Esiberg salad grower

Two of Europe's leading salad companies have announced the creation of a strategic partnership aimed at providing customers with better market coverage, logistics, product knowledge and access to supply of raw product.

Swiss group Eisberg, which has operations in Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Romania, will work with Italian company SAB Ortofrutta, effectively creating one of Europe's largest fresh-cut produce suppliers with a turnover of around €105m.

The move is likely to provide Eisberg with guaranteed access to significant volumes of raw product in northern and southern Italy, while offering new commercial opportunities for SAB Ortofrutta in markets already developed by the Swiss group, notably in central and eastern Europe.

Eisberg already sources a large amount of its product from Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean during the European winter season, with growers in northern and central Europe supplying the company during the summer months.

It is understood Eisberg and SAB Ortofrutta will continue to market their products under their respective brands.