The company's md Mark Culley said it had signed up The Blackmoor Estate and a number of other growers, which have all been supplying OrchardWorld already with some of their fruit for just one specific customer.

Under the arrangements being set up for the 2002 English season, British & Brazilian, which used to provide the link between the growers and OrchardWorld has decided to take itself out of the loop. Consequently The Blackmoor Estate and the other growers previously linked with B&B will market all their fruit through OrchardWorld to a number of customers.

The marketing group has also increased its volumes of fruit from Newmafruit.

The deal widens OrchardWorld's offer of fruit from East Anglia, Kent, East Sussex and Hampshire and covers both early and late producing sites. Cox is the dominant variety in the new deal, although it also affects small volumes of Gala.

'Naturally we were very disappointed to lose two good suppliers,' said OrchardWorld md Mark Culley. 'Both growers decided, against our better judgement, that they preferred to deal with just one customer.

'OrchardWorld's strength and philosophy has always been to provide a wide customer base for its growers. Looking positively to the future, we are particularly pleased to be marketing The Blackmoor Estate['s] and [other former] British & Brazilian growers' [fruit] and an increased volume of the Newmafruit crop.' B&B's commercial director Angela Gathercole has welcomed the new arrangement. 'I believe OrchardWorld has considerable expertise in the English top fruit market, is totally focussed and knows where it is going in the future,' she said. 'Mark Culley, coming from a family background in apple growing, is absolutely committed to the industry. Having a wide customer base is the best way forward for growers and OrchardWorld is, in my opinion, best placed to provide stability for the future.' Newmafruit has been working with OrchardWorld for two seasons, increasing its volume year-on-year. This is a 'trend which we have agreed for next season,' said the company's Melvin Newman.

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