Fresh Del Monte has announced that two of its North American subsidiaries have acquired some 7,200 acres (2,913ha) of agricultural production land, packhouses and farm equipment in Florida and Virginia, as it aims to strengthen its position in the North American tomato and vegetable industries.
Speaking about the deal, group chairman and CEO Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh said that the group was excited to expand its vertical integration in its tomato product line.
'The acquisition of field grown tomato assets in Florida and Virginia complements our state-of-the-art greenhouse operations in Costa Rica and Guatemala, gives us the opportunity to continue to expand our tomato and vegetable product offerings, and enables us to provide our customers with high-quality, locally grown produce, strengthening our competitive position in the tomato industry,' he explained.
'This acquisition is further proof of our commitment to our tomato category and expansion of our relationships with third-party producers,' Abu-Ghazaleh added.
