Global Fresh NZ Ltd has purchased a 33 per cent stake in Zeafruit Ltd, the Gisborne-based citrus and avocado domestic marketing company.

The strategic investment is designed to support the company's diversification strategy says Steve Trickett, Marketing Director of Global Fresh NZ Ltd and Katikati based Just Avocados Ltd.

Global Fresh and Just Avocados have branched out with a part purchase of Zeafruit Ltd.

The part-purchase provides Global Fresh with the resources required to manage domestic sales for an increased range of New Zealand grown produce to both retail and wholesale customers in the country's market, says Steve.

'Global Fresh is now well underway with its own diversified Australasian import programmes and is serving retail accounts directly,” he says. '

'At some future point Zeafruit could also provide a service platform for the import range, but in the immediate term will continue to focus primarily on expanding opportunities for New Zealand products.”

Since establishing Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd earlier in the year, the company has developed partnerships for the supply of premium quality branded tomatoes, melons, mangoes, and citrus from Australia. Counter seasonal citrus supply from California is now in the pipeline as well.

These products will complement the Global Fresh fruit offer, adding to its existing range of key categories of avocados, kiwifruit and apples and enabling a broader retail chain relationship.

'With our Just Avocados Ltd facility contributing around 40 per cent of Zeafruit's avocado programme requirements and the strong position they have established in citrus, there were obvious synergies to be built on for our expanding produce range,” says Just Avocados Managing director Andrew Darlin.

'Primarily we are packer-marketers with a strong export focus and skillset, and while we could have invested in staff and systems to build a domestic market business unit, it takes time and would only add yet another player to the game.

'We had a more immediate need and saw it was far better to align our respective growth strategies and invest in Zeafruit to build on progress being made together.”

Zeafruit General Manager Glen Dunseath says the company is excited to be integrating its business with Global Fresh and Just Avocados. This is cementing what has become a strong and effective supply partnership developed over the past two years.

He says: 'Zeafruit has enjoyed steady incremental growth in its share of the New Zealand retail segment in recent seasons.

'With the Global Fresh shareholding and a smarter strategic collaboration in pursuing customer solutions for both existing and new product lines, we become an increasingly relevant participant in this market.”