Over the last five years, there have been several mergers of large citrus companies, giving rise to powerful groups backed by private equity funds. Citrus products continue to attract the interest of large investment firms, facilitating the sector's transformation.
Now, the British fund Sunridge Partners, which created the subsidiary Sunridge Citrus Spain for its citrus business in Spain, has just absorbed the Nules-based company Juan Rubert SL, one of Castellón's most emblematic citrus companies. This operation, which follows the incorporations of Valencia-based Albenfruit in 2020 and Andalusia-based Cítricos Orgánicos Reunidos (CIOR) in March 2022, is further increasing the group's capacity.
Juan Rubert (Castellón).
"Juan Rubert is a family business with a solid reputation as a reliable producer and distributor. This merger will allow Juan Rubert SL to further expand its range of conventional and organic citrus fruits, strengthening its operational capacity and ensuring a continuous and varied supply of fresh citrus throughout the year," says Salvador Camarasa, COO of Sunridge Citrus.
"We are delighted to welcome Juan Rubert SL to the Sunridge Citrus family. Since our inception, we have aimed to partner with companies that share our commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation," says Camarasa. "The incorporation of Juan Rubert SL is boosting our capacity to offer exceptional products and helping us strengthen our position as a key partner for European retailers," he says.
Albenfruit (Valencia).
Regarding this new phase, brothers Juan Ignacio and Santiago Rubert, who are the managers and administrators of Juan Rubert SL, say: "Our company has been a pioneer in the cultivation and export of premium citrus, with a strong presence in the Anglo-Saxon markets. Joining Sunridge Citrus will not only allow us to continue growing but also to remain faithful to our roots and our family traditions."
Francisco José Rodríguez Noguerón, CEO of Sunridge Citrus, said: "We are delighted that Juan Rubert SL is becoming part of the Sunridge Citrus family. This will help us in our mission of becoming the most relevant citrus supplier to the most demanding European retailers. We provide direct access to Spanish citrus (lemons, oranges, mandarins, clementines, and organics), while also seamlessly arranging the supply of fruit from complementary regions throughout the southern hemisphere season. Sunridge Citrus is a professionalized company with strong family roots."
Cítricos Orgánicos Reunidos, CIOR (Almeria).
The integration of Juan Rubert SL into Sunridge Citrus is strengthening the group's capacity to offer an even wider range of conventional and organic citrus to major European customers.
"This strategic step will also allow us to guarantee greater geographical diversification and to offer customizable products with a high level of traceability. With this addition, we are consolidating our position as a leader in the citrus sector and we'll be in a better position to supply the European market with quality products adapted to the changing needs of our customers," says the CEO of Sunridge Citrus.
For more information:
Sunridge Citrus
C/ Ferrers 16 Pol. Ind. Cotes B
46680 Algemesí, Valencia. Spain
Tel.: (+34) 962 481 263
info@sunridgecitrus.com
sunridgecitrus.com/en/