Capespan North America, a member of South Africa's Capespan Group, has signed an exclusive citrus distribution agreement with S. Surabian & Sons of Dinuba, CA. The deal appoints Capespan North America as Surabian's exclusive sales and marketing agent for its extensive line of fresh, California citrus products.

With head offices in Gloucester City, NJ, and Montreal, and with affiliated offices in Bakersfield and Dinuba, Capespan North America is one of North America’s premier fresh fruit marketers and distributors. It has been a leader in the importing and distributing of a full range of citrus from South Africa, Chile and Peru.

By virtue of its own New Jersey-based sales team, and through Alliance International, its Bakersfield-based joint-venture with Anthony Vineyards, Capespan North America has become a leading one-stop shopping location for premium retailers, club stores and wholesale distributors seeking to source a twelve-month a year supply of their full citrus needs.

The deal also means that Capespan North America's and Alliance International's customers will have an uninterrupted supply of products under Capespan's globally recognized “Outspan” brand for their traditional citrus products like oranges, lemons and grapefruit. Easy-peeling clementines and mandarins will be marketed under Capespan North America’s “Clem Gem” brand. Capespan North America will also distribute products under Surabian's traditional brands “Eschol” and “Buy & Buy.”

Surabian is a family-owned fruit packing enterprise that has been packing quality products in Tulare County since 1934. In 2001 Surabian shifted its focus from stone fruit to citrus and in the ensuing 15 years it has grown to become a grower-focused, premium packer of Navel and Valencia oranges, lemons, grapefruit, soft citrus and specialty items, like Cara Cara and blood oranges.

This deal will provide Surabian and its grower-partners with direct access to Capespan's network of retail and wholesale customers across the United States and Canada, as well as access to the Capespan Group's distribution companies throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Asia and the Middle East.

Mark Greenberg, Capespan North America president and chief executive officer, acknowledged that he had been looking for a grower-centric, California partner and he was thrilled to have found Surabian.

“Securing a strong and reliable package of premium California citrus, complemented by our unparalleled import program, will allow us to serve our retail partners confidently and consistently, 52 weeks of the year, while delivering value to our grower-base in Chile, South Africa, Peru and California, upon whom we depend for our success,” Greenberg said in a press release. “Surabian is the perfect fit for us.”

“It is with great enthusiasm and optimism that we look forward to our partnership with Capespan North America. Our affiliation with them will enhance the distribution of our products throughout the United States and, through its global network, worldwide,” Sam Surabian added in the release. “We owe our growers the best marketing solution available and we are confident Capespan North America will ensure we provide it to them.”