Origine Grouphas added the Made in Blu and Fruitaly brands to its portfolio, after finalising the acquisition of Compagnia Italiana della Frutta late last week.
Set up in 2003, Compagnia Italiana della Frutta is an Italian consortium best known for supplying pears, apples and summer fruits. The Made in Blu and Fruitaly brands are well established in a number of global markets, including Asia, with the company boasting an annual turnover of around €10m.
“The acquisition is part of Origine Group’s strategy of development as a collective organisation aimed at the marketing of our best productions on the overseas markets, with the guarantee of quality and efficiency for our clients,” said Ilenio Bastoni, president of Origine Group and of Compagnia Italiana della Frutta.
“With Made in Blu, our market capacity is accrued, and the model of Origine Group is reinforced, a model characterised by transparency, efficiency and flexibility, aimed atcreating value added with a low cost.”
Origine Group was set up in 2015 by 10 Italian fresh produce companies who work together on innovation and new varieties suited to emerging markets. The group has initially focused on the Sweeki and PeraItalia brands for kiwifruit and pears.
Origine Group will showcase its beefed-up product portfolio at Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong this September, with the co-operative keen to increase its footprint in the Far East.
“As a result of this acquisition we hold a remarkable range of clients and brands, that will reinforce our commercial penetration in overseas markets, both acquired and future,” said Alessandro Zampagna, general manager of Origine Group. “This gives us confidence for the 2018/19 season, after a difficult yearmarked by the shortage of kiwifruit from the North Hemisphere.'
