FOLLOWING a year of refocusing their operations in Shepparton, leading fruit processor SPC has looked towards expanding opportunities that will increase their market diversity and sustainability.
Announced this week, the company purchased the Sydney operation of The Kuisine Company, a manufacturer of frozen prepared meals, for $30M. Kuisine has national distribution through Aldi stores and is a major supplier to the NDIS who provide nutrition support to their clients.
SPC chief executive officer, Robert Giles, said, “While it may not have much of a noticeable impact on the Shepparton operation, it does provide us with an opportunity to add fruit cups to the NDIS options and tomatoes are a big feature of many of the meals they produce so we also have the opportunity to be the source of tomato products we produce from here.
“What the purchase does do is provide us with year-round income stability and sustainability. Our national marketing will also enable us to expand the distribution of The Kuisine Company frozen food products nationally. It is not inconceivable that it can become a $100M business within the foreseeable future.”
While a year ago, the company was faltering, however since being taken over by the new owners, it is moving ahead in leaps and bounds taking advantage of the slowdown in imports of tomato and bean products into the local market and the uptake of more home cooking brought on by pandemic isolation requirements.
SPC is certainly continuing to give us a ‘watch this space’ moment that augers well for the overall economy of the Goulburn Valley.
