DK John Moller H and P Frugtimport

John Møller, H&P Frugtimport

Danish fresh produce importer H&P Frugtimport will complete a takeover of fruit, vegetable and flower supplier Gartnerhal on 1 September, it has emerged.

The move is expected to offer H&P new commercial opportunities in the catering sector, an area in which Gartnerhal has developed strong links since it first began trading in March 1979.

According to H&P chief executive John Møller, Gartnerhal's management will relocate to H&P's headquarters in Vejle, Jutland, around 75km away from their current base in Herning.

'Through the entire process we've had a very good dialogue with Torben Pedersen, who today owns Gartnerhal,' he explained.

Although it has a distribution network covering the entire country, H&P Frugtimport looks set to benefit from a new customer base following the takeover, Møller suggested.

'At the moment we have a limited number of customers as far as fruit and vegetable sales in the catering segment are concerned, so we very much welcome [the deal] and look forward to having Gartnerhal's proficient skills as a part of H&P.'

He added: 'I'm quite sure that together we can create something exciting that will be to the delight of all present, but also future, customers of H&P Fruit Import.'