Fresca buys stake in UK strawberry company
United Kingdom
Monday 14 April 2008
Leading UK fresh produce firm Fresca Group has announced its purchase of a 40 per cent stake of glasshouse strawberry producers Wallings Nursery. Under the terms of the new arrangement, the controlling share of the business has been purchased by the existing Wallings management team of Christopher Batchelor and Will Fell, while Fresca's Mack Multiples subsidiary will assume responsibility for the firm´s marketing from 15 April 2008.
Wallings is one of the UK´s largest growers of glasshouse strawberries and has a proven track record supplying early and late season English strawberries to UK multiple retailers, Fresca said in a statement. The company has 29,400 sqm of glasshouses, while a further 20,000 sqm is currently used for polytunnel tabletop strawberry production.
In a statement, Fresca said the new venture would provide Fresca a great opportunity to build volume and ensure consistent British supply and quality to service the berry business that has begun at Mack Multiples over the last year.
Chris Mack, executive chairman of Fresca Group, said: "I'm particularly pleased about this new partnership with Wallings.
"It's very hard to come into the UK berry market as a new player without a contracted supply base, and we've had such strong early success with securing retailer orders that we very swiftly concluded that we wanted to consolidate our place in a partnership with a grower. We very much look forward to working with Wallings to drive both businesses forward."
Commenting on the new arrangement, Christopher Batchelor, managing director of Wallings Nurseries, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to develop our business, we have tremendous expertise within the company and this alliance with Fresca will enhance our development. We would like to wish the former owners David and Thea Dunn a happy and much deserved retirement."
Wallings is one of the UK´s largest growers of glasshouse strawberries and has a proven track record supplying early and late season English strawberries to UK multiple retailers, Fresca said in a statement. The company has 29,400 sqm of glasshouses, while a further 20,000 sqm is currently used for polytunnel tabletop strawberry production.
In a statement, Fresca said the new venture would provide Fresca a great opportunity to build volume and ensure consistent British supply and quality to service the berry business that has begun at Mack Multiples over the last year.
Chris Mack, executive chairman of Fresca Group, said: "I'm particularly pleased about this new partnership with Wallings.
"It's very hard to come into the UK berry market as a new player without a contracted supply base, and we've had such strong early success with securing retailer orders that we very swiftly concluded that we wanted to consolidate our place in a partnership with a grower. We very much look forward to working with Wallings to drive both businesses forward."
Commenting on the new arrangement, Christopher Batchelor, managing director of Wallings Nurseries, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to develop our business, we have tremendous expertise within the company and this alliance with Fresca will enhance our development. We would like to wish the former owners David and Thea Dunn a happy and much deserved retirement."