Packing purchase bears fruit for MFC

MILDURA Fruit Company will add 20 per cent to its packing volume as a result of its recent acquisition of Pacific Fresh’s citrus packing business in Leeton.

MFC already had a significant grower base in the Riverina region and has marketed the majority of fruit from the Pacific Fresh business to its global customer base for a number of years.

General manager Grant Leyden welcomed the Pacific Fresh operational team and all supplying growers into the business.

“We look forward to building upon the many successes that both businesses have already achieved. Any further quality growers of citrus are welcome to supply, to either site,” he said.

Mildura Fruit Company marketing manager Marcus Scott said the integration of the two companies was a natural step that added significant volume and capacity to the combined business.

“Pacific Fresh brand’s consistent quality and recognition fits perfectly with the premium brand and product offerings of MFC,” he said.

“The combined business will benefit both supplying growers and customers.”

The sale was completed after extensive negotiations led by Smith Agri International, which noted the citrus orchard holdings of several of the founding members of the Pacific Fresh group were set to hit the market next.

This will include 160ha of citrus plantings plus headlands, housing, sheds, and support infrastructure, which will continue to supply fruit to the Pacific Fresh fruit packing business.

“(These are) high quality plantings, in demand and unique varieties with a range of mature and maturing plantings that have and will continue to deliver strong production, revenues and profits to the buyer,” Smith Agri International general manager James Wyatt said.

“We congratulate the Pacific Fresh board members and shareholders on the creation of such a strong business, brand and markets created over many years,” he said.

“We recognise their efforts by way of this sale along with MFC and their continued journey of offering expanded and alternate solutions to growers based in the Riverina citrus growing region.”