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Produce Pete cause of death: What happened to Peter Napolitano? All on his illnesses
Produce Pete (Peter Napolitano) the iconic NYC grocer and chef who hosted a weekly produce segment on NBC affiliates for 33 years, has died. He was 80.
Peter Napolitano, best known as 'Produce Pete,' was an iconic grocer and chef from New York City who ran a weekly fruit and vegetable segment on NBC affiliate channels for over 33 years, has passed away. He was 80.
Steven Bognar, the managing editor of NBC 4 New York confirmed Napolitano's death in a post on X. “His warmth, kindness and love for his work will be missed by all of us,” Bognar added.
The 80-year-old is a regular feature of Saturday morning on NBC's Today! show was known for his trademark line: “If you eat right, you’re going to live right!”
It is because of this line that many of the ardent viewers of Produce Pete - many who have grown up watching Napolitano on TV, wanted to know about what happened to the iconic New Yorker.
However, as of now, the cause of death for Produce Pete has not been revealed.
Produce Pete Illnesses: What Happened To Him?
Though Produce Pete's cause of death was not revealed, it is known that the TV host suffered from a heart condition. Back in June 2025, his Facebook page shared that Produce Pete was suffering from a heart condition and underwent a triple bypass surgery.
The update from June 2025 stated that “after many doctors visits he (Produce Pete) was sent to Cleveland clinic and had successful triple bypass surgery, we think he will have a quick recovery and are so pleased everything went so well.”
However, it is unclear if Peter Napolitano's death was linked to the heart condition.
Produce Pete was a beloved New York City food icon and tributes poured in as the news of his passing broke. He was born in Bergenfield, New Jersey, in February 1945, per his obituary on NBC.
