Frutura Produce has strategically enhanced its foothold in Latin America by acquiring Montana Fruits, a Colombian avocado enterprise. This move significantly reinforces Frutura’s avocado operations, emphasizing the region’s essential role in its global growth strategy within the food and beverage industry.
Headquartered in Reedley, California, Frutura announced that this acquisition has “meaningfully strengthened” its positioning. Family-owned Montana Fruits partners with local Colombian growers and has been a reliable supplier for Frutura.
Moreover, Frutura’s avocado supply chain benefits from its other business entities, such as Dayka & Hackett in the United States, Agrícola Don Ricardo in Peru, and Subsole in Chile. CEO David Krause highlighted the company’s progress, saying, “We are actually ahead of plan with table grapes, citrus, and berries. Avocados are our next big push.”
The operations of Montana will now fall under the management of Dayka & Hackett, which Frutura acquired alongside Agrícola Don Ricardo in 2021. Located in California’s Central Valley, Dayka & Hackett imports, distributes, and markets avocados, citrus, mangoes, and stone fruits, primarily targeting US retailers.
In recent years, Colombia has emerged as a significant player in the global avocado market, experiencing remarkable year-over-year growth, as noted by Frutura. Stephen Fink, the Vice President of sales and marketing at Dayka & Hackett, described the acquisition as the “last puzzle piece” needed for true vertical integration in avocados.
Fink also mentioned that Montana has established a robust customer base in Europe and Chile. With the new access to the US market for Colombian avocados, there’s a considerable opportunity for Dayka & Hackett to make a noteworthy impact in the food and drink business.
This acquisition occurs after Frutura’s 2023 purchases of Sun Belle and Giddings Fruit, ventures that expanded its footprint in the berries segment. Four months ago, Frutura launched a dedicated berry division, under CEO JC Clinard, rebranding all berry assets to the Sun Belle name, which includes operations in Mexico.
Such strategic acquisitions and expansions point to evolving food and drink consumer trends, reflecting Frutura’s commitment to leveraging opportunities in high-demand sectors like avocados and berries. For more insights on industry movements, you can explore additional resources.
