Frucor Acquires Arano Juice Business

Media Release
Friday 20 July

Frucor Acquires Arano Juice Business

Frucor Beverages Ltd. is pleased to announce it has acquired the assets and brands of the Arano juice business, with effect from 6 August 2007.

The Arano product range comprises orange and other fruit juices, fruit and yoghurt smoothies and vegetable juices. The products are positioned at the most premium end of the market and have been widely recognised for quality and flavour.

Frucor CEO Carl Bergstrom says the Arano business was acquired from its founders, John and Cath Tollemache, who started the business in the early 1980s squeezing oranges from their Gisborne orchard and delivering the fresh juice to restaurants and other outlets around Auckland.

“Today the business operates from a factory in Kumeu, situated on the outskirts of Auckland, and a network of franchisees sell and deliver the product to a wide range of retail and hospitality customers around the country,” he says.

The deal includes a long term exclusive supply arrangement from the Tollemache’s orchard.

The Arano business will be run as a standalone company under a new entity, Arano Juices Ltd., and will operate from the current premises in Kumeu. It will be business as usual for all of Arano’s employees, franchisees and customers.

Frucor Beverages is a leading Australasian beverage company and fully owned subsidiary of Danone, the French multi-national beverage, dairy, and food business. Frucor is the New Zealand market leader in fruit juice with its Just Juice, Fresh Up, McCoy, and Citrus Tree brands. Other well known Frucor brands include V, Mizone, and H2Go.

Mr Bergstrom says the acquisition gives Frucor the capability to make and distribute short shelf life chilled products and increases its distribution in the hospitality sector.

“We are excited about the opportunities this acquisition unlocks and are committed to strongly growing the Arano business.”

He says John and Cath Tollemache will retain an association with the business as its key supplier of oranges, as well as acting as management consultants.

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