Strategic move allows Mann Packing to focus on operational efficiency and product innovation while strengthening Costa and Nunes Families’ leadership in leafy greens
Fresh Del Monte Produce, through its vegetable division Mann Packing, has announced the sale of its Fresh Leaf Farms brand and operations to First Leaf Farms.
First Leaf Farms is a new partnership between the Costa and Nunes families, both prominent leaders in the Salinas Valley produce industry.
The group said that the transaction aligned with ”a shared commitment to drive innovation, enhance customer offerings, and strengthen leadership in the fresh produce sector”.
For Mann Packing, the sale of Fresh Leaf Farms represented a “key step” in Fresh Del Monte’s strategic direction for its vegetable division, it noted.
”After conducting a comprehensive review and defining a clear path forward, the company is implementing a three-pronged strategy focused on increasing operational efficiency, elevating its product offerings, and divesting non-core assets, which includes the sale of Fresh Leaf Farms.”
Del Monte stated that Mann Packing would continue prioritising its core vegetable line along with signature innovations while exploring new product offerings, ultimately aiming to boost long-term profitability, strengthen business and customer relationships, and deliver innovative solutions to meet consumer needs.
“We are pleased with the path forward for Mann Packing,” said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Fresh Del Monte’s chairman and CEO.
”Our strategy not only sharpens our focus on future growth and operational excellence but also ensures that Fresh Leaf Farms continues to thrive under the leadership of the Costa and Nunes families.
“As Fresh Del Monte’s vegetable division and with innovation as its driving force, Mann Packing remains committed to delivering high-quality, fresh products that meet the evolving needs of our customers and consumers,” he outlined.
The acquisition of Fresh Leaf Farms by First Leaf Farms further enhanced the Costa and Nunes families’ leadership in the leafy greens sector, it said, leveraging their combined expertise and long-standing history.
“With our long history in the Salinas Valley and 40-plus-year relationship with the Nunes family, known for their marketing expertise and reputation for integrity and quality, this acquisition is a natural fit,” said Mike Costa, partner in the Costa family’s operations.
“We have always valued our relationship with Mann Packing and Del Monte and thank them for this opportunity.
”We look forward to strengthening this relationship by leveraging both current and future opportunities to drive continued success,” Costa noted.
“For more than a generation, the Nunes and Costa families have worked side by side – the Costa family, known for its innovative varieties, superior land base, and integrity, and the Nunes family, with similar values and expertise in marketing and sales,” said Tom Nunes, president of The Nunes Company.
”This acquisition allows us to build on that shared history, combining our strengths to drive continued growth and innovation in the leafy greens sector.”
Del Monte added that the transition ”highlighted the collective strengths of all companies involved” and underscored its commitment to optimising its vegetable division while enhancing its business and customer value.
