Arizona grower acquires melon distribution arm of global producer
Arizona-based melon grower Martori Farms has acquired SOL, the melon growing and distribution business of global fruit producer Fyffes.
SOL includes farms in Honduras and Guatemala and a melon distribution business based in Miami, according to a news release. The combination of Martori and SOL will create the largest year-round melon producer in the world and the leading supplier of melons to the North American market, according to the release.
Martori, a fourth-generation, family-owned company founded in 1913, is known for its signature Kandy brand melons: cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, golden honeydew and its Lemon Drop melon. SOL supplies winter melons to markets across North America.
“Our goal has always been to deliver melons that exceed consumer expectations — melons that delight with flavor, appearance and quality,” Martori Farms CEO Steve Martori III said in the release. “The acquisition of SOL Group allows us to extend that promise across all 12 months of the year, while working with an extraordinary team of professionals who share our dedication to quality and sustainability.”
Since the appointment of new management in October 2021, Fyffes has seen changes to its melon program including:
- Investment in community welfare projects such as medical brigades, clinics, and nutrition programs
- Indigenous tree planting and other environmental initiatives
- Enhanced labor practices, including partnerships with Honduran unions, collective bargaining agreements and human rights assessments
“Over the past four years, we have made significant investments in our winter melon business — enhancing quality, championing worker health and safety, upholding human rights, supporting community wellbeing and introducing innovative practices. The result is a business we are profoundly proud of,” Fyffes CEO Helge Sparsoe said. “As we searched for a buyer, our top priority was to find a company that shares our values.”
