Frutura makes significant move into berries and cherries

REEDLEY, CA – Frutura, the global sales and marketing platform designed to supply international customers with high-quality fruit, 365 days a year, has announced their intent to accelerate their berry capabilities in a meaningful way. Agreements-to-acquire all company assets have been signed with Giddings Fruit and Sun Belle.

“The agreements we announce today are among the most significant acquisitions Frutura has made to date,” said David Krause, Frutura’s CEO. “These simply feel like deals destined to happen. Common ownership will unlock the value of these two tremendous companies in a profound way, for both our customers and grower-partners.”

Giddings Fruit, headquartered in Santiago, is a leading global supplier of organic and conventional berries and cherries. Giddings has massive berry growing and packing operations in Mexico and South America;  Chile-based Giddings’ Cerasus is an important international cherry grower and marketer. Critical to Frutura’s strategy, is Giddings’ enviable position ‘as close to a 52-week supplier’ of premium berries and cherries as it is possible to be.

Sun Belle, based by Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, is a year-round marketer of a full line of conventional and organic berries, principally sold under the Sun Belle and Green Belle brands. The company works closely with international and domestic grower-partners to optimize fruit quality and to source desirable new varieties. Sun Belle has built a superb infrastructure and distribution platform, with five U.S. warehouse operations, assuring customers of reliable and prompt deliveries of fresh, high-quality berries.

Frutura anticipates a smooth integration as Sun Belle and Giddings have enjoyed a deep, decades-long relationship. The companies have worked closely together on distribution, marketing and logistics, with Sun Belle serving as the exclusive sales agent for Giddings’ berries grown in Mexico. Additionally, the two companies share a well-deserved reputation as innovators in berry varietal genetics through Giddings’ Black Venture Farm, as well as through partnerships with breeding ventures and leading academic institutions.

Founder Janice Honigberg will continue as Chief Executive Officer of Sun Belle and Founder Julio Giddings becomes Chair Emeritus of Giddings Fruit. Signaling the importance of these acquisitions, both will join Frutura’s Board of Directors.

“Frutura has fulfilled my dream of bringing Giddings and Sun Belle together under one roof,” Janice Honigberg said.  “This deal will unleash Sun Belle’s full potential to meet consumer desire for the best varieties of premium-quality fresh berries and other fruit in attractive and innovative packaging year-round.” Honigberg added,“The Sun Belle team is thrilled to join Frutura in its mission to expand its worldwide business.  We look forward to working with other Frutura companies on a number of ventures.”

“Janice and I have collaborated so closely, and for so long, that shared ownership feels like a natural evolution,” said Julio Giddings, Chair Emeritus of Giddings Fruit. “I’m delighted to grow our now-collective platform together and to open new global markets for Frutura, as we seek to identify additional revenue streams.”

Frutura

Frutura is a global sales and marketing platform committed to supplying international customers with premium fruit, 365 days a year. The company’s growers and marketers consistently deliver produce of the highest quality, demonstrate operational excellence and share Frutura’s core values around social and environmental performance. www.fruturaproduce.com

Giddings Fruit

Founded in 1985, Giddings is well known as one of the world’s premier berry and cherry suppliers with farming, packaging and export operations throughout North and South America and with commercial offices in the U.K. and Asia. The company also offers vertically integrated ‘seed-to-shelf‘ services to leading global produce operations. www.giddingsfruit.com

Sun Belle

Sun Belle is a leading distributor and marketer to North American and international markets. of conventional and organic berries, including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, golden berries, cranberries and red currants. Sun Belle delivers to customers in North America from distribution centers in Schiller Park, IL; Jessup, MD; Miami, FL; Oxnard, CA; and Laredo, TX. www.sun-belle.com