Beloved TV Personality Produce Pete Died at 80 Years Old, After Three Decades at NBC

Peter Napolitano, also known as Produce Pete, was a beloved produce expert and a mainstay on NBC News. On weekends, he would use his vast knowledge of fruits and vegetables to inform and entertain people watching NBC.

Pete sadly died in late January 2026, at 80 years old. He spent more than 30 years on air with NBC New York and was considered a "beloved member of the station family."

NBC did not disclose Produce Pete's cause of death. However, Hindustan Times reports that he had a heart condition and underwent a triple bypass surgery on his heart in June 2025. A Facebook post at the time announced that Pete's surgery had gone well. The update said that they expected Pete to have a "quick recovery" and were "so pleased that everything went so well."

Whether or not Pete's heart condition was related to his cause of death has not been confirmed.

Pete was born in Bergenfield, New Jersey, in February 1945, per NBC New York. His family had a produce store called Napolitano's Produce, and Pete acquired his vast knowledge of fruit and vegetables while working there.

Pete's father had always worked in produce, but it was Pete's mother who inspired the family store. She saw an empty lot and had the idea to sell watermelons there while Pete's father worked elsewhere, per People. She had great success selling there, and the lot eventually became the family store.

On Produce Pete's website, he credited his mother for his success. He wrote, "When people always say to me, your father had a great business, I always thank them with a little smile, if it wasn't for mom, who knows what would have been; Produce Pete may never have existed."

Pete was humble. When he appeared on the Today show in 2025, he shared, "I come from immigrant people. My father came here from Italy. No education, no nothing. And then, you know, I got lucky 35 years ago when someone was in my store and put me on a local show."

Pete and his wife, Bette, met as teenagers. The eventually had two kids and seven grandchildren. Pete would often have his family members join him during his segments throughout the years, per NBC.

The Senior Vice President of News for NBC 4 New York said, "[Produce Pete] was a beloved member of our station family and our viewers felt the same way — visiting him at our Health Expo, our Feeding our Families Food Drives, or the many farmers markets across New Jersey where he always felt right at home."

"On behalf of all of us at WNBC, we extend our deepest condolences to Produce Pete’s family — his beloved wife Bette, his children, and his grandchildren," said the President and General Manager of NBC New York, Eric Lerner.

After Pete's passing, people flocked to his social media pages to share their love and condolences on his recent posts. One fan wrote, "With all that’s going on in the world today, hearing of Produce Pete’s passing has hit really hard! It won’t be Saturday or Sunday morning without his smiling face. To his family, thank you for sharing this wonderful man with the whole tri-state area and beyond. He will be sorely missed."