UK supermarket chain Morrisons has teamed up with produce giant Global Pacific to acquire a banana plant from Fresh Del Monte Produce.

Morrisons said today (26 July) it had snapped up the banana ripening facility in Boston through a venture with Global Pacific, which will run the plant on behalf of the retailer. The retailer could not provide financial details at the time of writing.

The UK’s fourth-largest grocer said it wanted to better “control” the quality of the fruit to meet consumer demand. Bananas will be ripened at the plant, where Fresh Del Monte stopped production in 2011, instead of via a third party

CEO Dalton Philips said: “Bananas are the most popular fruit in the UK so it makes sense for Morrisons to apply its unique approach to food production to simplify the supply chain, cut out costs and improve quality. Adding this ripening factory to our business means we will be able to mature bananas more precisely to our customers different needs.”

Morrisons owns a range of manufacturing sites across the food sector, supplying meat, fish and bakery products to its stores. It has acquired six plants since 2010.

Chris Kilvington, CEO of Global Pacific, said the company was entering into an “exciting partnership”.  

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