Dole Food Company has announced that it has made an equity investment in Healthy Foods, the producer of the yonanas frozen treat maker.
Dole and Healthy Foods have joined forces to increase consumption of fruit by expanding the yonanas product line and its distribution in retail, commercial and food service outlets around the world.
The yonanas frozen treat maker employs proprietary technology to transform frozen bananas and other frozen fruit into a dessert that looks and tastes like an indulgent soft-serve ice cream – but with all the nutrition of fresh fruit, no additives, and with as little as 100 calories per serving.
The collaboration with Dole, the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fruits and vegetables, will help Healthy Foods increase retail distribution of the yonanas treat maker as well as accelerate the development of a new line of commercial yonanas products for restaurants, schools, hospitals, hotels and other venues.
The companies also plan to co-brand their respective products, with the yonanas device and new packaging, which is sold at major retailers including Target, Sears, Bed Bath & Beyond, K-mart and Amazon, now co-branded Dole-yonanas.
'We're excited to align with a Fortune 500 company that shares our vision of promoting nutrition,' said Winston Breeden, CEO of Healthy Foods. 'Dole's powerful brand and global reach will undoubtedly accelerate our market penetration around the world. This new venture will also help us launch our commercial division of yonanas products in a shorter timeframe.'
David Murdock, Dole's Chairman, confirmed that the innovative team at Healthy Foods would provide Dole with a unique business platform for future growth. 'Healthy Foods and the proprietary yonanas technology will help drive our fresh and frozen fruit businesses, while encouraging people to increase their fruit consumption and live healthier lives,' he noted.
