12 de marzo de 2010

Through its Swedish division Saba Fresh Cuts AB, Dole Europe has acquired a 25 percent stake in Green Vision AB. The major producer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables in Europe gets involved in a promising collaboration aiming to provide its customers with a wider choice of products, along with high standards of freshness and quality, which are indispensable conditions for Dole.

'Within Dole Europe, Saba Fresh Cuts has experienced a real development in recent years. Now through its participation in Green Vision, the division wants to extend its expertise and offer an access to a larger range of fresh-cut produce to its retail and food service customers.' says Stefan Grahn, Managing Director at Saba Fresh Cuts.

Green Vision produces and sells fresh-cut fruit and fruit salads to food professionals and retail trade in Sweden and Finland. The production facility is located in Huddinge, Stockholm's County, Sweden, since 2007. The company is owned by its founders and has a turnover of approximately 30 million SEK (?3M) per year and about 20 employees.

'Few companies can compete with the quality of the fresh-cut fruit offer Green Vision has developed. Our partnering with Saba Fresh Cuts will enable synergies and will also help us develop our market outside Sweden.' Erik Bolmgren, co-founder and part-owner of Green Vision points out.

'This collaboration will develop a new leadership in fresh-cut fruit focused on high quality services and production, all over Europe', concludes Jean-Christophe Juilliard, Dole Europe President.

About Saba Fresh Cuts: The company produces and sells fresh-cut salads and vegetables for food service and retailers in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the Baltic States. The production facility, located in Helsingborg, founded in 2001, is one of Europe's most modern one. Along with Saba Frukt & Gr?nt and Banan-Kompaniet, Saba Fresh Cuts is part of Saba, which is owned by Dole, and has a turnover of about 3.5 billion SEK (?358M) per year and approximately 550 employees.

About Dole Europe: Dole Europe is one of the largest marketers of fresh produce on the continent, where it has been operating since 1992. It imports a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables from both Dole Food Company's own farms and independent growers situated all over the world. Dole Europe also provides retailers with innovative solutions in terms of services and products. The company focuses on four core values: competence, responsibility, integrity and enthusiasm. Its network stretches from Scandinavia to South Africa, from Portugal to Russia, and includes 1,550 employees, working on 40 locations. More information at www.dole.eu.