Church Brothers Farms completes Mann Packing acquisition

Church Brothers Farms has officially completed its acquisition of key assets and operations of Mann Packing from Fresh Del Monte Produce.

As part of the deal, announced Oct. 22, Church Brothers will assume operations at Mann Packing’s 200,000-square-foot facility in Gonzales, California, according to a news release.

Based in Salinas, California, Church Brothers produces value-added vegetables and leafy greens.

The move will allow Fresh Del Monte to concentrate on high-growth fruit and fresh-cut products, according to the release.

Church Brothers can now deliver full retail fresh-cut vegetable offerings, from value-added cut vegetables and packaged salads to specialty items and an assortment of field-packaged products, the company said.

Retail processing will move to the Gonzales plant, leaving the company’s San Juan Bautista, Yuma and Northern Mexico facilities free to focus on foodservice growth.

“This is a pivotal moment in our company’s growth,” Church Brothers Farms CEO Brain Church said in a news release. “By bringing Mann Packing into the family, we are significantly expanding our retail capabilities while sharpening our operational focus.”

Mann’s products include Broccolini, chopped and air fryer veggie kits, P.F. Chang’s salad kits and veggie trays. The company was acquired by Fresh Del Monte in 2018.

“Mann’s has been an innovator in our valley for nearly nine decades,” Church said. “We’re proud to steward that legacy forward with the same commitment to quality and creativity, but now with the scale, farming network and operational capabilities that we can provide.”

Full operational integration is targeted for April 1.