Merger of industry leaders brings together organicgirl, Braga and Dole Fresh Vegetables
Merger of industry leaders brings together organicgirl, Braga and Dole Fresh Vegetables
Arable Capital Partners' organicgirl has acquired both Braga Fresh through a merger and Dole Fresh Vegetables/Bud Antle; Dole sold its fresh vegetables division for $140 million.
Braga Fresh is a vertically integrated grower and processor of both conventional and organic vegetables, offering salad kits, blends and fresh-packed vegetables. Dole Fresh Vegetables/Bud Antle has a long-standing reputation for delivering a comprehensive range of value-added salad blends, kits and vegetables under the well-known Dole and Bud of California brands.
Tim Stejskal has been appointed CEO of the newly combined entity. He joined Arable as an operating partner in 2023 after serving as CEO of Fresh Innovations and spending over two decades at Dole Fresh Vegetables/Bud Antle as general manager and senior vice president of sales and innovation. “This new platform creates a diversified produce portfolio that strengthens each brand’s legacy of innovation and commitment to exceptional customer service,” he said.
“This combination unlocks exciting new potential for the organicgirl brand and presents meaningful opportunities for the dedicated teams across all three companies," said Mark Drever, co-founder of organicgirl. "With enhanced resources and scale, we are even better positioned to deliver on our promise of quality and care to consumers.”
"Bringing these companies together creates an exciting new chapter," said Rod Braga, president and CEO of Braga Fresh. "It allows us to continue offering exceptional value to our customers, expand opportunities for our world-class grower partners, and support the growth and development of our talented employees.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Dole Fresh Vegetables/Bud Antle and Braga Fresh into the organicgirl platform and the Arable portfolio,” said Derek Yurosek, managing director of Arable. “Each company is a leader in its segment and together they create a powerful platform poised for long-term growth and success.”
“Arable was formed to provide investors unique opportunities to partner with great businesses and operators and create value," said Greg Richards, managing director of Arable. "The merger of organicgirl, Braga Fresh and Dole Fresh Vegetables/Bud Antle does exactly this in combining industry leaders across the salad and vegetable sectors enabling continued market growth for these businesses and their customers, growers and shareholders.
