Coopers Produce has merged with Fresh Direct (UK) while one of the UK fresh produce trade’s leading figures has stepped down from his role as a director at Fresh Direct.
Boyd Park, md at Fresh Direct Local Skelmersdale will leave the company amicably in August, two and a half years since he sold his Parkfresh business to Fresh Direct.
He will be replaced by Sarah Cooper as managing director of the company’s new Wigan depot, along with her senior business partner at Coopers, David Simmons who joins as head of procurement for the north and west.
The logistics of Coopers Produce have been outsourced and its warehouse operations provided by Oliver Kay Produce.
The financial details of the merger have not been released but Fresh Direct said: “The main attraction of this deal was the two principles and we are delighted to have convinced Sarah and David to join us.”
Park, who is 45 and ran his own business for 23 years, is to take a 12-month break before returning to the industry with an option of working on projects with Fresh Direct.
Park has been pivotal to the re-location of the business to a new five acre site in Wigan. He has also played a significant role in merging the Skelmersdale operation with Fresh Direct’s Manchester business. In 2008, Parkfresh won the Re:fresh Regional Foodservice Supplier of the Year award.
Park said: “I have taken the business to a new five acre site and fell I have done my bit. What we have tried to do in Wigan is combine the local and national sales. A lot of the time we have synergies. We are still buying a lot of local produce and some of the farmers we source from I have worked with for 25 years.”
David Burns, md of Fresh Direct UK Ltd, said: “Boyd will take on a group role focusing on this [local sourcing] strategy across all depots along with other projects to be announced. We look forward to a successful future and an enhanced offering in the North of England for our customers.”
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