Origine Group gets bigger with the acquisition of Compagnia Italiana della Frutta and the brands Made in Blu and Fruitaly

The acquisition by Origine Group of Compagnia Italiana della Frutta, owner of the brands “Made in Blu” and “Fruitaly”, was formalized last week.

Origine Group was set up in 2015 by 10 companies, leaders in the production and trading of fresh fruit and vegetables: Afe, Apofruit, Frutta C2, Gran Frutta Zani, Kiwi Uno, Kiwi Sole, Pempa-Corer, Salvi-Unacoa, Spreafico and the Chilean group Del Curto. The consortium represents companies with a total turnover of around 1 billion Euro, which have joined their resources to provide a top quality product, working together on innovation and new varieties to look out into new emerging markets. Origine Group focused initially on the brands Sweeki & PeraItalia for kiwis and pears, of which the members’ sales amount to a total of 200,000 tons, but the strategy is to open to other products.

Hence the acquisition of Compagnia Italiana della Frutta, the Consortium set up in 2003 with the objective to gather, under the brand Made in Blu and Fruitaly, the offer of several companies on the international markets, in particular for kiwis, pears, and summer fruits, with a turnover that reached 10 million Euros.

“The acquisition” – states Ilenio Bastoni, president of Origine Group and of Compagnia Italiana della Frutta – “is part of Origine Group strategy of development as a collective organization aimed at the marketing of our best productions on the overseas markets, with the guarantee of quality and efficiency for our clients.

The ‘new’ Origine Group, whose ‘debut’ will be in Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong, has now a portfolio of important brands to promote: Sweeki for premium kiwis, PeraItalia for the high quality Italian pears, Made in Blu e Fruitaly. Clients are in Cina, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Usa, Canada and Europe.

“As a result of this acquisition– says the General Manager of Origine Group, Alessandro Zampagna – we hold a remarkable range of clients and brands, that will reinforce our commercial penetration in overseas markets, both acquired and future. This gives us confidence for the 2018/19 season, after a difficult year marked by the shortage of kiwis on the North Hemisphere.”.

“With Made in Blu – continues the President Ilenio Bastoni – our market capacity is accrued, and the model of Origine Group is reinforced, a model characterized by transparency, efficiency and flexibility, aimed at  to creating value added with a low cost. The objective is to be a player in the world market, increasing the value of the local production and protecting the income of farmers”.

www.origine-group.com

Photo: Ilenio Bastoni, OG chairman (left) and Alessandro Zampagna, OG general manager

 （The media release is provided by the third party.  It is being republished here in full, without editing. The contents do not necessarily reflect Produce Report’s point of view.）