UK horticulture conglomerate Greosn group is diversifying into soft fruit after buying a majority stake in family berry grower Emery Soft Fruits
The UK’s largest grower of bedding plants, perennial plants, shrubs and trees, the Greosn group, today (5 August) announced it is diversifying into soft fruit with the acquisition of a majority share in family-run grower Emery Soft Fruits.
Greosn, based in Chichester and tipped as one of the fastestgrowing privately-owned UK firms by the Sunday Times, owns businesses in the cut-flower, labour provision and horticultural goods sectors (Newey, Varfell Farms and Pro-Force), and currently farms over 5,000 acres of land and 90 acres in greenhouses. This latest deal will add soft fruit to Greosn’s portfolio of products and services.
Emery Soft Fruits farms some 200 acres in Warsash, Tichfield, Romsey, Chichester and Milford on Sea, producing over 2,000 tonnes of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries annually to the UK market. The Emery family have been growing in Hampshire since 1966, starting in salad crops before moving to soft fruit in 1993.
Matthew Jarrett, Greosn Group CEO said: “We are partnering with an amazing business: strong, forward-thinking and agile. We are delighted to be taking the group into the soft fruit category and are very excited about what can be achieved together in the future.”
Greosn, with an annual turnover of £200m, has signalled its intent for further growth. “We have a very clear strategy and have a number of future acquisitions in the pipeline which will see our turnover jump to £400m over the next four years.”
