Total Produce, one of Europe's leading fresh produce groups, officially took control of French company Indigo Fruits on 28 June, it has emerged.
The French distributor, which will now trade under the name Total Produce Indigo, was previously part of Citronas but was taken over by the Irish-owned firm in late 2011 after its owner, Dutch marketer Royal Fruitmasters, divested operations it no longer considered strategically worth maintaining.
'It was possible for us to takeover Indigo Fruit with borrowed money, which took place in November,' David Benezra, managing director of Indigo, told Fresh Plaza.
Indigo Fruit currently markets a total of 32,000 tonnes of fruit for a turnover of around €25-30m via its two premises in Vitrolles, southern France, and Rungis wholesale market just outside Paris.
The company is understood to specialise in importing Argentine pears as well as a large volume of fruit from Chile.
