Columbine Vineyards_Black Globes-2014 copy

Black globe are a Columbine Vineyards proprietary variety

Columbine vineyards in California’s Kern County has been sold to grower-packer-marketer Agriculture Capital.

The 7000 acres of farm land comprising table grape operations, cold storage, and operating assets will be added to AC Foods’ portfolio of blueberry, hazelnut, and citrus operations throughout California, Oregon, and Australia.

“Columbine Vineyards has been my family’s pride and joy for over 90 years, and we are delighted to be entrusting our legacy to Agriculture Capital and to the AC Foods family,” said Martin Caratan, chief executive of Columbine Vineyards.

Agriculture Capital’s vertically integrated business model is focused on strategically growing consumer access to healthier foods.

“We believe the farms and facilities of Columbine will become an iconic part of our business and are looking forward to working with Columbine’s customers to meet the growing demand for healthy, delicious food,” said Tom Avinelis, managing director at Agriculture Capital.

The purchase of Colubmine Vineyards marks Agriculture Capital’s first step into the grape-growing industry, solidifying its portfolio of year-round farming and processing operations.