Angflor

Agrial Fresh Produce has fully acquired Anglor, the joint venture business it operated in partnership with Jepco.

Agrial, which owns the Florette brand, announced that it will rename the Essex-based year-round protected salad growing outfit as Agrial Fresh Farms, adding that the move forms part of its strategy to establishfully-owned growing operations in the UK. It alsodemonstrates its commitment to investing in its UK supply chain, it said.

Florette and Agrial have sourced salad leaves from Angflor, in partnership with Jepco, for a number of years, and the site near Colchester is said to boast some of the best light levels in the country, enabling it to cultivate high-quality salad leaves on a significant scale in the UK. In particular, Angflor produces baby leaf products such as lambs lettuce, which are key components of some of Florette’s most popular products.

As well as reducing food miles for Florette, Angflor is also said to have an excellent water footprint, as the site is built to harvest rainwater and store it for future use, making it self-sufficient in water.

The company said that alongside its existing European network of growers, the acquisition from Jepco will 'contribute towardsUK supply continuity, providing added protection against the supply issues that often impact the salad market.'

Doug Robertson, managing director of Agrial Fresh Produce, said: “In the years we have been sourcing products from Angflor, the site has gone from strength to strength, expanding from 11 to 28 hectares of salad production capability, helping Agrial Fresh Produce to broaden supply channels and increase its ability to source key ingredients from the UK.

“Establishing close links with agriculture is a key part of the Agrial model, as it enhances our product expertise and brings benefits to the supply chain. Taking sole ownership of the site and renaming it Agrial Fresh Farms Ltd, cements our position as an expert in salad growing in the UK.”