Global produce company Vanguard International has further expanded its international portfolio with the acquisition of Washington State-based Pride Packing.
The pear, apple and stonefruit grower-packer in Wapato comprises 3,000 acres (1,214ha) of farmland with packhouse and cold storage facilities, run by Ernest Spada.
The acquisition will see Spada stay on as Pride Packing’s chairman emeritus, with Pride Packing’s current general manager and vice president of farming operations, Brett Calhoun, to maintain his role as well.
“We are dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition and seamless integration of all entities as we enter this exciting partnership between Pride and Vanguard,” Spada said.
“We are thrilled to welcome Pride to Vanguard and to continue our working relationship with this industry leader,” Craig Stauffer, Vanguard’s CEO said in a company statement released 8 May.
“We are proud to be associated with the Spada family, United Salad, and Pride, and we look forward to increasing our footprint in Washington to enhance our ability to supply our customers around the world.”
The purchase of Pride Packing is another step in Vanguard’s strategy to develop a vertically integrated company with year-round supplies of fresh produce from its farms for its global customers.
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