Total Produce plc has acquired 50 per cent of soft-fruit specialist ASF Holland BV, based in Venlo in the Netherlands, from Frankort & Koning BV.
The move opens up a major soft-fruit opportunity in mainland Europe for the UK-Irish fresh produce giant.
Total Produce UK executive chairman Denis Punter said the ASF Holland BV business will have sales in 2009 of some €25 million (£22m). “This acquisition will provide the opportunity to further expand the ASF Holland BV business and will complement Total Produce’s existing business in this specialist area, which is principally conducted through its wholly owned subsidiary, Redbridge Holdings Limited,” he told freshinfo.
Punter said the deal has come about as a result of a conversation that the companies have been involved in for “a long while” and that Total Produce has wanted to make inroads into the mainland European soft-fruit market for some time.
“In [northern European] countries, soft-fruit consumption is lower than in the UK and we think an opportunity exists to change that,” said Punter, who did not rule out export opportunities for UK soft fruit to mainland Europe through the new acquisition. He said: “With the position of the euro at the moment against sterling all things are possible. Every UK grower is probably looking across the Channel. Never say never.”
Frankort & Koning BV retains the remaining 50 per cent share in ASF Holland BV.
