Chile’s Hortifrut is to take over Peru’s Talsa, creating one of the region’s biggest blueberry suppliers.
The deal will see Hortifrut incorporate Talsa’s 1,450ha of blueberry farms, together with its two packhouses, into its Peruvian operations. These comprise 350ha of production in Trujillo and 400ha in Olmos, which it runs with its partner Atlantic Blue.
This will give Hortifrut a total of 2,200ha of blueberry production in Peru and an estimated annual output of 45,000 tonnes, with the potential to reach 100,000 tonnes in the short term.
Talsa will receive US$160m and a 17.13 per cent stake in the merged company plus a performance related award.
“This investment fills us with pride as it allows Hortifrut and its partners around the world along the entire value chain to gain a unique position in the berry industry by having first-class production and facilities in the US, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and, from today, an even stronger presence in Peru,” said Víctor Moller, president of Hortifrut.
'Together with our investments in Europe and Asia, this consolidates our position as a leading global platform with solid supplies through 52 weeks of the year.”
