About three and a half years ago, Frutura made its first acquisition in the fruit and vegetable sector, initially focusing on grapes, citrus fruits and avocados. However, last year, the company strengthened its presence in the fruit and vegetable segment. berries through the acquisitions of Sun Belle and Giddings. These two companies are dedicated exclusively to the berries, which is why they have become an essential component for Frutura when it comes to offering better service to its customers.

«Opportunities in the segment of berries “These are huge, being among the top-selling fresh fruit categories in North America and growing worldwide. And consumer interest is immense,” said David Krause, CEO of Frutura. “The berries They have everything the consumer is looking for and the penetration in homes is incredible."

Consolidation of brands berries

"The acquisitions of Sun Belle and Giddings allowed us to prioritize the berries, which now, thanks to selling them under a single brand, are one of our largest crop categories," adds Krause. It is a step towards becoming a supplier of berries increasingly important. “From a customer perspective, it made sense to have one brand as it helps us make the customer experience seamless and hassle-free, moving towards security of supply.”

Before Frutura acquired the two companies berries, Sun Belle and Giddings have been working together for around 15 years, as Sun Belle was the original marketer of Giddings Berries. “The Sun Belle brand has been around for a long time and is highly recognised in the industry. Consolidating all our brands together is a great way to achieve this. berries "Under Sun Belle is a reflection of the prestige and reputation of Sun Belle and the company that Janice Honigberg has built over the years," Krause said.

New division

The new division of berries will be led by its new CEO, JC Clinard, who will be responsible for renaming all of Frutura's assets in the berries to Sun Belle, including the renaming of operations berries of Frutura in Mexico to Sun Belle Mexico, headed by Patricio Cortés. Clinard has acquired extensive experience in several of the most important crops of Frutura, as well as extensive knowledge of the sector of the berries. Prior to joining Frutura, he spent nearly two decades at Florida-based Wish Farms, a major global supplier of berries. «The opportunity at Frutura seemed unique in my career.

JC Clinard / CEO Berry Division at Frutura

I am fortunate to be joining a company that has already achieved success and to benefit from its history of innovation, discipline and entrepreneurial spirit, which seems to be rooted in Frutura's philosophy," says JC Clinard.

Opportunities for strawberries

In addition to streamlining Sun Belle to make it a truly vertically integrated business, Frutura continues to seek investment opportunities in the food segment. berries. The addition of a medium-sized strawberry farm to complete the portfolio of berries The company’s year-round supply is highly desirable. “We focus on the four main varieties: blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. However, we are currently under-represented in strawberries. Our share of strawberries by volume does not match that of the market and we are looking for immediate opportunities,” shares Krause.

Genetics drives consumption

In addition, the company is looking for opportunities in genetics. berries, both through Frutura's research and development business, Black Venture Farms, and through third-party genetic assets. Although Black Venture Farms, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun Belle Mexico, has its own breeding program, Frutura will continue to seek out the best varieties available, regardless of who they come from. "Current genetics continue to drive better quality and higher demand. It's a great time to be in the business of genetics," said Frutura. berries. We are willing to make a qualitative leap in every way to offer an optimal service to our customers," says Clinard. Krause agrees that great varieties drive consumption. "We are seeing how genetic improvement efforts in the grape category drive consumption and we have some wonderful genetics from the grape industry." berries in projects that will be a step in this direction."