Dandrea Produce announces joint venture with Mas Melons & Grapes
Dandrea Produce announces joint venture with Mas Melons & Grapes
Dandrea Produce has entered into a joint venture with Mas Melons & Grapes. “Our business with the company began over 15 years ago and has gradually but consistently increased with larger product volumes each year,” Frank Dandrea, president of Dandrea Produce, headquartered in Vineland, NJ, told The Produce News. “This alliance attests to how our relationship with their company has developed into a major program for Dandrea.”
The venture was finalized the week of Feb. 9.
Mas Melons & Grapes LLC was founded in 1997 by Miky Suarez, a distributor in Nogales, AZ, and Alberto Vanegas, Carlos Terminel, Alfonso Ruysanchez and Rodrigo Acuña, who are all growers from Caborca, Sonora, Mexico. The company was formed as a partnership with the vision of establishing a vertically integrated group that would grow and distribute its own products.
“Our relationship with Dandrea has continued to grow since we began doing business with the company over 15 years ago, and we are extremely excited to officially start a partnership together,” said Suarez. “Jointly, we are looking to expand our growing operations by investing in more farm land in Mexico as we move forward.”
Dandrea Produce is a multi-generational business that has been operated by family members since it began in 1917. Besides Dandrea, company executives include his brothers: Steven, vice president of sales; and Ron, secretary-treasurer. Two members of the next generation of the Dandrea family -- Jana and Peter Dandrea -- also work for the company. In April two more fourth-generation family members -- Lauren and Adam -- will also join the staff.
“Mas Melons & Grapes distributes from the Nogales facility,” said Dandrea. “The company produces over 950,000 cases of table grapes and over 1.5 million cases of honeydew melons annually. Our investment in Mas Melons & Grapes is integral to our strategic plans. Our vertical integration model is key to our continued success.”
Today Dandrea Produce has a staff of approximately 150 people. It has growing operations in New Jersey and the Dominican Republic. It also has growing partnerships in an additional 14 countries.
“We continually look for growing operations, whether domestically or abroad, to continue to become a completely vertical and true field-to-fork company,” added Dandrea.