Driscoll forms new European berry company
Driscoll forms new European berry company
Watsonville, CA-based Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc. announced the formation of a new European berry company that will be the largest fresh berry company in Europe and the second-largest fresh berry company in the world next to Driscoll.
The new company joins Driscoll with two long-standing partners: KG Growers and Alconeras.
"All three parties share common values, successful business practices and family-oriented approaches to local farming," J. Miles Reiter, Driscoll's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. The new company will be uniquely positioned with superior breeding programs, a strong grower base and well-developed distribution systems.
Alconeras is a family-owned-and-operated business based in Spain and has been partnered with Driscolls in a berry marketing company called Berry Alliance in the Netherlands. Berry Alliance will become part of the new company. KG Fruits is a marketing company based in the United Kingdom that represents the interests of over 70 growers organized as a cooperative. KG Growers and Driscoll have been partners for many years, shipping Driscolls berries into Europe.
The new European-based firm, which will be officially named later this year, will market and breed conventional and organic versions of Driscolls proprietary strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries throughout continental Europe and the United Kingdom.
The new company will unify the collective expertise of the three partners into one single business entity to better serve customers and consumers across the United Kingdom and continental Europe.
We are confident we can grow our business and develop a strong and unified marketing company to satisfy the continuing strong demand for our berries, Mr. Reiter added in the statement.
Like Driscoll in North America, the new company will breed, sell and market berries.
It will receive its fruit from the growers of its shareholding producer groups in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Morocco and the Western Hemisphere, plus other key berry suppliers from around the world. Nick Marston, currently the managing director of KG Fruits, will become managing director and CEO of the new company and report to its board of directors. The target start date for the new company is Feb. 1.
Formation of this new company represents an important step forward for all three companies. For Driscolls, it is part of our mission to delight consumers through alignment with our growers and customers. The new company is a great partnership that will advance this strategy in Europe, added Soren Bjorn, senior vice president of international business for Driscoll.
The new company joins Driscoll with two long-standing partners: KG Growers and Alconeras.
"All three parties share common values, successful business practices and family-oriented approaches to local farming," J. Miles Reiter, Driscoll's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. The new company will be uniquely positioned with superior breeding programs, a strong grower base and well-developed distribution systems.
Alconeras is a family-owned-and-operated business based in Spain and has been partnered with Driscolls in a berry marketing company called Berry Alliance in the Netherlands. Berry Alliance will become part of the new company. KG Fruits is a marketing company based in the United Kingdom that represents the interests of over 70 growers organized as a cooperative. KG Growers and Driscoll have been partners for many years, shipping Driscolls berries into Europe.
The new European-based firm, which will be officially named later this year, will market and breed conventional and organic versions of Driscolls proprietary strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries throughout continental Europe and the United Kingdom.
The new company will unify the collective expertise of the three partners into one single business entity to better serve customers and consumers across the United Kingdom and continental Europe.
We are confident we can grow our business and develop a strong and unified marketing company to satisfy the continuing strong demand for our berries, Mr. Reiter added in the statement.
Like Driscoll in North America, the new company will breed, sell and market berries.
It will receive its fruit from the growers of its shareholding producer groups in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Morocco and the Western Hemisphere, plus other key berry suppliers from around the world. Nick Marston, currently the managing director of KG Fruits, will become managing director and CEO of the new company and report to its board of directors. The target start date for the new company is Feb. 1.
Formation of this new company represents an important step forward for all three companies. For Driscolls, it is part of our mission to delight consumers through alignment with our growers and customers. The new company is a great partnership that will advance this strategy in Europe, added Soren Bjorn, senior vice president of international business for Driscoll.
