KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA - We were thrilled to learn about another industry acquisition taking place in the berry space. It was recently announced that Mastronardi Produce® has acquired full and exclusive North American rights in Mastronardi BerryWorld® America from its partner BerryWorld® Group.

“Our partnership with the BerryWorld® Group over the past 5 years has allowed us to deliver exceptional berries to the North American market,” says Paul Mastronardi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mastronardi Produce. “Access to these premium varieties through this association with BerryWorld has played a crucial role in establishing Mastronardi Produce as an emerging player in the North American berry market.”

The joint venture between Mastronardi and BerryWorld Group was originally formed in 2018 to create Mastronardi BerryWorld America. This partnership provided access to BerryWorld’s high-flavor proprietary berry varieties and was aimed at leveraging Mastronardi's expertise in greenhouse growing and BerryWorld’s extensive berry breeding and marketing capabilities. The continued relationship will provide Mastronardi Produce with continued access to the BerryWorld breeding program to further develop the North American berry category.

In connection with the buyout, Mastronardi Produce will continue to hold exclusive rights to market all premium berry proprietary varieties in North America that were previously licensed to Mastronardi BerryWorld America, in addition to all future high-flavor proprietary berries developed under such licenses. According to a press release, this extends over all four berry categories, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

“This acquisition allows the BerryWorld Group to dedicate its resources to researching and developing premium, high-flavor varieties market while enabling Mastronardi to concentrate on their advanced grower network and leading marketing capabilities,” noted David Gray, President, BerryWorld Group.

Mastronardi Produce and BerryWorld Group look forward to continuing to build a long-term, sustainable collaborative relationship. As a fourth-generation owned company, this strategic move aligns with Mastronardi Produce’s commitment to becoming the most beloved brand in freshness.

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