Premier Fruits Group has advanced its national expansion with the acquisition of Freshway Farms and Stam Fruit Supply in South Australia (SA).
CEO of Premier Fruits Anthony Di Pietro said the acquisition of two major SA family-owned vegetable production and wholesale businesses completes a national expansion strategy in production and distribution of fruit and vegetables for the Melbourne-based company.
“The acquisitions allow Premier Fruits to further leverage its state-of-the-art production and processing systems in farms, packhouses, cold storage, distribution and sales centres,” added Di Pietro.
Established in 1944, Freshway Farms spans three generations of a local farming family, according to a release from Premier Fruits. The company specialises in growing and packing tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers and zucchinis, sourcing product from its own greenhouse (hydroponic) production facilities. It is located at Virginia and Two Wells and has a strong grower network in the Virginia and Murray Bridge area.
Freshway Farms also operates a state-of-the-art refrigerated packing facility equipped with computerised packing machines to deliver efficiencies and high-quality packouts, Premier Fruits added.
Stam Fruit Supply, meanwhile, is a long standing local produce wholesaling business operating from the Adelaide Produce Market located at Pooraka.
The business, which will be renamed Premier Fruits Adelaide, services independent retailers, processors, and local and interstate wholesale agents with a soft vegetable product range comprising capsicums, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes and zucchinis.
Tony Spano of Freshway Farms and Peter Stam of Stam Fruit Supply will join the Premier Fruits Group business as local managers to oversee the continued growth and investment in production and supply chain systems and innovation.
