Leading UK banana distributor expands its tropical fruit range with acquisition of mango business
UK banana importer and ripener SH Pratt Group has announced the acquisition of the commercial arm of Ripe Now, a mango and tropical fruit supplier to major British supermarkets and food manufacturers.
The deal is expected to broaden SH Pratt’s product portfolio to include the supply of mangoes and other tropical fruits, and includes joint ownership of a mango farm in Peru.
The new business will be a standalone division known as SH Pratt Group Tropical, the firm said in a statement.
Commenting on the acquisition, SH Pratt Group COO David Bateman said: “The SH Pratt Group have long admired the Ripe Now business. We see this positive acquisition as a great opportunity for collaboration, a sharing of expertise and a natural extension within tropical for SH Pratt.
“This exciting business development will enable our supply chain expertise to be added to the sourcing and technical expertise of the Ripe Now team, with our customers benefitting from the collaboration that this brings to the sourcing of tropical fruit.”
As part of the deal, Ripe Now former directors Julian Wright and Lewey Hook will take up key positions within SH Pratt Group Tropical, and will bring a small number of the Ripe Now team with them, SH Pratt revealed.
Hook commented: “We are extremely proud to become part of the SH Pratt Group family. We look forward to bringing together our tight knit group of growers, exporters and customers that we have dealt with for more than 15 years to accelerate the business growth of the company in new and exciting areas.”
SH Pratt’s board of directors said it welcomed the development, adding that the acquisition will allow the family-run firm to supply the UK market with an expanded range of tropical fruits.
The business also continues to specialise in the sourcing and distribution of bananas, as well as being one of the UK’s key independent service providers through its Halo facility at London Gateway Port.
