complexities have and could continue to result in delays in customer shipments which may negatively impact our

To the extent that we experience increased costs, we may increase our prices, pass the increase along to customers, or otherwise take actions to offset the impacts. Further, competitive pressures and other factors may also limit our ability to quickly raise prices in response to increased costs. Accordingly, we may not be able to offset increased costs fully or at all, and there can be no assurances that increasing prices will fully mitigate the impact of these increases, which could adversely impact our results.

Our future success largely depends on the contributions of our management team, including Stephen Barnard, our CEO. We believe that these individuals’ expertise and knowledge about our industry and their respective fields and their relationships with other individuals in our industry are critical factors to our continued growth and success. We have had departures of members of senior management and other members of senior management could depart the Company . This could have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects. Our success also depends upon our ability to attract and retain additional qualified sales, marketing and other personnel.

Our employees are essential to our operations and our ability to farm, package and/or deliver our products. If we are unable to attract and retain enough skilled personnel at a reasonable cost, our results may be negatively affected.

Our internal computer systems and those of our current and any future partners, contractors and consultants are vulnerable to damage from cyber-attacks, computer viruses, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and electrical failures. System failures, accidents or security breaches can cause interruptions in our operations and can result in a material disruption of our business operations. Experienced computer programmers and hackers may be able to penetrate our information technology security and misappropriate or compromise our confidential information or that of third parties, create system disruptions or cause shutdowns, or develop and deploy viruses, worms, and other malicious software programs that attack our programs or otherwise exploit any security vulnerabilities of our products. In addition, sophisticated hardware and operating system software and applications that we produce or procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture, including “bugs” and other problems that could unexpectedly interfere with the operation of the system. The costs to us to eliminate or alleviate cyber or other security problems, bugs, viruses, worms, malicious software programs and security vulnerabilities could be significant, and our efforts to address these problems may not be successful and could result in interruptions, delays, cessation of service and loss of existing or potential customers that may impede our sales, production, distribution or other critical functions.

Portions of our information technology infrastructure may also experience interruptions, delays or cessations of service or produce errors in connection with systems integration or migration work that takes place from time to time. We have experienced difficulties, and may not be successful in the future, with implementing new systems and transitioning data, which have and could cause business disruptions. These difficulties have resulted in and may result in increased costs, time consuming and resource-intensive remediation efforts to address issues, and disruption to the business. Such disruptions have and could adversely impact our ability to fulfill orders and interrupt other key business processes. Any delayed sales, lower profit or lost customers resulting from these disruptions could adversely affect our financial results, stock price and reputation.

In the ordinary course of business, we collect, store, process and transmit confidential business information and certain personal information relating to customers, employees and suppliers. We are subject to data privacy and protection laws and regulations that apply to the collection, transmission, storage and use of personally-identifying information, which among other things, impose certain requirements relating to the privacy, security and transmission of personal information. The legislative and regulatory landscape for privacy and data protection continues to evolve in jurisdictions worldwide, and there has been an increasing focus on privacy and data protection issues with the potential to affect our business. Failure to comply with any of these laws and regulations could result in enforcement action against us, including fines, imprisonment of company officials and public censure, claims for damages by affected individuals, damage to our reputation and loss of goodwill, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. Ongoing efforts to comply with evolving laws and regulations may be costly and require ongoing modifications to our policies, procedures and systems.

Data privacy remains an evolving landscape at both the domestic and international level, with new regulations coming into effect. For example, in June 2018 the State of California enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”), which went into effect on January 1, 2020 and requires companies that process information on California residents to make new disclosures to consumers about their data collection, use and sharing practices, allow consumers to opt out of certain data sharing with third parties and provide a new cause of action for data breaches. In addition, in the European Economic Area, or EEA, and the United Kingdom we are subject to the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which went into effect in May 2018 and which imposes stringent data privacy and security requirements on companies in relation to the

It is possible that these laws may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with our practices and our efforts to comply with the evolving data protection rules may be unsuccessful. We must devote significant resources to understanding and complying with this changing landscape. Failure to comply with federal, state and international laws regarding privacy and security of personal information could expose us to penalties under such laws. Any such failure to comply with data protection and privacy laws could result in government-imposed fines or orders requiring that we change our practices, claims for damages or other liabilities, regulatory investigations and enforcement action, litigation and significant costs for remediation, any of which could adversely affect our business. Even if we are not determined to have violated these laws, government investigations into these issues typically require the expenditure of significant resources and generate negative publicity, which could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.

We are involved in various legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business including, among other things, disputes related to employee matters such as our pending class action lawsuits, disputes with respect to vendors or business partners and clients, as well as inquiries or investigations from governmental agencies. Some proceedings against us involve claims that are substantial in amount and could divert management's attention from operations. These proceedings also may result in substantial monetary damages. Further, the legal actions and government investigations could damage our reputation with investors and adversely affect the trading prices of our securities.

Consumer and institutional recognition of the Mission Produce trademark and related brands and the association of these brands with our sourcing, production and distribution of fresh avocados, and mangos are an integral part of our business. The occurrence of any events or rumors that cause consumers and/or institutions to no longer associate these brands with our products and services may materially adversely affect the value of our brand names and demand for our products and services.

In addition, one registered trademark that we own has been opposed and the registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names that we own or may own in the future may be challenged, infringed, declared generic, or determined to be infringing on or dilutive of other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights in these trademarks and trade names, which we need in order to build name recognition with potential customers. Moreover, third parties have and others may file for registration of trademarks similar or identical to our trademarks; if they succeed in registering or developing common law rights in such trademarks, and if we are not successful in challenging such third-party rights, we may not be able to use these trademarks to develop brand recognition of our technologies and products. Furthermore, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks or trademarks that incorporate variations of our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names. If we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, we may not be able to compete effectively, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We are subject to taxes in the U.S., Mexico, Peru and other countries. Due to economic and political conditions, tax rates in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change. Our effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, or changes in tax laws or their interpretation. On December 30, 2020, Peru enacted tax law repealing current tax law which provided benefits to agribusiness entities. The new law will subject us to higher Peruvian corporate income tax rates than our current rate of 15% as follows: 20% for calendar years 2023 to 2024, 25% for calendar years 2025 to 2027, and 29.5% thereafter.

We are also subject to the examination of our tax returns and other tax matters by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), the Servicio de Administracion Tributaria in Mexico (“SAT”), the Superintendencia Nacional de Administración Tributaria in Peru (“SUNAT”) and other tax authorities. We regularly assess the likelihood of an adverse outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of its provision for taxes. There can be no assurance as to the outcome of these examinations. If our effective tax rates were to increase, or if the ultimate determination of our taxes owed is for an amount in excess of amounts previously accrued, our financial condition, operating results and cash flows could be adversely affected.

Prior to our IPO in October 2020, there had been no public market for our common stock. Our common stock began trading on Nasdaq in October 2020, but we can provide no assurance that we will be able to maintain an active trading market for our common stock. Even if an active

Our stock price has been and is likely to continue to be volatile. The stock market has experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, investors may not be able to sell their common stock at or above the price at which they paid. The market price for our common stock may be influenced by those factors discussed in this “Risk Factors” section and many others.

Our executive officers, directors and greater than 5% stockholders, in the aggregate, own approximately 43% of our outstanding common stock as of October 31, 2021. Furthermore, many of our current directors were appointed by our principal stockholders. As a result, such persons or their appointees to our Board of Directors, acting together, have the ability to control or significantly influence all matters submitted to our Board of Directors or stockholders for approval, including the appointment of our management, the election and removal of directors and approval of any significant transaction, as well as our management and business affairs. This concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us, or discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our business, even if such a transaction would benefit other stockholders.

We have paid cash dividends on our capital stock in the past but cannot guarantee that we will continue to do so in the future. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon results of operations, financial condition, any contractual restrictions, our indebtedness, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our Board of Directors deems relevant. Any return to stockholders will therefore be limited to the appreciation of their stock. Shares of our common stock may not appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which stockholders have purchased their shares.

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, which require, among other things, that we file with the SEC, annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and financial condition. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as well as rules subsequently adopted by the SEC and Nasdaq to implement provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, impose significant requirements on public companies, including requiring establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. Further, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the SEC has adopted additional rules and regulations in these areas, such as mandatory “say on pay” voting requirements. Stockholder activism, the current political environment and the current high level of government intervention and regulatory reform may lead to substantial new regulations and disclosure obligations, including with respect to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) matters, which may lead to additional compliance costs and impact the manner in which we operate our business in ways we cannot currently anticipate.

We expect the rules and regulations applicable to public companies to substantially increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time consuming. If these requirements divert the attention of our management and personnel from other business concerns, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The increased costs will decrease our net income or increase our net loss, and may require us to reduce costs in other areas of our business. For example, these rules and regulations have made it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, requiring us to incur substantial costs to maintain the same or similar coverage. We cannot predict or estimate the amount or timing of additional costs we may incur to respond to these requirements. The impact of these requirements could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our Board of Directors, our board committees or as executive officers.

The trading market for our common stock depends in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If no securities or industry analysts commence or continue coverage of our company, the trading price for our stock would be negatively impacted. In the event we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage, if one or more of the analysts who

Pursuant to Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley, our management is required to report upon the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting beginning with the annual report for our fiscal year ending October 31, 2021. Our independent registered public accounting firm is required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. The rules governing the standards that must be met for management to assess our internal control over financial reporting are complex and require significant documentation, testing and possible remediation. To comply with the requirements of being a reporting company under the Exchange Act, we have implemented additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures; and hired additional accounting and finance staff. If we or, if required, our auditors are unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting and the trading price of our common stock may decline.

There could be material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. Any failure to maintain internal control over financial reporting could severely inhibit our ability to accurately report our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. If we are unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm determines we have a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, the market price of our common stock could decline, and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. Failure to remedy any material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, or to implement or maintain other effective control systems required of public companies, could also restrict our future access to the capital markets.

Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control of us that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, thereby depressing the market price of our common stock. In addition, these provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of our Board of Directors. Because our Board of Directors is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these provisions could in turn affect any attempt by our stockholders to replace current members of our management team. These provisions provide, among other things, that:

Moreover, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a person who owns in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock from merging or combining with us for a

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative form, the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on our behalf; (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or stockholders owed to us or our stockholders; (iii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time); or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine. We believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law by chancellors particularly experienced in resolving corporate disputes, efficient administration of cases on a more expedited schedule relative to other forums and protection against the burdens of multi-forum litigation.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act, the Securities Act or any claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. If any such action is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “foreign action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder will be deemed to have consented to (a) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce such actions and (b) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such stockholder.

This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions.

The terms of our credit facility contain a number of restrictive covenants, including customary operating restrictions that limit our ability to engage in such activities as borrowing and making investments, capital expenditures and distributions on our capital stock, and engaging in mergers, acquisitions and asset sales. We are also subject to customary financial covenants, including a leverage ratio and a fixed coverage ratio. These covenants restrict the amount of our borrowings, reducing our flexibility to fund ongoing operations and strategic initiatives. These borrowing arrangements are described in more detail in “Liquidity and Capital Resources” under Part II, Item 7 and in Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements under Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report. Compliance with some of these covenants is based on financial measures derived from our operating results. If economic conditions deteriorate, we may experience material adverse impacts to our business and operating results, such as through reduced customer demand and inflation. A decline in our business could make us unable to maintain compliance with these financial covenants, in which case we may be restricted in how we manage our business and deploy capital, including by limiting our ability to make acquisitions and dispositions and pay dividends. In addition, if we are unable to maintain compliance with our financial covenants or otherwise breach the covenants that we are subject to under our credit facility, our lenders could demand immediate payment of amounts outstanding and we would need to seek alternate financing sources to pay off such debts and to fund our ongoing operations. Such financing may not be available on favorable terms, if at all. In addition, our term loans are secured by real property, personal property and the capital stock of our subsidiaries. If we cannot repay all amounts that we have borrowed under our term loans, our lenders could proceed against our assets.

None.

Our principal operating, distribution and packing facilities as of October 31, 2021 were as follows:

We own/lease approximately 12,000 acres of land under our farming operations. Our principal farming properties as of October 31, 2021 were as follows:

We believe that our facilities are adequate to meet our current needs, and that suitable additional alternative spaces will be available in the future on commercially reasonable terms, if required. For additional information, see Note 6 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

We are from time to time involved in legal proceedings and investigations arising in the ordinary course of business, including those relating to employment matters, relationships with clients and contractors, intellectual property disputes and other business matters.

On April 23, 2020, former Mission Produce, Inc. employees filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles against us alleging violation of certain wage and labor laws in California, including failure to pay all overtime wages, minimum wage violations, and meal and rest period violations, among others. Additionally, on June 10, 2020, former Mission Produce, Inc. employees filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Ventura against us alleging similar violations of certain wage and labor laws. The plaintiffs in both cases seek damages primarily consisting of class certification and payment of wages earned and owed, plus other consequential and special damages. While the Company believes that it did not violate any wage or labor laws, it nevertheless decided to settle these class action lawsuits. In May 2021, the plaintiffs in both class action lawsuits and the Company agreed preliminarily to a comprehensive settlement to resolve both class action cases for a total of $0.8 million, which the Company recorded as a loss contingency in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income during the three months ended April 30, 2021. The parties executed a stipulation of settlement agreement on such terms in November 2021. This preliminary settlement is subject to approval by the applicable courts.

The outcomes of our legal proceedings and other contingencies are inherently unpredictable, subject to significant uncertainties, and if one or more legal matters were resolved against the Company in a reporting period for amounts above management’s expectations, the Company’s financial condition and operating results for that period could be materially adversely affected.

None.

Our common stock has been publicly traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “AVO” since our IPO on October 1, 2020, which was completed at a price to the public of $12.00 per share. Prior to our IPO, there was no public market for our common stock.

We had 34 shareholders of record of our common stock as of December 1, 2021. This number was derived from our shareholder records and does not include holders of our common stock whose shares are held in the name of various dealers, clearing agencies, banks, brokers and other fiduciaries.

We have paid cash dividends on our capital stock in the past but cannot guarantee that we will continue to do so in the future. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, business prospects, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our Board of Directors deems relevant.

See Item 12 of Part III of this annual report on Form 10-K for information about our equity compensation plans which is incorporated by reference herein.

The following performance graph shows a comparison from October 1, 2020 (the date our common stock commenced trading on the Nasdaq Global Market) through October 29, 2021, of the cumulative total return for our common stock, the Nasdaq Composite Total Return Index, and the Nasdaq US Smart Food & Beverage Total Return Index. The graph assumes $100 was invested on October 1, 2020 in Mission Produce common stock, or the respective indices, with the associated plots indicating the relative performance as of the last day of trading prior to the fiscal year end date.

None.

On September 30, 2020, our registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-248596) was declared effective by the SEC for our IPO. At the closing of the offering on October 5, 2020, we sold 8,000,000 shares of common stock, including 1,750,000 shares sold by certain selling stockholders, at a public offering price of $12.00 per share. Also in October 2020, we sold an additional 1,200,000 shares at $12.00 per share to underwriters at their option, under the provision of the offering. We received gross proceeds of $89.4 million, which resulted in net proceeds to us of $78.1 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of $6.3 million and offering-related transaction costs of $5.0 million. The selling stockholders received gross proceeds of $21 million. None of the expenses associated with the IPO were paid to directors, officers, persons owning 10% or more of any class of equity securities, or to their associates, or to our affiliates. BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. There has been no change in our planned use of proceeds from our IPO contained in our registration statement on Form S-1/A.

None.

Not applicable.

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this annual report. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements based upon our current beliefs, plans and expectations that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Please refer to the section of this report under the heading “Forward Looking Statements.”

We are a world leader in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh avocados, serving retail, wholesale and foodservice customers. We source, produce, pack and distribute avocados to our customers and provide value-added services including ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In addition, we provide our customers with merchandising and promotional support, insights on market trends and training designed to increase their retail avocado sales.

We have two operating segments, which are also reporting segments. These reporting segments are Marketing and Distribution and International Farming. Our Marketing and Distribution reporting segment primarily sources fruit from growers and then distributes the fruit through our global distribution network. Our International Farming segment owns and operates orchards from which substantially all fruit produced is sold to our Marketing and Distribution segment. The segment’s farming activities range from cultivating early-stage plantings to harvesting from mature trees. The segment also earns service revenues for packing and processing for producers of other crops during the avocado off-harvest season. The International Farming segment is principally located in Peru, with smaller operations emerging in other areas of Latin America.

In fiscal 2021, we completed one of our major capital projects, a new mega-distribution center in Laredo, Texas. Serving as a major hub for avocados coming from Mexico into the United States, the 262,000-square-foot facility is positioned to funnel product into the rest of the distribution centers in Mission’s advanced network. The facility is designed with state-of-the-art refrigeration, ripening rooms and pallet cooling capabilities, and has the capability to provide logistics support and transportation services, in addition to cold storage, bagging operations and packing for external enterprises, which we anticipate will generate additional revenue and value for the Company. Mission’s Laredo mega center is positioned to strengthen the Company’s advantage in the avocado sector and is expected to increase its third-party storage and distribution

In our International Farming segment, we have made significant investments this year in orchard development and land improvements in Guatemala and Peru. Our expansion into Guatemala will diversify our sourcing mix on owned fruit. After planting, our avocado trees begin to produce avocados in approximately three years and reach full production in approximately five to seven years, depending on location.

The operating results of our businesses are significantly impacted by the price and volume of avocados we farm, source and distribute. In addition, our results have been, and will continue to be, affected by quarterly and annual fluctuations due to a number of factors, including but not limited to pests and disease, weather patterns, changes in demand by consumers, food safety advisories, the timing of the receipt, reduction, or cancellation of significant customer orders, the gain or loss of significant customers, the availability, quality and price of raw materials, the utilization of capacity at our various locations and general economic conditions.

Our financial reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. The functional currency of substantially all of our subsidiaries is the U.S. dollar and substantially all of our sales are denominated in U.S. dollars. A significant portion of our purchases of avocados are denominated in the Mexican Peso and a significant portion of our growing and harvesting costs are denominated in Peruvian Soles. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and these local currencies usually do not have a significant impact on our gross margin because the impact affects our pricing by comparable amounts. Our margin exposure to exchange rate fluctuations is short-term in nature, as our sales price commitments are generally limited to less than one month and orders can primarily be serviced with procured inventory. Over longer periods of time, we believe that the impact exchange rate fluctuations will have on our cost of goods sold will largely be passed on to our customers in the form of higher or lower prices.

Our net sales are generated predominantly from the shipment of fresh avocados to retail, wholesale and foodservice customers worldwide. Our net sales are affected by numerous factors, including mainly the balance between the supply of and demand for our produce and competition from other fresh produce companies. Our net sales are also dependent on our ability to supply a consistent volume and quality of fresh produce to the markets we serve.

Net sales increased $29.4 million or 3% in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020, primarily due to a 5% increase in avocado volume sold, partially offset by a 2% decrease in average per-unit avocado sales prices, both of which were driven by increased supply from Mexico and Peru. Higher volumes and lower pricing were concentrated in the first half of the fiscal year when Mexico was the country of origin for the majority of the fruit sold.

Net sales decreased $21.0 million or 2% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 primarily due to a 12% decrease in average per unit sales prices partially offset by an 11% increase in volume. Average price decreases were concentrated in the second half of fiscal year 2020 primarily due to strong industry supply relative to prior year in California and Peru related to weather conditions.

Cost of sales is composed primarily of avocado procurement costs from independent growers and packers, logistics costs, packaging costs, labor, costs associated with cultivation (the cost of growing crops), harvesting and depreciation. Avocado procurement costs from third-party suppliers can vary significantly between and within fiscal years and correlate closely with market prices for avocados. While we have long-standing relationships with our growers and packers, we predominantly purchase fruit on a daily basis at market rates. As such, the cost to procure products from independent growers can have a significant impact on our costs.

Logistics costs include land and sea transportation and expenses related to port facilities and distribution centers. Land transportation costs consist primarily of third-party trucking services to support North American distribution, while sea transportation cost consists primarily of third-party shipping of refrigerated containers from supply markets in South and Central America to demand markets in North America, Europe and Asia. Variations in containerboard prices, which affect the cost of boxes and other packaging materials, and fuel prices can have an impact on our product cost and our profit margins. Variations in the production yields, and other input costs also affect our cost of sales.

In general, changes in our volume of products sold can have a disproportionate effect on our gross profit. Within any particular year, a significant portion of our cost of products are fixed, particularly in our International Farming segment. Accordingly, higher volumes processed through packing and distribution facilities or produced on company-owned farms directly reduce the average cost per pound of fruit grown on company owned orchards, while lower volumes directly increase the average cost per pound of fruit grown on company owned orchards.

Gross profit was nearly flat in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020 at $124.5 million, and gross profit percentage decreased by 40 basis points to 14.0% of revenue. The declines were due to lower per-unit margins related to sourcing of Californian and Mexican fruit, which were exacerbated by lower industry volumes from the California market as well as smaller fruit sizes from the Mexican market. Additionally, gross margin was impacted by incremental infrastructure costs related to our new Laredo facility within the Marketing & Distribution segment, which is still in the process of ramping up utilization. Gross margin was also negatively impacted by widespread port delays in the fourth quarter, which created quality issues related to the extended age of inventory on late-season fruit which impacted sales returns. These impacts were substantially offset by higher volume of avocados sold from Company-owned farms within our International Farming segment compared to prior year, which had lower per-unit cost than fruit purchased from third-party growers. Gross profit percentage will fluctuate based upon per-unit sales price levels.

Gross profit decreased fiscal year 2020 over fiscal year 2019 as a result of lower gross margin percentage partially offset by higher sales volumes. Our gross margin percentage decreased 310 basis points primarily due to higher third-party fruit costs during first quarter of fiscal year 2020 compared to the same period of last year. The market conditions experienced during the early part of fiscal year 2019 were non-recurring in nature, as customer prices remained steady despite significant declines in fruit costs incurred due to the instability of supply from Mexico. In addition, gross profit in the International Farming segment was negatively impacted by lower sales pricing during the second half of fiscal year 2020 due to larger industry volumes from California and Peru relative to prior year.

Selling, general and administrative expenses primarily include the costs associated with selling, professional fees, general corporate overhead and other related administrative functions.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $7.4 million or 13% in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020 due primarily to higher professional fees and higher liability insurance premiums associated with being a public company and the change in SEC filer status from an emerging growth company to a large accelerated filer on October 31, 2021. Other factors included an increase in rent expense in conjunction with our move to our new corporate headquarters in February 2021, and a legal settlement contingency of $0.8 million, partially offset by a $0.9 million gain from an insurance settlement, net of asset impairment and disposals.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $8.0 million or 17% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 primarily due to higher stock-based compensation expense due to an award that vested during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020 in connection with the successful completion of our IPO.

Interest expense consists primarily of interest on borrowings under working capital facilities that we maintain and interest on other long-term debt used to make capital and equity investments.

Interest expense decreased $3.0 million or 45% in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020 due to a combination of lower interest rates and lower average principal balances. A substantial portion of our debt has variable interest rates that are based on LIBOR, which has declined significantly since the first half of fiscal year 2020.

Interest expense decreased $3.6 million or 35% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 due to a combination of lower interest rates and lower average debt balances. A substantial portion of our debt has variable interest rates that are based on LIBOR, which has declined significantly since fiscal year 2019. Average debt balances were lower reflecting principal payments of existing long-term debt as well as prepayments of term debt that were made in fiscal year 2019.

Our material equity method investees include Henry Avocado (“HAC”), Mr. Avocado, Moruga, and Copaltas.

Equity method income increased $3.5 million or 88% in in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020, driven by higher earnings from investments in Moruga and HAC. Moruga’s earnings increased due to higher blueberry volume attributed to improved yields and better pricing returns. HAC’s earnings increased due to higher per-unit margins. The impact of COVID-19 related stay at-home orders that went into effect in March 2020 were more profound to HAC due to their heavier concentration of foodservice customers.

Equity method income increased $0.6 million or 18% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 due to earnings increases from Moruga due to the timing of blueberry harvests in Peru, partially offset by a decrease in earnings from Henry Avocado.

Other income (expense), net consists of interest income, currency exchange gains or losses, interest rate derivative gains or losses and other miscellaneous income and expense items.

Other income in fiscal year 2021 was $1.3 million, compared to other expense of $0.7 million in fiscal year 2020. The $2.0 million change was primarily due to losses on interest rate swaps in the prior year, driven by market movements in short-term interest rates, partially offset by the effect of foreign currency loss in the current year compared to gains in the previous year. The significant weakening of the Mexican peso relative to the U.S. dollar and the substantial reduction in LIBOR in fiscal 2020 were correlated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other expense decreased $2.9 million or 81% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 primarily due to foreign currency gains resulting from the weakening of the Mexican peso exchange rate relative to the US dollar and higher interest income due to higher average cash balances, partially offset by higher losses on interest rate contracts driven by market movements in short-term interest rates during fiscal year 2020.

The provision for income taxes consists of the consolidation of tax provisions, computed on a separate entity basis, in each country in which we have operations. We recognize the effects of tax legislation in the period in which the law is enacted. Our deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years we estimate the related temporary differences to reverse. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon future earnings, the timing and amount of which are uncertain.

We recognize a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized within provision for income taxes.

The provision for income taxes increased $6.1 million or 41% in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020, primarily due to remeasurement of our deferred tax balances in Peru due to the enactment of tax rate changes for future years. The effective tax rate decreased by 2.2% in fiscal year 2021 over fiscal year 2020. The decrease was primarily due to the nondeductible impairment of Moruga in fiscal year 2020, partially offset by increases in the Peruvian tax rates. On December 30, 2020, Peru enacted tax law repealing current tax law which provided benefits to agribusiness entities. The new law will subject us to higher Peruvian corporate income tax rates than our current rate of 15% as follows: 20% for calendar years 2023 to 2024, 25% for calendar years 2025 to 2027, and 29.5% thereafter. We remeasured our deferred tax balances based on the applicable tax rate in the year the deferred balances are expected to reverse. The increase to the net deferred tax liability for the change in Peruvian tax rate resulted in a $5.4 million increase to tax expense in fiscal year 2021.

The provision for income taxes decreased $9.3 million or 38% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019. The effective tax rate increased by 8.9% in fiscal year 2020 over fiscal year 2019. The higher effective tax rate was primarily due to the (i) nondeductible impairment of Moruga in fiscal year 2020, (ii) nondeductible executive compensation incurred as a result of the IPO in fiscal year 2020, and (iii) tax benefit related to net operating loss (“NOL”) carryback provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES Act”) enacted in March 2020. The NOL carryback provisions allow the Company to carryback its fiscal year 2018 NOL to offset taxable income on a previously filed tax return. The result is a revaluation of deferred tax assets due to the utilization of NOLs at a higher tax rate in the carryback period.

Our CEO evaluates and monitors segment performance primarily through segment sales and segment adjusted earnings before interest expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization (“adjusted EBITDA”). We believe that adjusted EBITDA by segment provides useful information for analyzing the underlying business results as well as allowing investors a means to evaluate the financial results of each reportable segment in relation to the Company as a whole. These measures are not in accordance with, nor are they a substitute for or superior to, the comparable GAAP financial measures.

Adjusted EBITDA refers to net income (loss), before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization expense, stock-based compensation expense, other income (expense), and income (loss) from equity method investees, further adjusted by asset impairment and disposals, net of insurance recoveries, legal settlement, farming costs for nonproductive orchards (which represents land lease costs), and any special, non-recurring, or one-time items such as impairments that are excluded from the results the CEO reviews uses to assess segment performance and results.

Net sales in our Marketing and Distribution segment increased $25.1 million or 3% in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020, due to the same drivers impacting consolidated revenue.

Segment adjusted EBITDA decreased $16.8 million or 25% in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020 due to lower gross margins and higher selling, general and administrative expenses. Gross margin was impacted by tighter per-unit margins related to the sourcing of Californian and Mexican fruit, which were exacerbated by smaller industry volumes within the California market as well as smaller fruit sizes within the Mexican market. Additionally, gross margin was pressured by incremental infrastructure costs related to our new Laredo facility, which is still in the process of ramping up utilization. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased due to the same factors as described above.

Net sales decreased $26.8 million or 3% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 primarily due to a 12% decrease in average per unit sales prices partially offset by an 11% increase in volume. Average price decreases were concentrated in the second half of fiscal year 2020 primarily due to strong industry supply in California and Peru, relative to prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA decreased $19.8 million or 23% in fiscal year 2020 over fiscal year 2019 primarily due to lower gross profit per pound of avocados sold. The decrease in gross margin was due primarily to the benefit of lower third-party fruit costs during the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. The market conditions experienced in the prior year period were non-recurring in nature, as customer prices remained steady despite significant declines in fruit costs due to the instability of supply from Mexico.

Substantially all sales of fruit from our International Farming segment are to the Marketing and Distribution segment, with the remainder of revenue largely derived from services provided to third parties. Affiliated sales are concentrated in the second half of the fiscal year in alignment with the Peruvian avocado harvest season, which typically runs from April through August of each year. As a result, adjusted EBITDA for International Farming is generally concentrated in the third and fourth quarters of the fiscal year in alignment with sales.

Total segment sales in our International Farming segment increased $22.8 million or 28% in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020, due to a 33% increase in fruit volumes resulting from improved harvest yields at our maturing orchards, partially offset by a 3% decrease in average

Segment adjusted EBITDA increased $10.6 million or 45% in fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020, primarily due to the revenue drivers noted above.

Total segment sales decreased $8.5 million or 9% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 primarily due to lower per unit sales pricing on the sale of avocados. Average sales prices declined by 24%, driven by strong industry supply during the harvest window which was concentrated in the second half of the fiscal year. The impact of lower sales pricing was partially offset by a 20% increase in volume harvested during fiscal year 2020. Volume increases were driven by improved production yields resulting from maturity of our avocado orchards. Net sales in our International Farming segment increased $5.8 million or 60% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 primarily due to higher packing and processing service revenues provided to third-party growers driven by their higher volumes.

Adjusted EBITDA decreased $11.7 million or 33% in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 primarily due to lower sales which was driven by lower pricing during the second half of fiscal year 2020. Adjusted EBITDA for International Farming is generally concentrated in the third and fourth quarters of our fiscal year in alignment with the harvest season for avocados in Peru.

Net cash provided by operating activities decreased $31.9 million for fiscal year 2021 compared to fiscal year 2020, reflecting unfavorable net change in working capital. Within working capital, unfavorable changes in accounts receivable and inventory, were partially offset by favorable changes in grower payables. Accounts receivable increases were due to rising per-unit sales prices during the year. Changes in inventory were driven by a combination of higher farm related inventory in Peru, as well as higher per-unit cost of Mexican fruit on-hand compared to prior year. The increases in farm related inventory were due primarily to growth in productive acreage and higher on-hand quantities of fruit at the end of the year due to the extension of the harvest season combined with port delays. Favorable changes in grower payables were correlated with the pricing increases experienced with Mexican inventory.

Net cash provided by operating activities decreased $13.7 million in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019, reflecting lower net income, favorable net change in working capital, and higher stock-based compensation expense. Within working capital, favorable changes in inventory and trade accounts receivables were partially offset by unfavorable changes in grower payables and miscellaneous receivables. The decrease in pricing on third-party fruit during the second half of fiscal year 2020 resulted in lower revenue and lower cost-basis, resulting in lower trade accounts receivable and inventory balances, as well as lower grower payables balances as of October 31, 2020. Changes in miscellaneous receivables were largely due to change in value-added tax (“VAT”) receivable, which is correlated with the timing of material purchases and claim activity. We also experienced an increase in other assets attributable to implementation costs associated with cloud-based computing software solutions.

In both fiscal years 2021 and 2020, capital expenditures were primarily for the construction of the Laredo facility, which was completed in mid-fiscal 2021, and land improvements and orchard development in Peru and Guatemala.

In both fiscal years 2021 and 2020, proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment were primarily from the sale of multi-unit housing properties in California that had been used for housing seasonal avocado labor contractors.

Net proceeds from our IPO in October 2020 were $78.1 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and issuance costs. We intend to use the proceeds for growth-related capital expenditures, working capital and other general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment of indebtedness, and funding future acquisitions (if any).

We utilize a revolving line of credit for short-term working capital purposes. Principal payments on our term loans and other notes payable are made in accordance with debt maturity schedules. During the year ended October 31, 2021, we repaid outstanding principal of $3.0 million on a note payable earlier than its scheduled maturity.

Capital resources include cash flows from operations, cash and cash equivalents, and debt financing.

We have a syndicated credit facility with Bank of America, N.A., comprised of two term loans and a revolving credit facility (“revolver”) that provides up to $100 million in borrowings that will expire in October 2023. The credit facility also includes a swing line facility and an accordion feature which allows us to increase the borrowings by up to $125 million, with bank approval. We did not have any outstanding borrowings under the revolver as of October 31, 2021 and 2020. Interest on the revolver bears rates at a spread over LIBOR that varies with our leverage ratio. As of October 31, 2021 and 2020, interest rates on the revolver were 1.84% and 1.90%, respectively.

As of October 31, 2021, we were required to comply with the following financial covenants: (a) a quarterly consolidated leverage ratio of not more than 2.75 to 1.00 and (b) a quarterly consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.50 to 1.00. As of October 31, 2021, our consolidated leverage ratio was 1.26 to 1.00 and our consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio was 2.52 to 1.00 and we were in compliance with all such covenants of the credit facility. The loans are secured by real property, personal property and the capital stock of our subsidiaries. We pay fees on unused commitments on the credit facility.

We have various capital projects in progress for farming expansion and facility improvements which we intend to fund through our operating cash flow as well as cash and cash equivalents on hand.

We are party to various operating leases for facilities, land, and equipment. As of October 31, 2021, our undiscounted cash liabilities for operating leases were $74.9 million, with maturities ranging up through fiscal 2048. We also have a small number of finance leases, with undiscounted cash liabilities of $3.9 million, due up through 2024. See Note 6 “Leases,” to the consolidated financial statements for more information.

As of October 31, 2021, remaining maturities on our term loans and notes were $164.3 million. See Note 5 “Debt,” to the consolidated financial statements for more information.

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Additionally, we frequently engage third party valuation experts to assist us with estimates described below. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized within provision for income taxes.

The application of tax laws and regulations is subject to legal and factual interpretation, judgment and uncertainty. Tax laws and regulations themselves are subject to change as a result of changes in fiscal policy, changes in legislation, the evolution of regulations and court rulings. Therefore, the actual liability for U.S. or foreign taxes may be materially different from management’s estimates, which could result in the need to record additional tax liabilities or potentially reverse previously recorded tax liabilities.

Refer to Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included herein for information on recently issued accounting standards.

The Company previously qualified as an emerging growth company (“EGC”) until October 31, 2021, when it no longer qualified based on its status as a Large Accelerated Filer and accordingly, must comply with all financial disclosure and governance requirements applicable to Large Accelerated Filers.

During the periods presented we did not have, nor do we currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined under SEC rules.

Our cash and cash equivalents consist of cash in readily available checking accounts and money market funds. As a result, the fair value of our portfolio is relatively insensitive to interest rate changes. Our long-term debt bears interest at a variable rate. A 10% increase or decrease in the interest rate on our long-term debt would not have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

The majority of our sales are currently conducted in U.S. dollars, while a significant portion of our input costs are denominated in foreign currencies. Due to our short inventory turn-time and short-term pricing, transactions that may be conducted in foreign currencies are not expected

Inflation generally affects us by increasing our cost of labor, material, transportation, and general overhead costs, which we have historically been able to recover through sales price increases. However, we cannot reasonably estimate our ability to successfully recover any impact of inflation through price increases in the future.

The financial statements required pursuant to this item are incorporated by reference herein from the applicable information included in Item 15 of this annual report and are presented beginning on page F-1.

None.

Our management, with the participation and supervision of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, have evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives, and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost‑benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of October 31, 2021.

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act). Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP.

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework set forth in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on that evaluation, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of October 31, 2021.

The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2021 has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in its report which is included below.

The attestation report of the independent registered public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is included below under the heading “Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.”

Other than described below, there have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the year ended October 31, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Our management does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within our Company have been detected.

None.

The information required by this item will be contained in our definitive proxy statement to be filed with the SEC in connection with our 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or the Definitive Proxy Statement, which is expected to be filed not later than 120 days after the end of our fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, under the headings “Election of Directors,” “Executive Officers,” and “Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports,” and is incorporated herein by reference.

We have adopted a Code of Conduct and Ethics that applies to our officers, directors and employees, which is available on our website at www.missionproduce.com. The Code of Conduct and Ethics contains general guidelines for conducting the business of our company consistent with the highest standards of business ethics and is intended to qualify as a “code of ethics” within the meaning of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Item 406 of Regulation S-K. In addition, we intend to promptly disclose (1) the nature of any amendment to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions and (2) the nature of any waiver, including an implicit waiver, from a provision of our code of ethics that is granted to one of these specified officers, the name of such person who is granted the waiver and the date of the waiver on our website in the future.

The information required by this item will be set forth in the section headed “Executive Compensation” in our Definitive Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this item will be set forth in the section headed “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” in our Definitive Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by Item 201(d) of Regulation S-K will be set forth in the section headed “Executive Compensation” in our Definitive Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this item will be set forth in the section headed “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” “Director Independence” and “Board Committees and Charters” in our Definitive Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this item will be set forth in the section headed “Fees Billed by Deloitte for 2020 and 2021” in our Definitive Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

The financial statements of Mission Produce, Inc., together with the report thereon of Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, are included in this annual report on Form 10-K beginning on page F-1.

All schedules have been omitted because the required information is not present or is not present in amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedule, or because the information required is included in the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.

Not applicable.

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on December 22, 2021.

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Stephen J. Barnard and Bryan E. Giles, or either of them, his or her attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K and to file the same, with Exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or substitute or substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this annual report has been signed below on December 22, 2021, by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Mission Produce, Inc and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of October 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended October 31, 2021, of the Company and our report dated December 22, 2021, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and included an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s adoption new accounting standards.

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Mission Produce, Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of October 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, shareholders' equity, and cash flows, for each of the three years in the period ended October 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of October 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended October 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated December 22, 2021, expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has changed its method of accounting for leases effective November 1, 2020 due to the adoption of FASB ASC Topic 842, Leases, using the modified retrospective approach. Additionally, as discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has changed its method of accounting for income taxes effective November 1, 2020 due to the adoption of FASB ASU 2019-12, Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current-period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

As a multinational corporation, the Company is subject to taxation in many jurisdictions, and the calculation of tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws and regulations in various taxing jurisdictions. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary in Mexico is currently under audit for the fiscal year 2013 and received certain proposed adjustments during fiscal year 2018 from the Mexican taxing authorities. During June 2018, the Company filed an administrative appeal challenging the 2013 tax assessment. The Company is currently waiting for the resolution of the appeal to be issued.

The Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not the tax position will be sustained on examination by taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements for such a position is measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. As of October 31, 2021, uncertain tax positions were $15.7 million.

Given the determination of whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions challenged by Mexican taxing authorities will be sustained on examination requires management to make significant judgments related to the application of tax laws and regulations, performing audit procedures to evaluate the Company’s interpretation and compliance with tax laws involved a high degree of auditor judgment and an increased extent of effort, including the need to involve our income tax specialists.

Our audit procedures related to the determination of whether it is more likely than not that the Company’s uncertain tax positions challenged by Mexican taxing authorities will be realized included the following, among others: