Univeg Katope UK stands to gain from a wider sourcing network and enhanced production links as parent company the Univeg Group has announced a new global strategic plan. The plan will see Univeg Group sell off non-fresh produce subsidiary companies to concentrate on the 85 per cent of its current business that is fresh produce focused, and the separation of its service and trading operations with the formation of its overseas production units into a separate legal entity called Univeg Fruitpartners.
Alan Forrester of Univeg Katope UK told freshinfo: “Univeg Fruitpartners allows us to expand our production base into new countries and it allows external investors to come in. We already have teams looking at lots of different places and products around the world. We have a specific expansion plan in Chile and, as an immediate example, we have recruited Claudio César Sarah from Subsole in Chile.”
Despite difficult trading conditions in the UK Univeg Katope UK has grown 18 per cent year on year. The sale of non-core businesses will give Univeg additional funding to help it achieve its aims. “We are also looking at what we can do to expand our UK base and we look on this as an exciting start to 2012,” added Forrester.
