Calavo Growers acquires Simply Fresh Fruit

Acquisition helps to expand RFG’s total potential addressable market for its core fresh-cut fruit business.

Calavo Growers, Inc. announced that its Renaissance Food Group (RFG) subsidiary has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SFFI Company, Inc. doing business as Simply Fresh Fruit (SFFI).

Founded in 1999 and based in Vernon, California, privately held SFFI is a processor and supplier of a broad line of fresh-cut fruit, principally serving the foodservice and hospitality markets that generated more than $30 million in annual sales in its most recent fiscal year. Its focus in those industries is anticipated to be highly complementary to the retail-grocery expertise of Calavo’s RFG business segment.

The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in Calavo’s first half and to be accretive to the company’s fiscal 2020 adjusted earnings per share. Further transaction terms were not disclosed.

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lee E. Cole stated: “The purchase of Simply Fresh Fruit and its combination into the larger RFG platform makes sense on every level. SFFI has built an impressive business, both operationally and financially. It enables Calavo to efficiently add volume on favourable terms across existing RFG production facilities. With its concentration in the foodservice and hospitality industries, SFFI provides us with a profitable, ‘pure-play’ vehicle for accelerating the company’s growth in these additional categories, and expands RFG’s total potential addressable market for its core fresh-cut fruit business. We look forward to SFFI becoming part of the Calavo family.”