Philip Smits

Philip Smits

Dutch fruit and vegetable grower Jover BV is set to take over Van Doorn International Fruit BV's UK commercial activities, giving Jover's parent company The Greenery a stronger foothold in the UK fresh produce market.

From September marketing activities in the UK for Jover and Van Doorn will be carried out together from Jover's office in Breda, in the Netherlands, while Van Doorn continues to head up its Eastern European business from its Dutch headquarters.

Jover says the merger will help improve its standing in the UK and lead to greater selling opportunities for growers associated with The Greenery.

Philip Smits, CEO of the Greenery, said: “This takeover will strengthen The Greenery's position in the UK as the largest supplier of fresh produce to the supermarkets.”

The Greenery supplies almost all of the major UK supermarkets and their counterparts in Europe, North America and the Far East.

It is the world’s major grower-owned produce supply company, employing some 2,500 people internationally.